Sharing the powerful lessons of Joseph and His Brothers

The account of Joseph and his brothers includes some powerful lessons that not only express God righteous will for daily living, but also can be connected to Jesus Christ and His work for our redemption. For this post, I will take each of the portions in turn, highlighting salient points and offering practical ideas.

Joseph and his brothers 

In Genesis 37 we learn of Israel, his son, Joseph, and the brothers. Israel favors Joseph and endows him with a beautiful coat, inciting the envy and resentment of Joseph’s brothers. His brothers took Joseph’s coat, cast him into an empty cistern, and sold him into bondage with the Ishmaelites. As if this weren’t enough, the brothers then deceive their father into believing that Joseph has died. Israel is devastated with grief.

This account of a father and his sons includes some powerful elements to which students can connect. It’s quite likely each of the students can relate to Joseph’s brothers. Israel favored Joseph. Ask students to share a time when their siblings received preferential treatment. Connect this to Israel and his sons. This is an excellent opportunity to explain sins of thought and attitude. Talk about resentment, envy, bitterness, and lack of forgiveness. Help students to understand sins of thought as being just as wicked as all others. Help students to recognize that Israel sinned by offering favor to one son above others, but that the sons sinned as well, allowing sinful thoughts to develop into sinful choices.

The failures of Israel and his sons lead naturally into the goodness and love of God in Jesus Christ. Where Israel favored one son, God loves all equally, sending Christ to suffer and die for the sins of every human being. Highlight the reality that God wants all to be forgiven in Christ, although some will reject this Good News. Compare the betrayal of Joseph’s brothers to Christ and His disciples. When He needed them most, Judas sold Jesus for silver (just like Joseph), Peter denied Him and the other disciples abandoned Him.

Lead students to create an illustration that elucidates the contrast between this account and God’s perfect goodness. One side of the drawing includes Israel favoring Joseph, the other God loving all people equally. One side includes the bitter, fickle hearts of Joseph’s brothers. The other illustrates God’s faithfulness.

Joseph’s Troubles

Having purchased Joseph from his bitter brothers, the Ishmaelites move Joseph to Egypt and sell him there. Joseph serves in the house of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officers, and has great success. However, Potiphar’s wife takes interest in Joseph and invites him to sin against God and his master, Potiphar. Joseph resists temptation and, as a result, is cast into prison thanks to the deceit of Potiphar’s wife.

Help students to recognize God’s mercy in delivering Joseph to a safe, successful life, despite his brother’s wickedness. Draw out the sinful behavior of Potiphar’s wife, particularly her deceit. Ask them for examples of how lies can create real problems for others. Further, show them how Joseph recognized the gravity of sin, most particularly against God. Yes, Joseph saw that following his master’s wife into sin was an offense against Potiphar’s wife, but more importantly disobedience against God.

Joseph’s life in Egypt is a natural illustration for the reality of life’s challenges. Help students to understand that trouble in life does not mean that God’s is unloving, weak or absent. Stress that God delivered Joseph into success safety, if only briefly. God supplies our needs as He did for Joseph. More importantly, connect Joseph’s integrity to that of Jesus. Joseph chose to honor God despite the consequences. Jesus remained faithful to His calling as our Savior, although it eventually cost Him His life. We are benefactors of Jesus’ faithfulness.

Joseph Feeds Egypt

Thanks to the special gifts that God endowed Joseph, Israel’s favored son interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams. Pharaoh takes advantage of Joseph’s God-given wisdom and manages the food prudently. Through Joseph, God provided for the people of Egypt and the surrounding area. Despite challenging circumstances, God cared for His beloved and was glorified. Lead students to create list of difficult life circumstances: death of a parent, divorce, job loss, physical or mental disabilities. Then help students to imagine ways in which God could use those circumstances to help others and glorify Himself. Be sure that students understand that trouble in life is a result of sin, not God’s cruelty or neglect. Instead, God works through tribulation to bring mercy.

Now connect God’s work through Joseph to that of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Joseph was not to blame for his tough circumstances, but he submitted to God for the greater good. Jesus Christ is in no way responsible for our sin. Yet, He obeyed His Father in heaven, took on human flesh and suffered that we would benefit from His work.

Joseph Forgives

Joseph’s brothers come to learn not only is Joseph alive, but also a powerful figure in Egypt and their benefactor in the midst of famine. Joseph, reflecting on all he had suffered, could have indulged vengeance and punished his brothers. Instead, there is forgiveness and reconciliation. He provides for his brothers and their offspring.

Although God owed us nothing but justice for our disobedience, the Almighty reacts with mercy in Christ. Through the life and death of His Son, Jesus, God forgives and welcomes us into His kingdom. Help students to connect Joseph’s behavior and the grace of God. Where Joseph provided food and a new home for those who had sinned against him, God does the same for us in Christ.

PRESCHOOL CLASSES RESUME MONDAY IN ANGOLA

Luanda - Preschool classes resume Monday, after a year of stoppage, as a result of the registration of the first cases of Covid-19 in the country, in March 2020.

Available data indicate that in the Province of Luanda alone, 350 pre-school establishments reopen their doors to receive children from 0 to 5 years of age.

The return to classes in this education sub-system (day care centers and kindergartens) follows the reevaluation of measures to prevent and control the spread of the virus that causes Covid-19, taking into account the evolution of the country's epidemiological situation.

In a Presidential Decree made public on March 26, the government announced that the reopening measure covers public and private educational establishments in the National Education System, institutions from foreign states and International schools, which operate in Angola.

The mentioned Decree also authorizes the opening of cafeterias for exclusive use by those in preschool education.

COVID-19: ANGOLA RECORDS 52 NEW INFECTIONS AND 8 RECOVERED PATIENTS

Luanda - Angola registered, in the last 24 hours, 52 new infections, 8 recoveries and 2 deaths.

The data is published in the clinical bulletin to which ANGOP had access, which indicates the diagnosis of 50 infections in Luanda, 1 in Cabinda and 1 in Cuanza Sul, whose ages varies from 3 to 64 years.

Among the new infections, 36 are male and 16 female.

The deaths involve Angolan citizens residing in the Province of Luanda.

Regarding the recoveries, 5 patients live in Luanda and 3 in Huambo.

The overall picture of the country indicates 22 631 positive cases, with 542 deaths, 20 879 recovered and 1 210 active cases.

Of the active cases, 3 are in critical condition, 10 severe, 42 moderate, 33 mild and 1 122 are asymptomatic.

There are 88 people In inpatients centers and 36 in institutional quarantine.

The authorities have 1 500 positive case contacts under medical surveillance.

In the labs, 3 257 samples were processed.

MOZAMBICAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS “COMPLETELY” CONTROL THE VILLAGE OF PALMA MOZAMBIQUE

The Mozambican Defense and Security Forces (SDS) have “completely” taken over Palma, the target of attacks by armed groups 11 days ago, said the spokesman for the Teatro Operacional Norte, Chongo Vidigal, from the village this Sunday.

Palma “is complete [tomada pelas Forças de Defesa e Segurança]. Today we finished clearing the only area that needed to be cleared. [limpeza], we did that this morning and it’s perfectly safe. “

The “sensitive area” released this Sunday is the village airfield and security has been restored, he added.

The next step, he went on, will be to create conditions for the safe return of the population forced to flee after the March 24 attacks.

“IT IS [uma fase] critical because it requires a lot of sharpness, a lot of attention and a lot of thought on the part of the defense and security forces to receive this population, but also to carry out prophylaxis [a prevenção da infiltração de grupos armados]so that they no longer cause problems, ”added Brigadier Chongo Vidigal.

The governor of the province of Cabo Delgado, where Palma is located, Valige Tauabo, assured journalists that “the enemy has been overthrown” in Palma and that the safe return of the displaced must be guaranteed.

“Our presence comes from knowing that the defense and security forces are committed to the cause of the country. The work done has resulted in the overthrow of the enemy, ”he told reporters in Palma.

The violence that started more than three years ago in the province of Cabo Delgado escalated a week ago when armed groups attacked the village of Palma, which is about six kilometers from the multi-million dollar natural gas projects.

The attacks caused dozens of deaths and forced the flight of thousands of Palma residents, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis that has affected around 700,000 people in the province since the conflict began.

MPLA REITERATES FIGHTING CORRUPTION

Luanda - The ruling MPLA party reiterated Sunday the fight against all forms of corruption, as it is a practice that weakens democratic institutions, the confidence of the people and investors in the state apparatus.

In its statement, ahead of 4 April, Peace and National Reconciliation Day, the party mentions the consolidation of Peace, Democracy, Preservation of Unity and National Cohesion as priority.

 

The ruling party guarantees the full participation of citizens in strengthening citizenship, promoting tolerance and respect for the difference of opinions, considered crucial for building and strengthening of the institutions of a Democratic State of Law.

 

Angola marks the 19th anniversary of the Luena agreements on April 4, which ended decades of civil war, the date for the Day of Peace and National Reconciliation,

 

According to, the Politburo of the Central Committee of MPLA, the moment serves to honour all the heroic children of Angola who, with courage, dedication and a high spirit of sacrifice, managed to achieve the peace, one of the greatest historical references for the human dignity of Angolans.

 

The document considers that with this achievement, the foundations have been laid for the consolidation of multiparty democracy, the preservation of National Unity and Cohesion, as well as the reconstruction and development of the country.

 

The ruling party reaffirms, the totally and unconditionally support for President João Lourenço, in the definition and materialisation of the major national goals for governance in the period 2017-2022, valuing the implementation of public policies aimed at reviving the national economy, promoting the human development and the well-being of the Angolan people.

 

In its note, the MPLA stresses that will continue to work on strengthening the foundations of democracy, political inclusion and social dialogue.

UK eyes testing COVID-19 passports at mass gatherings

LONDON (AP) — Britain is planning to test a series of measures including “coronavirus status certifications” over the coming weeks to see if they can allow people to safely return to mass gatherings at sports arenas, nightclubs and concerts.

People attending a range of events, including conferences and soccer’s FA Cup, will need to be tested both before and after. The trials will also gather evidence on how ventilation and different approaches to social distancing could enable large events to go ahead.

Officials are also developing plans to test out COVID-19 passports that are expected to show if a person has received a vaccine, has recently tested negative for the virus, or has some immunity due to having tested positive in the previous six months.

The issue of vaccine passports has been a hotly debated topic around the world, including in the United States and Israel. The question is how much governments, employers, venues and other places have a right to know about a person’s virus status. Many disagree over what the right balance is between a person’s right to medical privacy and the collective right of people in groups not to be infected with a dangerous disease by others.

Some critics also say such vaccine passports will enable discrimination against poor people and impoverished nations that do not have ready access to vaccines.

Authorities in Britain have said the passes could involve the use of an app or paper certificates for those who don’t have access to the digital option.

But U.K. Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston stressed to reporters that “the earliest pilots almost certainly won’t involve any elements of certification” but will involve testing before and after the events. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to set out more details about the coronavirus passports on Monday.

“We are doing everything we can to enable the reopening of our country so people can return to the events, travel and other things they love as safely as possible, and these reviews will play an important role in allowing this to happen,” Johnson said.

Dozens of British lawmakers, including some from Johnson’s own Conservative Party, have opposed the plans.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove, who has led the task force responsible for drawing up the plans, acknowledged that vaccine passports raised “a host of practical and ethical questions” which needed to be resolved before any wider rollout.

Officials said the trial events include the FA Cup semi-final at London’s Wembley Stadium later this month with a crowd of 4,000 in a stadium that seats 90,000, and the event’s final on May 15, with a crowd of 21,000. Other events include the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, central England and a comedy club gathering.

The news about the trials came as businesses including pubs, restaurants, nonessential shops and hairdressers prepared to welcome back customers as restrictions ease in England. Officials say about 47% of the country’s population has had a first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, and more than 5 million people in the U.K. have received their second dose.

Johnson’s government is also expected to set out its approach to easing restrictions on international travel next week. Media reports say when Britain’s current ban on foreign holidays is lifted, a risk-based traffic light system with ratings for countries around the world will be introduced and travellers will be required to quarantine accordingly.

More details are to be unveiled when a government task force on global travel reports on April 12. The government has said that international leisure travel cannot take place until mid-May at the earliest.

Last week the U.K. added four more nations to its red list of countries from which travel is banned except for U.K. citizens and those with residency rights. By April 9, the U.K. red list will be up to 39 countries. It aims to prevent more virus variants — especially ones first detected in Brazil and South Africa — from getting into the U.K.

Despite Britain’s success on the vaccination front, it still has the highest reported COVID-19 death toll in Europe at around 127,000 deaths.

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For Republicans, 2021 Is The Year To Target Trans Kids

 Dozens of states have introduced bills to limit medical care to transgender youth or keep trans kids from playing on school sports teams.

Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have introduced dozens of bills targeting transgender youth, building on conservative dog whistles and putting some of the country’s most vulnerable at risk, human rights groups say.

The bills fall into two main categories: At least 17 states are considering laws that would limit access to health care for young transgender Americans, and 28 more have bills excluding trans kids from school sports, according to a tally by the American Civil Liberties Union.

So far, the effort is working. Bills prohibiting children from playing on sports teams in line with their gender identity have already been passed in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee — and other measures are moving forward as well.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) went so far as to say she was “excited” when such a bill passed in her state. She later declined to sign it, saying she was worried about legal challenges, and instead issued a pair of executive orders she said would “protect” sports teams this week.

“Only girls should play girls’ sports,” Noem said Monday.

The push to roll back freedoms for transgender kids amounts to a dramatic uptick in exclusionary legislation by GOP lawmakers that builds on the far-right push to establish anti-trans bathroom laws, human rights groups say.

“We are truly witnessing an escalation of attacks on trans people, unlike anything I’ve ever seen in government,” Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice at the ACLU, told Democracy Now. “I think what we’re seeing today in state legislatures is a particular effort to pivot from the anti-trans restroom bills into a new form of regulation of trans young people and trans bodies.”

The ACLU has pledged to file suit against such bills, and a judge overturned legislation in Idaho last year that sought to exclude transgender girls from girls sports teams. But studies show that a vast majority of trans youth feel unsafe at home and at school, Strangio said, and ongoing efforts will only contribute to that.

President Joe Biden has moved quickly to undo some of the Trump administration’s efforts to exclude transgender people from everyday life, including lifting a ban on trans service members in the military on Wednesday. But efforts to target young trans people have multiplied this year. Republicans have often worked in conjunction with religious conservative groups to repackage anti-trans legislation and use it toward their larger fight against political correctness, The New York Times notes.

This bevy of legislation relies heavily on misinformation and negative tropes about transgender people, and flies in the face of medical advice.

After the Arkansas legislature overwhelmingly passed a harmful bill that would prohibit doctors from providing medically necessary treatment to trans youth, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics said it was a “dangerous” attempt to politicize medicine.

“This is discrimination by legislation and transgender children and all children deserve better,” Dr. Lee Beers said. “It puts politicians rather than pediatricians in charge of a child’s medical care.”

The Arkansas bill, titled the Save Adolescents From Experimentation, or SAFE, Act, leans heavily on conservative dog whistles about transgender people. LGBTQ rights groups have called on the state’s Republican governor, Asa Hutchinson, to veto it. Hutchinson has not said whether he supports the bill, but he signed the bill prohibiting transgender girls from competing on sports teams last week.

The National Center for Transgender Equality said the Arkansas legislature’s decision was putting young people at risk.

“They would deny them live-saving, appropriate health care not because it’s good public policy but because politicians believe that it will bring them more power,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director for the group. “We need to remember that these are children. All children deserve to have access to the support and health care they need to live happy and healthy lives.”

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