Genesis 37:1–38:30; Matthew 12:22-45; Psalm 16:1-11; Proverbs 3:27-32
This Fellow Doth Not Cast Out Devils But by Beelzebub
Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. – Matthew 12:22-24
Every Kingdom Divided Against Itself is Brought to Desolation
And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: and if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. – Matthew 12:25-30
The Blasphemy Against the Holy Ghost Shall Not Be Forgiven
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. – Matthew 12:31-32
The Tree is Known By His Fruit
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. – Matthew 12:33-35
You Will Give Account for Every Idle Word
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. – Matthew 12:36-37
An Evil and Adulterous Generation Seeketh After a Sign
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. – Matthew 12:38-40
Men of Nineveh and Queen of the South Shall Rise in Judgment
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. – Matthew 12:41-42
When the Unclean Spirit is Gone Out of a Man
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. – Matthew 12:43-45
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Israel Loved Joseph More Than All His Children
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. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. – Genesis 37:3-4
Joseph Told His Brothers His Dream
And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words. – Genesis 37:5-8
Joseph Told His Brothers Another Dream
And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying. – Genesis 37:9-11
Joseph’s Brothers Dip His Coat in Blood, Jacob Mourns
And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son’s coat or no. And he knew it, and said, It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him. – Genesis 37:31-35
Tamar Went and Dwelt in Her Father’s House
Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father’s house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father’s house. – Genesis 38:11
Tamar Put Her Widow’s Garments Off
And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep. And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him. And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood. – Genesis 38:13-19
Tamar Hath Been More Righteous than I
And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt. When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff. And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more. – Genesis 38:24-26
Twins Were in Tamar’s Womb
And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez. And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah. – Genesis 38:27-30
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The LORD is the Portion of Mine Inheritance
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage. – Psalm 16:5-6
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The Froward is Abomination to the LORD
Envy thou not the oppressor, And choose none of his ways. For the froward is abomination to the LORD: But his secret is with the righteous. – Proverbs 3:31-32
Froward – willfully contrary; not easily managed
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a lamp and a light – the Podcast
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In today’s reading in Genesis, we read the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. Joseph was the favored son of his father, Israel. His brothers knew this and hated him because of it. Joseph had several dreams that he told his brothers that spoke directly to their future and his reigning over them. Because of that, his brothers envied him.
Hatred and envy reminded me of James 3:16 – For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Every evil work comes from the seed of envy and strife. We see that clearly in the actions of Joseph’s brothers. They wanted to kill him but decided it was best not to sell him. They took the precious coat of many colors and dipped it in goat’s blood, taking it back to their father and making him believe his favored son was dead.
This reading spoke of all of Israel’s sons and all of Israel’s daughters trying to comfort him, but they could not. Every evil work. All the sons that plotted against Joseph and sold Joseph had in their hearts so much hatred and envy of that relationship that they would not comfort their father. Did they believe Joseph was dead? Maybe. Did they justify being jealous? Maybe. But there is no justification ever to walk in jealousy, hatred, and dishonesty. It leads to every evil thing. One tiny seed that perhaps didn’t seem much at its beginning got out of control and led to a father that was left to mourn for years.
Our title verse also ties into the story of Joseph. Matthew 12:23 – And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.
Israel’s household was divided. Brothers against brother. And as this verse says – Israel’s household did not stand. Division opened a door to allow those tiny seeds of jealousy and hatred in. That led to deception, lying, plotting to murder, trafficking of a brother, heartache.
Lord, help us to cast out those seeds of jealousy and hatred and deception. Help us recognize and take care of it before it enters our minds and hearts. Teach us the tools to use Holy Ghost that would set us free from these seeds that bind us to the enemy and never, ever achieve what our heart desired in the first place. Show us, Lord. Please show me. In Jesus Name. Amen
a lamp and a light 