'Fig Leaves or Your Coat of Many Colors'

'Fig Leaves'

 In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve communed with Father every day, in the cool of the day. They met with Him throughout the day; in unending communication. They were clothed in the Glory, in the perfect love of God. The only fruit they ate from, was from the Tree of Life; Father’s perfect provision! They knew no shame and walked bare (naked) before Him; openly, alongside each other.  They knew ‘no’ sin.  

 After the fall, they saw with a new set of eyes, seeing their nakedness and questioning their very existence. The way made for them to enjoy, was now clouding all reason, with doubt and unbelief; the result of sin. They were now discovering new found fear and learning to live in fear, rather than the love they had always known.  They were now experiencing unfamiliar feelings of shame and guilt instead of experiencing love.  Because they now saw their nakedness, they covered their shame and guilt with fig leaves. 
Even today, we cover ourselves with other types of fig leaves, rather than trusting Him, and doing things His way! What fig leaves have become your covering?

A life of snuggling to a life of struggling!

 Striving and struggling began, where once there was rest. A twisted view of things now appeared. A life of striving, of bondage now existed; covering up, what once was covered for them. Father took care of everything; He was their covering, their provider, their source, their friend. There used to be nothing hindering their communication with each other or with Father. However, now that they both bit into the deception offered to them by the ‘ultimate orphan’ Satan; by eating from the Tree of Knowledge, they would struggle.  They were living on what seemed like a tightrope, deciding what is good and what is evil; becoming associated with dos and don’ts. 

 From living a life full of favor, enjoying their rightful inheritance as children of God, they now found themselves blaming, competing, jealous, and afraid.  They felt orphaned in their heart; seeking their way in what now looked more like a jungle than a garden of delight.  Each one tried to find their way, seeking attention, as well as identity, worth and value. It was as if they were walking through a thick fog, with clouded judgment or cobwebs all around. This is familiar to how some are feeling, even today. 

 Generations later, another story comes to mind...
 about a man named Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob. In brief, Jacob was one of two sons to Isaac; the other was named Esau.  Jacob cheated his brother of his rightful inheritance, as first born, lying to his father, Isaac. Though Jacob understood the importance and power found in inheritance, he was deceitful to get it.

 Jacob later had twelve sons altogether, through the marriage of two siblings.  Eight sons were born of his first wife, Leah (two of the eight through Leah’s maidservant) and four sons born of Rachel, his second wife and Leah’s younger sister,(two of those four from Rachel’s maidservant).  Joseph and his younger brother, Benjamin, were the only two naturally born of Rachel.   Rachel was Jacob’s first love, and said to be the more beautiful of the two sisters; yet untruthful.  And it was Leah, whose heart cried out to God for children and for Jacob to love her, as he loved Rachel.

 Thousands of years later, Jesus, the Messiah was born through the lineage, of one of Leah’s sons, named Judah.  She also gave birth to the line of Priests, through her son, Levi. Leah was focused more on Godly things and Rachel was not; and God blessed Leah with many children.  She was deeply loved by God; and at her death, she was buried alongside Jacob, and other patriarchs. Rachel was not. However, all twelve sons of Jacob form the twelve tribes of Israel.  As Rachel’s sons, Jacob favored both Joseph and Benjamin with his actions and his statements, and in front of the elder brothers.  A young, Joseph followed his Father’s example and this provoked his step brothers.  Joseph and his younger brother were both taught the love of the Torah, the Word of God, as they set at their Father’s feet. And, it was Jacob, the Father of all twelve sons, who gave Joseph ‘The Coat of Many Colors.’

‘The Coat of Many Colors.’

With all this attention given to Joseph, the elder brothers were jealous and resentful, much like the elder brother in the story of the lost son in the Book of Luke, the 15^th chapter.  As far as the dreams he had, they were nothing of Joseph’s doing…he received the dreams from God.

 In a resentful and bitter rage, a scheme was set by the brothers, first dropping Joseph in a pit to die and then selling him to traders.  To make their Father believe Joseph was dead, they took the coat given to Joseph, from their Father and tore it, soaked it in the blood of an animal, made light of the inheritance and even profited from their brother Joseph, selling him into a life of slavery.  

(The entire story of Jacob, his two wives and Joseph can be found in the Book of Genesis, chapters 27-29 and 37-50.)

 Throughout the generations, in the Bible, we can read many other stories and/or symbolisms about inheritance.  The meaning of inheritance is the physical possession of property and/or attributes of character given to heirs.  The Hebrew word for inheritance is nahala or nahal, to inherit or possess.  The Greek word for inheritance kleronomia or kleros, kleronomos, which is an heir, to inherit. 
The foremost example of inheritance is that which Jesus apprehended for us through His death and resurrection!  He bought back the right to live with Father, as heirs, as sons and daughters, as a family, communing with Him every day!  In fact, everything that was stolen from us, before the fall, is ours to enjoy today! 
There are several scriptures to affirm this Truth, here are a few: As He is, so are we in this world…1John 4:17, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given to us, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ…Ephesians 1:3, For those whom He foreknew, of whom He was aware and loved beforehand, He also destined from the beginning, foreordaining them to be molded into the image of His Son, and share inwardly His likeness, that He might become the firstborn among many brethren…Romans 8:29-30

  The Coat of Many Colors ~ In Hebrew: kethoneth passim, meaning a royal garment, colorful, embroidered, full-sleeved robe, coming down to the palms of the hands, reaching to the feet, a richly ornamented robe, not suitable for working!  Many colors are a large spectrum of colors, the primary colors that all other colors come from; all people, all nations and symbolizes covenant! 

The coat represents favor, authority, inheritance and wisdom.

Father has placed a brilliantly colored coat upon us, which can be seen from afar. To Father, the coat is always available for all His sons and daughters to wear. Joseph was a prophetic type of our Messiah, and his coat given to him by his Father is symbolic of the Heavenly Father giving our Messiah ‘the nations for an inheritance.’ Psalms 2:8

 So, in order to acquire possession, first it is important to know one is an heir; knowing the true identity which comes from God Himself.  Knowing how loved we are makes a significant change in our heart and that is a continual process; both to receive love and to receive healing into our hearts. Then, to walk in this dominion, requires rest and that requires trust.  Though, it can be difficult to rest when we have a wounded heart, all is attainable, because we have a more than possible God, who made a Way (Jesus) for us, and loves us outrageously, lavishing His love upon us, even now! 

Rest in the Father, and He will make His resting place in you!

The word ‘rest’ is a verb and also a noun; meaning cessation of activity, tranquility, cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength, stand firm, fixed, supported.  Synonyms for rest are repose, relax, lean, lie; and the noun, pause, remnant, remainder, relaxation.  The remnant is a people who know how to rest in the finished work of Jesus, resting in Him, who rests in the Father’s bosom! Rest in the Father, and He will make His resting place in you! God’s people are a royal priesthood, a royal nation, who show forth the praises of Him, living as a family, with Jesus as our elder brother!  He has adopted us as His very own. We belong to Him; approved by God, the Father, in Jesus Himself. He who had no sin, became sin in our place. In Him we live and move and have our being, for we are His offspring!

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For the Spirit which you have now received is not a spirit of slavery to put you once more in bondage to fear, but you have received the Spirit of Adoption, the Spirit producing sonship, in the bliss of which we cry, Abba (Father)! The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are children of God. And if we are His children, then we are His heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, sharing His inheritance with Him; only we must share His suffering if we are to share His glory...Romans 8:14-17
(There will be trials, and He will be with you!) 
My presence goes with you and I will give you rest...Exodus 33:14 My soul finds rest in God alone...Psalm 62:1-2 Return to your rest, my soul;for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you...Psalm 116:7 WEB 
And the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves...Genesis 3:7
By Deborah Fisher

The continuance of this post will follow as 'Choosing the Mantle of Love'...Living loved every day is possible as love makes a way, as we live in the consciousness of His favor and delight of us! ~ Psalms 97:11 Amp.
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Thank you Father, that You, who has begun a good work inside of me and inside of those reading this today, is faithful to complete the work. We set our eyes upon Your gaze and our heart upon the prize, as our journey continues, resting in You!
And we receive and experience the love You are pouring into our hearts, 
even now!