Joseph: Honorable Son, Hated Brother, Part 2

If you have your Bible, I would invite you to turn with me to Genesis chapter 37, the life of Joseph, the honorable son and hated brother.

The life of Joseph is a life that speaks to all of us. We began by giving you a preview of his life. We look, first of all, at the fact that his life was very purposeful.

Because it would be Joseph who would help us understand why Israel wasn't Egypt. We also saw where not only was his life purposeful, but his life was extremely painful. And yet God would use all that in his life to mold him and to make him into a great man of God. His life was purposeful. His life was painful. Yet, his life was very prosperous. Because God was directing him and God was using him. And the Bible says that even while he was in prison, his life was very prosperous.

Because God was using him in a mighty way in the lives of other people. And he was able to understand that. Not only that, we saw where this man's life was providential. That is, he understood the sovereignty of God. He understood that God was orchestrating the events of life. And that he would be able to look at his brothers one day and say, You meant it evil for me, but my God, he meant it good for me.

He brought about this day so that your souls, your lives would be saved. We also saw where this man's life was a pure and holy life. We'll talk more about that this morning. But this man was able to withstand all kinds of temptation because he was committed to his God. And then we saw, lastly, where his life was very prophetic. That is, he would become that perfect type of Christ in the Old Testament. It's a great life. And that's the man's life we're studying. And we ask the question, how did he get to that point?

How did Joseph become the man that he was? Joseph was prepared. Are your children prepared? Have you prepared them? As a parent, are you prepared? If you want to be like Joseph, and Joseph is a great man. Remember, we told you there's nothing evil spoken of Joseph in the Bible. It doesn't mean he was sinless. No, he sinned. We just don't know where he sinned or what he did. But he was a great man of God. And used in a great way by God to show us the ministry of Jesus Christ. And this man was prepared.

Because God would use the incidences in his life to deepen him and strengthen him. That he might understand what he's supposed to do in the future. That tells me as a father, I've got to prepare my children. It's my job. It's my job to teach them. It's my job to instruct. It's not the church's job to teach my children. It's my job. It's my responsibility. The church will come alongside, and the church will do those things. But God never holds a church accountable for teaching children. He holds you as a parent accountable for doing it.

That's your job. Don't try to pass it off to the church. That leads us to point number three of our outline.

And that is the purity of Joseph. Genesis 37, verse number one. Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when 17 years of age, was pastoring the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth. Along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah. His father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons. Because he was a son of his old age, and he made him a very colored tunic.

And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers. And so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. The purity of Joseph. Joseph, one day, realized that at least four of his brothers. That is, the sons of Bilhah, which are Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, which are Gad and Asher. Were doing something wrong. We don't know what they were doing. The Bible doesn't tell us. But Joseph would come back to his father and give him a bad report. Now that did not help Joseph standing with his brothers.

But, it would accentuate Joseph standing with his father. And some people might say, well how come Joseph didn't go to his brothers and confront his brothers on their sin? I'm not sure he didn't do that. And two things I want you to see about his life. Number one, he spoke against evil.

And number two, he separated himself from evil. Those two things speak of this man's purity. And help us understand how we, as the children of God, need to live pure and holy lives. Evidently, his brothers did something wrong. So he went back and told his dad. Why? Because his dad was in charge of the flocks. And they were just the caretakers of the herd. If you go through the history of these boys, you realize that in Genesis 34-35, they're murderers. Genesis 35-22, they commit incest. Genesis 38, immorality.

Genesis 37, hatred, envy, lying. That's the character of these boys. Except for Joseph. Joseph knew that if he didn't tell his father what had taken place, his dad would never know. So he said, I've got to speak the truth here. I can't tell a lie. I've got to expose the sin. Now that's very important. Because most of us wouldn't do that. Most of us would just let it pass by. Maybe we pray about it, which is a cop-out. When in reality, if there's someone who has been sinned against, and it affects them, you need to go deal with it.

And so he would go and expose his brothers. He would expose their sin. That's important. Listen to what David said in Psalm 101 about his responsibility before God. Beginning with verse number 3, he said, I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away. That was David. I hate the work of those who fall away. It wasn't, you know what, I'm not sure I'm too fond of the work of those who fall away. Or, you know what, I just don't really think that's a good idea. No, he goes, I hate it.

It's a very strong word. Then he says this. He says, a perverse heart shall depart from me. I will know no evil. And then he says, whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy. If somebody secretly slanders someone else who's their neighbor, I'm going to destroy them. You know what, we like to listen to other people slander others, don't we? We like to be privy to that conversation. Not David. Not Joseph. They would expose evil. They would speak against evil. David said, my eyes shall be open upon the faithful of the land that they may dwell with me.

He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me. He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house. He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain the position before me. If you're a deceiver, if you're a liar, you're not welcome in my house. Have you welcomed a deceiver and a liar into your home? Have you? Then you're not following the life of David. You're not following the life of Joseph. Because you need to speak against evil and separate yourself from evil. If you're going to live a pure and holy life.

God is serious. We're not that serious about sin. I love what A.W. Pink said about the unregenerate. He says, their hatred of sin is defective. He says, it is not extended to all sin. Remember, this is the unregenerate. He says, they cannot say I hate every false way. They may hate gross sins such as the state penalizes. But wink at lesser ones. They may hate open wickedness but not secret faults. They may abominate theft and uncleanness. Yet make no conscience of pride and self-righteousness. They may hate those things which are cried down by people among whom they now live.

And yet enter into the same heartily if they move to another part of the earth. They may hate an unprofitable sin. But refrain not from those which bring them in a revenue. They may hate a sin which is contrary to their peculiar temperament. But not that which is agreeable to their constitution. They may hate others sin rather than their own. As Judas complained at the prodigality of Mary. But such hatred is directed rather against the persons than the sins of others. Their hatred is superficial.

It is not with all their heart. It reaches not to the corruptions of their nature. Nor is it accompanied with mortifying endeavors. End quote. He talks about the unregenerate person. They hate some sins but they'll like other sins. You know what? There's a lot of Christians I know that hate certain sins but think other ones are okay. And they engage in them. For Joseph, no sin was okay. His brothers did something wrong. We don't know what it is. It could have been minimal. It could have been maximal.

I don't know. But Joseph would speak against evil. But we miss that. We do. We don't want to hurt somebody. We don't want to lose a friendship. We don't want to be looked at as the bad guy. Hey, listen.

Joseph was looked at as the bad guy. They hated him. Did he stop confronting sin because he thought he might gain a better relationship with his brothers? No. Nope. It just drove a deeper wedge between he and his brothers. But he never stopped doing that which was right. The Bible says over in Ephesians chapter 5, these words.

Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were formerly darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth. Trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness but instead even expose them. Expose them. Bring them to light.

Let me tell you something. The Bible says that you are the light of the world. If you are true light and function as true light, you will expose the evil deeds of darkness. Because that's what light does. It shines in the dark places and brings to light sin around you. If you function as true light in the world, you will expose the sin of those people who do not want to follow God. He would speak against evil. He would expose the sin. And number two, he separated himself from evil.

Turn with me if you would to Genesis chapter 49. Because this is where the text becomes really clear for us. As Jacob was prophesying to his sons. And Genesis 49 is a tremendous chapter as Israel would speak to each of his boys on his death bed. But listen to what he says to Joseph. Verse number 26. The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of my ancestors. Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. May they be on the head of Joseph. And on the crown of the head of the one distinguished among his brothers.

Joseph was distinguished among his brothers. He was set apart from his brothers. He was different than his brothers. Why? Because you see, he separated himself from evil. They didn't. They were involved in the immorality. They were involved in the murder. They were involved in the plotting. They were involved in the lying. They were all involved in the deception. But not Joseph. Why? Because he had a character about him that set him apart. He was committed to the word of God. And he would never, listen.

He would never sacrifice his purity on the altar of popularity. He was not popular with his brothers. And we'll learn next week. How they despised him so that they wanted him dead. That's an unpopular brother in my book. Listen to the words of Isaac Watts. That great 18th century hymn writer who wrote these words. That should be our prayer. That should be what we want. When Joseph was tempted. When Joseph would face adversity in the pit. When he would face allurement from Potiphar's wife. When he would face advancement in the palace.

He never succumbed to temptation. Because of his purity. His commitment to honoring God. Point number four. The preference. The preference for Joseph. The note. The cause. The coat. And the contempt. The text says. In verse number three.

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons. Because he was a son of his old age. Why did Jacob love Joseph so much? The text says that he was a son of his old age. People like to say well because Joseph was born when Jacob was old. That he was a favorite son of his. And that's not true. Because the true son of his old age in that category would be who? Benjamin. Not Joseph. In fact Benjamin was born several years after Joseph was. In fact all the boys were born within a six year time frame. All of them.

So it can't be the fact that Joseph was born later in life. Later in Jacob's life. That would make him the favorite son. No. Not at all. It's different. Because those boys that were born within a six year time frame. Were all about the same age. Joseph of course was younger. And then of course Benjamin came later on down the road. So Benjamin was really the one born when Jacob was the oldest. Instead the phrase son of his old age. Means son of wisdom. Son of prudence. One with a old head on young shoulders.

What's the context of Genesis 37? What's the context of the life of Joseph? He was a pure man. He was a holy man. The reason that his father made him a coat. The reason his father loved him more was because of his character. Was because of his commitment to God. Was because he would stand for truth and live for truth. And that's why his father was drawn to him. Because it would remind him of the God of truth. It would remind him of who he was supposed to be. And what all the other brothers were supposed to be like.

That's why Jacob loved Joseph so much. He was a son of supreme character. Supreme character. He loved holiness. He loved purity. He loved truthfulness. So did Jacob. Now you understand why he made him a coat. Why did he make him a coat? Because he was distinguished among his brothers. The coat was a long tunic. The common slave laborer would wear one that came about to his knees. This one came all the way down to his ankles, down to the floor. It was a very colored tunic. So it was all kinds of colors.

It was a beautiful robe. But you know who was supposed to receive this robe in the family? The eldest son. But Reuben disqualified himself. Why? Because of the incest with one of Jacob's wives. So you see what disqualified Reuben was character. What qualified Joseph was character. Character is always the issue. Right? And Joseph had the character qualities. Joseph had the commitment. Joseph had the stick-tootedness to live a pure and holy life. And he stood for truth and righteousness and holiness.

And that's why he received the coat which was the coat of position. The long tunic would be the coat of position. The coat of rank. The coat of authority. And his brothers hated him even more because of it. He was the youngest of the first eleven boys.

But he received the highest commendation because of his character. He would rise above them all because of his character. And then his father would give it to him. And all of his brothers would realize that Joseph was the one in position of high rank. They became jealous, envious. Instead of looking at the man's character and saying, you know what? Joseph's got it right. Joseph's living for God. Joseph's doing the right thing. What do they do? They became angry at him. Bitter at him. Isn't that the way we are?

Somebody gets a promotion over us. Somebody gets a job over us. Someone does something that they receive recognition for. We don't get it. What do we become? Instead of rejoicing with those who rejoice, what do we do? We become bitter. I can't believe they're singing a solo. I can sing better than they can. I can't believe they're leading. I can lead better than they can. And yet, it's character that counts. That's what Joseph had. The brothers did not have that. Which led to their contempt. They hated him, says verse number four.

And could not speak to him on friendly terms. Can you imagine that household? Here comes Joseph. Oh, gee. Mr. Goody-two-shoes. Mr. Pure. Mr. Holy. Mr. Do-right. Who are you going to squeal on today, Joe? You can hear it all. They despised him. Let me draw an application for you.

Listen to these words. Because if you're here today, and you know Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, you have received a coat. You've received a garment like Joseph received. Isaiah 61, let me read it to you.

Verse number 10, I will rejoice greatly in the Lord. My soul will exult in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of, what? Salvation. He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness. As a bridegroom decks himself with garland. And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Do you understand? That if you're a child of God, Positionally, you are pure, holy, and righteous. Because you have been clothed with the garments of salvation. You have been cloaked in righteousness. Remember the parable in Matthew 22?

The parable of the marriage feast? And it goes like this. The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for a son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast. And they were unwilling to come. Again, he sent out other slaves saying, tell those who have been invited. Behold, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen, my fattened livestock. Are all butchered and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast. But they paid no attention. And went their way.

One to his own farm, another to his own business. And the rest seized the slaves and mistreated them and killed them. But the king was enraged and sent his armies and destroyed those murderers. And set their city on fire. Then he said to those slaves, the wedding is ready. But those who were invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main highways. And as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast. And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found. They found both the evil and the good.

And the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests. But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes. When the king looked over the wedding guests, somebody didn't have on the right tunic. Somebody didn't have on the right garments. They said to him, the king did, Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes? You see, everybody in the wedding hall had wedding clothes on, except for one. And the question comes, how did the people in the highways and byways, who were poor, receive wedding clothes?

The king gave them wedding clothes. He gave them garments. He dressed them up so that it could be a part of the wedding feast. But there was one who came in and said, I don't have any wedding clothes. He said, he was speechless. The king says, where are your wedding clothes? And the guy says, I don't have any. I don't have a garment. I don't have a tunic. Then the king said to the servants, bind him hand and foot. Cast him into outer darkness. In that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

For many are called, but few are chosen. You see, the only way you can receive the garments of salvation is because of Christ. There's nothing you can do to earn a new garment. The robe of righteousness. When you read the book of Revelation, what do you see? John says, I saw the souls of those who have been beheaded for Christ, and they have white garments on. They have robes. And where did they get them? They got them from a father who loves them. They got them from a father who showed preference to them among those of the world because he showed his grace upon those of us who have given our lives to Christ.

That's why. We have a position. And we will rule and reign with him for all eternity. Just like Joseph had rank. Just like Joseph had privilege. Just like Joseph had position. So now you, as the children of God, have rank, privilege, and position. Because of who? Your father, who is in heaven. Isn't that good? Praise the Lord. I mean, you can at least give me a holy grunt or something. I mean, there's got to be some kind of lifeblood in you folks today. I mean, it's got to be, oh yes, that is so good.

Because it's true. Here's the catcher. If you've been clothed in the garments of righteousness, the garments of salvation, those holy garments given to you by the grace of Almighty God, guess what? You will be hated just as Joseph was hated. In fact, let me say it this way, which won't make me very popular with any of you, but if you're not being hated as Joseph was hated, maybe you don't have the garments of salvation.

That's pretty simple, pretty straightforward, right? Because, you see, Joseph was the perfect type of Christ. When Christ came, he was the light of the world. And when you read Luke chapter 2, verses 34 and 35, what did Simeon say to his mother and to his father on the day that he was dedicated? He will be assigned to be opposed. Here they are, dedicating their child. And Simeon says, he is going to be assigned to be opposed. People are going to oppose him. There's going to be all kinds of opposition against him.

Why? Because the thoughts of men's hearts are going to be revealed through this man's life. He is going to expose evil. He is going to speak against evil. He is going to be separate from evil because he is the son of righteousness. He is the light of the world. And people will kill him because of it. And if Joseph's brothers could have killed him, they would have. But they didn't. They tried. But they didn't. All that to say this. Is it not true that if we are truly children of the living God, children of the kingdom of God, living as lights in the world, clothed in garments of righteousness, robes of righteousness, garments of salvation, would it not be fair to say, would it not be true to say, that our lives would be just like Joseph's lives?

You see, while we are positionally pure, we have to match the practice of our lives with that position, right? And that's where the rubber meets the road. And that's where a lot of us have difficulty. Joseph matched his practice with his position. He stood strong as God. What a great man of God to emulate, to follow. I trust that as we continue our study in the book of Genesis, the life of Joseph, all of us would re-examine where we stand, re-evaluate where we are, and need be re-commit our life to Christ.

That we might speak against evil, be separate from evil, because we want God to be honored more than anything else in our lives. Let's pray.