This is a piece completed for the Contagious summer 2025 series on Joseph from Genesis 37-50.
Key to the numbered sections:
1. The Creation
2. The Fall
3. God promises a reverse of the fall in Genesis 12.
4. Isaac is born to a very old Abraham. He marries Rebekah who has twin boys Esau and Jacob.
5. Jacob deceives his brother. He is in love with Rachel.
6. Jacob has four wives and many children. His favourite is Joseph (and later Benjamin) via Rachel.
7. Joseph shares with his brothers a God-given vision of the future where they will bow down to him.
8. They almost kill him.
9. Joseph is sold into slavery to Egypt - Jacob is told that he is dead.
10. Judah badly mistreats Tamar but is also caught out by her.
11. Joseph is blessed by God as he serves in Potiphar's house.
12. Joseph is wrongly accused of abusing Mrs Potiphar.
13. In prison, Joseph correctly interprets the dreams of Pharaohs wine taster...
14. ...and Pharaohs baker.
15. Joseph asks for the taster to remember him when he is free.
16. He is forgotten for two years.
17. Pharaoh has two terrible dreams which no one can interpret.
18. The taster remembers Joseph and he is brought before Pharaoh.
19. Joseph is given the interpretation from God: seven years of great harvesting followed by seven of extreme famine are coming.
20. Joseph is elevated to become Pharaoh's main guy: Zaphenath-Paneah.
21. Joseph stores grain and then provides for the many who suffer in the famine.
22. Joseph's brothers come to Egypt to get grain. They don't recognise him.
23. Joseph devises a plan to bring Benjamin to Egypt by first accusing them of being foreign spies.
24. Joseph hides a silver cup in (25) Benjamin's grain sack.
26. Joseph accuses them of theft and threatens imprisonment - but Judah offers to take Benjamin's place to pay for the crime.
27. Joseph reveals his identity to great surprise.
28. Jacob is reunited with Joseph in Egypt (God reassures him that this is part of the big plan).
29. Jacob blesses each of his sons before he dies. Joseph is an example of thriving with God's grace even when things are tough. Judah is given a special message: his descendant will be like an awesome lion.
30. Jacob is buried and the brothers are reminded of their guilt in betraying Joseph so many years ago.
31. Instead of revenge, Joseph pours out forgiveness on his brothers. God's big good plan enables him to do this.
32. Joseph trusts God's plan: because his home is not in Egypt, he gives special instructions about his bones.
33. Many generations later - Jesus, the Lion of Judah - fulfils the promise given to Abraham (34) through his death and resurrection.
35. This wonderfully fulfilled promise and plan is for all people in every age.