The Practical Redemption Of Man

The Life Of Joseph, Session #11 - The Redemption Of A Country

Intro.

- When he came to Egypt, Jacob committed Joseph to the long term plan that God had committed to him.

• Genesis 47:29-31 : “When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, ‘Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.’ And he said, ‘I will do as you have said.’ Then he said, ‘Swear to me.’ And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.”

- Israel, Jacob, lived in Egypt for 17 years and then died. At this point, Joseph is 50 years old. He’s been in Egypt for 33 years.

- Jacob has taken care of family business in Genesis 48 and 49 and now it is time for Joseph to fulfill his oath to his father.

• Genesis 50:4-6 : “And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, "Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me. Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ And Pharaoh said, ‘Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.’”

- The procession was impressive, as a full contingent of Egyptians came, as well as all Jacob’s family.

- Just like every funeral, family that hate each other, leave the baggage behind them for the sake of the moment. But just like every family, the dust settles and the old issues surface.

• Genesis 50:14-18 : “And after he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers and all who went up with him to bury his father. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.’ So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, ‘Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: ‘I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.’ And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, ‘Behold, we are your servants.’”

- Today, in our last session on this incredible man, Joseph teaches us a valuable lesson.

- In all the years that we have seen Joseph, we have never quite seen what he thought about the offense against him.

- His reporting of it is always factual, lacking in discernible emotion.

- But how did he handle what had happened to him emotionally, theologically?

- I read yesterday in "Annie's Mailbox," a newspaper advice column, the following letter:

Dear Annie:

Recently while reading the paper, my wife came

across the obituary of my stepfather. Talk about a shock!

My siblings did not even include me in the family listing of

survivors. I was devastated and angry.

When I called my sister, she said these were our step-father's

wishes because I had "deserted the family." I admit I haven't

been around much, but with good reason. THIRTY years ago, I

was in the Army. When I came home for Mom's funeral, my

step-Father shunted me off to relatives in another town. It was

all downhill from there.

After my discharge, I lived in another state, married and had

three great kids. I kept in contact with my family and visited

occasionally, but they never saw my home, despite frequent

invitations.

I moved back to their town 13 years ago. Not one of them called

or came by. When my step-Father saw me on the street, he

acted as if he didn't know me.

In my step-Father's will, I was given $100, while my siblings got

thousands. Do I have grounds to sue them?

Hurting in Brevard, N.C.

- What we learn this week, is the response of Joseph. I wish this man could hear it too!

- Let me say that the reason why may be that it took this long for him to come to this response. It may have taken 33 years for him to come to the great realizations that help deal with offenses and the problem of evil.

- I will suggest again that this is not the entire teaching on the problem of evil. This is just a good synopsis of how Joseph dealt with what evil had been dealt to him.

- Three verses, three statements, sum it up.

I. God Is The Just Judge (v.19)

II. God Has A Good Purpose (v.20)

III. God Blesses You Through Me (v.21)

Text

I. God Is The Just Judge (v.19)

• Genesis 50:19 : “Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?” : The men were afraid for their lives and as well they should be.

- But Joseph tells them that they are not to be afraid of him. Why?

- Because, as he rhetorically states, he is not the one who has that responsibility.

- This despite the fact that Joseph clearly has the power and would be justified, at least in the eyes of the world, to repay the brothers with, at least, lengthy prison stays.

- But Joseph does not have it in him. He leaves his case before the Lord, that He might deal with it.

- It is the place of God to judge and deal with the injustices of this world. Ironically, if we fear Hin now, we will never need to fear Him then!

- This Joseph understood and wisely refuses to take justice into his own hand.

- This is the clear biblical teaching on the subject, throughout the scriptures. Three examples:

- David, annointed by Samuel to replace the rejected King Saul, is chased wrongfully into the wilderness. Saul pursues him endlessly, but is never able to catch him.

- On two occasions, David has the opportunity to end the pursuit and Saul’s life.

- On the second occasion, David sneaks into the camp at night when Saul is sleeping.

- The guys that are with him assure David that this is the Lord’s appointment.

- David can end this unrighteous pursuit and put his men at ease by simply killing Saul, who was a ruthless hunter.

- What does David say?

• I Samuel 26:9-11 : “And David said to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?’ David said furthermore, ‘As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.’”

- Powerful testimony. What about the example of Paul, chased out of towns by his own countrymen, stoned or beaten on various occasions, at one point receiving the maximum amount of stripes that could be given?

- What does he say about his countrymen?

• Romans 10:1 : “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.”

- Alright, so here’s one for our day. How are many of our disputes ended today: In Court!

- What does Paul say specifically toward that end?

• I Corinthians 6:5-7 : “I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?”

- Joseph does not clear them of wrong, nor is he weak for not taking matters into his own hand. Rather, because he fears the Lord, he recognizes that it would be improper for him to put himself in that position.

- Why? Because his judgment would be unfair and impartial. God’s judgment system is perfect. Are you in the place of God? Good question!

II. God Has A Good Purpose (v.20)

• Genesis 50:20 : “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”

- You guys meant to do evil against me! Your intentions were evil.

- There was nothing good about the action that they had taken, no redeeming value to it.

- It was thoroughly against Joseph, intended to harm.

- I make a bit about that because Joseph is laying it out the way it is. This action was intentionally evil and thoroughly intended against Joseph personally.

- Note he does not avoid that. He calls it like it was. He owns the pain.

- Ah, BUT GOD! God meant it for good!

- Notice a few things: God does not invent, inspire, condone or employee evil to bring about good. He is not the author of evil.

- However, whatever is meant against us, however evil, God turns for a good purpose.

- In Joseph’s case, it was the physical salvation of lives!

- Many people were saved physically because of what happened with Joseph.

- Paul quotes this in sentiment in his letter to the Romans.

• Romans 8:28 : “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

- God is working toward a good purpose, HIS PURPOSE!

- And think about what His purpose is: To save!

- What offenses or bad things have happened in your life, that you have seen God turn around for good? How bout a divorce? Death in the family? Cheated out of money?

- I have seen each of these horrific things happen, and God still turn it around for good, even to save.

- A nasty divorce, turns into a “chance meeting” with another person, who turns out to be a faithful, life-long partner.

- A tragic death of a young person, leads to the salvation of an entire family at the funeral service.

- A business partner, cheated out of millions of dollars, decides not to sue, God blesses him with a more lucrative opportunity that he would not otherwise been free to pursue.

- God is good, all the time, in spite of any incidence that would feel otherwise in the short-term circumstance!

- God has a purpose and it will not be thwarted by time or our unbelief!

III. God Blesses You Through Me (v.21)

• Genesis 50:21 : “Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” : What has happened up to now reflects Joseph’s attitude. What we see next reflects Joseph’s actions.

- I am in a position of power, Joseph says. What he does with that power is instructive.

- He chooses to bless. “I will provide.”

- You deserve the death penalty and do not get it; that’s mercy!

- You deserve the death penalty, but get a new life of freedom instead; that’s grace!

- One of my favorite Bible College profs, Pastor Larry Taylor, said once that grace was “God’s favor toward the infinitely ill-deserving!” We see it exemplified here.

- I will provide for you, the ones who injured and intended evil toward me!

- And to their little ones. My goodness, graciousness will not end with your life. They will be taken care of as well!

- He comforted them, easing their hearts to believe the unbelievable.

- He spoke kindly to them, affirming them in the love that he had for them.

- What a lovely picture and what a brilliant thought: We know that we have embraced God’s justice and believed His purpose, when we show His love by our actions to those who would be our enemies!

- Joseph could not have been a blessing were it not for this reality.

- The blessing would have stopped with Joseph had he held bitterness or anger.

- Because he did not and he recognized God’s providential hand over his life and circumstances, the blessings flowed through him to them!

Conclusion

- God redeemed, saved, Joseph from intended evil, from false accusation, from forgetful men. In the meantime, he redeemed, used Joseph’s pedigree, his faithfulness, his skill set.

- Here God redeems his temperment. As we finish, do you believe in God’s ability to handle your case?

- Do you believe that He is working something good?

- Your actions will answer these questions. Let our faith be seen in what we do!