IT IS MY SON’S
Genesis 37:23 ¶ 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; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up 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. 26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. 28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt. 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?
Genesis 37:31 ¶ And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. 33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. 34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. 36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, and captain of the guard.
The Holy Spirit has recorded for us some four times in this small passage that a stripping and tearing has occurred. In verse twenty three Joseph is said to be stript out of his coat by his jealous brothers. Then in verse twenty nine it is recorded that Reuben rent (‘to tear’) his clothes. In verse thirty three Jacob remarked that Joseph is rent to pieces. And fourthly, in verse thirty four it is stated that Jacob rent his clothes.
The garments of clothing are spiritually significant, giving understanding of the spiritual condition of one’s standing before the Lord God. For it was only when sin first entered the human race that nakedness came to be understood. Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
And of the man in the tombs, filled with demon spirits, it is said that he ware no clothes. Luke 8:27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. For being without the experience of salvation is as if one is standing naked before the Lord. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Also the description of clothing is set forth for those who are spiritually involved with the Lord. The priests garments were to reflect the glory of God, and the beauty of holiness. Exodus 28:2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And those born again, who are the Lamb’s wife, are said to be clothed in a garment of righteousness. Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
Even the purity of the Lord God himself is set forth in the scriptures as an outer covering. Psalm 104:1 ¶ Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
Therefore when we read of Joseph being stript of his garment and of Reuben tearing his at the knowledge of his failure as the first born to protect his younger brother, we have glimpses of Christ being stript of his clothing at his crucifixion. Matthew 27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And a glimpse of the condition of the sinner as Reuben cries, “The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?” For he reveals to us the lost sinner who has become spiritually naked and has lost his place of fellowship with the father.
And as Joseph would one day be ruler of that world, providing bread for the house of Israel, and for the world itself, so the ‘younger brother’ – the last Adam – would be the salvation of God’s family as the Bread of life! John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
And without him, like Reuben, whither can the sinner go? Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: For it is only the Person of the Eternal Son of God, come in human form, who can provide a place for the sinner! John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 …I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Then we read of Jacob – Joseph’s father – saying, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; And then, as Joseph’s dad tore his clothes, so our Heavenly Joseph’s Father tore that cloth which shut his glory in. Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Jacob tearing his clothing was accompanied by the shutting out of all his offspring. For we read that he would allow none of them the privilege of comforting him. But He who is the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, although he ‘felt’ the death of his Son most severely, tore that veil to bring all his children in! – “What wondrous love is this! O my soul.”
Hebrews 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
And it was good that the jealous hearted brothers heard their father say that it had to be an evil beast to do such a thing. For the human being, filled with the spirit of hate and murder is but a brute beast! 2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And there are so many brute beasts who fear not to speak evil of those whom the Lord has put in authority over us today! For those in authority, or, as the King James Version says, those in power, are ordained of God. Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
And the Apostle Paul referred to those who opposed the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in Ephesus as beasts! 1 Corinthians 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. And even as today, those who blaspheme the authorities placed over us are corrupting the ‘good manners’ of the whole of society. For he states it to be so in the very next verse. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
But we have yet to address that assumed tearing of Joseph’s flesh as thought by his father Jacob when the blood stained coat was presented to him. Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
This time that word ‘rent’ is not the same Hebrew word as used in those other events. For this word means “to pull to pieces for food.” And that opens up to us the heart of Christ’s crucifixion. For it was that beast, the roaring lion, Satan (1 Peter 5:8), who filled the hearts with madness, of those crying “crucify him!” Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: It was Satan who entered into their hearts, as he did to Judas, (John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him.), to use many of the hands previously healed physically by the Lord Jesus, to turn them into ‘wicked hands.’
Yet in that verse we see that it was also by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. For it was the Father who delivered up his Son for an acceptable sacrifice for our sins! Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Therefore we have the Bread of life torn and passed out to the believers for their spiritual nurturing! John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Amazing sovereignty! Amazing power! For even though the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was completely determined in the eternal council of God, those who exacted this crime are responsible, as they did not accomplish it with the glory of God in mind. They did so as they will not have this man to reign over us. (Luke 19:14). Like Judas who did not betray the Lord for God’s glory in the accomplishment of redemption. He did it for the love of money. Therefore even though it was in the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, their hands were said to be wicked hands which crucified and slew the Lord Jesus!
These sons of Israel, who exacted this crime upon the beloved son, could not comfort their father. They knew the meaning of Joseph’s dreams! They didn’t need an interpreter as did Pharaoh. Likewise when the beloved Son of God came to his own, they received him not. The problem was that a Savior is without use to those who do not see themselves as sinners! They proudly proclaimed that they were the seed of Abraham and not sinners like the Gentiles!
Therefore we first have the account of Judah’s fall into sin and shame, in chapter thirty eight of Genesis. But listen to this verse: Genesis 46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
Judah must first become a confessed, realized sinner before he can direct the sons of Israel into the presence of Joseph. But it was in the purposes of God to have the sons of Israel refuse to believe their brother, in order that salvation might first come to the Gentiles of Egypt and the world! Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. For Pharaoh believed every word from Joseph’s mouth concerning dreams. But of his brothers it is said, And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
Now both Jews and Gentiles are made but one church! Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Pastor Gene Breed
July 30, 2016
