READ | SERMON NOTES
SUMMARY l Genesis 37 recounted Jacob’s family line. Joseph, the favourite son, received Jacob’s robe and his brothers were jealous. So his brothers plotted to kill him, but they eventually sold him to Egypt. There were three instances in this chapter where history repeated itself: (1) Missing brothers – Joseph could not find his brothers and later in the chapter Reuben could not find Joseph (Gen 37:16, 29); (2) Bad reports – the chapter began with a bad report about his brothers by Joseph to Jacob, then it ends with the brothers informing Jacob about Joseph’s death (Gen 37:2, 31-34); (3) Deceiving the father – Jacob deceived his father Isaac and now Jacob’s sons deceived him (Gen 27:1-29, 37:31-34).
Joseph had become the eye sore of his brothers as they were envious of how Jacob favoured him. Rebecca Konyndyk De Young wrote, “Envy is feeling bitter when others have it better”; while John of Damascus also wrote, “Envy is pain over the good fortune of others.”; and Richard of Lavenham expanded this with, “Envy is the sorrow which one creature has when another fares well.”
How does envy pierce the eye of our souls? There were two things that drove the nail into the eye of the souls of Joseph’s brothers:
- The Robe: Resentment towards others (Genesis 37:4)
The brothers saw the beautiful robe that Jacob gave to Joseph, and they hated Joseph and could not speak a kind word to him. Envy makes us resentful towards others. We envy those whom we can compare ourselves with. Genesis 37 revealed the destructive dynamics in a family who knows God, yet they still sin against God and one another. The presence of Joseph in the robe did not create any problem but revealed the problems that were already there. This was a divided household – one father, four wives and 12 sons. Even a believing family can become dysfunctional. This is still happening today. The brothers were triggered because the robe was a symbol of their father’s love and possibly a sign of being chosen as his heir. The robe that is Joseph’s daily pleasure became his anguish. Envy can trigger us to be participants in dangerous mob mentality. - The Dreams: Dissatisfaction with God
Joseph’s dreams showed that he was favoured by God. They were a sign of divine favour. Inner dissatisfaction will manifest into resentment towards others. Our misplaced envy keeps us from loving God. It breeds dissatisfaction towards God. Envy is an enemy of love. We are drawn away from God’s lingering presence. Envy creates an uneasy sense of disquiet in our souls. As we focus on what we do not have, we cease giving God attention. Does God still speaks to us in our dreams? Our dreams need to be pondered and discerned.
How shall we deal with envy? By removing the nail in our eyes:
- Realise that we are loved and held by God
Jacob repeatedly in Genesis 37 asked Joseph to look for his brothers and to update their wellbeing to him. Despite his favouritism, Jacob also cared for his sons. We have to break the cycle of envy by choosing not to be a victim, and by seeing how we have been loved by God. - Celebrate others’ wins and gifts for God’s glory
We quietly resent others when we do not have their blessings. This deteriorates our relationship with God and one another. It keeps us from building community with one another. God wants us to turn away from our envy. Envy decays love but celebrations restore it. - Remember that God is not done
Genesis 37 ends with Joseph being sold as a slave to Egypt. Although Joseph was in darkness, God intervened and protected him: (i) Reuben intervened and convinced his brothers not to kill Joseph; (ii) the dry pit was there so that Joseph would not drown in a pit filled with water; and (iii) the appearance of the Ishmaelite traders prompted Judah to propose selling Joseph instead of killing him.
Even when we are tempted to be envious of ungodly people who seem to succeed, we must trust that God is still at work. We must courageously live by our convictions and not give up. God could still be working in the lives of the ungodly people.
Genesis 37 may end in darkness, but the final word does not belong to envy. Gospel invites us to look again that we are loved by God and He is still writing our stories. We need to lay our envy down. God’s grace is more than enough.
(Sermon notes by Honey Vreugdewater)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Study Scripture
a. What details in Genesis 37 show the family tensions between Jacob, his wives, and his sons?
b. When you read about Joseph’s robe, what stands out to you about how the brothers respond?
c. How do Joseph’s dreams function in the story? What do they reveal about God’s purposes?
d. Where do you see repetition in this chapter? How do these repeated patterns deepen the story? - Recall Sermon
a. Which part of the sermon helped you understand envy in a new way?
b. How did the image of envy as a nail in the eye help you picture its effect on the soul?
c. How did the sermon’s description of the work of envy such as resentment toward others and dissatisfaction with God speak to you? - Relate Personally
a. When have you felt the sting of comparison in your own life?
b. How has envy affected your relationships or your spiritual life?
c. What blessings in your life are easy to overlook when you compare yourself with others?
d. What helps you return to gratitude when envy begins to grow? - Commit to Action
a. What is one habit you can adopt to break the cycle of comparison?
b. What promise from God will you cling to when envy whispers “Why them and not me”?
