The Cruelty of Convenient Covetousness Text: Gen 37:18-28 I. Mocking Murders- Gen 37:18-19 II. Mercenary for Money- Gen 37:27-28 III. Mutating Moderator- Gen 27:21-22

1. The Cruelty of Convenient
Covetousness
Text: Gen 37:18-28
Intro:
Gen 37:1-4
1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was
a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being
seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his
brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah,
and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and
Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children,
because he was the son of his old age: and he made
him a coat of many colours.
4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved
him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and
could not speak peaceably unto him.

2. Here we find the usual “middle east conflict resolution”
 The brothers conspired to kill Josephand put
his body in a pit (v20).
 Reuben proposes to put him in a pit but not
kill him (v21-22).
 Judah seizes an opportunity to make money
on him by selling him to the Ishmaelites (26-
27).
After this seemingly profound scheme, no doubt
there was an adrenaline rush of triumph.
The plan was so perfectly executed that be brothers
wouldn’t have to even get their hands dirty.
However, the unseen stain of Joseph’s blood would
stain their hands and defile their conscience for the
next 22 years.
Just because a plan can be conspired conveniently
or completed quickly doesn’t mean it will end
peaceably.
Gen 37:20-22

3. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast
him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast
hath devoured him: and we shall see what will
become of his dreams.
I. Mocking Murders- Gen 37:18-19
Gen 37:18-19
18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he
came near unto them, they conspired against him to
slay him.
19 And they said one to another, Behold, this
dreamer cometh.
“Behold, this dreamer”
“Venting” is the first round loaded in the
revolver of rebellion.
2Sam 6:20 Then David returned to bless his
household. And Michal the daughter of Saul
came out to meet David, and said, How
glorious was the king of Israel to day, who

4. uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the
handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain
fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
Ps 22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would
deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he
delighted in him.
Matt 27:29 And when they had platted a crown
of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed
in his right hand: and they bowed the knee
before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King
of the Jews!
Matt 27:42 He saved others; himself he
cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him
now come down from the cross, and we will
believe him.
Matt 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he
was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding
wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children
that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts

5. thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently
enquired of the wise men.
Murder “let us slay him, and cast him into some
pit”
Ps 64:5 They encourage themselves in an evil
matter: they commune of laying snares privily;
they say, Who shall see them?
Prov 1:11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay
wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent
without cause:
Prov 1:12 Let us swallow them up alive as the
grave; and whole, as those that go down into
the pit:
Prov 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make
haste to shed blood.

6. Prov 27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is
outrageous; but who is able to stand before
envy?
Acts 17:5 But the Jews which believed not,
moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd
fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a
company, and set all the city on an uproar, and
assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to
bring them out to the people.
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes
foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers
lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy,
hateful, and hating one another.
1John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a
murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath
eternal life abiding in him.
Gen 37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What
profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his
blood?

7. We should ask ourselves this question, What profit
is it?
Gen 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying,
Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against
the child; and ye would not hear? therefore,
behold, also his blood is required.
II. Mercenary for Money- Gen 37:27-28
Gen 37:27-28
27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and
let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother
and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen;
and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit,
and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces
of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Judah’s proposal seems to contain mercy, but it
was the Cruelty of Covetousness wrapped in a
thin veneer of mercy.

8. It is not unusual for malice of covetous men to be
masked in a show of generosity and kindness.
Matt 15:8 This people drawethnigh unto me
with their mouth, and honoureth me with
their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Prov 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is
he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart
is not with thee.
III. Mutating Moderator- Gen 27:21-22
Gen 37:21-22
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him
out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but
cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay
no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their
hands, to deliver him to his father again.
“And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him”

9. Sometimes one sin is cast out by another, more
deceitful and devastating sin.
All the brethren of Joseph were equally guilty.
Some entertained the sin of murder.
Ruben, the deception of compromising with sin.
He wanted to save Joseph, but secretly, he
wouldn’t take a stand for right and offend the
crowd.
Judah was bitten with the poisonous puff adder of
profit.
Before we take credit for being free from the sin
of murder, compromise, or greed, consider
whether its absence is banished by grace or
simply replaced by another sin.

10. Acts 7:9
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph
into Egypt: but God was with him,
The Cruelty of ConvenientCovetousness
Text: Gen 37:18-28
I. Mocking Murders- Gen 37:18-19
II. Mercenary for Money- Gen 37:27-28
III. Mutating Moderator- Gen 27:21-22