My grandparents loved The Prince of Egypt and, thus, were smitten by the dramatic rendition of Joseph’s story. They thoughtfully purchased the movie and the book adaptation for my sisters and me. When I saw the film as a small child, the major a part of Joseph: King of Dreams (DreamWorks 2000) that stayed engraved in my mind was Joseph in prison, caring for a sapling, and his colourful coat. But after I returned to the movie as an adult, I understood why my grandparents cherished the film. The audience is drawn into the retelling of Joseph’s story, witnessing firsthand the negative impact that Jacob’s favoritism had on his son’s life. We enter Joseph’s struggle to hope, the battle inside to forgive, and the joyous reunion along with his brothers and father. It is a cinematic classic that shines with the love and forgiveness present in God.
Too often, though, we may be just like the small child I used to be and focus only on the vibrantly woven robe. We pass out coloring sheets bearing the coat of many colours to assist children find out about Joseph. Or we minimize the true events, telling kids that the opposite brothers were jealous of his gift. Not only is that this a poor example of Bible teaching, nevertheless it also emphasizes to kids that the physical coat was the issue.
Scripture’s focus within the account is on the unfair favor that Jacob gave to 1 son. Joseph’s brothers weren’t mad because they didn’t have something as colourful to wear. Rather, the gift was one other hole within the dam keeping back the overflow of their jealousy and frustration that was certain to interrupt – Joseph’s dream and his silly decision to inform his brothers about it, the apparent preference displayed by their father, and the special care given to this son of Rachel. More than anything, the colourful coat served as an emblem of Jacob’s favor and, later, a tangible reminder of the hazards of his favoritism.
We all can learn from his experience because the favored child, and the harm it brought him, by considering how the gift modified from a kingly sign to a torn and bloodied garment. Favoritism might sound natural or innocent, nevertheless it at all times results in strife and despair.
Why Jacob’s Love for Rachel Shaped His Failures as a Father
We cannot rightly say that the spirit of favoritism began with Jacob, the deceiver or supplanter. His mother and father had played favorites before him, each preferring one twin over the opposite (Genesis 25:28). It was due to his father’s preference for Esau that he collaborated along with his mother to trick Isaac into giving him the blessing as a substitute of Esau (Genesis 27:5-10). Like his tendency toward deception, Jacob inherited the inclination to favor specific individuals over others.
He liked Rachel higher than Leah. And so, when he found himself married to each (through the deception of Laban), he naturally expressed greater love toward Rachel. She was the one who was beautiful in form and who had caught his heart at first sight. Leah was merely the girl with weak eyes (Genesis 29:17). Despite the undeniable fact that she bore quite a few children to Jacob, Leah remained unloved (Genesis 29:31).
Because of his obvious preference, Leah suffered, and a war began between her and Rachel, an important childbearing war that led to Jacob joining himself to 2 concubines, the sisters’ maidservants. The list of sons grew, reflecting the blessing of God on the womb of Leah, for He doesn’t show favoritism. Yet, the favor Jacob had for Rachel impacted the way in which he viewed his children. Reuben, the firstborn, was not his preferred alternative, neither was Judah (though it was through Judah’s lineage that the Messiah got here). No, he loved beyond all others Joseph, the primary son born to his favorite wife, Rachel. As Scripture tells us, “Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph greater than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him” (Genesis 37:3, NIV).
Favoritism’s Cost on Joseph and the Other Sons
Scholars are uncertain of the precise meaning of the Hebrew word that is often translated as a coat of many colours, “an ornate robe” (NIV), or “multicolored tunic” (NASB). The physical object, though, served as a visible reminder to what the opposite children of Jacob already knew. Joseph was the popular child, and that reality made them hate him.
Because they felt the bitter sting of the belief that their father didn’t love them equally, they may not bring themselves to talk kindly to Joseph (Genesis 37:4). It also didn’t help that this favorite son had brought a foul report about them and that he boasted about dreams he had where all of them would bow right down to him (Genesis 37:2, 5-11). Joseph’s brothers already lived with the knowledge that they may never compare within the eyes of their father. The beautiful robe Joseph wore was a continuing reminder of that truth. But being told they might should bow down and serve him, well, that was an excessive amount of.
Not only did hatred breed within the hearts of Israel’s sons due to favoritism, but jealousy also arose. This combination led them to entertain similar thoughts to the primary jealous brother, Cain, who murdered his brother (Genesis 4:8). Readers rightly note the wrongness of their actions. However, the Bible gives us enough details to know the point of view of the brothers. They were uninterested in the constant favor shown to the young man and wanted him gone from their lives. And that is strictly what they achieved, though God preserved Joseph’s life by utilizing Reuben to discourage the remainder of them from shedding blood (Genesis 37:21-22). Instead, they sold him as a slave to a gaggle of Ishmaelites, who in turn took him to Egypt (Genesis 37:28). To deceive their father about their actions, the brothers tore the ornate robe and dipped it in blood. Thus, they convinced their father that Joseph was dead.
Seeing the shredded and bloodied fragments of the garment must have made Jacob pause. Look at what his preference had done; surely, he was unsuitable to have shown favoritism! Yet, Israel had not learned. He continued the vicious cycle of instilling bitterness in his other sons by entering a time of perpetual mourning. And Joseph suffered by being sold as a slave to Egypt, forced to live in a land removed from the house of his father and people who worshiped Yahweh.
God’s Sovereign Plan in Joseph’s Suffering
The Lord didn’t forsake Joseph, though, even when his brothers had. He was working the whole time because the young man served in the home of Potiphar, learning how you can effectively manage and take care of a household (Genesis 39:4). Scripture tells us that the Lord was with Joseph and blessed his work (Genesis 39:2). Although Joseph was now a slave in Egypt, God had a greater vision in mind that may transform Joseph and his brothers.
After enduring prison and being elevated to a position just under Pharaoh in rank, Joseph got here to a pivotal point in his life. The famine that Pharaoh had dreamed about had already spread across the known world, and Joseph oversaw the rationing of supplies he had correctly advised to store up, by the direction of the Lord. Numerous people from other lands traveled to Egypt to purchase the sought-after grain. Eventually, his brothers got here too.
God knew what He was doing by converging their paths at this point. Joseph had the chance to see if his jealous brothers had modified – they usually had. All of them recognized their guilt in what they’d done (see Genesis 42:21). Reuben and Judah were also willing to bear the responsibility of Benjamin, Joseph’s younger brother, if he was not returned to Jacob (see Genesis 42:37; 43:8-10). Judah even offered himself as a slave in exchange for Benjamin’s freedom (Genesis 44:33-34). Instead of being the hateful, murderous brothers as they were before, their hearts had softened.
Seeing the change in his brothers moved Joseph. Although he struggled with the emotions that arose in him, he was in a position to forgive and see God’s hand within the events of his life (Genesis 45:4-15). Like his brothers, he had also received an ample period of time to grow in wisdom. As a person in a high-ranking position, his prophetic dream of ruling over his brothers and family had come true, but he was not lording it over others or boasting about his privileged rank. He was using his position for good, serving the people of Egypt and beyond in a way that honored the Lord.
God used for good what the brothers had intended for evil, and thru it brought healing to Joseph and his family (Genesis 50:20).
A Warning Against Favoritism in Our Own Lives
Like Jacob, parents might imagine that having a favourite child is natural and harmless. After all, one specific child can have come at a key moment in life, just like how Joseph was born to Israel in his old age. Yet, there may be nothing harmless about playing favorites in life, whether that’s preferring a baby, sibling, friend, or church member over one other. Our actions and treatment of others can have long-lasting, negative consequences.
The other children, who will notice their parents’ tendency to favor a sibling, will feel unloved. Such feelings can then grow into bitterness and hatred for his or her sibling. And as for the popular child, she or he may develop into conceited and spoiled, or if not, grow despondent because their siblings hate her or him for no specific reason apart from being the favourite child – a position they didn’t request.
Scripture tells us that favoritism is a sin, because it doesn’t reflect the character of God. He doesn’t play favorites, and all are equal within the family of God (Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 2:11; Galatians 3:28). We should rightly heed the warning of the Bible and avoid preferring one person to a different (James 2:1, 9).
If that is an area wherein we struggle, then reflecting frequently on Joseph’s special robe can be helpful to us – not as a seemingly whimsical detail to share with children, but as an emblem of the hazards of favoritism. May we consider that ornate robe and pray that the Lord would help us to forged it aside and as a substitute to each day placed on the clothes of our latest self and examine everybody around us with the love of Christ (Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:12).
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