Joseph – The Young Dreamer

The child will learn that:-

  • Joseph had strange dreams about his future.
  • Christians believe that God has a plan for their lives in the same way He had a plan for Joseph’s life.

Bible Story Reference: Genesis 37: 1-11

Memory Verse: 

Genesis 37: 8a (NIV)

His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?”

Opening Activity

  • Joseph had eleven brothers. Discuss what it would have been like to grow up in such a large family like Joseph’s.

Bible Story

  • Jacob, Joseph’s father, lived in the land of Canaan. Joseph was 17 years old. He helped his brothers to look after his father’s sheep. One day he saw them doing something wrong. He told his father about it (Genesis 37: 1-2).
  • Jacob (Israel) loved Joseph more than his other sons because he was born to him in his old age. He made Joseph a beautiful coat of many colours. When Joseph’s brothers saw this, they were very jealous. They hated him! (Genesis 37: 3-4) Discuss the word ‘jealous’ with the child. What does it mean to be jealous? Have you ever been jealous? Why do you think the brothers were jealous of Joseph?
  • Joseph had a dream. He dreamt that he was working out in the fields with his brothers, binding sheaves of corn. Joseph’s sheaf of corn stood up straight and the brothers’ sheaves came and bowed down to it.
  • Explain to the child that this dream had a special meaning for Joseph in relation to what would happen to him in the future. Ask the child to discuss what they think the dream meant. His brothers hated him even more because of his dreams and his words (Genesis 37: 5-8).
  • Joseph had another dream with a very similar meaning. This time he saw the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. Now even his father was angry with him. He said, “Shall I and your mother and your brothers come and bow down to you?” (Genesis 37: 9-10)
  • Joseph’s brothers grew even more jealous, but his father kept thinking about the dreams (Genesis 37: 11). Ask the child what they think will happen to Joseph in the future (the dreams meant that one day he would rule over his brothers). Remind them that God had a plan for Joseph’s life right from the beginning. Make the point that Christians believe that God has a plan for their lives too.

Questions

  1. What age was Joseph in this story?
  2. What gift did Jacob give to Joseph?
  3. Why were Joseph’s brothers jealous of him?
  4. What is jealousy?
  5. Do you think it is right to be jealous?
  6. What did Joseph dream about in his first / second dream?
  7. What did Joseph’s dreams mean?
  8. Who had planned Joseph’s life from the beginning?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for having a plan for my life.

Songs

Crafts

Stars, Moon and Sun

What You Need

  • Big piece of paper
  • Small piece of yellow paper
  • Pair of Scissors
  • Glue
  • Marker

Steps 

  1. On the yellow paper, cut out the shape of the sun and moon.
  2. Stick them at the top of the big piece of paper.
  3. Draw eleven stars between the sun and the moon.
  4. Draw Joseph at the bottom of the big piece of paper.
  5. Write “ Joseph dreamed that the sun, moon and 11 stars bowed down to him.” as shown in the picture.
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