Overview and Objectives

Israel’s exodus from Egypt provided a historical basis for believing that God revealed Himself to Israel. If the Red Sea did not part as Moses said it did, the Old Testament loses its authority to speak on behalf of God. The New Testament is just as dependent upon miracles. If Jesus did not rise bodily from the dead, the apostle Paul admits that the Christian faith is built on a lie (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). To show its credibility, the New Testament names its witnesses, and did so within a time-frame that enabled those claims to be tested (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). Many of the witnesses ended up as martyrs, not for abstract moral or spiritual convictions but for their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. While martyrdom is not unusual, the basis on which these people gave their lives is what’s important. Many have died for what they believed to be the truth. But people do not die for what they know to be a lie.

When you complete this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

• Explain how God can turn suffering around for our good.
• Explain how God often brings great wisdom from profound suffering.
• Identify the events in Joseph’s life that shaped his relationship with his brothers.

As you proceed through this lesson have the following question in mind.
Can good ever come out of times of disaster and calamity? As you observe life and the struggles it contains, do you feel that the good is good enough to be worth the pain it sometimes brings?