Judah and Joseph: Lessons From an Imperfect Family
No family is perfect. We all face disunity and dysfunction at times. Today, we’ll explore the interwoven story of two brothers, Judah and Joseph, as we consider the ways God uses imperfect families to accomplish his purposes on earth.
We’ll begin by imagining what it might have been like to be among Joseph’s brothers when he was sold into slavery. Then, we’ll glean some practical lessons from the family, specifically exploring the dynamics between Judah and Jospeh.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you draw near to God through the Old Testament.
Let’s enter into the story as Joseph’s brothers make a fateful decision.
Judah and Joseph: The Story Begins
The sun shone white against a sapphire sky when the figure of a man appeared against the hills. His despised robe flashed color with each step.
“Here comes the dreamer,” one of the brothers declared.
As Joseph approached, years of envy and resentment ignited.
It happened almost too fast for Joseph to fight back. Hands seized him. He felt his coat as it was torn from his shoulders. Crying out in confusion, he wondered what he had done.
Within moments, they’d thrown him into a pit. Deep, dry, and unforgiving, the earth knocked the wind from his chest. Dust filled his mouth.
From above, the familiar faces of his half-brothers gazed down with mixed expressions. Some were angry, others conflicted. No one helped.
Confused and alone, Joseph cried out. No one answered.
The men sat down above, breaking bread and sharing water. He listened to their conversation as they debated over what to do with him.
Judah, the fourth-born brother to their father’s wife Leah, declared, “What profit is there if we kill him? Let’s sell him.”
Footsteps approached the pit. Lowering a rope, the brothers pulled Jospeh from the pit.
No one met his gaze.
Soon, silver exchanged hands as a group of Ishmaelite traders negotiated with his family.
Bound and shaking, the traders pulled Joseph away. The figures of his brothers grew smaller as the traders led Jospeh into the hills.
The Backstory of Judah and Joseph
Imagining ourselves within the scenes of Scripture can help us gain fresh perspective. As we reflect on the moment when Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave, let’s not miss how hard their hearts had become.
We don’t know much about the family unit leading up to this event. Here are a few facts we do know: Joseph was his father’s favorite child because he was born to Rachel in his later years. Joseph and Benjamin were the only two sons Jacob conceived with Rachel. His other ten sons (and his daughter Dinah) were born to Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah. Leah was Jacob’s less-loved first wife. Zilpah was Leah’s servant, and Bilhah was Rachel’s servant.
We also know that Joseph had dreams about being in a position of familial leadership, and he boasted about these dreams. This didn’t go over well with his brothers.
After selling him into slavery, the brothers told their father he had been killed by a wild animal, killing a goat and spreading its blood over Joseph’s torn coat.
The Famine Strikes
Joseph was eventually sold to a wealthy attendant of the King of Egypt, named Potipher. After being falsely accused of sexual misconduct toward Potipher’s wife, Joseph was put in prison. However, he was eventually released and put in charge of food distribution in Egypt because the King recognized his wisdom after he correctly interpreted the king’s dream.
Many years after selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites, his brothers probably assumed he had died.
When a famine struck the land of Canaan, they traveled to Egypt in search of food, meeting Joseph but not recognizing him.
Not revealing his identity, Jospeh spoke harshly to them, accusing them of being spies. He was testing their honesty and seeing if their hearts had changed. He then sent them home with food but kept Simeon detained, requesting they return with their youngest brother, Benjamin.
Joseph also put their payment for the food back in their sacks. He was testing them to see if their hearts were still hard or if they had changed. The brothers proved that their hearts had changed when they returned to Egypt with both the money and their youngest brother, Benjamin.
Judah and Joseph’s Story Turns
This is where the story of Judah and Jospeh takes a pivotal turn.
Let’s recall that Judah was the brother who suggested they sell Joseph to become a slave.
After the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph released them all to return home and still did not reveal his identity. He also slid a silver cup into Benjamin’s sack.
This was a test. He wanted to see whether the brothers would betray Benjamin as they had betrayed him.
When the brothers saw the cup, they immediately returned it in fear.
Furthermore, Judah stepped up, volunteering to be taken captive instead of Benjamin. This act showed that his heart had changed. He had become a family leader who was willing to embrace the cost and sacrifice for his family. He was a changed man.
This action also represented what Jesus did when he took the punishment we deserve.
Joseph broke into tears, revealing his identity to his brothers. Terrified, they wondered if he would repay their evil deed, but Joseph forgave them, declaring, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).
The family was restored, and the entire family settled in Egypt to escape the famine.
Lessons From Judah and Joseph
What can we learn from Judah and Jospeh?
Let’s start with several lessons from Judah.
Lessons From Judah
1. Leadership carries responsibility.
Judah used his leadership poorly when he convinced his brothers to sell Joseph as a slave. He led well when he sacrificed himself in Benjamin’s place.
2. God uses imperfect people.
We did not explore Judah’s entire story above. Part of Judah’s character change took place between the time when he sold Joseph and the time when he reunited with Joseph.
Judah slept with his daughter-in-law, Tamar, believing she was a prostitute. When he realized what he had done, he admitted he was wrong and repented.
From this family line, Judah’s family line, the Messiah would ultimately come. Many scholars have asked the question, “Why did God choose Judah instead of Joseph?”
God’s sovereign ways are above our ways. He chooses even the most broken people to accomplish his will.
Furthermore, Judah’s change of later in his life showed that God’s grace can change any heart.
3. Leaders serve others.
True leaders sacrifice themselves to serve, protect, and help others.
Just as Judah was unwilling to let Benjamin suffer punishment for the silver cup, we should sacrifice for those God has entrusted in our care.
Lessons From Joseph
Let’s now look at some lessons from Joseph.
4. Boasting leads to division.
Joseph bragged about his dreams to his brothers. This led to animosity and the division of the family when his brothers sold him as a slave in their resentment.
5. God works in injustice.
Joseph’s brothers intended to harm him when they sold him. Meanwhile, God had a divine plan in mind. He would use Joseph to save the entire family.
God can turn around even the most painful situations and use them for good.
6. God is sovereign when others mistreat us.
Throughout the ordeal with his brothers, Joseph remained focused on God. He could have accused them, saying, “You sold me into slavery!” Instead, he gave God credit, repeatedly testifying, “It was God . . .”
Joseph saw God’s hand in every injustice he suffered.
Imagine how our lives might be different if we remained God-centered in life’s unfair situations as well.
7. God is present in every season.
Scripture repeatedly states that God was with Joseph.
God was with Joseph when his brothers sold him. He was with Joseph when Potipher’s wife wrong accused him of sexual misconduct. God was with Joseph when he became a man of power and influence.
No matter what we face, God is with us.
We can lean into this truth and find strength and hope.
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If these reflections on the lives of Judah and Joseph have blessed you, I encourage you to explore our family devotionals and library of free online devotionals below! May you experience God’s love and grace!
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Apply the Old Testament to Your Life Today
Do you want to learn how to read the Old Testament and apply it to the challenges you face in your everyday life? In 30 devotions, my free devotional eBook, Timeless, will help you grow in God’s Word while applying it to your life.
You’ll also learn how the entire Bible points to Jesus as we unpack fascinating symbolism linking the Old Testament to Christ. Download it for free with promo code JESUS here or consider offering a $4.99 donation to support this ministry.
I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!
