Children Bible Overview 21 26/08/07

GOD GAVE JOSEPH DREAMS TO LET HIM SEE THAT HE WOULD RULE THE
WHOLE WORLD

Teachers to read bible scripture: <Gen 37>

Children to memorize bible scripture: <Gen 37:8>

Recap
Last week, we saw how God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel”. Jacob won over man and also God.
God’s blessings would be with him forever and ever. He was the person most blessed by God in the
world.
Quickly continue intro
Later, Jacob gave birth to a son named Joseph. Jacob had 12 sons altogether but he loved
Joseph the most. Therefore, he made a richly ornamented robe for Joseph. When his other
brothers saw that, they got jealous. After some time, God gave Joseph two dreams.
(Elaborate on the dreams yourself). The meaning of the dreams was: One day, Joseph’s
brothers and parents would bow down to him because Joseph would become the world’s
most important person. When Joseph’s brothers heard about his dreams, they hated him so
much more, to the extent of wanting to kill him. One day, Joseph went to look for his
brothers at the place where the brothers grazed their flocks. When his brothers saw him
from afar, they came together to plan how to kill him. When Joseph reached there, his
brothers threw him into a cistern (an underground tank for storing water), but the cistern had
no water. Later, the brothers saw some merchants from Egypt passing by and they sold
Joseph to them, so that he would be brought to faraway Egypt and they would never see
him again. But God had a very important plan for Joseph, and therefore God protected and
helped him. This was because Joseph would one day rule the whole world.

1. God is a God who gives dreams (i.e. visions) to His people

1) God will give everyone who knows and believes in Jesus Christ the same dreams He
gave Joseph.
2) What kind of dreams? God said: We are the world’s most important people; we will
bless our family members, bless the people and friends we know; and eventually we
would bless the whole world one day! They would be blessed because of us and
know Jesus because of us. [Children, do you believe? – Teachers to get each of the
children to make a covenant with God]
3) Therefore, no matter what we do or where we go, do not forget! Be it in studies, in
play, in health, in sickness, when we meet good or bad people, whether we are
obedient or naughty, do not forget!

2. Because of this dream, God wants to train us. Therefore we will encounter many
problems
1) Although Joseph was bullied by his brothers and was even sold to Egypt, God had
more important plans for him in those problems.
2) Because God wanted to use Joseph, he allowed Joseph to be sold to Egypt and
through many problems and challenges, He trained him so that He could use him
later.
3) Therefore, although we encounter problems everyday, we need not be afraid!
Sometimes studies get difficult, we fall sick, our parents beat us when we reach
home, we face difficult matters, or get harmed by others, do not be afraid or be
 upset. This is because all these are not bad things. But because God wants to use
us, so He is training us through all these problems so that we can learn.

3. However, God’s concern, protection and blessings are only forever on those who
have his dreams
1) Actually, if we have made a covenant with God and believed in the dreams He
gave us, even though we may forget, God will definitely not forget. God’s concern,
protection and blessings are forever on those who have his dreams.
2) Therefore, although sometimes we are not able to see God in the problems that we
face, God will continue to protect us and help us. This is because God will definitely
want to use us to complete His plan to save the whole world (just like Joseph).
3) Therefore, little children, Joseph’s God is also our God. God gave dreams to Joseph
and He similarly gives us dreams today. Recap: Therefore, do we believe in the
dreams that God gives us today through Jesus Christ? Do we believe that we will be
like Joseph? In our entire lifetime, we will save and bless the people of this world and
get them to know Jesus. If we believe, God’s concern, protection and blessings will
forever be with us.