To accompany your Come Follow Me study for March 7-13
In addition to reading these chapters, you may want to:
- See the video Come Follow Me LDS 2022 (Mar 7-13) Genesis 37-41 | Joseph & Jesus at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEGAhGZmCis.
- See the last 14 minutes of the video HD New Media Bible Genesis Project – 13 The Covenant Continues at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9punGFBg3o&list=PLHdHfiwn51u7X7wLjeL_8E2L-11jkm77I&index=13
- See the video HD New Media Bible Genesis Project – 14 Joseph and His Brothers—the Dreamer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWethgQHZBw&list=PLHdHfiwn51u7X7wLjeL_8E2L-11jkm77I&index=14
- See the video HD New Media Bible Genesis Project – 15 – Joseph and His Brothers – Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkD0TCkTWaM&list=PLHdHfiwn51u7X7wLjeL_8E2L-11jkm77I&index=15
- See the first 3 minutes of the video HD New Media Bible Genesis Project – 16 – Joseph and His Brothers – Joseph’s Brothers at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neO_y33kU20&list=PLHdHfiwn51u7X7wLjeL_8E2L-11jkm77I&index=16
If you would like a Kahoot game related to this material which you could use for personal study or use with your family or your class, click here https://create.kahoot.it/share/genesis-37-41/e20d14ae-7d19-4990-9abb-25c9347a4dd4
Points to Ponder in Genesis 37-41
1. What similarities do you see between the lives and tests of Abraham and Jacob?
2. What lessons for today’s youth can you draw from the story of Joseph?
3. What purpose is served by inserting the crude and distasteful story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38) in the middle of the Joseph story?
Early in this dispensation, the Lord commanded, “Preach naught but repentance.” (D&C 19:21.) Ten verses later, He added, “And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior.” (D&C 19:31.) Arguably, the things we should focus on in both our gospel study and our teaching should be those things which either increase faith (in God and in the divinity of His Church) or which lead to repentance, either by inspiring us to live better or which teach us how to live better. In that spirit, what in Genesis 37-41 fits into each of the following four categories related to faith and repentance? For each item, give the reference and a short summary of the point it makes.
4. HELPS INCREASE OUR FAITH IN THE EXISTENCE AND/OR GOODNESS OF GOD.
5. HELPS INCREASE OUR TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS AND ITS TEACHINGS.
6. HELPS INSPIRE US TO LIVE BETTER.
7. HELPS TEACH US HOW TO LIVE
Possible Answers to Points to Ponder in Genesis 37-41
1. What similarities do you see between the lives and tests of Abraham and Jacob?
Both waited long for their favorite son–or the first son of their favorite wife. Both mentally gave up that son to death before the Lord intervened and restored the son. Both were promised land and an endless posterity. Both lived in a desolate part of the world much of their lives.
2. What lessons for today’s youth can you draw from the story of Joseph?
- No matter what your circumstances, with the Lord’s help you can come out on top.
- It is better to risk imprisonment or worse than to break the law of chastity.
- Youth can receive revelation from God.
- Youth may wish to be careful how and where they communicate that revelation!
3. What purpose is served by inserting the crude and distasteful story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38) in the middle of the Joseph story?
- It shows a vivid contrast between Judah’s immorality and Joseph’s integrity.
- It shows the wickedness of not keeping a promise.
- It shows that great people can come from wicked ancestry–e.g., Jesus from Judah’s liaison with Tamar.
- It teaches the evil of a double standard of morality.
Early in this dispensation, the Lord commanded, “Preach naught but repentance.” (D&C 19:21.) Ten verses later, He added, “And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior.” (D&C 19:31.) Arguably, the things we should focus on in both our gospel study and our teaching should be those things which either increase faith in God and/or in the divinity of His Church or which lead to repentance, either by inspiring us to live better or which teach us how to live better. In that spirit, what in Genesis 37-41 fits into each of the following four categories related to faith and repentance? For each item, give the reference and a short summary of the point it makes.
4. HELPS INCREASE OUR FAITH IN THE EXISTENCE AND/OR GOODNESS OF GOD.
- 39:2—The Lord blessed and prospered Joseph in Potiphar’s house
- 39:5—The Lord blessed Potiphar’s house and property for Joseph’s sake
- 39:21-22—The Lord blessed Joseph even in prison and made everything he did prosper
- 40 and 41—God may communicate with us via dreams and can provide the interpretation of them through revelation
- 41:46–God made a former slave second in command in all of Egypt.
5. HELPS INCREASE OUR TESTIMONY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS AND ITS TEACHINGS.
- 37:5-11; 40:8-19–Joseph received revelations. So can we.
- 41:38–The Spirit of God was in Joseph
6. HELPS INSPIRE US TO LIVE BETTER.
- 39:9–Joseph resisted the advances of Potiphar’s wife and “fled” or ran from her
- 39-40–Joseph wasn’t bitter even though falsely imprisoned
7. HELPS TEACH US HOW TO LIVE
- 37:4–Jacob might have been more diplomatic and shown equal love to all his children.
- 37:6-11–Joseph might have been more discreet in telling his dreams.
- 37:21, 26–There is usually some good even in “bad” people.
- 38–There is no double standard of morality in the Lord’s eyes.
- 39:9–Unchastity is “great wickedness.”
- 39–Joseph would have been wiser not to go into the house alone with Potiphar’s wife. For similar reasons, we would want to be very careful about being alone with a member of the opposite sex
- 41:34—It is wise to store food in anticipation of future needs.
- 41:38—We should live so that others can discern “the Spirit of God” in us.
