Intro: For our Advent season this year, I have chosen to enjoy the Jesse Tree by sharing a 24-day practice to prepare us for the celebration of Christ’s birth; the event we celebrate and honor at Christmas. From the root of Jesse’s stump, we will discover or rediscover the people in the family Tree of Jesus Messiah who were instrumental in bringing the presence of God near to us in order to revive the Spirit-led family of faith. With each day’s reading, we will add a new symbol—an ornament—to our family tree.
Today, is day seven of our journey and our symbol is Joseph’s Colorful Coat.
Do you have an article of clothing that is one of your favorites? I have several clothing items that I wear frequently because they make me smile! These pieces are comfortable and colorful. In fact, one of my favorite tops is vibrant with every color imaginable and has been “dubbed” by a friend as Joseph’s coat! When I wear this top, people can certainly see me coming.
Jacob’s son, Joseph, had a coat of many colors—Jacob had it made especially for him. In fact, Joseph had eleven brothers, but this coat set him apart as Jacob’s favorite son. Naturally, there would be some pride involved in Joseph when wearing this coat. As well, there would be a response of jealousy from Joseph’s brothers. So, over time, the coat of favor becomes an issue of conflict and pain. To deal with their jealousy, the brothers devise a plan to kill Joseph, but later decide to strip him of his robe and sell him into slavery. Evil may be busy, but is this the end of Joseph?
No, it is the new beginning for Joseph in the Hand of Almighty God; Joseph is powerless to move unless God moves him. God uses the jealousy of his brothers to position Joseph in Egypt where God moves him from the prison to the palace! When God is working in our lives and positioning us for His work, it requires grace or favor. The world hates grace, because it is entirely based on the power of God and not climbing the fleshy ladder of human success or power; it is always driven in unexpected ways. The favor on Joseph’s life is God-designed, because the Lord plans to use Joseph in order to bring Wisdom and salvation to Israel during a time of extreme famine. In fact, God’s plan is so big for Joseph that his jealous but hungry brothers eventually bow to honor him. You see the enemy may have plans to harm God’s children, but God’s grace and goodness is much more powerful. Where is God beginning to work anew in your life?
Genesis 37:1-4, 23-28 NLT Joseph’s Dreams
1 So Jacob settled again in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived as a foreigner.
2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked for his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.
3 Jacob[a] loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph—a beautiful robe.[b] 4 But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.
12 Soon after this, Joseph’s brothers went to pasture their father’s flocks at Shechem. 13 When they had been gone for some time, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Get ready, and I will send you to them.”
“I’m ready to go,” Joseph replied.
14 “Go and see how your brothers and the flocks are getting along,” Jacob said. “Then come back and bring me a report.” So Jacob sent him on his way, and Joseph traveled to Shechem from their home in the valley of Hebron.
15 When he arrived there, a man from the area noticed him wandering around the countryside. “What are you looking for?” he asked.
16 “I’m looking for my brothers,” Joseph replied. “Do you know where they are pasturing their sheep?”
17 “Yes,” the man told him. “They have moved on from here, but I heard them say, ‘Let’s go on to Dothan.’” So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan and found them there.
Joseph Sold into Slavery
18 When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 19 “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. 20 “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”
21 But when Reuben heard of their scheme, he came to Joseph’s rescue. “Let’s not kill him,” he said. 22 “Why should we shed any blood? Let’s just throw him into this empty cistern here in the wilderness. Then he’ll die without our laying a hand on him.” Reuben was secretly planning to rescue Joseph and return him to his father.
23 So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. 24 Then they grabbed him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. 25 Then, just as they were sitting down to eat, they looked up and saw a caravan of camels in the distance coming toward them. It was a group of Ishmaelite traders taking a load of gum, balm, and aromatic resin from Gilead down to Egypt.
26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother? We’d have to cover up the crime. 27 Instead of hurting him, let’s sell him to those Ishmaelite traders. After all, he is our brother—our own flesh and blood!” And his brothers agreed. 28 So when the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, came by, Joseph’s brothers pulled him out of the cistern and sold him to them for twenty pieces[b] of silver. And the traders took him to Egypt.
Genesis 45:5 NLT But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.
Genesis 50:20 NLT You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.
Romans 8:28 NLT And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Acts 3:13-15 NLT
13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. 14 You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for Joseph’s life and the lessons we have learned through him. Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing us from our enemies; for offering us salvation. When we feel betrayed or treated unkindly, may we remember Joseph’s colorful coat as a symbol of the grace that covers us in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.