In this episode we continue studying the Book of Genesis. In this episode we learn that
Jacob loved all his sons but he loved Joseph more than he loved his other sons, because he was born to him in his old age by the woman he loved more than any of his other wives.

He also loved him more because his other sons displayed behavior he found displeasing. Because of their past behavior he didn’t have much respect for them although they were his sons.

Reuben had slept with his handmaid Bilhah, Levi and Simeon killed the Shechemites, then the rest of them raided the village, taking idols and adorning themselves with strange apparel.

Jacob was a domineering father, he controlled his sons lives. He wanted to make sure they loved and obeyed God, he wanted to make sure they were hard workers, and kept themselves from idols.

So he kept a close eye on them. He made Joseph a watchman, if they did anything wrong, he was expected to give a detailed report to his father, and his father would correct them.

Jacob wanted to keep them in line, he wanted to make sure they wouldn’t offend God.

Jacob’s attitude toward his children is similar to Job’s, he too feared his children would do something evil and offend God, resulting in God’s wrath coming upon them.

Here’s the text:

Job 1:5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Those were adult children, and he sent for them and had them go through ceremonial washings. Then he offered burnt offerings for them, one for each child. He had 10 children.

He was serving as their priest. Imagine the stress he must have felt all the time, trying to make sure his children were right with God.

He felt he had to do something to sanctify his children, he had to do something to keep God’s anger at bay. He had to do something to make sure they were clean.

Yet we know now, that sin is a matter of the heart and that Jesus died to sanctify our hearts and their hearts.

We can’t save our adult children by controlling them, manipulating them, or worrying and fretting about them.

The Prophet, Samuel was a righteous man, he grew up in the house of God, he grew up hearing the voice of God and obeyed it, and he taught his sons the ways of God, so you would think his son’s would be righteous. But they weren’t.

Here's the text:

1Samuel 8:1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

1Samuel 8:2  Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

1Samuel 8:3  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took
bribes, and perverted judgment.

Jacob didn’t understand, that a parent may be able to control a child’s outward behavior to a certain extent but they can’t control or change a child’s heart.

So he made Joseph his watchman, he thought he was helping and teaching his sons how to be good men by catching everything they did wrong and then correcting them. And unfortunately, Jospeh found delight in this because he told him everything they did wrong, a thing scripture called an evil report.

Joseph was only doing what his father asked him to do. But his brothers resented having their younger brother checking up on them all the time acting like their superior.

The boys ended up stripping Joseph’s handmade coat off him, dipping it in blood and telling their father that a Wilde beast ate him when that had actually sold him to the Ishmaelites who sold him to the Egyptians.

They deceived their father, he believed their hoax. The ripped bloody coat proved Joseph was dead. The evidence they presented caused Jacob to say, “an evil beast has devoured him." "Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.”

What they did to Joseph and their father appears to be evil but it was God’s will and good would come from it. Scripture says, God declares the end from the beginning.

And at the end of this ugly event., a nation would be born, a nation whose God is the creator of heaven and earth.

A nation whose tabernacle and laws resemble the tabernacle and laws in heaven. A king would be born, from the line of Jacob, a king who would be called the Prince of Peace. This Prince named Jesus will govern the earth with righteousness and justice and of the increase of his government there will be no end.

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this