Here in this last chapter of Genesis, we will learn from Joseph of what does it mean to believe that God is really good. Just a bit of background again, that Joseph was once betrayed by his brothers. They envy him because he is dad’s favourite son, even at first they thought of killing him, but then Judah proposed to sell him to the Ishmaelites. Can we imagine being Joseph? What will we feel? The Bible clearly exposed to us how Joseph feels about this. Genesis 41:51 tells us that Joseph was in grieve - He named his sons the first “Manasseh” means that God made him forget all his trouble and all his father’s household. The second “Ephraim” means that God has made him fruitful in the land of his suffering. He was grieved and suffered because of what his brothers did to him. I wonder how he feels when he first met his brothers again. The story told us that Joseph pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. He must recalled of what happen in the old days, bitter and painful feeling of the past might come across his memory. Yes, Joseph was now the prince of Egypt, but that didn’t make any reason for him to forget all his bitter past. Joseph has gone to be a slave, and even be as a prisoner before he actually become the prince of Egypt. Are any of us now in a similar situation? Where we were outcast or betrayed by a family member? a close friend? a spouse? Are we in a situation where we were being hurt by someone else’s action? we are not alone.. God knows how we feel.. and therefore there is such story in the Bible.
The chapter started after Jacob (their father) has died, and it was noted that Joseph’s brother was afraid that because their father has passed away, and so there won’t be anyone that could hold Joseph’ payback time. They wonder if Joseph still holds a grudge against them, and so they said to Joseph by taking their father’s name as a supporting argument so that Joseph won’t take any vengeance: “Your father left these instructions before he died: This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph has all the right to punish them, but he did not do so. Joseph wept the Bible noted, it maybe because he remembered the pain once again. Humanly speaking it was hard to forgive, isn’t it? It was really hard, that Joseph cried, and this was not the first time the bible noted that Joseph cried. Again, the Bible gives us an example, that yes.. our pain is real.. and it really hurts us. But this was what Joseph did and said to them:
But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 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. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19-21 ESV)
Let us look in more details of what can we learn from the response Joseph made to his brothers:
1. Only God has the right to punish
“Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?” Joseph knows that he is not God. God is the ultimate judge of all things because He has the highest wisdom, and at the end of the day, every sin is ultimately a sin against God, and not us. Romans 12:19 says: Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[a] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
2. In ALL things, God has good purpose (God is good, ALL the time)
“...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.” Indeed they did evil to Joseph, and he did not deny that, but Joseph knows and look beyond of what can be seen by sight. To Joseph, beyond everything else, he knew that it was God who sent him to Egypt, and not because of his brothers action (Genesis 45:5). Joseph knew that God is the ultimate governor of the universe - He is a sovereign God - nothing happens outside of His will. So if it happen, God must meant something - and that something must be good. This is a faith of a true believer, a faith that understand that nothing is a coincidence, even when suffering comes, or trouble seems to overwhelm us. To understand fully that God is good, and that He has a good purpose in everything meaning that we can live a life such that we won’t take grudge against other people that do us harm, we won’t murmur to bad situation, and we won’t stress or anxious just like people who do not believe in God.
Romans 28:8 says that “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
After we read through the end of Genesis, we then find God has intention to send Joseph ahead to Egypt, that is to preserve His people: from draught (physically), and idolatry because of their inter-marriage and influences from the Canaanites (spiritually). God put and lead Joseph through a series of chain event, so that through Joseph, God can bless His people. What a (mysterious and good) plan God had!
Joseph did not have this text, but he believed in what’s written in it. He believed that God works in ALL things for good purpose. Did we read that? ALL not SOME. We do have this verse written in the Bible, do we believe it? How should we show it in our action?
3. Evil to be repaid with forgiveness and kindness
Knowing that God has the final authority, and that He is a good ALL the time to us, should make us humble to forgive and be kind to other people even to our enemies. Because we have received God’s mercy, we were once God’s enemies, but he loved us, and sacrifice Himself for us, and so it is our response to repay kindness to those who meant evil for us.
Again, knowing that if God has good purpose to us, then those who meant evil to us, is actually attacking or against God Himself, because that means they tried to cancel His goodness to us. But we do not need to be worry, because God has overcome evil, even God can make good use of it for His Glory.
Genesis begins with God who is the creator and sustainer of all things, and ends with Joseph who proclaims that God is indeed the creator and sustainer of his life and his people through his life. Even through his dead, Joseph proclaims that God is the one that can be trusted, because He will sustained His people, and keep His promise by bringing them back to the promised land (one day).
For us today, God’s character stand still.. and true.. that He is the Creator, and the Sustainer of our life. He meant it for good for those that believe in Him; for those that He has predestined to love Him - that is: His people; and His promise stands true.. that someday He will bring us home, because right now.. God is preparing a place for us, His children (John 14:3).
Amen,
Paul Hartono
Comments