Gen 37:4, And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. 
As we are in the season of brotherly love, as it is called by many, our morning’s reading is very appropriate. There are those for whom this time of year is not one of healing and forgiveness, but of anger and animosity. Sadly, there are often further issues of family disharmony and discord and continued hard feelings and thickening walls of resentment. Therefore, if we can learn from the Word of God to let go of those things and rather celebrate the joy of our life in Christ, we will be the ever increasing testimony of God’s love and grace in our homes and in the homes of our earthly and spiritual families.  
Our reading encompasses the story which presents the manner in which the Lord was making every provision for the Children of Israel to find preservation during the years of drought which were on the horizon. While we are told of the hatred that developed between the sons of Jacob, and the fact that that hatred eventually led to Joseph being sold into slavery, we also see the hand of God operating to overrule. His plan of the salvation of the family of Israel was accomplished despite that awful scenario of brother raising hand against brother in hatred.
This very core attitude and terrible demeanor can be traced back to the very first brothers recorded in scripture, Cain and Abel. Gen 4:4+5, And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. The very first pair of brothers experienced the intensity of sibling rivalry and hatred to the extreme as Cain rose up and slew his very brother out of anger and frustration and disappointment. As we discussed this earlier in our studies, Cain was presented with the opportunity to not give into what became the first violent murder of brother by brother. Yet, he harbored such ill will and anger in his heart that he struck down his brother and thereby suffered the consequences of being cursed and marked for life.
We considered another pair of brothers in a similar situation in reading about Jacob and Esau with regard to Jacob deceiving Isaac and receiving the blessing and the birthright. Esau’s response was of the same murderous intent as that of Cain. Gen 27:41, So Esau bore a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him; and Esau said to himself, "The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob." Esau’s first intention was to kill his very own brother because he had been wronged out of something that he didn’t really even want. It was the principle of his pride being hurt that caused him to plot and to strive to kill his brother rather than the loss of the birthright with its inherent blessing.
As an aside, at this point, the Apostle Paul brings this very attitude to the forefront in his first letter to the Corinthian church. In dealing with the manner in which the members of the church were treating each other, the Apostle gives a very commanding charge that each one of us should take to heart in the way in which we consider how we treat one another as brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. 1 Cor 6:5-7, I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? …Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?
This is that with which Esau had to struggle, and probably spent much time in the dealings of the Lord before he received his brother in joy and with open arms some twenty years later. It is the same thing that we each should take to the Lord when we feel that we have been wronged by someone. If we could come to the place where we recognize that everything we have is truly the Lord’s and not our own, then we will no longer have such a sense of personal attachment that would cause us to feel injured or defiled or besmirched when others practice what we consider to be deceptive and evil intent. 
When we can set aside our pride and our consideration of ourselves and what we think we are owed in this life and can find complete satisfaction and delight in the so gracious gift of Jesus Christ and the Lord’s favorable countenance upon us, everything will change. We will not get bent out of shape or discouraged or disheartened or angry when others receive honor at our expense. We will rather rejoice in the fact that we have eternal salvation and security and comfort in Jesus Christ which no one and nothing can take from us. We will rather focus our attention and effort on doing all that will please the Lord in everything we say and do. 
It is a very hard lesson to learn, but one that is required if we truly do desire to give a more honest and clear testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ to others. All that we have is His to do with as He so deems fit and proper. If we are cheated and defrauded, then we give that offender over to the Lord to deal them as only He is fully able to do. We will not take it as a personal attack or an affront, but count on the Lord to provide all that is required as He so deems fit. If the loss of earthly possessions or recognition or honor will bring forth more glory to God in the long run, then we should consider that as a loss worth suffering. 
Again, quoting the Apostle Paul in Phil 3:7-11, But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. If we had this attitude and heart we would not have any issues with one another, but would rather pray with all our heart and our mind and our energy that each of our loved ones would so come to know life in a personal and full relationship with Jesus Christ. 
Returning then to our current reading, we have the sons of Jacob caught in a web of self-righteous indignation toward their younger brother, Joseph. Their hatred began with the fact that Joseph was the favored one of Jacob, as shown by the multi hued robe of distinction that Jacob gave to Joseph. This so inflamed their attitudes and thoughts that the intensity of their hatred became extreme to the point that they …could not speak to him on friendly terms. They were not able to address Joseph with anything other than scorn and animosity.      
I am sure that most of us have had those times in our various relationships in which we were so angry or hurt that we could not speak civilly to someone for hopefully, only a short period of time. However, this hatred of these brothers was a deep-seated impediment to their ability to talk with their brother in any friendly terms whatsoever. So violently infused was this animosity that they could not set aside their feelings for even a decent conversation with the young boy. 
The Writer to the Hebrews deals with the manner in which we are to be on guard against this type of personal hostility against one another. He even shows how this lack of caring for our brethren can lead to treating one another with such hardness of heart that could ultimately result in the terrible consequences of sinful treachery. Heb 3:13, But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 
We are to engage in those types of communication with one another that will serve to encourage each other to honor God in all our daily dealings. We cannot do this if we are holding any animosity or anger or hatred toward each other. 
As we are further charged by the Apostle Paul in Col 4:6, Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person. Our conversations are to be constantly in line with that which will give expression to the heart of God’s love toward all, even those who mistreat and abuse us. We cannot, therefore, allow any hatred or animosity or hurt feelings to fester within our hearts toward anyone in order that we may converse with all as the Lord gives direction. 
Then, returning again to our morning’s reading, in a final blow to their sensibilities and rational behavior, Joseph related to his brothers two dreams in which they would all bow down to him. These two dreams served to further fuel their hatred of this dreamer. Gen 37:5-9, Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. And he said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, "Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." 
	The fact that Joseph had these two very similar dreams indicates a couple of very important truths, as Joseph would later enlighten Pharaoh in Gen 41:32. Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about. The first is that God will do it. Nothing can stop the dreams from coming into fruition. The second is that God will do it quickly as it relates to the timing of God’s choosing. It matters not whether it would take years or decades, in God’s economy of time, it would take place at the appointed time in all the swiftness of its fulfillment. 
	As we will read in Gen 50:18-21, his brothers did, in fact, bow down to Joseph as revealed by God in those dreams. This is one of those great passages in which the plan and purpose of God is shown as the overruling principle of this life. Gen 50:18-21, Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants." But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? "And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. 
	Despite the ill treatment of his brothers and despite the fact that they were so filled with hatred toward him that they could not talk to him in any friendly terms whatsoever, Joseph comforted them. He pointed out that God had used all that they had purposed as evil to bring all of them to safety from the drought that was sweeping over the land. And please note that Joseph spoke kindly to them. He did not allow their ill treatment of him to keep him from helping them in their distress and need and seeking to give them comfort. 
	There is one last consideration for this morning. It concerns Judah as the blessing of God was to proceed forth through his lineage. It was Judah who convinced his brothers not to kill Joseph, but to sell him to the Ishmaelites for 20 shekels of silver. As we read in Gen 37:26+27, And Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood? "Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his brothers listened to him. Despite his hatred for Joseph, Judah could not bring himself to kill his own brother and so he found a way to preserve the life of Joseph, which in turn served to preserve the life of all his family.
	Not only this, but the action of the brothers bowing down to Joseph is a foreshadowing of the fact that all the heritage of the Joseph’s brothers would eventually bow down to the Lion of Judah. The blessing of God would be carried forth through the heritage of the brother who acted to save the younger one. We read this blessing given by Jacob in Gen 49:8-10, "Judah, your brothers shall praise you; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father's sons shall bow down to you. "Judah is a lion's whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He couches, he lies down as a lion, And as a lion, who dares rouse him up? "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
	While the scepter would depart from the family of Joseph, as all the Israelites would become the slaves of the Egyptians, the scepter of the Lion of Judah would never be removed. It is the proclamation of the coming of the Christ, the Messiah in Whom all the people of the earth would be blessed and upon Whom the mantle of Lordship is universal and eternal. 
While the dreams of Joseph brought greater hatred into the hearts of his brothers, the promised blessing of Shiloh, the Peace of God, brings forth joy and hope and trust in God’s faithfulness to provide and to supply all that He has pledged. There is surety and there is security in this blessing of God that has proceeded forth from Judah to this very day in Jesus Christ.
We will look at this in greater detail, next week, Lord willing, as we are steeped deeply into this season of brotherly love. May the Lord continue His good work to reveal all that will honor Him in the manner in which we give our hearts and our minds and our relationships with one another unto Him. So be it. 
And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. Amen.

	This morning’s benediction is Ps 89:6-8. For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty is like the Lord, A God greatly feared in the council of the holy ones, And awesome above all those who are around Him? O Lord God of hosts, who is like Thee, O mighty Lord? Thy faithfulness also surrounds Thee. Amen.