Old Testament Lesson 11 for Sunday March 21st

“How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?”

Genesis 34; 37–39

To download audio podcast of this weeks lesson click on the title of this post.


The important questions to be able to answer after you finish reading the scriptures for this lesson are:

What did Joseph do when Potiphar’s wife tried to tempt him to sin?

 How can we follow Joseph’s example when we are tempted?

3.      
What can we learn from Joseph about turning a bad experience or circumstance into good ones?

Reading:

Genesis 34  (Text; Audio) and  Genesis 38 (Text; Audio)  - The sin of immorality has negative consequences on Jacob’s family—Dinah, his daughter, Reuben, his eldest son and Judah, another of his sons.

2.      Genesis 37 (Text; Audio) - Joseph, eleventh son of Jacob, is hated by his brothers and sold into slavery.

3.      Genesis 39 (Text; Audio) - Joseph prospers as a slave but is accused of immorality and sent to prison. The keeper of the prison gives Joseph responsibility over the other prisoners.

Things to think about:

Do we interact with the world in a way that we could follow Joseph’s example and turn a bad experience or circumstance into good one?  Is there something that we need to change in our own attitudes to help use do this.  Wouldn’t we be happier if would could do this?

Related readings and material:

The Dreamer” or “Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream,” parts 1 and 2 of the Joseph and His Brothers videocassette (53152).

2.       The pictures Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers (62525; Gospel Art Picture Kit 109) and Joseph Resists Potiphar’s Wife (62548; Gospel Art Picture Kit 110).

3.      
L. Tom Perry, “Becoming Men in Whom the Spirit of God Is,” Ensign, May 2002, 39

4.     
  Neal A. Maxwell, “The Stern but Sweet Commandment,” Tambuli, Apr 1981, 38

5.      
Vaughn J. Featherstone, “The King’s Son,” New Era, Nov 1975, 35