Word from home

Jacob sends Joseph out of Hebron (the name means fellowship, communion) south to Shechem (which means service).

“When you think of Shechem, you ought to think of Genesis 34:25-30. Go back and read the awful sin and sorrow associated with Shechem,” says Jordan. “And Israel’s boys are down there in Shechem and that’s the place of failure. And he’s worried about them so he sends his beloved son to them in that condition to make it right with them and for them.”

Genesis 37:15 says, “And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What  seekest thou?”

Jordan says, “That’s interesting. A certain man finds Joseph out there and he’s wandering in the field. He’s looking for his brethren and can’t find them. You remember what Matthew says about Jesus?  It says He spent the night out in front of the canopy of the stars because ‘foxes have holes, birds have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head.’

“You remember the last part of John 7 when it says they all went back to their house but Jesus didn’t have a house to go back to so He went up on the hill, up on the mountain and prayed all night? No one invited Him to go home; no one took Him in and gave Him a prophet’s chamber. No one said, ‘Come be my guest; take care of me and I’ll take care of you.’ ”

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Genesis 37:17 says, “And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.”

The name Dothan means “the law, the custom.” Israel had gone out serving the law and became bound by the law, bound by the custom, bound by the tradition. Israel was in a condition when Christ found them of being bound unto the bondage of the yoke and weight of legalistic performance which just condemned them.

When Joseph went to Dothan he didn’t quit. “When the going got tough, he didn’t back off, he didn’t say, ‘Dad sent me here but they weren’t where they were supposed to be so I’ll just go home,’ ” says Jordan. “They’d gone down into the bondage and he followed after them. When they saw him a far off, even before he came near unto them, they said, ‘Glory Hallelujah, word from home!’ No, that isn’t what it said, is it?

“Can you imagine these boys out there, they’re having to forage around for somewhere and they’re down here and they just keep getting worse and worse and worse, and here comes the lad with the coat of many colors because you know dad sent word; you know dad’s concerned because he sent the light of his heart, his favorite son, he sent the son of his old age, and he’s got the coat on and he’s coming. ‘Word from home! Some of momma’s home cooking!’

“No, that isn’t what they say. They conspired against him. Matthew 12:4 says the religious leaders of Israel plotted against Jesus Christ how they might kill Him. And from there all the way to the Cross you see Him constantly under attack, every opportunity trying to get Him.

“They said one to another, ‘Behold this dreamer cometh.’ You see, they still hated Him because of His words. They still didn’t believe what He had said. Jesus hung on Calvary.”