When Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. Genesis 37:23
The story of Joseph is wonderfully helpful because it gives us multiple snapshots of a godly life. Here is what a godly life looks like. But the story of Joseph is also like a floodlight shining on Jesus Christ helping us understand who He is, what He has done, and all that is ours in Him.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones used to say that the message of the Old Testament is the same as the message of the New Testament, except that it is easier to understand. If your first thought is “He must have it backward,” you’re not alone. Many people find the Old Testament harder than the New.
Don’t miss his point. The New Testament is full of profound spiritual truth. The Old Testament is full of human stories. The stories are given to us in order that we may understand the spiritual truth that they were intended to convey.
For example, in the New Testament Jesus Christ laid aside His glory. That is a staggering thought! But in the Old Testament we are given a picture—Joseph had a coat of many colors, but when he appeared in Egypt nobody saw his coat. He arrived in the form of a common servant. Nobody in Egypt saw that he was the loved and favored son.
The Old Testament stories are given to us as windows through which we can view the great truths about Jesus Christ. This is why it is so valuable for parents and grandparents, uncles and aunts, and Sunday school teachers to tell the great Bible stories to our children. But we must try to teach them in a way that shows the connections to Jesus. The stories in the Old Testament are given to us so that we will grasp the great saving truths of Jesus Christ.
Ponder the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. How does it help you understand the spiritual truth that Jesus laid aside His divine glory?