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TRANSCRIPT
You’ve made it! Not just a year in the New Testament but completing almost 3 entire months in the book of Genesis! I want to begin today by congratulating you on this feat! At this point, if you’ve been with us for the entire journey, you’ve read a Bible chapter each Monday – Friday for the last 15 months!
As we get ready to look at the concluding chapter in the book of Genesis, my prayer is not just that you’re able to say you’ve made it, but that God has spoken to you through these devotionals. That you have grown in your biblical understanding on this journey with us.
So today, in Genesis 50, we find a powerful story of forgiveness, reconciliation, and the unwavering trust in God’s sovereignty. Joseph, who has experienced betrayal and hardship throughout his life, emerges as symbol of faith and God’s redemptive power.
The chapter begins in the middle of the story of Jacob’s death and burial. At the conclusion of chapter 49, we learn that Jacob’s last wish is to be buried in the ancestral burial plot in Machpelah, in Canaan. This is important because it was the very plot of land that Abraham bought from Ephron, the Hittite, one of the original inhabitants of the land, in Genesis 23 when his wife Sarah dies. At first, this seems to be an obscure detail for this chapter to include, but this detail is part of the ongoing fulfillment of the land promised to Abraham in Genesis 12.
So Joseph, and his brothers, leave Egypt to do as their father requested and have him buried in the cave of the field at Machpelah in Canaan. Joseph’s brothers become worried, realizing that now since their father is dead, Joseph may decide to take out his anger in revenge towards them and their families for their past betrayal. If you remember back in Genesis 37, Joseph’s brothers had sold him as a slave to a group of Ishmaelites heading to Egypt. He would be later sold again into Potiphar’s family, and by God’s provision, end up becoming second in command over the kingdom of Egypt. Now his brothers are worried because Joseph oversaw all distribution of food during the famine, and they’re scared he’ll decide to quit giving them their rations.
This wasn’t the first time that Joseph’s brothers had feared their actions would bring great consequences. In Genesis 42-45, we read about the exchange that took place between Joseph and his brothers when Joseph didn’t reveal his identity immediately to them after they didn’t recognize him as their brother. But when he did reveal himself to his brothers, they were scared that they wouldn’t find favor with him because of their actions. But Joseph said three times that it was ultimately God who had sent him to Egypt, not his brothers.
In Genesis 50, he gives the same message. In verses 19-21, Joseph gives a powerful statement to his scared brothers saying, “Don’t be afraid. Am in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.”
Other translations say: you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. Now how many of us wish that we could have that same response to those that try to harm us? That promotion that you went around my back to get, you meant it for evil, but God
meant it for good. When you look at the life and legacy of Joseph, we find two clear applications.
1. Practicing forgiveness leads to experiencing healing.
Joseph knew the healing power that comes from practicing forgiveness in everyday life. He knew that God could turn even the most painful experiences into opportunities for growth and redemption. The challenge we’re left with today is to let go of our grudges and trust in God’s ability to bring healing and restoration.
2. Trusting God’s sovereignty leads to experiencing His blessing.
Throughout his life, Joseph faced numerous trials – from being sold into slavery by his brothers to being wrongly accused and imprisoned. Yet, in every circumstance, Joseph maintained his trust in God’s sovereignty.
In the midst of your challenges today, I want to encourage you to trust in God’s sovereignty. Understand that His plans are higher than our own, and even in the darkest moments, He is working for our good. Surrender your fears and your uncertainties to God, believing that He is still in control.