Verse for the Day, 6 June 2014.

Genesis 50:15-21  When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him."  (16)  So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died:  (17)  'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him.  (18)  His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."  (19)  But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?  (20)  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.  (21)  So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

The passing away of Jacob and the time of mourning over his death has now come to an end, the sons of Joseph have obediently done as their father requested concerning his burial. Now the bothers turn from mourning to fear, fear that Joseph may have been restraining his anger against his brothers for the sake of their father, but now that Jacob has died Joseph will avenge himself. Therefore they send a message to Joseph in the hope that it might cause Joseph to turn away from seeking revenge. We cannot verify if Jacob did in fact say these words to the brothers, but these words would be in keeping with Jacob’s character and life. Jacob knew what it was to sin against a brother, he knew the guilt, remorse, shame and fear it produced, and how it divided their family. Jacob would be eager for his family to remain united, to seek forgiveness and to extend forgiveness, to receive grace and to extend grace.

Whatever fears the brothers may have had are quickly put to rest by Joseph’s comforting and kind words. In these words, Joseph demonstrates a great understand of justice, God’s character and God’s purposes. He has come to understand that vengeance and justice is ultimately in the hands of God and will be executed by God. It is not his place or position to be judge, jury and executioner. He had learnt long ago, as he languished in prison, to entrust himself, his cause and those who had sinned against him into God’s hands and into God’s justice. Joseph had also come to see the goodness and faithfulness of God, even through the wickedness of his brothers, the lies and false accusations of Potiphar’s wife and the forgetfulness of the cup-bearer. God not only remained faithful to Joseph, but worked through all those people, circumstances and events, for Joseph’s good. Finally Joseph had learnt to trust in God’s purposes. All that had happened to Joseph, though it may have been extremely painful and distressing, was not for an empty purpose or reason. God had a plan and purpose, God knew the future, and thus God set all things in place so that Joseph might be in such a position and place. This doesn’t excuse the sinful actions of the brothers or of Potiphar’s wife, rather it reveals that God’s plan and purposes are not derailed by the sinful actions of man. God planned and purposed that Joseph would rise to prominence in Egypt so that he could preserve his family in a time of great drought. In fact this plan and purpose goes even further back for God revealed to Abraham (Genesis 15) that his descendants would leave the land for a time, but then return to it prosperous and in great number. God is working through Joseph to this end. Having learnt all this Joseph now extends to his brothers the same goodness, grace and mercy that God has given to him, and he pledges to care for them all.

We need to learn from Joseph’s example, entrusting ourselves to God, remembering that God is faithful, good, sovereign and just. Like Joseph, we need to be willing, quick to forgive and extend grace to those who have sinned against us, seeking after greater unity in the church. Finally, we can rejoice in the fact that God does have a plan and purpose; our lives are not empty and meaningless journeys through life. God desires and wants to use us in His Kingdom work, all we need do is to respond with willing and obedient hearts.

Faithful, good, sovereign and just God, we pray that we might daily entrust ourselves to You, resting in Your plan and purpose and walking in obedience. Our desire is to glorify You with our lives, we pray that You would work through us to that end. We pray too, that we might walk in the footsteps of Joseph and more importantly Christ, as we seek to extend grace and forgiveness to those who sin against us. Amen.