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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
"They took his coat . . ."
We all know the story by now. The story of Jacob’s son, Joseph. Weary of his dreams of ruling over them, his brothers decided to kill him. The story’s most significant point, however, is that they did not kill him, but instead sold him into slavery. In order to cover their tracks they convinced their father that a wild beast had killed Joseph. In some ways, the most emotional statement in the early part of this narrative is found in Genesis 37:23, where we read that “they took” Joseph’s coat—the coat his father had given him.
The events that followed resulted in Joseph’s eventual rule over Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. But what of that coat that meant so much to Joseph? The brothers smeared it with an animal’s blood, and Jacob grieved over his “dead” son, accepting the bloody coat as proof of his beloved son’s death. They took Joseph’s coat, leaving him with nothing but his memories to remind him of his family and his home. But he didn’t forget.
Some twenty years later, those same brothers came on bended knee—literally—seeking the necessities of life. The brothers who had despised him were now bowing to him just as his dream had predicted. And Joseph remembered them. How was he able to control his anger and not put them all to death immediately? It may be that he remembered that coat, because that coat was a symbol of all the things Jacob had taught him about character, integrity, and God’s ethical codes.
When Jesus came to this earth to be our sacrifice for sin, his enemies took His coat, too, Matthew 27:26-36. But neither did Jesus forget the task before Him. Though “stripped” of his worldly goods, and watching as men gambled for them, He still prayed for them, Luke 24:34. Though they had treated Him shamefully, Jesus died for them and for us all. His coat provided no memories for Him, for His throne was and is not earthly, and He needed no purple robe to establish his throne.
What can the world take away from us that would result in our loss of integrity? What do we own that we cherish more than our relationship with God? In Hebrews 10:32-34 we read:
- “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made spectacle both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the plundering of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.”
Note here that these Christians, probably in the city of Jerusalem, had lost their possessions, but they had not backed away from their love for God and their commitment to Him. Enemies had “taken their coat,” but they had not faltered. The reason the author of Hebrews was writing to them was the fact that now they were wavering in their faith. In the past they “took joyfully” their persecution, but now they were thinking of going back to their former state of sin, of being lost—because someone had threatened to take away “their coat.”
The apostle Paul himself had a “coat.” From a prison cell he wrote to Timothy this request:
- “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry...The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments,” 2 Timothy 4:11-13.
That “cloke” was his defense against the cold prison cell. He needed it, but he did not collapse under the pressure of imprisonment. Consequently, even today his influence on Rome—and the world—is still intact.
Joseph lost his coat. Jesus lost His coat. Early Christians lost their possessions. Paul lost his liberty. But we remember them partly because they did not lose faith in the God who loved them and saved them. Has someone taken away your “coat”? How about your faith—have you given that away?
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“Paths clear before those who know where they are going and are determined to get there.”
“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not,”
“The universal line of distinction between the strong and the weak is that while one persists, the other hesitates, falters, and at last collapses or caves in.”
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Tragedies and the Will of God
Part 3 of 3
Whether by human plan or by accident, our free will creates circumstances that often cut across God's desires for us, and God's intentional will for us is temporarily sidetracked. God wants what is best for us, but when we make foolish choices, or even when we accidentally clash with the established laws of nature, we must bear the predictable consequences.
Because sin, disease and death entered the world through Adam, we all suffer, commonly from our own mistakes and sometimes even from the irresponsibility of others. God does not plan those things, but in His circumstantial will, He must allow them for the time being.
The third dimension is the ultimate will of God. The sinful will of men can temporarily delay the will of God, but we can never ultimately frustrate God's will. Do you remember the story of Job? He was a good man whom God had blessed. Yet, in one day, he lost his children, wealth and prestige. Job did not deserve that, yet it happened. He went through all those predictable stages of grief: shock, despair, nostalgia and anger. Finally, when he was ready to listen to God, he concluded, "I know that Thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of Thine can be restrained," Job 42:2 NASB.
Circumstances may momentarily divert God's purposes, but they never can defeat God's ultimate will. Everything that happens is not God's will -- not in the sense that he intends it. Yet, in God's providence, He is able to work through the difficult circumstances of life to accomplish His ultimate will.
One verse that is often misapplied is Romans 8:28. Some people misquote it to say, "All things are good to those who love the Lord." But that is not what the passage says. It does not say all things are good, but rather "in all things God works for the good".
All things are not good. But for those who love the Lord and who are called according to His purpose, the assurance is given that God is at work in those events to bring about good. He will work in and through those events to achieve His ultimate will.
Harold Kushner, the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People, wrote, "The question we should be asking is not, 'Why did this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?' That is really an unanswerable, pointless question. A better question would be 'Now that this has happened to me, what am I going to do about it?'"
No one can explain all the "whys" of tragedy and suffering, but we can know the God Who is able to work through whatever happens to us (Romans 8:35-39). Trust Him. He will see you through.
Dan Dozier
Gospel Advocate 2/89
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