Sermon Tone Analysis

GEN 37

Promised land to God's people.

Inherited by Abram.

Home to Joseph.

Mindset of teenagers.

Chores.

Younger brother of 11 at the time.

This was the first reason the brothers hated Joseph.

tattle tale.

This was the second reason.

Favortism.

Third reason.

By this point, Joseph's brothers anger was solidified because Joseph's dream went against the order of family management, and the intensity of the brothers anger probably increased, because Jacob entertained the thought that Joseph may actually rule over the family.

Go... bring me word again.

...And a certain man found him.

Jacob clearly adds fuel, not to a kindled spark, but a raging fire when he sends Joseph to spy on the brothers.

Who is this "certain man"?

Could this be Joseph's interaction with the satan?

If so, Satan will lead you to

Here the hearts of the brothers are revealed.

The level of hate for Joseph is so high that they've displayed the will to kill him and place the blame on the effects of a parenting error.

And Reuben heard... and said, Let us not kill him.

Its interesting to note that Reuben as a word gets its origin from the the word "Ra'ah" which means "to see, to spy or to understand..." because the text suggests that he wasn't in the immediate area of the brothers but that he heard what was discussed and interjected.

(Sometime we think that just because we can't see God, He isn't concerned with what we're going through, but the opposite is true.)