A Man With A Dream

Now Israel loved Joseph

more than all his sons.

Genesis 37:3

I read this scripture and I am reminded of John 3:35: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” Joseph’s brothers knew that their father loved him more than he did them, and they hated Joseph for it.

Joseph was a picture of the coming Christ. Of course he was to be hated, “for everyone who does evil hates the Light” ( John 3:20). Joseph’s brothers hated him so much they could not even speak to him on friendly terms.

When we read this chapter of Genesis, we discover that Joseph was a man whom God spoke to through his dreams. Joseph has two dreams that are very similar in nature. In the first dream, Joseph and his brothers were in a field binding sheaves. Joseph’s sheave stood erect, and then his brothers’ sheaves bowed down before it. In the second dream, the sun, moon, and eleven stars all bowed down to Joseph.

It amazes me that Joseph even felt comfortable enough to share his dreams with these men who hated him. Perhaps he was actually this naive; perhaps he truly had no clue what these dreams meant and was seeking help. Maybe he saw these dreams as an opportunity to say to his brothers that it really didn’t matter if they hated him because one day they would bow down to him. The Scriptures do not give us insight into the motive behind Joseph sharing his dreams with his brothers; we just know he did.

The relating of these dreams just fueled his brothers’ jealousies and increased their hatred of him. “So from that day on they planned together to kill him” (John 11:53). This was as true in the life of Joseph as it was in the life of Christ.

Joseph was who he was, and as far as we can tell from what is recorded in the Scriptures, he never tried to be anyone or anything different than who he was. Joseph was highly favored by his father and a man who desired to live a life pleasing to the God of his fathers.

My friend, have you come to that place where you know that the only opinion that matters is that of Jesus Christ and your Father in heaven?

Oh Father,

That I would live a life pleasing to You, never seeking the approval of man, but only the approval of You. Help me, Father, to remain true to who I am in You, in Christ. Even if the world rises against me, even if my family and my friends turn away from me, help me, Father, to never forsake You. May I always stand firm on the side of truth; whether I am liked because of it or hated, may I stand firm. May I hang on to the dreams and vision that You have placed within me, and even if all laugh at my sharing of them and mock me to my face, may I cling all the more to You.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.