The Coat of Many Mournings by Issan Acosta

Today’s Passage – Genesis 36 – 37 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Matthew 27 – 28; Proverbs 14; Psalms 66 – 70

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Matthew 6:33

Read the “0114 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “The Green Eyed Monster.“

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. Genesis 37:3

As believers in Christ we have the privilege of knowing this Bible story very well and knowing the outcome of it. It would do us well to put ourselves in the shoes of Jacob, Joseph and his brethren and see each circumstance play out from their point of view.

In this passage we saw Jacob’s undeniable favoritism for Joseph displayed in making him a coat of many colors. One of the things I have always overlooked while reading this passage was the fact that the Bible says, “…he (Jacob) made him a coat of many colours.” When I see this play out in my mind I picture Jacob putting in hours of work every day into making this coat. I see his sons observing their father meticulously dyeing the fabric he was using and assembling this rare piece of garment. They must have assumed it was for Ruben the eldest son. They may have also had the intuition that it was for their father’s favorite son. When his father presented the coat to him it struck hatred in the hearts of his brothers from that day forth. Little did Joseph know that this wonderful gift Jacob made for him was going to be the begining of tribulations in his life.

We see favoritism play out earlier in Genesis with Isaac and Rebekah favoring one child over the other. Favoritism never ends well. It can destroy families and lead to bitterness. The Old Testament was written for our admonition (1 Corinthians 10:11). A look at this story in the Bible shows us the importance of ending generational curses. We do not have to repeat the sins of our fathers. Later on in Genesis God blesses Joseph with two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. With Joseph’s track record throughout his life I can almost guaranteed he stopped this cycle of favoritism within his own family. A life of constant surrender to the Holy Spirit of God will help us break these cycles. It will help us manifest God’s Grace and Love to our families and loved ones.