Christian Religious Studies · Lesson 2

Leadership, providence, obedience and disobedience

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 3 Leadership qualities (Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Deborah, Gideon, Samson); 4 Divine providence, guidance and protection; 6 Obedience and disobedience (Abraham, the Hebrew midwives; the manna, the golden calf, Moses)

WAEC: 2 Leadership roles (Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Deborah)

NECO: 2 Leadership roles (Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Deborah)

What you will learn

Examine the circumstances that gave rise to the leadership of Joseph, Moses, Joshua and the judges.
Identify the talents and qualities of these leaders and God’s role in their work.
Analyse their achievements and failures.
Identify ways in which God guided, protected and provided for Israel.
Explain the rewards of obedience and the consequences of disobedience with examples.
Apply lessons of leadership to Nigeria today.

Key points

Joseph: favoured by Jacob, hated for his coat and dreams, sold for twenty pieces of silver; interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, ruled Egypt at 30, stored grain and forgave his brothers (“God did send me before you to preserve life”).
Moses: saved by the midwives’ courage and his mother’s ark of bulrushes, raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, fled to Midian, called at the burning bush at Horeb.
“I AM THAT I AM”; signs of rod, hand and water; Aaron as spokesman.
Pharaoh: “Who is the LORD?” Bricks without straw; Passover lamb, blood on the door posts; 600,000 men left after 430 years.
Spies: ten fearful, Joshua and Caleb faithful; Moses interceded. Golden calf: Aaron’s idol, tables broken, about 3,000 died.
Joshua: commissioned before Eleazar by laying on of hands; “Be strong and of a good courage”; Jericho fell on the seventh day; Achan stoned in Achor; “choose you this day”.
Deborah: prophetess and judge; Barak and 10,000 men at Tabor; Sisera killed by Jael.
Gideon: least in his family, Jehovah-shalom, pulled down Baal’s altar, fleece sign.
Samson: Nazirite from birth; betrayed by Delilah; died destroying Dagon’s house.
Providence: guidance (Gen 24; 28; 46; pillar of cloud and fire), protection (Red Sea; Ps 91), provision (Hagar, ram, manna, water, ravens, widow).
Obedience rewarded: Abraham, the midwives. Disobedience punished: manna-hoarding, golden calf, Moses at Meribah (died on Nebo at 120).

Start here: Leadership and the early life of Joseph (Genesis 37:1-28)

Leadership is the ability to guide and direct people towards a goal. Biblical leadership adds that leaders are called by God, serve the people and are accountable to God.

Qualities examiners expect you to name

Faith in God, obedience, courage, wisdom, honesty, humility, patience, self-control, foresight, compassion, ability to delegate, and a forgiving spirit. In essays, link each quality to an event, e.g. “Joseph showed self-control when he refused Potiphar’s wife.”

Joseph’s background

At seventeen Joseph fed the flock with his brothers and brought their “evil report” to his father (37:2).
“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.” (Genesis 37:3, KJV)
His brothers hated him and “could not speak peaceably unto him” (37:4).
He dreamed that their sheaves bowed to his sheaf, and that the sun, moon and eleven stars bowed to him; his brothers hated him more, and even Jacob rebuked him, though he “observed the saying” (37:5-11).
Sent to check on his brothers at Shechem, he found them at Dothan. They plotted to kill “this dreamer” (37:12-20).
Reuben urged them to shed no blood but cast him into a pit, planning to rescue him (37:21-22). They stripped his coat and threw him into an empty pit (37:23-24).
Judah asked, “What profit is it if we slay our brother?” and proposed selling him (37:26-27).
“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.” (Genesis 37:28, KJV)

Causes of the brothers’ hatred: Jacob’s favouritism, Joseph’s bad report, the special coat and the dreams.

Worked example 2.1 (JAMB-style)

Which brother suggested that Joseph be sold rather than killed? A. Reuben B. Judah C. Simeon D. Benjamin

Answer: B (Gen 37:26-27). Reuben suggested the pit (37:22).

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Practice questions

1. Why did Joseph’s brothers hate him?

Their father loved him more and he told them his dreams
He stole their flocks
He married an Egyptian
He refused to work

Show answer

A: Their father loved him more and he told them his dreams
Genesis 37:4-8.

2. Who suggested that Joseph be cast into a pit rather than killed?

Judah
Benjamin
Simeon
Reuben

Show answer

D: Reuben
Genesis 37:21-22. Judah later proposed selling him (37:26-27).

3. To whom was Joseph sold in Egypt?

The chief baker
The priest of On
Potiphar, captain of the guard
Pharaoh himself

Show answer

C: Potiphar, captain of the guard
Genesis 37:36.

4. Pharaoh’s dreams of fat and lean kine meant

the coming of Jacob
seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine
war with Canaan
the death of Pharaoh

Show answer

B: seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine
Genesis 41:29-30.

5. Whom did Pharaoh give to Joseph as wife?

Asenath
Zipporah
Tamar
Dinah

Show answer

A: Asenath
Genesis 41:45: Asenath, daughter of Potipherah priest of On.

Key words

Leadership: The ability and responsibility to guide, direct and serve a group towards a goal.
Coat of many colours: The special garment Jacob gave Joseph, a sign of favouritism (Gen 37:3).
Goshen: The region of Egypt where Jacob’s family settled (Gen 45:10).
Burning bush: The bush that burned without being consumed, from which God called Moses at Horeb (Ex 3:2).
I AM THAT I AM: The name God revealed to Moses (Ex 3:14), linked to the divine name YHWH.
Passover: The feast recalling how the LORD passed over Israelite houses marked with lamb’s blood when Egypt’s first-born died (Ex 12).
Exodus: The departure of Israel from slavery in Egypt.
Spies: The twelve men, one from each tribe, sent to search Canaan (Num 13).
Laying on of hands: A rite of commissioning; Moses laid hands on Joshua (Num 27:18-23).
Accursed thing: Spoil devoted to God at Jericho; Achan’s theft of it brought defeat at Ai (Josh 7).
Judge: A leader raised by God to deliver Israel from oppressors and settle disputes before the monarchy.
Nazirite (Nazarite): A person consecrated to God; Samson was not to cut his hair (Judg 13:5).

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