Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

​Gen. 37:11- His brothers were jealous of him,…  NASU
 
Acts 7:9-10 - "The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. Yet God was with him, 10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.  NASU 

• The Jealousy Monster 

This is not the only reason why bad things happen to good people, but from our text today it is very obvious the reason Joseph was going to experience a lot of suffering was due to the jealousy of his brothers.
 
The Hebrew word for "jealousy" is also translated in other passages of scripture as "envy or envious". As it is in the book of Proverbs 23:17 - Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the LORD always.
 
Joseph's brothers were jealous of him according to Genesis 37. A few thousand years later when Stephen in Acts 7 is repeating the events of what happened in Joseph's life he likewise said it was because of  the patriarch's (aka - Joseph's brothers) "jealousy". 

• Cause of their Jealousy 

Gen. 37:3-4 - Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. 4 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.
 
This is the perfect case if you want to see why parents should never favor one child over another. Favoritism will only cause trouble for the favored one. Joseph was in reality having a target painted on his back because of his father's favoritism of Joseph.
 
The second thing to happen to Joseph was God gave him dreams. These dreams will become a curse for Joseph. The dream of the 11 stars (his brothers), the moon (his mother), and the sun (his father) are all going to bow down to him according to his dream and this was just too much for the brothers to be able to handle.
 
If God chooses to use you in a special way don't expect everyone to be happy with God decision. God chose Joseph and his brothers wanted him dead.
 
So the moment they saw him coming they immediately began to plot his murder (Gen. 37:18f). 

• Jealousy Unbridled 

When a person is controlled by jealousy as these brothers were you can see the end result. Murder! They were willing to murder their own brother because jealousy ruled in their hearts. You may not have anyone trying to kill you because they are jealous of you but there are other ways jealous people can try and make your life miserable.
 
It will do us well to remember God was watching over Joseph and in the end blessed Joseph. Oh yeah, incase you're new to reading the Bible Joseph's 11 brothers did bow to him.
 
Prophecy Fulfilled! WOW! God does know the future.
 
My encouragement today is simply be in control of your mind and if someone gets ahead of you in life that is okay. If God has decided to use someone else instead of you to accomplish His will in a certain area that is okay.
 
It is God's world not ours.
 
It is God's vineyard and if He wants you to work the north 40 acres and me the south 20 acres it is fine. We are to do the best we can wherever God plants us.
 
As Christians, we do not have the time to be jealous of someone. We are too busy allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our lives through this world. Here are some great instructions from the Holy Spirit:
1 Corin. 13:4 - Love is patient, love is kind and  is not jealous…
 
I also thought I would share with you this verse from the Message translation:
            Love never gives up.
            Love cares more for others than for self.
            Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
            Love doesn't strut,
            Doesn't have a swelled head,
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
 
Think About These:
 
Sin deceives, then defiles, then deadens.
 
A good example has twice the value of good advice.
 
It is the sin we try to excuse that finally gets us down.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word