Juxtaposition

Well, good evening. Lovely to be with you. We're going to start our series proper, Joseph and the Gospel of Many Colors.

This was one of those weeks where I started on Monday, and I didn't really get the passage until Wednesday afternoon,

having spent a lot of time in it, and I hope as we look at it you'll see some of the hard work that's gone into putting this together.

It's called juxtaposition.

This is Zionachana. That's his name.

He is the head of the biggest family in the world.

He's also the head of a polygamous Christian cult known as Chana, after himself.

He has 39 wives, 94 children, 14 daughters-in-law, and 33 grandchildren.

The family live in a 100-room, four-story house in Bekawang village in India.

The family, all 167 of them, are organized with military precision.

A normal evening meal requires 30 chickens, 132 pounds of potatoes, and 220 pounds of rice.

The interview that Zionachana did with the Guardian newspaper.

He was asked, how does your family stay together?

And he said, my family is a harmonious picture of mutual love, care, and respect.

My family is a harmonious picture of mutual love, care, and respect.

Well, as we climb into Genesis chapter 37, and the beginning of the Joseph story proper,

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

we see Jacob has 35 less wives, 81 less children.

But it is anything but a picture of mutual love, care, and respect.

It is a messy, grisly, sordid, and divided rabble of schemers, murderers, liars, and haters.

It is reading portions of Scripture like the ones we're about to read

that we have caused to doubt whether 2 Timothy 3 verse 16 is true.

2 Timothy 3:16

We're forced to ask, is this really inspired Scripture?

Is this really breathed out by God?

Is it actually useful to us?

How can it correct us, teach us?

What will it do to train us in righteousness?

Well, my hope is by the time that we all leave tonight,

we'll go, this is a real portion of Scripture.

This isn't just something that Moses inserted to fill up the pages

because he wanted to get 50 chapters as a nice round number.

But for that to happen, we need God's help.

So why don't we pray together?

Paul rejoiced that whilst in Ephesus, he said,

I have proclaimed the whole counsel of God and not shrug back.

So Lord, as we come to this section of your word,

that we would in all honesty prefer to skip over,

would you speak to us through it?

Would you do it for Jesus' sake?

And in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

If you've got a Bible, please turn to Genesis chapter 37.

Genesis 37 · chapter mention

So we're going to call chapter 37 the white sheep of the family.

The white sheep of the family referring to Joseph,

who seems to be a stellar example of faithfulness

amidst a rabble of black sheep.

First thing I'd love you to do is look at chapter 37 verse 2.

Do you see how that starts?

This is the account of Jacob's family line.

That phrase is what's called a toledoth saying.

And there's 11 of them in Genesis.

The first one's in chapter 2 verse 4,

where it says these are the generations of how the earth came into being.

The second one is chapter 5 verse 1,

Isaiah 5:1

where it says these are the generations of Adam.

And then we get all the characters that we mentioned last week

with this toledoth saying.

Chapter 37 verse 2 is the last toledoth saying,

the 11th toledoth saying in Genesis.

And it refers to Jacob and his family.

In fact, Genesis 37 verse 2 is the last toledoth saying

Genesis 37:2

in the whole of the Old Testament.

Because from this moment on,

the entire story will be focused around this genealogy.

The genealogy of Jacob,

whose name is changed to Israel,

and God's dealing with them

throughout the remaining 38 books of the Old Testament.

There's one other toledoth saying in the Bible.

And it comes in Matthew chapter 1 verse 1.

Matthew 1:1

This is the genealogy of Jesus,

the Messiah,

the son of David,

the son of Abraham.

That when God does a new thing

through his son

to create a new Israel,

there's a new toledoth saying.

And a new toledoth saying

that we're all a part of.

As those welcomed as children of God

through the Lord Jesus.

When God starts a new thing

with a new Israel formed in

and through his son.

He says,

I want to mark this.

This is the genealogy

of Jesus,

the Messiah.

And so we move on

and we learn about Joseph.

It's funny that it's Jacob's family,

but the first character

we're introduced to is Joseph.

And actually he's going to be the main character

for the remaining 13 chapters

of the book of Genesis.

He has more ink written about him

in Genesis than anybody else.

He is a big player.

And we're all very familiar with the story.

When I was growing up,

we were one of the posh families

who had a car with a CD player.

And the only CD we actually owned

was Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat.

So by the age of 12,

I could pretty much recite the whole thing by heart.

And I would give you a rendition,

but I am keen that you'll stay

and not depart.

Joseph is the ostracized brother.

And I think as we see

the first 11 verses unfold,

we see just how ostracized he is.

Do you see in the remainder of verse 2,

he's working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah.

That these are the sons

of the two slave women,

Rachel's slave and Leah's slave.

That it seems like

even amongst the legitimate brothers,

the daughters of Rachel and Leah,

and the daughters of the slave women,

he seems to be thrown

towards the slave women.

That he seems to be treated

by his brothers as not the real deal,

not a legitimate son.

And then verse 3,

we read now,

Israel, Jacob loved Joseph

more than any of the others.

Jacob loves Joseph most,

even though he's the 11th born son.

He loves him the most.

Why does he love him the most?

Well, the passage says

because he was born to Jacob

in his old age.

But also he's the first son of Rachel.

Jacob's one true love.

The one that he really wanted to marry.

The one that he worked 14 years

in order that he could be married to her.

Do we love that passage in Genesis?

One of the most romantic bits in the Bible.

That Joseph worked for seven years,

but it seemed like merely days

because his love for Rachel was so great.

And so Joseph,

Rachel's firstborn son,

becomes his favorite.

And isn't it strange

how Jacob repeats the sins

of his father, Isaac?

That what predetermined

Jacob's early life?

Well, it was the fact

that Isaac loved Esau more than Jacob.

And here we are,

the sins of fathers repeated

in their children.

That Jacob loves Joseph most.

And he wants to show this,

he wants to mark this

by giving Joseph

a coat of many colors.

Although to really ruin it for you,

the Hebrew doesn't really suggest

many colors.

It simply says many threads.

And lots of people

are coming around to the idea

that it's not many threads

of many colors,

but many threads.

Because it was a long-sleeved coat

that went down to his ankles.

It was an ornate robe.

And the significance is enormous.

Because you give this coat

to somebody in middle management.

You give this coat to somebody

who's not going to be

scrabbling around

doing the manual labor.

What Joseph is actually doing

in this passage

is he's giving Joseph

a promotion.

He's promoting him

from amongst his brothers

to be an overseer

over his brothers.

And do you see this?

Joseph,

who's already ostracized

by his brothers,

that's been compounded massively.

That's been compounded massively

by somebody being promoted

from among their peers.

And so hatred,

the spark of jealousy

is turned

to an inferno of hatred.

Joseph compounds the issue.

God gives him a dream

of these sheaves

bowing down to Joseph.

Joseph sheaves.

And then there's picture

of the stars

bowing down to Joseph

with the moon

and the sun as well.

So it's compounded.

The gap,

the gulf

that existed

between them

is widening

and widening

and widening.

Do you see

how many times

it says

that they hated him?

Look at verse 4.

They hated him

and could not speak

a kind word

about him.

Verse 5.

They hated him

all the more.

Verse 8.

End of.

And they hated him

all the more

because of his dream

and what he had said.

Verse 11.

His brothers

were jealous of him.

This is absolute hatred

for their brother Joseph.

And so it moves on

in verse 12

that Joseph

now has this

executive role.

So while all his brothers

go to do the heavy

serious shepherding,

Joseph stays at home

to do the paperwork

and play minesweeper

on the PC.

And he's not

until it comes

that Jacob

wants Joseph

to go and do

a sight visit.

Until he says,

I think it's time

you went to check

on the flock

and your brothers

as well.

This is a very serious,

this is a very dangerous

and very distant

mission.

It's dangerous

because of the place.

the place

they're camped

is Shechem.

This has real

significance

because back

in Genesis

Genesis 34 · chapter mention

chapter 34,

a guy called

Shechem

steals

the brother

sister

Dina.

He abducts her,

he defiles her

and he tries

to make her

his wife.

And Simeon

and Levi

deceive the Shechemites

as they say,

yeah,

you can have our sister

but we insist

that you're all

circumcised.

And so all the

Shechemites are

circumcised

and while they're

still sore,

it says,

after the third

day,

Levi and Simeon

butcher them all.

And then as

they're all dead,

all the other

brothers come

and they plunder

the city.

And now Jacob

is sending

Joseph to this

place

to check up

on those

brothers

who are

shepherding

the flock

there.

It's also

distant

that where

Jacob and

Joseph are

and where

Shechem is

is about

50 miles.

That's a long

journey by foot

to do a

site visit.

And Joseph

in response

says the only

words he says

in the whole

chapter.

He says

as it's put

in the NIV

very well,

the literal

is here I

am.

It's the

word of an

obedient son

carrying out

the will of

their father.

So obediently

Joseph goes

on the long

and dangerous

journey to do

a site

inspection.

And he

gets to

Shechem

and there's

no flocks

and there's

no brothers.

Now if

Joseph was

a legalist

he'd go

home at

that point.

I remember

growing up

that my mum

told me to

tidy my

room.

So I did

but I

simply took

all the

mess out

of my

room and

threw it

on the

landing.

And I

said to

my mum

my room

is tidy.

The

landing

that's

your

business.

It

hurt a

lot.

That's

what

legalists

do.

They do

just

enough.

Joseph

gets to

Shechem

there's

no

brothers

he

should

have

gone

home.

But he

chats

to a

man

who

says

they've

gone

to

Dothan.

Dothan's

another

13 miles.

50 plus

13 is a

63 mile

journey.

And his

brothers see

him coming.

A plan

is hatched

and then

they know

by killing

Joseph

they will

end his

delusions

of grandeur.

and will

certainly

make sure

that the

dream of

bowing down

to him

will never

happen.

Reuben

seems to

be like a

good guy

because he

steps in.

He says

let's not

get blood

on our

hands

let's just

throw him

in the

pit

and leave

him to

die.

Although

it seems

from the

reading of

verse 29

that Reuben

wants to

come back

later

and save

Joseph.

Perhaps

to get

back in

Jacob's

good books

having

already

slept

with

Bilhah

Jacob's

wife

in

chapter

35

verse 22.

So Reuben

thinks if he

can bring

Joseph back

unharmed

he'll be

back in

the good

books.

So they

strip him

and they

throw him

in the

pit

and then

they care

so little

that they

have lunch.

They sat

down for

a sandwich

verse 25

and

and then

an Ishmaelite

caravan

arrives

and Judah

sees a way

not just

not to get

blood on his

hands but to

make a pretty

penny as

well.

And so

Joseph is

sold for

20 pieces

of silver

and then

they deceive

Jacob

they kill

a goat

they dip

in his

robe

they take

it back

to their

dad

and they

play the

innocent

we found

this

do you

know

whose

it is

and

Jacob

is

utterly

inconsolable

well that's

the famous

story

but what

do we

make of

it

what sort

of things

are we

supposed to

make of

this

is it

the application

that if

your brothers

are shepherding

in the distance

don't go

is it

try and

drive a

higher price

with the

Ishmaelites

if you're

selling your

brother

what are we

to do

well I think

there's three

things that I

think massively

help us in

this passage

this passage

is there to

help us

with and

to teach

us

here's the

first

obedience

doesn't mean

comfort

obedience

doesn't mean

comfort

Moses is

very clear

in this

passage

he gives

nothing about

how Joseph

feels

what Joseph

does

it says

nothing about

whether he's

stirring them

all the time

by playing the

superiority

cards

it says

nothing that

every time he

came into his

brother's presence

he was wearing

the robe and

pretending that he

was on a Milan

catwalk

none of that

all it simply

says

is Joseph

was obedient

Joseph

obeyed

and at every

point Joseph

obeys things

didn't get better

for him

they got worse

he did exactly

what was expected

of him

and at every

point he

paid the

price

same in

our lives

obedience

being obedient

to the

Lord Jesus

is no

guarantee

of a

comfortable

life

in fact

obedience

to Jesus

leads to

more hatred

being

despised

being spoken

against

being ridiculed

being belittled

than if you

just stay

quiet and

fit in

obedience

does not

mean

comfort

comforts

and unless

we know

that

we'll be

surprised

when it

gets tough

we'll be

surprised

when the

road gets

rough and

steep

we'll be

like the

seed that

falls on

the rocky

ground

that will

receive the

word with

joy

but have

no root

so when

tribulation

and persecution

arise on

account of

the gospel

immediately

we'll fall

away

there is a

real cost

to following

Jesus

a tangible

cost

to being

obedient to

him

and unless

we realize

that we

will not

weather the

storm

unless we

see that

obedience to

Jesus is the

most important

thing

that comes

at the

highest price

we'll always

sit down

remain quiet

and blend

in

point number

two

God is

never

mentioned

but

everywhere

present

God is

never

mentioned

but

everywhere

present

I think

what we

see in

this chapter

is that

God is

awesome

in his

providence

though he

is not

mentioned

we see

his hand

in every

sentence

every

act

moving

his pieces

around

the

board

so that

Joseph

will be

in just

the right

place

when the

crunch time

comes

providence

according to

the Westminster

confession

says this

providence

is that

God the

creator of

all things

does uphold

direct

dispose

and govern

all creatures

actions

and things

from the

greatest

even to

the least

by his

most

wise

and holy

care

according

to his

infallible

foreknowledge

and the

free and

immutable

counsel

of his

own

will

to the

praise

of his

wisdom

power

justice

goodness

and mercy

let me

just point

out six

examples

of this

number one

Joseph is

in a

dysfunctional

family

that seems

massively

play into

the unfolding

of the

story

the

presentation

of an

ornate

robe

only

widens

the gulf

between

Joseph

and his

brothers

meaning

that when

we get

to crunch

point

they want

to kill

him

or at

least

sell

him

point

three

he gets

to

Shechem

and it

just so

happens

there's a

man in

Shechem

who knows

where his

brothers

are

in

Dothan

number

four

they throw

him in

a cistern

and Moses

is so

clear

the

cistern

was empty

there was

no water

in it

Joseph

wasn't

treading

water

until the

Ishmaelites

arrived

there was

no water

in it

point

five

the

caravan

arrived

at just

the right

time

point

six

last

verse

he ended

up being

sold

to

Potiphar

one of

Pharaoh's

officials

the captain

of the

guard

some people

will say

this is

just

chance

it's

just

happenstance

but I

think Moses

is inviting

us to see

it as

providence

God is

not like

some grand

chess

master

who sees

what's

happening

and then

reacts

but God

knows the

end from

the beginning

he knows

how the

story is

to unfold

yes everyone

does what

they see

fit to

do

but they

only actually

end up doing

what God

has predestined

to happen

an awesome

providence

God's

hand of

providence

moving the

pieces

around the

board for

his glory

and the

ultimate

blessing

of many

many people

and it's

the same

in your

life

God very

seldom

at least

in my

life

miraculously

intervenes

in my

day to

day

that never

happens

really

but he

is

providentially

guiding

each of

our lives

providing

what we

need

bringing

chance

encounters

with people

for whom

we can

influence

for the

Lord

Jesus

providentially

bringing

into our

lives

a church

family

whom we

can walk

through

life with

to encourage

us

and spur

us on

to love

and good

deeds

but we

need eyes

to see

it

or else

we'll miss

it

that God

is doing

infinitely more

behind our

backs than

he is in

front of our

face

and it's

only as we

look back

and see his

kindness

his goodness

his sovereignty

and his

providence in

our lives

that we

really start

to give

him thanks

for all

that he's

been doing

point three

this is a

shadow

story

in Hebrews

it talks

about things

that happened

in the Old

Testament

are like

shadows

of things

to come

this story

about an

obedient son

who goes

on a long

journey out

of obedience

to his

father

who ends

up being

rejected by

his own

and sold

for silver

and suffers

at the hands

of wicked

men

yet ultimately

leads to

saving many

is a shadow

of a better

story

a better

story of

a greater

obedient

son

who goes

on a

greater

journey

from the

glories

of heaven

to the

squalor

of earth

who came

to his

own

and his

own

did not

receive

him

who was

betrayed

for silver

into the

hands of

wicked men

who nailed

him to

a cross

and through

this God

would be

pleased to

save many

even you

and me

now we need

to be very

careful when

we read the

old testament

that we don't

allegorize

that we don't

try and see

Jesus under

every stone

and round

every corner

in every

symbol

but I think

if we read

Acts 7

and Stephen's

speech before

he gets

stoned

this is exactly

what he says

that just as

Joseph was

rejected by

his brothers

so you

rejected the

Lord of

life the

Messiah when

he came

that's exactly

how Stephen

uses the

story

and so

we see that

Joseph is the

white sheep

of the family

and we learn

that obedience

doesn't mean

comfort

that God is

never mentioned

but everywhere

present

and that it's

a shadow

a type

of things

to come

and so

if you thought

that was

grisly

chapter 38

knocks the

socks off

it

well it seems

like a very

strange interlude

doesn't it

like we

had Joseph

who we know

about and he

ends up in

Egypt

and we're

expecting

Potiphar's

wife

but we get

this really

awkward interlude

about Judah

in this rather

sordid

chain of

events

Judah's

debauchery

is put before

the unfolding

of the rest

of the story

yet

it is an

important link

not just

in the

Joseph story

but in the

remainder of

our Bible

and I want

to just take

five minutes

to show you

why

the first

thing we see

is this

that Judah

goes down

it's written

even more

explicit than it

captures it in

the NIV

it says Judah

went down

from his

family

and he

turned aside

to see his

friend

the Adolamite

named

Hira

he went

down and

he turned

aside

and the way

that language

is always

used is

about rebellion

the rest of

the Bible

is the same

word used

of Jonah

who goes

down to

Joppa

and down

into the

ship

it's that

same idea

Judah is

leaving

the covenant

family

and the

covenant

land

saying

I want

nothing

to do

with any

of you

now

he's

turned

aside

and then

we see

his lust

he saw

he took

he went

into her

it's that

explicit

he sees

Shua

he took

Shua

he went

in

to Shua

and Shua

is a

Canaanite

the very

people

who

are not

to marry

God's

chosen

people

we see

the length

that Abraham

goes to

to get

a wife

for Isaac

who's not

from the

surrounding

region

do you know

that great

story where

the servant

goes

and he hangs

out on the

side of town

and this

girl comes

along

and she

waters

his camels

so he

thinks

she must

be the

one

because

Isaac

is to

marry

one of

God's

covenant

people

and here

we see

Judah

going

completely

the other

way

it's a

rapid

decline

Judah

isolates

himself

and we

see so

quickly

he gets

into all

sorts of

trouble

see that

in our

church

don't we

that people

isolate

themselves

and they

wander away

and all too

quickly the

decline is

rapid

I wonder

if God

would place

on our

hearts

those that

we used

to see

a lot

and now

not so

much

and I

wonder

if he

would send

us

to reach

out to

them and

bring them

back before

they get

into deep

and desperate

difficulty

he takes

Shua as

a wife

and they

have three

sons

and it

seems when

it comes

to registering

the birth

Judah's

lost for

word so

he calls

the first

one

Ah

he calls

the second

one

Onan

and then

he calls

his third

son

Sheila

which doesn't

sound like

a very

masculine

name for

a boy

either

and then

he sets

about getting

them all

married

and so

Ur marries

Tamar

there's only

one problem

though

verse 7

Ur

Judah's

firstborn

was wicked

in the

Lord's

sight

so the

Lord

put him

to death

he's

judged

in real

time

and in

this

sight

they have

Leverite

marriage

although

Leverite

marriage

isn't going

to be

written down

until

Leviticus

25

where that

if your

elder brother

dies

your responsibility

is to

marry

his wife

and to

bring her

into the

family home

and provide

heirs

most famous

example of

that is

Ruth and

Boaz

and so

Tamar

marries

Onan

the only

problem is

is that

Onan

is also

evil

and he

is killed

he wants

to not

produce an

heir for

Ur

and the

Lord judges

him

verse 10

so the

Lord put

him to

death

also

so it

seems that

Tamar's

last hope

of a

husband

and having

offspring

for Ur

is Sheila

but

Judah's

afraid

that

Tamar

is a

witch

and so

in verse

11 he

deceives

Tamar

Judah

then said

to his

daughter-in-law

Tamar

live as

a widow

in your

father's

household

until my

son

Sheila

grows up

but as

an excuse

for he

thought

he might

die too

just like

his brothers

so Tamar

rather than

live in the

house

to which

he had

come

is sent

back

to where

she had

come

from

Judah

has no

intention

of Tamar

marrying

Sheila

so what's

going to

happen to

Tamar

well it

seems that

a long

period

unfolds

and

Shua

Judah's

wife dies

and after

Judah had

recovered from

his grief

he went up

to Timna

to the

men who

were shearing

his sheep

and his

friend

Hiru the

Adolamite

went with

him

and Tamar

gets word

of Judah's

travel plans

and she

disguises

herself as

a prostitute

lures

her father-in-law

is going

to be

paid a

goat

gets left

his signet

ring

his cord

and his

staff

as a

down

payment

a guarantee

and so

Judah goes

home

sends a

servant

with the

goat

can't

find this

temple

prostitute

and so

the goat

remains

it's very

interesting as

I look this

week

the goat

seemed to

play a

pretty big

part in

this

family

line

if you

remember

when

Jacob

deceived

Isaac

that he

was Esau

what did

he do

he put

goat's

fur on

his arms

to make

him look

hairy

back in

chapter 37

when it

seemed that

Joseph

had been

killed

by wild

animals

what did

they do

they dipped

his coat

in goat's

blood

and here

we find a

goat at

the centre

of a

deception

as well

I don't

think

I don't

know if

that's

significant

I'll

just

put it

out there

as a

freebie

the truth

is found

out

that

somebody

says to

Judah

your

daughter

in law

is guilty

of

prostitution

and as

a result

she is

now

pregnant

Judah

said

bring her

out

and let

her be

burned

to death

seems so

one-sided

doesn't it

I mean

Judah

was hardly

a man

of restraint

when he

was going

up to

shear

his

cattle

the minute

he gets

wind of

it

he goes

we need

a bonfire

but you

see

Tamar's

ahead of

the game

she sent

a message

I am

pregnant

to the

man who

owns these

and Judah's

mortified

truth is

found out

that the

deception's

unveiled

and Judah

is undone

so what

do we

make of

this

how do

we apply

this to

our lives

I think

three things

again

firstly I

think Moses

has done

something really

clever in

his editorial

work

that he's

juxtaposed

Judah's

unrestraint

Judah's

debauchery

and what

are we going

to learn

next

we're going

to learn

about

Joseph's

restraint

and his

celibacy

that again

he's showing

Joseph's

unusual

obedience

his unusual

character

over and

or against

the mire

and the

pit

that he

comes from

that his

faithfulness

shines out

all the more

against the

backdrop

of the

family that

he comes

from

first one

juxtaposition

Judah's

debauchery

set aside

set against

Joseph's

celibacy

secondly I

think this is

a real turning

point in

Judah's

life

we saw in

chapter 37

that Judah

was quite keen

on making a

quick buck

from his

brother

that he has

ten brothers

in the field

he's thinking

two pieces of

silver that's a

great day's work

we see him

here he's not

exactly a knight

in shining

armour he's a

rat bag but

we see in

chapter 28

verse 26 a

real turning

point

Judah recognised

them and said

she is more

righteous than I

since I wouldn't

give her to my

son Shailah

she is more

righteous than I

this is an

omission of

guilt on

Judah's

part

his omission

of sin

you could say

that this is

repentance

and actually we're

going to see that

this is a defining

moment in Judah's