Dr. Ray Pritchard Christian Blog and Commentary

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Nine Great Resources on the Life of Joseph

  • Dr. Ray Pritchard
    Dr. Ray Pritchard is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, an Internet-based ministry serving Christians in 225 countries. He is the author of 29 books, including Stealth Attack, Fire and Rain,… More
  • Published Jul 12, 2013

The last two weeks I’ve been speaking on the life of Joseph, first at Living Waters Bible Conference in Danforth, Maine and this week at Cannon Beach Conference Center in Oregon. I have found this “journey with Joseph” so fascinating that I plan to continue speaking on his life at conferences later this summer. 

As you might expect, there is no shortage of good material on Joseph. Here are nine resources I found particularly helpful. In choosing them, I picked books that I could read on my Kindle so that I wouldn’t have to fill my suitcase with a lot of printed volumes. 

Genesis: A Devotional Commentary, Vol. 3 by W. H. Griffith Thomas. I was surprised to discover myself turning again and again to Griffith Thomas for help in understanding the flow of Joseph’s story. Though first written in 1908, his treatment speaks with great relevance to life today. 

Joseph: Beloved, Hated, Exalted by F. B. Meyer. How good is this study? So good that most of the other authors quote him. A warm-hearted study of Joseph with a pastor’s bent toward life application. 

Genesis, Vol. 3 by James Montgomery Boice. I listened to many of the audio sermons that form the background of this book. Boice had a tremendous gift for connecting Joseph’s story with the problems and challenges we face today. 

Be Authentic by Warren Wiersbe. Along with his excellent outlines on Genesis 25-50, Wiersbe displays his gift for pithy comments. He says a lot in just a few words. 

Secrets to a Happy Life by Bill Giovannetti. Don’t let the title fool you. This is a very good study of Joseph’s life. Giovannetti is particularly good at helping the reader understand the dilemmas Joseph faced.  

Joseph: Overcoming Obstacles Through Faithfulness by Gene Getz. Part of the “Men of Character” series. Getz explores the complex family dynamics that underlie Joseph’s story. Very useful for finding contemporary application. 

Joseph: The Hidden Hand of God by Liam Goligher. An excellent example of how to preach a Bible character. Grounded in good theology and peppered with personal stories and contemporary illustrations. Very well done. 

Joseph: A Man of Integrity and Forgiveness by Chuck Swindoll. Part of the “Great Lives” series. Swindoll covers it all–history, background, personal stories, apt phrases, contemporary application. His appreciation for Joseph shines through on every page. 

God Built by Steve Farrar. Of all the books I’ve mentioned, Farrar gives the strongest emphasis to the doctrine of God’s providence. Plus he’s got stories and quotes you won’t find anywhere else. This link goes to the Kindle edition. 

You can reach the author at ray@keepbelieving.com. Click here to sign up for the free email sermon.