“So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.” Genesis 37:23-24 ESV
A point to ponder for all of us is the reality of sin.
The reality of it in ourselves as well as others.
Self-righteousness is the great scourge of mankind. Despite the abundant evidence of the Bible’s truth – of creation, the fall, and the corresponding reality of death – we are black belts at ignoring the obvious. Like an insane man ambling across the battlefield, happily humming a tune, ignorant of the many guns aimed at him, is the Christian who expects all sunshine and beaches in this present evil age. This world is a sepulcher because of sin but we very often act with great surprise when we see it and that only shows how shallow is our theology. And, yes, shallow theology leads to shallow living. The greatest Christians are always those who wrestle with sin’s ugliness because only then can they see the unsurpassed beauty that is Christ alone.
Joseph and Jacob know what happened to the men of Shechem and how they were unjustly slaughtered. They also must have known that Joseph’s brothers hated him and couldn’t even have a pleasant word with him (Genesis 37:4). The teenage Joseph was immature and naive, but Jacob, much older and experienced, was negligent. By sending Joseph unprotected to check on his brothers, Jacob put the young man in harm’s way. The robe, the dream, and the fact that Joseph was esteemed higher than the others (Genesis 37:3) were all cause for jealously and strife. But there’s no record of Jacob gathering the family for prayer and discussion. There was no realism because Jacob didn’t want to think the so-called unthinkable. How many people come to grief because they convince themselves that family members or friends – Christians even – simply can’t be evil? By sending Joseph like this he assumed that the deceit and violence his sons had already committed against an ally couldn’t also be directed against Joseph.
“If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:10 ESV
Joseph represents, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ who was also grabbed by His brothers, His countrymen, and betrayed. Joseph was loved by his father and so was the Lord loved by His Father. Surely, all of Israel heard of the fact of Matthew 3:16-17 and how God spoke from heaven concerning His Son. But Israel would turn on the Lord and crucify Him. How is this possible? How is it that Jesus was hated by His countrymen despite His amazing good works and miracles? How is it that Lazarus, long dead and decaying in the tomb, could be called out of death by the word of Christ and yet His brothers would plot against Him?
It’s sin.
We look around and wonder about the deranged state of our world. All the hatred. All the abuse of power. We wonder. We shouldn’t. The true wonder is that God’s grace keeps us from devouring each other even this instant. Joseph’s brothers weren’t content with their standing and wealth. The man who isn’t on his knees before God will always try and get other men to kneel before him in point of fact or in deed. The fact of grace needs to be preached anew every day to God’s people lest we think that sin is a fairly safe or casual thing. When we convince ourselves that sin is something we do, an action, rather than an active force and premise in our hearts, we deceive ourselves. The spirit of legalism is in the heart that thinks so little of its own sin that it believes certain prohibitions can put out the fire. In reality, though, sin is so bad and so deceptive that only the great exchange of His righteousness for our sin, through faith alone, can put sin to death.
The unmerited favor of God is a gift; it’s unearned. This and only this is the means of peace on earth. History is the remembrance of deeds and plans of mankind to fix on his own terms what sin has broken. History is war and conflict because our feet are swift to shed blood and the venom of asps is under our lips (Romans 3:13, 15).
You see, Joseph’s brothers were ungrateful for all the blessings of their life. They were extremely wealthy and powerful. More than that, they were born into the “royal” family of God. But they were made proud by all this rather than humble. Arrogance, entitlement, and jealously are bitter sins of the heart that come out in violent ways. Sin focuses on what one thinks they’re owed rather than grace. Grumbling and complaining are horrific sins because they poison every relationship one has because it reveals a heart fixated on self rather than God.
The seizing, stripping, and kidnapping of Joseph weren’t isolated acts anymore than the murder of Jesus was. Violence, betrayal, and oppression are the logical outworking of sin. The vertical relationship of man to God must be repaired through Christ alone or else the horizontal relationships of men will erupt in the flames of jealousy and hatred. Joseph’s brothers could have called for a meeting to air out their grievances. They could have sat down with their father, Jacob, and called for counsel and prayer in order to bring about the fruit of true fellowship and peace. But sin isn’t interested in any of that. When Cain killed Abel he didn’t get the blessing of God, nor that talents of his brother. That wasn’t the point. Sin is self-destruction; it’s suicidal. Murder, rape, theft, fornication, adultery and slavery are desperate acts of self-worship designed to defy God. Gossip and complaining are murder through words because one doesn’t have the physical power to do what they truly want. Politics is, in sin, the achievement of slavery through proxy. Pornography is adultery and fornication done cheap, at a distance. The difference in Joseph’s story is that his brothers get their hands dirty.
The reality of all this isn’t meant to be unsettling but liberating. How is that? Only in truth are we set free in Christ. Sin isn’t a safe thing. It’s a force – a monstrous one that destroys all in its path. Covetousness and lust fill our land…and our pews. To this reality we can and must turn to Christ who will give rest to our souls.
Joseph’s brothers didn’t strip him of his robe because they were cold. They did that because it was a sign of the approval they desired on their own terms. But if we humble ourselves before God, calling on Him to forgive us of our jealousies, He will exalt us.
They didn’t throw him in the pit because it would make them wealthier. They didn’t do it because it would make their father happier. This is the way to understand all sin…all action outside of faith tears down. Righteousness is always a seed for more, for godliness with contentment; sin is always a subtraction…a theft, a negation. Men talk today of the evils of slavery and yet, because of their vanity, don’t dare consider that all theft is a form of slavery and all of it stems from lack of faith in the provider God. There’s no end to the evil we will do to each other when we conclude that life’s primary goal is anything other than faith in God.
So let’s be careful. Let’s be circumspect. How thankful are we? Are we grumbling and complaining against “the system” because we want more? Then we’re likely to support politicians that will throw our neighbor into the pit and strip him of his robe. Sure, our hands will be clean but the taxes and regulations imposed on our neighbor, call them whatever you will (Isaiah 5:20), are nothing more than theft and slavery. Are we gossiping against others? Do we not recognize our own immense need of grace every day and even this very minute! If we believe a brother or sister has sinned against us then we must go to them with the gospel and in the name of Christ. We must for it is the commandment of God (1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Matthew 18:15-20). If there is no sin, then we’re sinful to dwell on a minor league disagreement.
The answer for all strife and controversy on earth is our beautiful and heartfelt submission to Christ. When we do this, we walk in peace with God and that glorious peace will pour out over the cup of our heart in constant thanksgiving before others. Small offenses will fall away because we know how badly we have offended the thrice holy God. And we will respond to provocations with the gospel of reconciliation rather than vengeance and anger. To find oneself easily and incessantly offended by men and events is to admit the most alarming level of ingratitude and presumption before the throne of grace. To know the forgiveness of our sins in Christ makes it impossible to speak shabbily of others. To know the great sovereignty of God is to forego schemes and jealousy because we at last know true security. And only this allows us to live in peace with others around us, ignoring insults, not seeking offenses, nor demanding to get our way. Yes, and then we will truly be sons and daughters of the most High God (Romans 12:21; Matthew 5:43-48)!
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