Joseph's Beautiful Coat

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him…Genesis 37:3

This past weekend, I kept Bekah and Andrew’s three boys overnight, which is always a treat!

Knowing these little boys miss their mama and daddy when they are away, I always try to keep them busy!

I arrived on Friday shortly before noon, and we immediately set out to begin our weekend adventures!

Hudson decided we should go to Subway for lunch…which was a great choice!

After lunch, we headed to the park!  It was a surprisingly warm and beautiful day for February, so we took advantage of the gorgeous weather!

The boys climbed, went down the slides several times and swung, so after burning lots of energy, we headed home for naps and rest time!

After naps, the two older boys painted an Easter egg.  As you can see…both boys have such artistic talent J

We had Papa Murphy’s pizza for dinner and then proceed to get Hudson ready for soccer! 

However, we were quite surprised that we were the first ones to arrive at Hudson’s soccer game (I was actually shocked that we made it on time…getting three little ones out the door in a timely manner isn’t always easy, so kudos to Andrew and Bekah for doing this all the time and making it look so easy!!)  However, we quickly found out that soccer had been canceled!

No big deal…that just meant we had more time to spend together that evening!

After quick baths, the boys decided they wanted to watch a movie!

I was pleased with their choice…they chose a movie about Joseph and the special coat his father had made for him.

The boys loved the movie, but oh my…did they have lots and lots of questions, including…

Why did Joseph have so many brothers?

Why did Jacob give Joseph that pretty coat?

Did his daddy really like Joseph more than his other brothers?

Why were Joseph’s brothers treating him so mean?

Is Joseph dreaming now?  And what does that dream mean?

Why did Joseph’s brothers sell him?

What’s a slave?

Do we still have slaves today?

Why did Potiphar have Joseph thrown in prison…doesn’t he like him anymore?

Why did the skinny cows eat the fat cows?

How does Joseph know what the dreams mean?

Will Joseph ever have to go to prison again?

Is Joseph happy to see his brothers?

Joseph is happy to see his daddy…right?

Seriously…the questions were coming faster than I could answer them at times!

But what I loved the most…was that these two little boys were hearing and seeing God’s word in the form of a movie…and they loved it!

Maybe you have never read the story of Joseph before and are quite intrigued by their questions!  It’s a fascinating story…one of my many favorites in the Old Testament!

I will try to share the highlights (my own Cliff Notes)!

Beginning with our key verse…Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him…Genesis 37:3

Joseph’s brothers were already jealous of him, but when Joseph shared his dream with them…implying that they would someday bow down to him…his brothers hated him even more!

One day, Joseph’s father sent him to check on his brothers as they were tending their flock.  However, the brothers saw Joseph in the distance and plotted to kill him.

One of the brothers, Reuben, talked them out of killing him and encouraged them to throw him in a cistern instead, thinking he would come back and rescue him later.

However, while Reuben was away, the brothers sold Joseph to a caravan of Ishmaelites who were headed to Egypt.

They covered Joseph’s robe with blood, and told their father that they had found it.  Their father assumed that a ferocious animal had devoured him and wept for his son, whom he thought was dead.

Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials.

While in Egypt, several things happened to Joseph:

Caring for everything in Potiphar’s house, Joseph prospered in the house of his Egyptian master.

However, Potiphar’s wife noticed how handsome Joseph was and desired him.  When Joseph refused her advances and ran from her, she caught his cloak in her hands as he ran out of the house, accusing him of trying to sleep with her.

Believing his wife, Joseph’s master threw him in prison!

But the Lord was with Joseph, granting him favor with the prison warden.

While in prison, Joseph interpreted the chief cupbearer and the chief baker’s dreams who also been thrown in prison.

The chief cupbearer’s dream was more favorable, and eventually Pharaoh restored him to his position.  Joseph asked the chief cupbearer to remember him, but he didn’t.

After a couple of years had passed, Pharaoh had two dreams.  One dream consisted of seven skinny cows eating seven fat cows, and the second dream consisted of seven heads of thin and scorched grain swallowing up seven healthy, full heads of gran.

It was at that time that the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh that he could interpret dreams. 

Pharaoh quickly sent for Joseph, who told Pharaoh that he couldn’t interpret his dreams, but God would give Pharaoh the answer he desires.

Joseph told Pharaoh that the dreams were the same.  Seven years of great abundance would come to Egypt, which would be followed by seven years of famine.  The abundance would not be remembered because the famine would ravage the land.

Pharaoh saw that Joseph was a wise man and placed him in charge of the land of Egypt.  They would store food from the goods year, making sure to have plenty of food during the famine.

Realizing that Joseph was discerning and wise, Pharaoh told Joseph he would be in charge of his palace.  All my people are to submit to your orders and only I will be greater than you.

During the famine, Jacob (Joseph’s father) learned that there was grain in Egypt and sent his sons to Egypt to purchase grain for their families.

When Joseph’s ten brothers arrived in Egypt, they did not recognize him, but Joseph recognized them.  Joseph also learned from his brothers that he had a younger brother!

Keeping one brother, Simeon, prisoner, he sent the other brothers back, telling them that he would not release Simeon until he met the younger brother, Benjamin.

When Jacob heard that the ruler (Joseph) wanted Benjamin to come back, he was greatly distressed.  He had already lost Joseph (or so he thought)…Simeon was a prisoner and he was afraid that he would lose his youngest son, Benjamin, too!

Finally Jacob agreed, and the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin.  It was during this trip that Joseph could no longer keep it hidden and revealed to his brothers that he was their brother, Joseph.

Fearing this news and bowing down before him, Joseph told his brother not to be distressed or angry with themselves for selling Joseph.  Joseph told them that God sent me ahead of you to save lives during the famine.  God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Joseph told them that it was God who had sent him to Egypt!  He told his brothers that they would live in the region of Goshen and be near him and he would provide for them and all of their family!  If God hadn’t sent him to Egypt, their families would have become destitute.

Joseph then told his brothers to take carts from Egypt so they could get his father, their wives and children and bring them back. He told them that the best of Egypt would be theirs!

When Jacob learned that his son was alive, he said…”I will go and see him before I die”!

When Joseph appeared before his father, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time!

Can’t you just picture that joyous reunion!!

If this is your first time reading this story, you can understand why my five-year old and three-year old grandson had so many questions!

And maybe you have questions too!  I encouraged you to read the full story of Joseph…Genesis 37-45! 

I promise you…it’s a great read!  I only shared the highlights…there is so much more in this story! 

As you can see from my brief notes…God moved in a mighty and powerful way in Joseph’s life…what had been intended for evil was used for God’s glory!

Dear Heavenly Father…thank you for the inspired word of God that reveals how awesome you are!  Thank you for great stories in the bible…that reveal how you work in mighty and powerful ways…all for your glory!  Help us to learn more about You as we read your word!