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The Coat Stripped
Read Genesis 37:12–25. What great contrast between good and evil is seen here, between innocence and treachery?
Not only did Joseph’s brothers plot his death, they also planned in advance just what they would tell their father. Oh, father. We’re so sorry. We found this coat. Is it Joseph’s? If so, then a ferocious animal must have devoured him. It’s hard to imagine how people could be so full of hatred toward their own brother that they could do something like this.
Read Genesis 37:23. What is significant about what happened there?
The first thing the brothers talked about when they saw Joseph from afar was the dreams, which made their hatred for him grow. Now, once and for all, they would see what would come of those dreams. It’s interesting to note that the first recorded act against Joseph by his brothers was the stripping away of his coat. The Hebrew makes it clear that they were talking about the much-hated coat, the one that the father had made for him. The text stresses that it was “on him.” Along with everything else, to see him approach wearing the coat only must have added to their anger.
Thus, here we can see the brothers attempting to undo all the things that caused them so much hatred and anger. The coat for them symbolized all that they hated about their brother, all the good things about him and the bad things about themselves. It must have been with a lot of joy, glee, and satisfaction that they stripped off the coat. Now, suddenly, without that fancy garment, which symbolized what they feared was Joseph’s superiority over them, Joseph was helpless before those who, according to his own dreams, were one day to bow down before him.
Look at how irrational the brothers’ actions were as a result of their emotions. How often do we allow our emotions to drive us to do irrational things? How can we learn to keep our emotions under the power of God and thus spare ourselves (and often others) from the often terrible consequences of things done in fits of deep emotion?
| WEDNESDAY | April 20 |
Read Genesis 37:12–25. What great contrast between good and evil is seen here, between innocence and treachery?
Not only did Joseph’s brothers plot his death, they also planned in advance just what they would tell their father. Oh, father. We’re so sorry. We found this coat. Is it Joseph’s? If so, then a ferocious animal must have devoured him. It’s hard to imagine how people could be so full of hatred toward their own brother that they could do something like this.
Read Genesis 37:23. What is significant about what happened there?
The first thing the brothers talked about when they saw Joseph from afar was the dreams, which made their hatred for him grow. Now, once and for all, they would see what would come of those dreams. It’s interesting to note that the first recorded act against Joseph by his brothers was the stripping away of his coat. The Hebrew makes it clear that they were talking about the much-hated coat, the one that the father had made for him. The text stresses that it was “on him.” Along with everything else, to see him approach wearing the coat only must have added to their anger.
Thus, here we can see the brothers attempting to undo all the things that caused them so much hatred and anger. The coat for them symbolized all that they hated about their brother, all the good things about him and the bad things about themselves. It must have been with a lot of joy, glee, and satisfaction that they stripped off the coat. Now, suddenly, without that fancy garment, which symbolized what they feared was Joseph’s superiority over them, Joseph was helpless before those who, according to his own dreams, were one day to bow down before him.
Look at how irrational the brothers’ actions were as a result of their emotions. How often do we allow our emotions to drive us to do irrational things? How can we learn to keep our emotions under the power of God and thus spare ourselves (and often others) from the often terrible consequences of things done in fits of deep emotion?
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