Genesis 43-45

January 15

Genesis 43-45

The truth is revealed. His brothers had not recognized him and Joseph had made his brothers jump through the hoops to see if they had changed since the day they threw him into the pit, then sold him into slavery. When Joseph threatened to keep his only full brother, Benjamin, as his slave for stealing his cup, Judah stepped up. Judah offered to take the punishment for Benjamin. He offered to stay as Joseph’s slave instead of Benjamin. Judah, who had the idea of selling Joseph to the Ishmaelites, was now willing to defend his youngest brother.

Joseph had every right in our minds to be bitter. He had every right to want revenge. He had the opportunity to do whatever he wanted to his brothers who hated him and sold him as a slave. Joseph could have returned evil for evil and most people would not blame him for his actions. But Joseph looked at things different. Joseph did not see that his brothers abandoned him and sold him as a slave. Joseph saw God orchestrating a means to save Joseph and his family. Joseph believed God had sent him ahead of his family in order to save them in the midst of the famine.  Joseph told them; “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God." (Genesis 45:8A, NIV)

Joseph was an optimist. What do we do when someone does us wrong? Do we look to see if God is working out something better for us or for others or do we get bitter and look for ways to get revenge?

It would have been easy for Joseph to get bitter. He went from being Jacob’s favored so to being a slave in Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of attempted rape so he went to prison. He was forgotten by the cupbearer after sharing the meaning of his dream. Up to the point when he interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph looked like a total failure. He could have cursed God and blamed God and all the people for his situation. Joseph had not done anything wrong to deserve the treatment he got. (Other than being a bratty teenager)

Paul wrote to the church in Rome; “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV) Not everything is good, but God works in all things for the good of those who love Him. Joseph understood this principal. If we can begin to grasp the fact that God loves us more than we can imagine and that He work for out good, we can begin to look for the good in any situation instead of looking for revenge.