Clothed in Honor No More 

Genesis 37 

Lesson 6 

Then God remembered Rachel, and God gave heed to her and opened her womb. So, she conceived and bore a son and said, ‘God has taken away my reproach.’ She named him Joseph… Genesis 30:22-24 

When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, A wild beast devoured him. Then let us see what will become of his dreams!’  

But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, ‘Let us not take his life.’ Reuben further said the them, ‘Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him’ –that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father. 

So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it. Genesis 37:18-24 

Siblings are acutely aware of the favoritism of a father, regardless of how subtle. In Jacob’s case, it was not so subtle.

Jacob had several wives but he loved Rachel more than any of them. Rachel was barren for many, many years and Jacob had many sons with his other wives. But in Jacob’s old age, as part of God’s plan toward the redemption of Israel and toward the fulfillment of His covenant with Israel, God allowed Rachel to give birth to a son, Joseph. 

Jacob loved Joseph more because: 

• He was born of Rachel, the love of his life. 
• He was born in his old age. He had no doubt given up that he would ever have a son with Rachel. 
• Joseph exhibited the blessings of God. Primarily through his dreams. 
• Joseph was trustworthy. Jacob relied upon him to report back on the state of his brothers. 

Jacob made quite a statement when he rewarded Joseph with a multi-colored coat. All the sons had coats, I’m sure, but not one like Joseph’s. It was a ‘in your face’ statement to his half-brothers that Jacob considered Joseph the family heir of fortune, the special son, the prince of the family. Joseph was the blessed one of his father. 

Clothed in his ‘robe of righteousness’, Joseph approaches his brothers. How is it that hate becomes so intense that the only seeming relief is to murder? This is intense hatred. Logically, we know that the crime of Joseph doesn’t deserve death. Fortunately, and by God’s providence, the brothers relent of their initial plan and instead determine to throw him into a pit. Initially, it’s not a full relenting because the text specifies that they threw him in a pit without water. Therefore, they were condemning him to a death that was much worse than a knife through the heart. After 3 or 4 days of suffering, Joseph would die a horrible death without water. 

The brothers tore off his coat and threw him into the pit without water. Jesus willingly removed his royal robe of glory in heaven and came to the earth to wear the garments of a servant. Joseph unwillingly lost his robe on his journey to servant-hood in Egypt. This evil act perpetrated by the wicked brothers was actually part of the redemptive plan of God. It’s a mystery how evil acts of wicked men can be used for God’s glory.

Peter referred to such a mystery pertaining to the death of Jesus: 

This man, (Jesus), delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Acts 2:23. 

Judah convinces his brother to not leave Joseph for dead. Instead, Judah uses the happenstance passing of an Ishmaelite caravan to sell Joseph into slavery. Joseph is then sold as a slave in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharoah’s officer, the captain of the bodyguard. 

• Joseph, hated by his own, condemned to die, escapes death, lives as a servant in a foreign land and ultimately redeems from famine, those who previously condemned him. 
• Jesus, hated by His own, lived as a servant in a foreign land, condemned to die, escapes death through resurrection, and ultimately redeems from sin, those who previously condemned Him to death. 

God’s plan and story of redemption is a journey littered with the deeds of sinful men and women. And, such are we. But in spite of our sin,

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:5 

Dear Father, Your plan of redemption is a wondrous story of grace and mercy toward flawed and sinful people. Of which we are blessed recipients of Your salvation. Perhaps we are not that different from the brothers of Joseph. It was our sins that sent You to the cross. Nevertheless, You saved us! We thank you with eternal gratefulness. Amen.