20240114 Genesis 37: Joseph’s Coat, God’s Plan, Satan’s Hatred

Call to Worship - Psalm 84

There is a triple blessing in our call to worship

Psalm 84 LSB

For the choir director. According to the Gittith. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. 1 How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Yahweh of hosts! 2 My soul has longed and even fainted for the courts of Yahweh; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the bird has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she sets her young, At Your altars, O Yahweh of hosts, My King and my God. 4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house! They are ever praising You. Selah. 5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion! 6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring; The early rain also wraps it up with blessings. 7 They go from strength to strength, Each one of them appears before God in Zion. 8 O Yahweh God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah. 9 See our shield, O God, And look upon the face of Your anointed. 10 For better is a day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would choose to stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For Yahweh God is a sun and shield; Yahweh gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk blamelessly. 12 O Yahweh of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Scripture Reading - Hebrews 11:1-22

Hebrews 11:1–22 LSB

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was approved as being righteous—God approving his gifts—and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for prior to being taken up, he was approved as being pleasing to God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise, 10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she regarded Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore there were born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE. 13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been remembering that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now, they aspire to a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only son, 18 to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR SEED SHALL BE CALLED.” 19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he also received him back. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and WORSHIPED, leaning ON THE TOP OF HIS STAFF. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave commands concerning his bones.

Introduction:

Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary (Steinmann) (A. Joseph’s Dreams (37:2–11))

This verse begins with the last of the eleven tôlĕdôt formulas in Genesis. Immediately the narration turns to Joseph, and we are introduced to him through four comments. First, he was seventeen years old. Second, he tended sheep with his brothers, learning the family occupation (see 46:32; 47:3). Third, we are told that he was a young man—perhaps meaning an assistant or apprentice—with the four sons of Jacob’s concubines. Finally, we are told that he gave Jacob a bad report about his brothers. The word for report is often used of malicious rumours or gossip (see Ps. 31:13; Prov. 10:18; 25:10; Jer. 20:10; Ezek. 36:3), words that did not endear him to his brothers.

1 Samuel 2:22–24 LSB

22 Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things, the evil things that I hear from all these people? 24 “No, my sons; for the report is not good which I hear the people of Yahweh passing about.

3–4. The focus shifts next to Jacob and his affection for Joseph. His favouritism of Joseph is explained through Joseph being a son born in Jacob’s old age. This appears a bit strange, since Benjamin was born much later than Joseph. However, it probably refers to Joseph among Jacob’s grown sons, since Benjamin would have been only about two years old at this time. Unhidden favouritism seems to have run in this family: Isaac had favoured Esau over Jacob, Rebekah had favoured Jacob over Esau and Jacob had favoured Rachel over Leah.

In this case also Jacob was not subtle about his favouritism in giving Joseph a special tunic. Some English versions describe this garment as many-coloured or ornamented (CSB, ESV, NIV, TNK). This description is as old as LXX, which called it ‘variegated’. Other English versions call it a long robe or a robe with long sleeves (GW, NRSV). The last is probably correct. The term occurs in Aramaic for the palm of a hand or the sole of a foot (see Dan. 5:5, 24) and may be connected to the Hebrew words for ‘end’, ‘extremity’ and ‘ankle’. The same type of garment was later worn by the virgin daughters of David (2 Sam. 13:18, 19).

Joseph’s brothers had no trouble spotting Jacob’s love for Joseph over all the other brothers. Their reaction was to channel their resentment towards Joseph, not their father. Both their inward bitterness (they hated him, v. 4) and their outward expression of it (they could not speak peaceably to him) is noted.

5–8. Joseph’s first dream is introduced in a matter-of-fact way. Then, however, we are told that he related the dream to his brothers, and the result of his words: they hated him even more (v. 5). In Hebrew this forms a play on words with Joseph’s name, heightening the tension between them. The dream clearly placed Joseph and his brothers in an unfamiliar setting: they were shepherds, not farmers. This, however, was a hint of what was to come: they would indeed later yield to Joseph in the matter of gathered grain when they came to Egypt (42:5–6). Their binding sheaves turned into a surrealistic vision as many dreams do. The sheaves became animated, with Joseph’s standing and theirs gathering around and bowing.

The brothers immediately knew the meaning of the dream, and they mocked Joseph with questions about whether he really was going to rule them. For a third time we are told they hated Joseph, but we are now given two reasons. First, they hated him because of the dream. This implies that they knew the dream was more than simply a bizarre product of Joseph’s mind—they may well have suspected that it was a vision from God. Second, they hated him because of his words (v. 8). This at least implies that Joseph was being foolish to fan the flames of their jealousy by telling them his dream. However, it may imply even more: that this younger brother was bragging about his status in the family.

Genesis 37:8 LSB

8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you really going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

9. Joseph’s relating of his second dream is told in brief strokes. The scene is not given a setting as in the previous dream. This time Joseph simply relates the gist of the dream: sun, moon and eleven stars bowing to him. Note that in relating the dream Joseph does not mention his star but mentions himself directly (contrast this with the previous dream, where Joseph referred not directly to himself but to his sheaf). This indicates that Joseph understood the dream and was not asking for an interpretation. Instead, he was putting himself forward as the designated ruler of the family.

10–11. The inclusion of the sun and moon expanded the imagery to cover Jacob, and we are told that Joseph included Jacob in his audience (v. 10). Jacob rebuked Joseph, implying that Joseph may well have been perceived as impertinent. Jacob asks a question similar to that of the brothers: will the family bow down to him? Interestingly, Jacob clearly interprets the moon as your mother. Yet Rachel had died in childbirth, and Benjamin is certainly represented by one of the eleven stars. Probably the reference is to Leah as the living family matriarch and stepmother to Joseph and Benjamin. This time the brothers’ reaction is characterized as jealousy, another indication that they believed the dream to be a sign of God’s favour on Joseph. Jacob must have taken this even more seriously than his sons, since he kept the matter in mind (v. 11).

(1) Hear the word “Faith”

What is happening in the Book of Genesis? By faith, by faith, by faith

By faith Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

We must view the stories of biblical persons through the lens of faith.

The faith of Joseph, the faltering faith of Jacob, the faithlessness of the brothers

What we see in Gen 37 is the faith that was given Joseph by the Holy Spirit, the result of the Spirit’s work of salvation. The faith given by the Holy Spirit

Joseph is godly, the brothers are ungodly.

The faith that God gives produces a salvation that is living and active

The perfect faith and obedience of Jesus

(2) See the Garden of Eden

The word of God: The dreams of Joseph -

The work of Satan - Genesis 3:1

Genesis 3:1 LSB

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

The anger, hatred and jealousy of the brothers

Genesis 4:3–6 LSB

3 So it happened in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to Yahweh of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And Yahweh had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

A rejection of the authority of God’s revealed word - the dreams

A rejection of God’s will - they understood but rejected

A desire to murder their brother just as Cain killed Abel - their hatred

Those who hated Christ because he called all men to hear his words

(3) See the plan of God

Dale Ralph Davis - God’s Rascal: The Jacob Narrative in Genesis 25–35 (Chapter 14: The Rest of the Story)

That’s the way Jacob was with his favoritism. I’m not saying that Jacob made no progress in faith; but sometimes there can be folly that persists and tags along in God’s servants. We seem to fall into it again and again. We know that sanctification is not a one-shot, microwave experience. But sometimes we should perhaps wonder if we are making any progress at all. We easily have our ‘favorite’ pitfalls, which need not drive us to despair but should at least drive us to prayer—that we might gain a heart of wisdom and by grace attack the trouble.

RC Sproul - Now, you remember the story of Joseph, who was most beloved of his father, Jacob. He was the son of Jacob’s old age. And there was a certain favoritism that Jacob bestowed upon Joseph, which the rest of his brothers resented. And it culminated when Jacob provided the technicolor coat, the multicolored tunic that he gave to his son Joseph. And that incensed the brothers in terms of their jealousy, and then when Joseph would talk about his dreams that he interpreted, where somehow in the future his brothers would be bowing down before him, that was more than they could take. And so, you remember the story; they plotted together to get rid of their hated and despised brother.

What was the result of that many-colored coat? Suppose Jacob had been more sensitive to his sons and decided not to give that coat to Joseph. And so, the brothers’ jealousy is not stirred up. And because their jealousy was not stirred up, they didn’t decide to do away with Joseph. And if they didn’t decide to do away with Joseph, they never would have met this caravan group coming from the Midianites or the Ishmaelites. No caravan to Egypt, Joseph’s never sent down to the slave block there. He never comes to the slave block; he’s never bought by Potiphar. He’s not bought by Potiphar; he never gets in trouble with Potiphar’s unscrupulous wife, who blames and accuses Joseph of attempted rape. And if that had never happened, Joseph isn’t thrown into the prison. If he doesn’t get thrown in the prison, he never meets the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker. And if he never meets the butcher and the baker and the candlestick maker, he never interprets anybody’s dreams and Pharaoh never hears of him. He never becomes prime minister and never was put into place to make provisions for his family and invite them all to relocate in Egypt.

Do you have faith that is living, a faith that is obedient, a faith that is transforming

Do you see the hand of God in your life, the sovereign directing goodness and discipline of the God who works alls things together for His glory?

Now Yahweh, Maker of heaven and earth, the keeper of Israel, your keeper, go before you in your darkness, stand beside you in your fears, and hold you up in your sorrows until Jesus comes. Amen.