Joseph's Coat

We are now coming to the last thirteen chapters of the Genesis. God shifts from a larger world picture to focus in and begin to follow Jacob’s descendants as they began to multiply. God changes Jacob’s name to Israel which means “God rules”, “God strives”, “God heals” or “he strives against God”. It’s important to remember that Moses wrote the first five books of the bible under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He penned these words somewhere between 1450 and 1410 BC. Because there are so many parallels to God’s own Son, Jesus, it’s essential to take a close up look at these last thirteen chapters. Chapters 37-50 of Genesis basically retell the story of redemption and how God’s plan for all of us is working out even through the hard times and the times in life when we are walking through what seems like “the valley of the shadow of death”.

Israel (Jacob) loved Rachel more than his first wife, Leah. Joseph being a son from Rachel quickly becomes the favorite of his father. In chapter 37:3-4 of Genesis we read “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably with him”. This coat whether it was a coat woven with many colors, made with sleeves or was ornately decorated, set Joseph apart from all his other brothers and sowed the seeds of hatred.

One night, Joseph had a dream that he told to his brothers where they are out in the field reaping and binding wheat into sheaves and his sheaf stood upright while his brother’s sheaves bowed down to it. Joseph had yet another dream where the sun moon and the eleven stars bowed down to him. This verse will be one of the keys to understanding some of the content found in not only in the last Genesis chapters but also in the book of Revelation 12:1. But for now it is just a thorn in the sides of all of Joseph’s family.

Then one day Israel sent Joseph to check up on his brothers who were out herding their flock. After a journey of many days Joseph is seen by his brothers and they conspired against him to kill him. The text says that they saw him from a very far distance and were able to recognize him probably because the tunic he wore was very different from all the other ones that were worn in that day. Joseph’s brothers planned to kill him, throw him into a pit and then fabricate a story of how wild beasts killed him. Reuben suggests they don’t kill him but rather just place him in the pit. So they strip him of his tunic and cast him alive into a pit. When some Ishmaelite-Midianite traders pass by they pull Joseph out of the pit and sell him for 20 shekels of silver. These nomads were heading for Egypt.

The brothers killed a kid from the goats and dipped Joseph’s tunic into the blood and brought the coat to their father. Jacob recognizes it right away, and believing his son is dead tears his garments and mourns the apparent loss of his son. It’s interesting to see God’s law of sowing and reaping in action here. Remember back when Jacob deceived his father Isaac by killing a lamb and putting the skin on his hands and neck to impersonate his brother Esau? Here we have Jacob reaping what he had sowed so many years before. In Galatians 6:7 we read “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life”.

We will discover in the next couple of weeks how this all will turn out but this apparent tragic end to Joseph is all part of God’s larger plan to provide for Jacob’s family. All things work out for the good to them who love God and are called to His purpose. My life verse from the bible is Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” What a comforting thing it is to trust in an all mighty, all knowing and all powerful God! A God who loves you so much that He not only gave up His only Son to death on a Roman cross but wrote about it 1450 years before it happened.

Return To Bethel

 

There was this poster I had on the wall of my bedroom as a young boy. It was a beautiful picture of the sun setting over the ocean, waves washing up onto the shore and a long stretch of beach with two sets of footprints in the wet sand. At one point in the distance the two sets of footprints disappear leaving only a single pair. The writing on the bottom of the poster read something like “Lord God, you have always walked with me side by side but now why have you abandoned me?”  The writer was referring to the two sets of footprints ending leaving only a single set of footprints in the sand. God’s reply was… “I never left you, why I was carrying you!”

How many times in life have we felt like we had the bull by the horns? Safely guiding and directing our own lives while really running from a very large herd of bulls that were in close pursuit. How many of us over the last three years had put our trust in our bank accounts only to have it completely shattered by a weak and reeling economy? How many of us feel like we can stand alone on deck as the captain of our own vessels?

As we travel through the Holy Land we observe Isaac’s son Jacob as he has a family reunion with his brother Esau. Keep in mind that Jacob some thirty years earlier was fleeing from his brother as he had tricked him out of his birthright. Now as Jacob comes to the city of Shechem which is in the land of Canaan, Jacob’s only daughter Dinah is violated and defiled by Hamor’s son Shechem. Jacob’s sons seeking revenge trick the men of Shechem to be circumcised.  As they are recovering from the procedure, Simeon and Levi brothers of Dinah come boldly upon all the males of the city and kill them by the sword. As they plunder and loot the entire city of all their livestock, women and children Jacob begins to realize what his sons actions are going to cost him.

In Genesis 34:30 we read “You have troubled me by making me obnoxious among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and Perizzites; and since I am few in number, they will gather themselves together against me and kill me.” Here we have the “fear factor” kicking in. It seems that when things are going in our favor that we can get over confident of our own abilities and that is when we stumble and fall. It’s in these times when we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel that trouble overwhelms us. When hardship befalls us where do we turn for help? Many times we turn to some distraction in the hoping it go away. Sex, drugs and alcohol are but a few of our familiar friends who seem to be there for us to cling to. But they just prolong our agony and make things worse.

In Chapter 35:1 of Genesis God speaks to Jacob “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.” Jacob is obedient to God and instructs his family to put away their foreign gods and to begin to purify themselves. Jacob says in Genesis 35:3 “Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.”

God is instructing Jacob to return to Him; to return to the place where he first met him face to face at Bethel. God is always waiting there for us, especially when we lose our focus and the darkness sets in. Our heavenly Father has only always desired the best for us and is waiting for us to return to Him! Just as God instructs Jacob to return to Bethel, which means house of God, God wants us to always seek Him especially in times of trouble. God loves us as a father loves his children. Maybe your earthly father mistreated you or abandoned you but your Heavenly Father will never do that, He is trustworthy.

So it’s just like the image on the poster that gracefully hung on my wall; where two sets of footprints disappear leaving only one set. God carries us through the hard times, through the dark times through all our trials and tribulations. Because God exists outside of time, He can see both the beginning and the ending. So I encourage you today to return to the house of God and ask Him for help. Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Leah and Rachel

If you grew up in a Jewish family and had at least three sisters, then two of your sisters would have been named Leah and Rachel. The importance of these two women in Jewish history cannot be understated. Together they would bear the 12 children who would one day make up the twelve tribes of Israel. After leaving Bethel, Jacob comes upon Rachel and sees her for the first time as she is herding her father’s sheep towards the community well. Remember, Jacob was on the run, fleeing from his home because he had tricked his father and brother out of his birthright and Esau was bent on revenge. Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, sends him to live with her brother Laban in Haran. As Rachel is herding the sheep towards Jacob he is literally overwhelmed with her beauty; her form and appearance.

We read in Genesis 29:20 “So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.” Seven years seems to be quite a chunk of time to work for your future wife but when the time had been fulfilled, Jacob discovers Laban has tricked him and secretly given him his oldest daughter Leah. At wedding ceremonies in those days, the bride would have been heavily veiled so she couldn’t be seen by anyone. Jacob must have got quite a surprise when he wakes up the next morning and finds Leah sleeping next to him.  

Jacob, the deceiver, is getting his just reward as his Uncle Laban is dishing out the same type of deception that Jacob himself dealt out to Isaac and Esau for the family’s birthright.  In the book of Galatians 6:7, 8 Paul’s words remind us “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the spirit will of the spirit reap everlasting life”. So let’s not give up doing what is right. Let us all continue to sow good seed, watering it so that God may bring in His harvest at the appointed time.

Jacob, upset with Laban but still consumed with Rachel’s beauty, agrees to work an additional seven years for her. As Leah and Rachel begin to have children, the family is growing and so is Jacob’s desire to leave Laban’s household. Now, before we move on in the story let’s take a quick look at the children born to each of Jacob’s wives and their maids.  Leah was the first to bear children; their names were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun and Dinah. Her maid, Zilpah, bore Gad and Asher.  Rachel had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin while her maid, Bilhah, also conceived two sons Dan, and Naphtali. 

These children not only represent the very beginning of the twelve tribes but are also the living foundation stones holding up the nation of Israel. One interesting note is found in Genesis 29:30, 31 “Then Jacob also went in to Rachel, and he also loved Rachel more than Leah. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb;” God honored Leah by allowing her to bear Jacob’s first seven children. He also blessed Leah with being the mother of both the kingly line of Judah and the priestly line of Levi. One day not only would king David, but more importantly Jesus our Messiah, would come from the tribe of Judah.

Genesis 31:17 describes Jacob’s departure from his father-in-law, Laban. One day as Laban is out in his pastures shearing sheep, Jacob gathers all his belongings, wives and children and leaves without saying a good bye. Rachel also goes into her father’s belongings and steals the family’s idols. Interestingly, even Jacob’s household was not fully committed to the Lord, the One True and Living God but they were still worshipping gods of wood and stone. In a way it’s both funny and tragic that Laban’s gods could be gathered up by Rachel, hidden away in saddle bags and stolen.

The scriptures never try and “whitewash” the integrity of its characters. It always lays the truth out for all to see.  God is patiently trying to reveal Himself to the world through this faith filled remnant, the children of Abraham. Remember His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that through their seed all the families of the earth would be blessed. Thousands of years later, God’s own Son, Jesus, would be born through their family line as predicted through prophecy.

There is, and only ever has been, one God. He chose to reveal Himself to the world through His dealings with one small family clan. This remnant, while not being perfect, still did manage to offer up worship to God through faith. And to this day that is all God requires from each man, woman and child living on the face of the earth: to have faith in Him. By trusting in His provisions for redemption through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus, the entire world is invited to one day live in His presence. Salvation is a free gift from God.

Jacob's Ladder

It’s important when interpreting scripture to read and study the entire scripture in context. Examining the passages that proceed and follow sections of scripture, help us to frame the intent and meaning of what is being communicated. Another solid method is to find verses in the New Testament that refer back to and explain verses in the Old Testament. My favorite tool in the carpenter’s box is when the Lord Jesus quotes from the Old Testament. When Jesus Himself is interpreting the scripture then you can’t go wrong! Let’s take a look at one example of how we can apply a New Testament scripture to illuminate a passage in the Old Testament book of Genesis chapter 28.

As Abraham’s son Isaac grows into manhood he married Rebecca and had two sons of his own, Esau and Jacob. These two were twin boys who evidently began fighting in their mother’s womb. At birth, Esau emerges first with Jacob close behind grabbing onto his heals. Later on in life Esau sells his birthright, as the first born, to Jacob for a mere bowl of stew and a piece of bread. Jacob deceives his father Isaac for his blessing at the request of his mother Rebecca and the seeds of brotherly hatred are planted.

Esau, furious over his brother’s trickery, threatens and plots to kill him. Rebecca urges Jacob to leave home in haste before his brother can make good on his threat. Jacob sets out on a one day, 42 mile, trip north to the area around Haran. Jacob is exhausted upon arrival and uses a rock for a pillow and falls fast asleep. In Genesis 28:12 we read “And he dreamed, and behold, a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it”.

If we were to interpret this verse without additional scripture we would not have much to go on except a very tall ladder, heaven, earth and ascending and descending angels. Reading on and examining the verse in its context we find that when Jacob awoke from his dream he said in Genesis 28:16-17 “Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place; and I did not know it” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”

God then goes on to reaffirm to Jacob the promises He made to Abraham and Isaac. God said that their descendants would be like the stars in the night sky or grains of sand on the shore and that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed. Later on in the chapter Jacob will name this place Bethel meaning house of God. In this verse Jacob interprets this place as an entry point into heaven or a gate of heaven. If we only had these verses we might still miss the meaning the Holy Spirit intended. Right now we only have a ladder extending into heaven with angels ascending and descending on it and Jacob referring to it as a gate to heaven. Using additional New Testament verses from the book of John 1:45-51 we can turn the focus knob a bit to get a clearer picture. 

Philip finds Nathanael and says to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Then as Jesus is talking to Nathanael He tells him “You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” Jesus was declaring: I am the ladder on which the angels ascend and descend. I am the ladder that brings men to God. I am the ladder that bridges the gulf. You see, since the “fall” in the Garden of Eden a true divide was created between a holy God and sinful man. God’s plan from the very start was to send His One and only Son into the world to become sin for us, to pay our sin debt in full and to become the only gate that opens into the presence of The Most High God.

So you can see why it’s very important to draw the intended meaning out of the scriptures by using all the tools available in our tool box. And one of the very sharpest tools is the one where the Lord Himself explains for us these great truths of God. So I will leave you with the words of our Master Himself from John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”