It’s been a while since I’ve put out a study for teens. As I was reading through Genesis 37 this morning about a young 17 year old Joseph, I thought there are so many things that our young people today can learn from the youth of the Bible if they take time to study.

So, we are going to study some teenagers in Bible in over the next few weeks starting with Joseph. My hope is that your student will be so intrigued by them that they will study deeper, finish reading their stories when possible, and be inspired or warned by their lives.

Joseph- The Teenage Dreamer

Joseph’s life is relatable and real. I hope you identify with some of his struggles and are encouraged by his faith. And, mostly, I pray you see God’s hand on His life and how the Lord was always with him, protecting him, and using the lessons to grow and teach him. God used what the enemy meant for evil and turned it into good!!

Joseph’s full story spans the last 13 chapters of Genesis, 37-50. We will not read it all but focus on teenage Joseph and some snapshots of his later years. I would encourage you to read through his full story when you have time because its truly amazing!

3 Facts about Joseph

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.  When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 

Genesis 37:2-5 NIV

Right off the bat, we learn a few things about teenage Joseph. First, he grew up in a dysfunctional family. Just a bit of a reminder Joseph’s dad, Jacob, had 12 sons and some daughters, by 4 different women. (Gen. 29-30) Joseph’s mother, Rachel, died giving birth to his younger brother, Benjamin. She had been Jacob’s only loved wife so he favored Joseph. This caused animosity among the brothers.

Joseph could not help the family he was born to any more than you or I could, but we can trust God and pray to be the peacemaker and the one who helps and makes our families better. We see this later in Joseph’s life as he forgives his brothers and provides for his family during the famine.

Second, Joseph lacked maturity. We have no idea if his motives were egotistical or wrong in anyway when he shared his dreams. What we do know is that he had an idea that it would rub his family the wrong way and he did it anyway.

A sign of spiritual maturity is knowing when to speak and when to be silent. The Bible says in Proverbs 12:18 NIV “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

We are all still learning and growing but we can let the Lord change us and make us through our sufferings and life lessons.

Last, Joseph trusted and obeyed God in difficult circumstances. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. He was tempted daily with sexual sin by Potipher’s wife. He was unjustly accused and thrown in prison.

Through all of this, Joseph was above reproach and acted God’s way so that He was blessed! 1 Corinthians 6:18 NIV commands: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”

God Honors Right Living

1 Peter 3:12 says, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Let’s examine the scriptures showing God’s favor on Joseph’s life for doing right:

• The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.  When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did,  Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. Genesis 39:2-4 NIV

• But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there.  The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39:20b-23 NIV

• After Joseph interpreted Pharoah’s dream: Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.  You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” Genesis 41:39-40 NIV

• Talking with His Brothers after his father’s death: You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years  and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees. Genesis 50:20-23 NIV

From these scriptures, 3 Lessons from Joseph’s life:

1. The Lord was with Joseph.

The Lord never leaves or forsakes His children even in the midst of hardship and struggle, He is there. He was with Joseph in the pit, in the prison, and in the palace. He will be with you where ever you are if you trust in Him like Joseph.

Hebrews 13:5 encourages us, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

2. The Lord prospered and gave him success.

As a teen, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. In God’s providence, he was purchased by a wealthy man, Potiphar, who trusted Joseph and treated him well. Joseph flourished and made Potiphar very successful.

Once in prison, after being unjustly accused of rape by Potipher’s wife, Joseph was shown favor by the prison guard and put in charge of all of the other prisoners. We assume this means he roamed the prison freely and never lacked provision as well as having many friendships.

Finally, once God gave Joseph the wisdom to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, he was placed second in command of all of Egypt (at age 30). His wife was the daughter of an influential religious leader. Joseph was prosperous and well respected.

3. The Lord used him to save many lives.

The dream Pharaoh had alerted him to the years of famine coming. God gave Joseph wisdom to store food supplies in advance in order that he might save many lives from death. I wonder if Joseph ever imagined that he’d be saving his own family?

Joseph not only saved his family from death by starvation, but he saved them many more years of heart ache and pain when they were reunited and he forgave them and restored their relationships.

Joseph could look back on his life and say with certainty, What you meant for evil, God meant for good. (Gen. 50:20) If we chose to honor and obey God regardless of circumstances, we can also look back and say no matter what the struggle, God meant it for good. We can have godly influences on others to save lives through the gospel.

A Prayer to be like Joseph

Lord, I want to find favor in your sight like Joseph. Help me to live righteously where I am. Don’t allow me to get distracted by the enemy or struggles. Focus my heart and mind on you and obedience to your word. Please work in and through me so others might be saved by my life. Give me what I need to live prosperously to serve you. Amen.

Prayers to Pray in the Psalms

Ultimate List of Free Devotions for Youth