The bloody coat. It represented so much more than it showed. The coat was made with love and given to Joseph by his father. The coat was stripped away from him by his envious brothers, soaked in an animal’s blood, and presented to their father as all that was left of him from a horrible encounter with a wild animal.
As governor, Joseph stood before his famine-ravished brothers. He represented so much more than was shown. A man marked by God’s favor and giftings, he stood as the product of God’s will to deliver nations. His mere presence shot down everything the bloody coat declared. His brothers, now fraught with fear and guilt over their actions, would bow before Joseph and receive forgiveness for their actions.
The bloody coat saga blesses my heart because it speaks to the power of God. He took a packaged, sad, believable storyline and exposed the treachery and hatred behind it. God is aware of the tale being presented and will expose and replace lies with truth and His purpose in His time and way. God beautifully repurposes Jacob’s experience of forgiveness from yesteryear, puts it in the hands of his sons, and details how they, in turn, need to use it for their release.
There’s much we can learn from the bloody coat – while it was dipped in blood and drenched in lies – God allowed it to initiate the process of ushering in His plan.
So, whatever is being devised as a surefire way to prevent the truth from prevailing, remember the sentence that decimated the bloody coat story. Joseph stood up and said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. ”
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Genesis 45:3-4 (KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)