Our Character Often Revealed in our Children

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Our Character Often Revealed in our Children

Today's Text: 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. Genesis 37:3

The Message:      Jacob had chosen the inheritance of faith. He had endeavored to obtain it by craft, treachery, and falsehood; but God had permitted his sin to work out its correction.... The sin of Jacob, and the train of events to which it led, had not failed to exert an influence for evil-an influence that revealed its bitter fruit in the character and life of his sons....      There was one, however, of a widely different character-the elder son of Rachel, Joseph, whose rare personal beauty seemed but to reflect an inward beauty of mind and heart.... He listened to his father's instructions, and loved to obey God.... His mother being dead, his affections clung the more closely to the father, and Jacob's heart was bound up in this child of his old age....      But even this affection was to become a cause of trouble and sorrow. Jacob unwisely manifested his preference for Joseph, and this excited the jealousy of his other sons.... The father's injudicious gift to Joseph of a costly coat, or tunic, such as was usually worn by persons of distinction, seemed to them another evidence of his partiality.... Their malice was still further increased as the boy one day told them of a dream that he had had....      As the lad stood before his brothers, his beautiful countenance lighted up with the Spirit of Inspiration, they could not withhold their admiration; but they did not choose to renounce their evil ways, and they hated the purity that reproved their sins....      The brothers were obliged to move from place to place to secure pasturage for their flocks.... Some time passed, bringing no tidings from them, and the father began to fear for their safety.... He therefore sent Joseph to find them, and bring him word as to their welfare....      Joseph came on, unsuspicious of danger ...; but instead of the expected greeting, he was terrified by the angry and revengeful glances he met.... He was seized and his coat stripped from him.... Rudely dragging him to a deep pit, they thrust him in, and having made sure that there was no possibility of his escape, they left him there to perish from hunger, while they "sat down to eat bread."      But some of them were ill at ease; they did not feel the satisfaction they had anticipated from their revenge. Soon a company of travelers was seen approaching.-Patriarchs and Prophets, 208-211.

Commentary: My friend, the way that Joseph's brothers reacted to him is an example of how those in the last days will react to the people of God.  His life and example was a rebuke to theirs, and their fathers preference to him incited their jealousy. Jesus' ministry began with His baptism in the Jordan river by John the Baptist, and ended with His crucifixion on the cross.  If we are truly followers of Christ we must expect to receive the same treatment from the world in the last days.  The reason why Christ's life was filled with sorrow was because His pure and holy life was an open rebuke to theirs.  Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:20 "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;" The church today is not under persecution because it has to a large degree conformed to the practices of the world, and as such is not a rebuke to its sinful practices.  The Seventh-day Adventist church was once looked upon by the Christian world as peculiar and as a cult.  We were not seen as Christian church because we did not believe in the trinity.  This caused us to be ridiculed and looked down upon.  But since the passing of Ellen White and the pioneers of our faith, the church has slowly adopted the practices of the other protestant churches.  The doctrine of the trinity crept in and was eventually accepted by the church, and as a result we have conformed to the foundation of the faith of the Christian world as well as the Catholic church. But while the church has accepted a doctrine that is not in harmony with the Scriptures, God is working to bring the truth of who He is back to His people.  He is preparing a small group of people to proclaim the truth of the One true God and His Son Jesus Christ.  When this happens the words of Jesus will come true when He said in John 16:2, 3 "They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.  And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." My friend, now is the time for us to stand true for the One true God of the Bible.  This will undoubtedly bring upon us the displeasure of the church and the world, but those who refuse to confess the Son of God before men, will not have their names confessed before the Father.  Jesus said in John 16:33 "be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." May you confess that there is only One true God and His Son Jesus Christ to the world today. God bless,

Video of the Week Jesus or Barabbas - Part 1 with Daniel Mesa This video series explores 307 Bible verses Daniel Mesa has found (and corresponding quotes) about God the Father and His Son. This is a continuing series of short presentations about who the God of the Bible really is.