Now Is Not The End

We’re going to look at Joseph, who was Jacob’s second youngest son. Remember how his father had given him the coat of many colors? It was a coat that set him apart from his brothers in terms of authority and rank in the family. Remember how his brothers were none too happy with him having that coat? And Joseph, being the brilliant young man that he was, couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Not only did he have his father’s love and authority Joseph also had two dreams and he was eager to share them with his brothers.

The first one had to do with the sheaves bowing down before him and worshiping him, and of course, you know his brothers were thrilled with that dream They patted him on the back and thanked him for sharing it with them so much that they even had a party for him. No! They were highly agitated with that dream because how dare he, the youngest in the family, believe that the dream represented them bowing down to him and worshiping him!

Now Joseph didn’t catch the hint the first time when his brothers weren’t happy with the first dream. So he has a second dream and he was even more thrilled to share that the moon and the stars are circulating him and worshiping him. He shared that dream. So not only did he get his brothers upset but his mom and dad were not too happy either. They said so you’re saying that all of us are going to be worshiping you? That’s what you’re telling us?

So in Genesis 37, Jacob sends Joseph to look for his brothers. The interesting thing about this was he had already told his father he didn’t think his brothers were doing what he’d ask them to do. So Jacob sends Joseph out to the fields to see the work his brothers were doing. But guess what? No brothers. They were not in the field doing what their father thought they would be doing. A man tells him that they were in Dothan. Joseph goes to Dothan and shows up and we’re going to pick it up in verse 23.

(23) And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him.

They’re having a good time doing what they’re not supposed to be doing and they see Joseph. I want you to see what the brothers had said earlier about Joseph.

(20) Come now therefore, and let us slay him and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.

Can you imagine the anger that he must have elicited from his brothers that they would want to kill him? We only see the record about the dreams, but you have to know that there were a lot of other things going on in their lives for such anger, for such resentment to build up that you would want to kill your brother. I have two brothers and two sisters. I cannot imagine what that’s like. I cannot imagine what they could do to me that would make me respond the way Joseph’s brothers did.

(21) And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; And said, let us not kill him.

(22) And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hands upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

Reuben planned to get them to throw Joseph into the pit and then, at some point, go back and get him out and take him back home to his father. That was Reuben’s plan.

(23) And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him.

Notice the first thing they did. They took away his authority. That was the first thing that they did. In essence, they were saying “So much for your dreams Joseph.”

(24) And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.

They had no intention of letting Joseph out of that pit. None. Now notice what they do next.

(25) And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.

They sat down to eat while their brother was in the pit. Get the image ladies and gentlemen. This is how much they despise Joseph.