Introduction

Greetings! Let us delve into a most captivating chapter of Genesis, its brilliance stemming not merely from the narrative itself. Joseph's sale into slavery unveils a profound spiritual concept: possessing heavenly dreams. Should you inquire as to the chapter's central theme, I find "Possessing Heavenly Dreams" most fitting.

To thrive, one must eschew worldly logic, embracing instead God's perspective on prosperity. The world sees Jesus, crucified in His early thirties, as a tragic end. Yet, in God's eyes, it is infinitely good. The world sees Joseph sharing his dream with his brothers, only to be sold and nearly killed, as ill-fated. But this, in truth, is a heavenly dream.

We often err, abandoning heavenly dreams at the first sign of adversity. Whether such adversity is boon or bane when one possesses a heavenly dream is a matter of great import.

Joseph: A Possessor of Heavenly Dreams

Joseph possessed qualities, revealed in later narratives, that set him apart. This child was extraordinary. As the eleventh of twelve sons, he had ten elder brothers. Consider: attempting to deceive the eldest with a bowl of lentil stew, or the second, or the third... or, rather, "trading." Even ten bowls might not suffice. Why do I assert Joseph possessed heavenly dreams? Because resolving the matter with lentil stew seemed an insurmountable task.

In his discourse with his father, be it over tea, beer, or spirits, their conversations flowed freely, a true meeting of minds. From a young age, Joseph often inquired of his father how to attain the birthright. Were you Jacob, witnessing this yearning in your son, knowing his ten elder brothers, your heart would surely sink.

For Jacob had trod that path, knowing the birthright was hard-won. Jacob might say, "Son, I attained the heavenly dream, the birthright. See how my life has unfolded?" Joseph found it good. Many deem such a life tumultuous, arduous, and fraught with helplessness. Jacob sought to impart a lesson, but it proved untaught. Upon Joseph's return to Canaan, his grandfather Isaac still lived, as did Abraham at Jacob's birth. He discussed with his father and grandfather how to attain the birthright, yet neither could offer a solution!

Jacob once told Joseph, "To secure your grandfather's blessing, his blindness prevented him from recognizing me." Joseph might think, "Then your eyes must be blinded ten times over!" Yet, faced with such hardship, Jacob and Isaac, seeing the son and grandson, deemed it too difficult, urging abandonment. But this child's strength lay in his unwavering resolve, continuing to ponder how to attain the heavenly dream.

Jacob favored Joseph, for this son was different, possessing heavenly dreams from a young age. This is powerful. We must begin to embrace heavenly dreams. Those who do think differently. The world thinks of pleasure and indulgence. This son thought of securing the birthright. And he did. Know this: Joseph did not merely secure the birthright; he secured a status greater than the birthright itself. How could one be greater than the birthright?

In a family, the one with the greatest faith, the possessor of heavenly dreams, holds the highest position, for God can create many positions. Some pose a conundrum: if Jacob possessed heavenly dreams, and Esau refused to relinquish his birthright, what then? Does God truly care about one more or one less like Joseph and Jacob? If God can create a position within a family, how difficult is it to create positions for many? God not only created a higher position for Joseph, making him the savior of the entire family, but even Judah, who secured the birthright, was beneath Joseph.

I wish to impart a concept: if your faith is greatest in your family, your position is also greatest. Even your parents will bow before you. This is remarkable. Joseph pondered, and the Bible tells a good story, culminating in a dream. What was this dream?

And Joseph said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. (Genesis 37:6-7)

This dream, though infuriating and offensive, pleased God. His brothers detested it. Was this not courting violence? Yet, this dream was truly a heavenly dream. Some might say this child lacked tact. But make no mistake, those who possess heavenly dreams must proclaim them, even in secret, for it is ever on their mind. "God, I wish to secure the birthright, but how?" My father secured it with a bowl of lentil stew; where shall I find such a thing?

Joseph dreamed that all his father's sons bowed before him, a position of great honor, spoken of by a mere child. Was he right or wrong? Right, of course! For the degree of one's yearning can move the hand of God. I pray that all brethren and sisters possess heavenly dreams. Possessing heavenly dreams does not mean becoming a unicorn, a millionaire, a billionaire, or an entrepreneur.

Do not become literary figures or philosophers, for they often become confused and take their own lives. Be a dreamer, dreaming of securing heavenly blessings. Securing heavenly blessings is no small matter. This child had this dream from a young age. When his grandfather and father lived, they understood these dreams.

Deeply Loved by His Father

Though his father's wives were unremarkable, his father was Jacob, a man of great spiritual stature. Jacob once possessed a heavenly dream, which unfolded beyond imagination. In his old age, Jacob loved this son with heavenly dreams. Those among us with heavenly dreams bring me great comfort; I care not for hardship. If brethren and sisters fill their minds with things other than heavenly dreams, my heart is heavy. Why do they not know that possessing heavenly dreams is a good thing?

Joseph shared many stories with his father; their relationship was particularly close. They would often brew tea and converse. Joseph wished to hear his father's stories. The other sons thought, "Can that fill our bellies?" Joseph found it more satisfying than food. His brothers were preoccupied with food and clothing, which Jacob found tiresome. Without dreams, whether father or son, one is tiresome, focused only on the father's wealth: "The old man refuses to die; when will he pass so we can divide the inheritance, one share for each?"

But Joseph, like his father Jacob, possessed heavenly dreams. It was a meeting of minds. The father favored the son, and the son favored the father, conversing about dreams. The other sons would say, "Father, you have told these stories ten times; is it not tiresome?" The father would say, "No, I enjoy telling them." Twenty or thirty times, it mattered not! Joseph would say, "Father, tell it again." And the father would repeat it. When Isaac was alive, Joseph would converse with his grandfather, their relationship particularly close, engaging in meaningful dialogue, unlike those who only discuss the mundane aspects of life.

Joseph was deeply loved by his father. Do not find it strange; strive to be such a person. If you yearn for such blessings, our Father in Heaven has already prepared them for you. How pleased He is when we possess heavenly dreams. God sits on His throne, looking down: to see if there are any who understand, any who seek. These heavenly dreams are none other than those concerning God's glory in eternity. One who possesses heavenly dreams sees through the affairs of this world; those they cannot see through, they destroy.

Often Reporting His Brothers' Misdeeds to His Father

Joseph's brothers were quite unruly. Among Jacob's many sons, few possessed heavenly dreams. Though Jacob was their father, few inherited his character and heavenly dreams. The Father in Heaven feels similarly. Joseph, seeing his brothers' pursuits and gluttonous faces, would report to his father. One, Reuben, had relations with his father's concubine, likely reported by Joseph.

Among Jacob's twelve sons, Simeon was particularly wicked, often committing evil deeds and possessing a violent nature. He committed many misdeeds behind his father's back, slaughtering the people of Shechem. We often mistakenly believe Joseph was tattling, but this is incorrect. One who possesses heavenly dreams sees things differently. He saw and said, "My brothers will suffer many curses for these deeds; I must tell my father, hoping he will prevent them from committing such evils." He had no ulterior motive; he sought to be a blessing to the family.

Consider how difficult it is to be a blessing to others when they dislike you. Joseph reported his brothers' misdeeds to his father, hoping his father would discipline them and perhaps they would repent. Do not think Joseph was tattling for selfish motives; it was not so. Because he possessed heavenly dreams, he saw things through the lens of curses and blessings. One who understands blessings and curses feels much regret and helplessness in this world, watching helplessly as people walk towards curses, and facing ingratitude when trying to turn them back.

Possessing heavenly dreams and becoming a blessing to others is truly difficult! You wish to bless them, but they think you wish to harm them! Why did Joseph's brothers hate him? First, because he often tattled; second, because his father favored him, while the other sons were dismissed. Thus, they were fit only for herding sheep! Jacob often kept Joseph by his side, and how did the other sons feel? Terrible. If Joseph were sent to herd sheep, he would go joyfully, while the brothers would complain, "It's my turn to herd sheep again; why not that dreaming boy?"

Joseph often reported his brothers' misdeeds to his father, not considering the consequences, only thinking of blessing his family. I tell you, it is difficult to bless your family. Do you feel this? You will find that speaking to them is like casting pearls before swine, then before donkeys, then before horses! This is perfectly normal.

But God will surely make you a blessing to them, and He will surely accomplish this. In the end, his family was saved because of Joseph! This was God's doing. Often reporting to his father, what did Joseph gain? Nothing, really. Regret! Brethren and sisters, if you wish to possess heavenly dreams but still harbor selfish motives, that is not a heavenly dream; that is an earthly dream.

Declare Your Dreams With Your Mouth

Joseph shared his dreams, and you will find many pastors saying: "That's not good, see, this child was eventually sold!" Do you think that was not God's plan? That was God's plan. Being sold to Egypt was a good thing, a shortcut; it was to become a prime minister. Joseph often told his brothers about this dream! In fact, it wasn't just after having the dream that he spoke of it. The Bible may not have recorded how many times he repeated it, perhaps nagging them over and over. Joseph said: "Brother, do you remember the dream I had?" His brother said: "Go away." Joseph said: "Brother, the dream I had..."

I tell you, if you have a dream inside, and you do not declare it with your mouth, it does not conform to the principles of the Bible. If you read the first chapter of Genesis, you will find that God did not keep silent; things were accomplished. The Bible says this:

Joseph said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Do you intend to govern us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. (Genesis 37:6-8)

I just had such a dream, so what? They hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said. Later, did Joseph not know that his brothers hated him? He knew. Let them hate; hate is their own choice. As a result, he later had another dream.

Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in his mind. (Genesis 37:9-11)

According to human perspective, this dream is not good. I tell you, even a fool using his heel to think would know what it means. Would even his parents bow down before him? Joseph had the greatest faith at home; the greater the faith at home, the greater the position! Understand? Everyone, be careful not to speak carelessly, or you will become disliked. I tell you, this is really the case.

A brother was studying at a university, pursuing a doctorate. He finally returned home, and as soon as he arrived, he told his parents: "I believe in the Lord; I want to forsake you." His father said: "What's wrong? Have your wings hardened?" "Slap!" A slap in the face. You say, isn't this just asking for trouble! Later, he said that whoever loves his parents more than the Lord Jesus is not worthy to be His disciple. Here he goes again. This is not called declaring a dream! Everyone, be careful not to become disliked. Similar to: "Who is my father? Who is my mother?" After returning home, another "Slap!" Now you know. A slap came over, telling you to still ask who is your father, who is your mother. This religious flavor doesn't work.

What Joseph declared was becoming the salvation of the family; what you are declaring is inviting three slaps. Therefore, constantly declare your dreams, declare becoming the salvation of the family, and even if people don't like it, they will keep it in their hearts. I just feel that constant declaration works. In the midst of the church's extreme desolation and weakness, I tell you it is difficult. Difficult as it may be, I share my dreams when I have them, and to this day, I am still sharing my dreams. So what is my dream? You should have heard me say it some time ago. I shared my dream that we are going to bring about a new transformation in Christianity. We are going to clear away many absurd things in Christianity and restore the pure gospel preached by the Apostle Paul.

I have received no shortage of cold looks! But I don't care. People said to me: "You, can you do this? That was done by Martin Luther." I said: "I can do it better than Martin Luther!" I think what I said will definitely come true. In fact, many things have already been fulfilled. Before we started on the path of founding Chinese Mingding Destiny, many prophets had already begun to prophesy. You must know God's will! What we are declaring is a heavenly dream, it is God's heart, it is that spiritual children will fill the whole earth, and God's name will be exalted again.

What we are declaring is that we can become precious and glorious vessels in God's hands, and God will bless many people in this era through us. God will bless many people in this generation. Is there a problem? Is there a difficulty? Is there an opinion? If you have an opinion, take it to the toilet and flush it down the toilet. I just like to declare my dreams, so what? You say: "It's quite annoying." That's for sure, you have to declare it! Brothers and sisters must all begin to have a heavenly dream. It would be amazing to be like Joseph. God will lift you up among all nations; that would be wonderful.

We were chosen before the foundation of the world; that is incomparably good! I just like it this way. Many people think I've messed up, including this matter of heavenly dreams. I tell you, I am definitely doing it right. The dream of ten years ago began to bear fruit five years ago; the dream I declared five years ago has already begun to bear fruit today; then the dream declared this year will begin to be fulfilled in five years. It's very miraculous! What am I after? Just that everyone may be blessed.

Some People Just Want to See What Your Dream Will Be Like in the Future

They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” (Genesis 37:18-20)

You are declaring, aren't you? Some people are saying this dream is pretty good, so I'll make one too. He is setting a trap, preventing you from having a dream. During our reform and opening up, people in that era developed a disease called red-eye disease. Have you heard of red-eye disease? It means it's not okay for you to have money; it's fine if everyone lives in poverty. If you have money, I get red-eye, and after getting red-eye, I don't want to figure out how to make money, but instead, I trip you up and do bad things to you.

Now it has evolved into envy, jealousy, and hatred. He doesn't think having a heavenly dream is priceless; he just thinks it's not okay for me to live in poverty while you live in wealth. Some people, like Jacob's sons, got red-eye: "Ah! He made you a coat of many colors, and then you have a dream today and a dream tomorrow. We'll see how you make this dream." His father sent him to see if his brothers were safe while tending the sheep.

So he said to him, “Go and see if your brothers are well and if the flocks are all right, and bring me word back.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem, (Genesis 37:14)

As a result, Joseph walked and walked, found his brothers, you know, he was wearing that coat of many colors, like wearing a Hermes today. Besides Hermes being expensive, there's also Chanel. His brothers discussed: "The dreamer is coming, I want to see how you make this dream, I'll kill you first." As a result, it came to pass later. Don't think that just a few small fries like them can ruin a heavenly dream. It's useless to compete with me; I stand on God's side. If you have the ability, compete with God, and after competing, good luck to you.

They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.” (Genesis 37:18-20)

His brothers had a grievance in their hearts. Did Joseph ever take advantage of them? No. Did Joseph ever harm them? No. Where did that grievance come from? He came from afar to see them, and even brought some sausages, braised beef, and liquor to comfort them. As a result, they couldn't see anything, just thinking about preventing you from dreaming. I tell you: A heavenly dream comes from God, and no one can ruin it!

If you are Joseph, then no one and nothing can hinder God's will from being accomplished in you. This is really incomparably good. What is the birthright? The birthright has been upgraded at this time. Joseph became the blessing of the firstborn, becoming the blessing of his father. In the spiritual world, position is assessed according to the size of your faith. You may be pastoring your grandparents at home, or you may be pastoring your parents. This is all normal because the position is great.

I tell you, a heavenly person will definitely suffer this kind of contempt, and will definitely attract a lot of ridicule. A person who possesses a heavenly dream will definitely have people waiting to see him make a fool of himself. You won't be able to see this joke; you will see how God accomplishes the desire in our hearts to obtain a heavenly dream, to obtain a spiritual position. If you live long enough, you will definitely see how God accomplishes His wonderful deeds. In these people who possess heavenly dreams, some people want to see a joke, so let them watch? See how his dream is, has it been fulfilled? It will be fulfilled in the near future; you cannot ruin it.

Everything That Happens Is to Fulfill Your Heavenly Dream

Because of the heavenly dream, God established a position greater than the firstborn's position above the birthright. If there is someone more powerful than Joseph, it is not difficult for God to establish another one. It is a small matter to open a new department in God's house, to open a new city for you to manage. Everything that happens is being accomplished. Jacob saw the bloodstains on his son's clothes, and then felt that his beloved son had been torn apart by wild beasts.

Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. They sent the robe of many colors to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.” He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” (Genesis 37:31-33)

But I tell you, old Jacob was thinking in his heart: "My son possesses a heavenly dream, how could he be torn to pieces?" He was wondering in his heart. The feeling of Dinah being raped was not so strong, but Joseph was sold to Egypt by his sons, and then they brought back a bloody coat, thinking his son was dead. You see, his father thought it was over. But was it gone? No, it was still there. No one can ruin God's plan; this is all to fulfill God's plan.

If his brothers hadn't sold him into slavery in Egypt, do you think Joseph would have hung a sign in the Egyptian market saying he wanted to be a slave? Do you think that would have worked? I want to give you a suggestion, those with bad brains might really see Joseph as a slave and think it's good, so they hang a sign themselves to become slaves. It's a very absurd thing to sell myself. I don't think Joseph would sell himself. But if his brothers hadn't sold him into slavery in Egypt, how could he have become the prime minister of Egypt?

Does everyone understand now? Everything that happens is to fulfill your heavenly dream. This world and all the people and things in it are to fulfill God's beloved people, all to be a backdrop. Of course, it doesn't matter if many people don't believe what I say, but that's what the Bible says. Esau's existence is to set off Jacob, just as a green leaf. Jacob is the red flower. The others are green leaves, Joseph is the red flower.

Therefore, I tell you to boldly possess a heavenly dream, boldly declare your heavenly dream, boldly believe that everything that happens, no matter what it is, is a good thing. Of course, this is not easy. But God has indeed arranged it this way. When we see Jesus Christ being crucified, we must know that without the crucifixion, there would be no resurrection from the dead, no overcoming the power of the underworld. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ because Jesus Christ has triumphed for us, and those are all heavenly dreams.

Jesus came into this world to accomplish all these things. Then you and I came into this world to accomplish what God wants to accomplish in us. Therefore, I encourage everyone to be a person who possesses a heavenly dream from today onwards. If you ask me how good it is, it's actually difficult for me to explain clearly. But it's just good, very good, incomparably good. It turns out that living in this world is really not very interesting. If there is no heavenly dream, no presence of God, then that is the greatest tragedy of a person's life.

May God bless everyone!

Genesis Chapter 37 Scripture

37:1 Jacob lived in the land of Canaan, where his father had stayed.
37:2 This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.
37:4 When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
37:5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.
37:6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had:
37:7 We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
37:8 His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Do you intend to govern us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
37:9 Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
37:10 When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
37:11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in his mind.
37:12 Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem,
37:13 and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.” “Very well,” Joseph replied.
37:14 So he said to him, “Go and see if your brothers are well and if the flocks are all right, and bring me word back.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron. When Joseph arrived at Shechem,
37:15 a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
37:16 He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”
37:17 “They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan.
37:18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
37:19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other.
37:20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
37:21 When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said.
37:22 “Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this, intending to deliver him from their hands and return him to his father.
37:23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing—
37:24 and took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
37:25 As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
37:26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood?
37:27 Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed.
37:28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
37:29 When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes.
37:30 Then he went back to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! Where can I turn now?”
37:31 Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood.
37:32 They sent the ornate robe to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”
37:33 He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him; Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”
37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days.
37:35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his father wept for him.
37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.