3.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.
4.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.
5.And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
6.And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
7.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.
8.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.
9.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.
10.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?
11.And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
Joseph was an an exceptional child we all know. He was very much dear to his father that he made him a coat of many colours as a way of expressing his love for him. But this however attracted hatred from his brethren. The hatred got worst when he ignorantly yet innocently shared his dream to his brethren and parents.
The Bible records that his brethren hated and envied him the more while his father observed this. I do not know the understanding that you get about this Scripture but I would like to say that no body truly likes to see someone succeed at his or her expense. That is exactly what the brothers of Joseph did. They asked him a rhetorical question in verse 8 of our reference scripture:
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.
I want to remain us that there's always a price for success and that price Joseph paid dearly beginning from his brethren, his parents and extended to Portiphar his master. Now take note of this, you may choose to call it divine arrangement, but what I think is that Jacob would have intervene in the discord and hatred among Joseph's brethren Joseph's dad would have scold them and warned them from engaging in the act of hating their brother but no he didn't, and as the Bible states it he Jacob was observing too.
What does this entail?
It's quite simple, no golden fish that I have ever known has had a hiding place. This goes to prove that the grace of God in our life is indeed going to expose us to many people of which some would despise or hate us and may go far to the extent of planning evil against us. I remember that Joseph did no wrong against his brethren by sharing the dream he had with them. But his brothers had a case against him. Do I need to remind you that right now as you are now, you may think that there is nothing good about your life, yet there may be people who are continuously envying you for no due course.
God gracing your life entails that you have to be careful because they are not happy with that grace of God in your life. This month, God wants to remind us that He has graced us to be exceptional in our lives and calling. Joseph had gone through a lot. He was put in the pit at the mercy of Ruben and against his brother's wish who wanted to destroy his life by killing him. Tonight I pray for you that among your enemies and those that hate you, God will raise a solicitor and an advocate for you in Jesus, name, amen.
You really need a Ruben in your life who will raise a word to rescue you from their hatred. This morning I was reflecting on the role that Ruben played in the rescue of Joseph, then I was forced to conclude when I caught some insights from the Bible, that everyone at some points needs a Ruben in his or her life. Just imagine that would have been the fate of Joseph in the hands of his brethren who had planned him.
but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Daniel 11:32b
Let's pray
Oh Lord, raise Ruben for me. The Ruben that will speak on my behalf and rescue me from their evil plans in Jesus name, amen.