We all have received the first garment, and there is no problem regarding our salvation. We are saved and we shall spend eternity with the Lord. This is more certain than a policy from the most trustworthy insurance company. But what about the second garment? We cannot at the present time be as certain of this as we are of the first garment, for we may not have paid the necessary premium for this second policy. We need to gain the second garment so that we may receive the reward. Praise the Lord that both the objective garment and the subjective garment are gifts! Both have been given by the Father to the Son, and the Son has given them to us. If you asked me if I have these two garments, I would answer, "I certainly have the first garment, and the second garment is within me and it is in the process of coming out." You also have received the second garment and have it within you. Now you need to pray, "Lord Jesus, process Yourself out of me. Lord Jesus, come out of me to be my second garment." We all need this garment.

Related to the second garment is the third item, the golden chain placed around Joseph's neck. In the Bible a chained neck signifies a subdued will. When the children of Israel were disobedient, the Lord referred to them as a stiff-necked people (Exo. 32:9). It would be very uncomely for a person with a stiff neck to wear a golden chain. It would be beautiful, however, to see a golden chain on a neck that is bowed. The chained neck signifies a will that has been conquered and subdued to obey God's commandment. When your neck has been conquered and subdued in this way, it is chained. Have you ever seen a woman wearing a necklace while quarreling with her husband? I have. When I saw this, I said to myself, "You should take off that necklace. Since you are being stiff-necked, you should not be wearing a necklace." Even a man's necktie is a type of chain. There is an amount of refinement related to wearing such a chain. The golden chain on the neck signifies the Spirit for obedience. Acts 5:32 says that the Spirit is given to those who obey God. Hence, the Spirit is given not only as a gift for salvation, but also for obedience.

How I admire the sequence of the things in the Bible. If I had listed the gifts given to Joseph, I would have mentioned the ring first, then the chain, and finally the garments. When I was young, I was bothered by the fact that the garments are mentioned before the golden chain. But the sequence of the three gifts in verse 42 is according to the spiritual sequence. In the spiritual sequence we firstly receive the Spirit for salvation. This is the seal. Then we receive the garment of righteousness, and we begin to live out Christ. In order to live out Christ, we need to have a chain on our neck. This means that our neck must be conquered, subdued, and chained by the Holy Spirit. Oh, the Holy Spirit will chain you! It will chain your stiff neck and cause it to be soft and subdued. Many saints in the church life have had their necks chained.

This is even true of some of the teenagers among us. When I was a teenager, I had a stiff neck. Although my mother loved me very much, my neck was still very stiff. Many of you teenagers are like this. However, when you call on the Lord Jesus, you are spontaneously chained. The Lord puts His chain on your neck, and your neck is softened and subdued. Sometimes your disposition may cause you to be unhappy with your mother. Nevertheless, because your neck has been chained, it is no longer as stiff as it used to be. When your neck was so stiff, there was no chain on it. But today you have been chained by the Holy Spirit, chained by the Spirit for obedience. Thus, others can see on your neck the beauty of the Holy Spirit for obedience expressed in your submission. You have been subdued, and you are submissive to your mother and father. Someone may say, "When I am eighteen years of age, I will have my freedom." This is not the testimony of a person chained with a golden chain. One who has a chain on his neck is submissive to his parents and to his teachers. When your neck is chained, it bears a certain type of beauty, the golden beauty of the Spirit for obedience.

These are the gifts received by our Joseph and passed on to us. I can boast that on my hand I have a ring, that around my entire being I have a robe, and that another robe is coming out from within me along with the golden chain around my neck. Hallelujah, Christ has received gifts and He has passed all these gifts on to me! Now I also have received gifts in Him. All this is typified by Joseph.