Dream Fulfilling Time | Tim Sheets
Dream Fulfilling Time | Tim Sheets
For the past few weeks, I’ve been discussing a time of spiritual renewal. The Holy Spirit has been revealing that winds of refreshing are blowing, signaling a season for renewal, recharging, rest, and strengthening. Today, I want to delve into this theme, specifically focusing on an aspect of the Christmas story that isn’t often highlighted. This story sheds light on why Joseph was chosen, a choice that traces its roots 1700 years before Christ’s birth, connected to his family tree—particularly Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and most notably, Jacob’s son, Joseph. Jesus was born into this special lineage, and his earthly father, Joseph, was named after Jacob’s son, who became a powerful ruler second only to Pharaoh.
Understanding this lineage is essential because it directs us to a key reason why Jesus came to Earth. It leads us to a significant Christmas gift that Christ’s arrival offers all who accept Him as Savior—He came to heal families and households. The Christmas story highlights a soul condition that can subtly dominate our hearts if we are not careful. This condition is an underlying theme in the story of Jacob and Joseph in Genesis 37, written by Moses, the great leader of Israel. Jewish tradition suggests that Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph, would have shared the story of his namesake with Him around the time of His Bar Mitzvah, when He was 12 years old. Understanding lineage was crucial in that culture, and even as a boy, Jesus would have learned that He was born to heal this very soul condition, culminating in His death on the cross.
At the age of 12, Joseph told Jesus the story of Genesis 37, and I want to unpack that today. The fascinating story of Joseph begins in the land of Canaan, about 4,000 years ago. Joseph was the son of Jacob, whom God renamed Israel—meaning “Prince of God”—after a life of struggle and perseverance. This was not just a name change; it was the result of years of blood, sweat, and tears. God told Jacob, “You will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel.” Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was Joseph’s grandfather, making Joseph the great-grandson of Abraham. Joseph was the son of Jacob’s beloved wife, Rachel. Jacob had two wives, Rachel and Leah, and Joseph was born when Jacob was 91 years old. As the son of Jacob’s old age, Joseph was deeply loved.
For many years, all was well, but then tragedy struck. When Joseph was 9 years old, his mother, Rachel, died during childbirth while giving birth to his younger brother, Benjamin. In her pain, Rachel named him Benoni, meaning “the pain of my birth,” but Jacob, not wanting his son to carry such a sorrowful name, called him Benjamin, meaning “son of good fortune.”
The death of Rachel was devastating, especially for young Joseph. Few things are more traumatic for a child than the loss of a mother, and Joseph’s soul was deeply affected. His father, Jacob, was heartbroken and struggled to function for months. Jacob had loved Rachel since the moment he saw her, and he worked 14 years to marry her, first working seven years for her older sister, Leah, and then another seven years for Rachel. Now that she was gone, Joseph stepped in to care for his grieving father, even at the young age of 9. While he was still a boy, Joseph took on the responsibility of ensuring his father had everything he needed. His dedication stood out, as the rest of the family seemed to neglect Jacob in this way.
As a result, Jacob and Joseph became very close. When Joseph turned 17, Jacob had a special coat made for him—an ornate, multicolored tunic. This coat was the kind worn by priests and royal heirs, even though Joseph wasn’t a royal heir. It was a lavish, expensive gift, and the rest of the brothers were not pleased. They felt it was unjust, especially since they didn’t feel deserving of such a coat, given their behavior. This marked the beginning of deeper conflict within the family, as jealousy and resentment began to take root.