It’s hard to imagine a family more divided. Jacob didn’t seem to have learned anything from Isaac’s preference of his older brother Esau, as he repeated the same error by making Joseph his favorite (37:3). Jacob’s other eleven sons naturally resented Joseph, especially when their father lavished Joseph with special gifts (37:4). And Joseph didn’t help the situation when he tattled on four of his brothers (37:2).

But that wasn’t the worst of it. Joseph also had dreams, dreams that obviously portrayed his brothers and his parents bowing down to him (37:5-11). No, it’s no wonder that his brothers were done with him. Their scheme to sell him into slavery might have been extreme, and their deception of their father was downright cruel. But anyone could have seen that some sort of conflict was inevitable.

Of course, God wasn’t surprised at all, and not just because He knew how jealous and angry Joseph’s brothers were. No, all of this was part of God’s plan, as the rest of the story of Joseph makes quite clear. In fact, the end of the story is already in view right at the beginning, in the dreams God allowed Joseph to have. For in the years to come, Joseph’s family would indeed bow down to him, once he gained control over the land of Egypt.

And the same God is still in charge, not only of all the events of Joseph’s life, but whatever happens in our families too. So, no matter what you may experience today, take comfort that God knows what’s going on. In fact, He is working His purpose out, no matter how chaotic the events of our lives may seem to be.

Genesis 37:2-11 (NASB)

2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic.
4 And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.
5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
6 And he said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;
7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 And he related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?”
11 And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.