Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
As I watch world events in the past few weeks, I see many people and even governments looking at the changes in Afghanistan with great anxiety. The past centuries in that country have been tumultuous to say the least, but the great question I perceive hanging over the entire world right now is this: ‘Will terrorism root itself once again in Afghanistan and then spill out over many nations terrorizing millions of people all around the world?’
By the way my friends, this same fear permeates cities which are ensnared in drug cartel wars or gang wars or mafia wars, in many places around the world. In fact, living in the fear of retaliation is something most every person in the world understands because conflict almost always plants seeds for future conflict, even generation after generation. In our journey with Joseph this very issue, the fear of retaliation, rises up in their family after the amazing funeral of their father and patriarch Jacob.
The Genesis records says: “When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to each other ‘what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” (Gen. 50:15) If you’ve been with us in the story of Joseph, you understand why these brothers would be fearing Joseph’s retaliation, don’t you? They had brutally sold Joseph as a slave when he was only 17 years old, and then they’d lied about it to their father Jacob, claiming perhaps an animal had killed Joseph, when they presented him with Joseph’s blood stained coat.
But that was 40 years ago, and in the past 17 years Joseph had not only told his brothers that he forgave them, but he’d brought them to Egypt to survive the famine, and he’d blessed them with the bounty of Egypt. So why should they fear? Oh you know why, don’t you? We’ve all likely been in their shoes. The brothers were afraid Joseph’s kindness to them would last only as long as their father Jacob was alive and watching. As soon as he was dead and gone, then Joseph’s anger would likely flair up and retaliation would come upon them.
Have you found my friends that you and I tend to project onto others what we ourselves feel or think? I think those brothers were fearful because when they imagined themselves in Joseph’s sandals, they knew they would likely take revenge after their father died. Do you see the dramatic difference between Joseph’s heart and theirs? In fact, the brothers were so fearful and deceit still had such a deep root in them that they made a plan to deceive Joseph. The record says: “The brothers sent word to Joseph saying ‘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 wrongs they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.’ When their message came to Joseph he wept.” (Gen. 50:15-17) So let me ask you my friends, why do suppose Joseph wept?
In the 17 years Jacob lived in Egypt which of all his sons do you suppose he tried to spend the most time with? Which of all his sons do you suppose he most confided his secrets and his deepest emotions to? Joseph of course. So Joseph knew, if Jacob had wanted Joseph to hear this message, he would have said it directly to Joseph, of course. Do you suppose Joseph was weeping because he sees in this deception that his brothers haven’t really changed from who they were 40 years ago!?
So may I ask, how much have you changed, my friends, in the past 40 years, or the past 10 years, or even the past one year? Is God doing a great and ongoing change work in you, refining you to be more and more the person He has designed you to be? The person who will bring God the greatest glory in your potential?
Do you also see Joseph’s brothers not only lied about their father by claiming he said things that he hadn’t said, but also by using God’s name in their deception? Now that’s dangerous my friends! When we start including God in our lies, our deception, our manipulation of others, that is a very dangerous thing to do. That’s profaning the Holy character of God and God will not tolerate this for long! That’s the powerful truth of Ezekiel chapter 36 and I urge you to read that chapter to see for yourselves!
Look carefully at what happened to Joseph and his brothers… there are lessons to be learned here my friends! Genesis 50:18 says: “Joseph’s brothers came and threw themselves down before him saying, ‘we are your slaves.’ But Joseph said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I 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 don’t be afraid…” WOW… let’s just stand there among them for a moment. Look at their faces, look deeply into their fearful eyes. Not only is Joseph forgiving them and reassuring them he will not retaliate against them or their children, Joseph is challenging them to do something his father Jacob should have done but never did. Joseph is calling his brothers to recognize what GOD has been doing in accomplishing HIS much larger purpose and being true to His Covenant promises, which stretch back more than 150 years to their great grandfather Abraham!
Very rarely do we have any record of Jacob calling his sons around him to explain the Covenant promises God had given to Abraham, then Isaac and finally to Jacob. Now Joseph is taking the spiritual leadership of this family… do you see that my friends? Do you understand how vital, how critical, how essential it is in EVERY family, that someone steps up and takes the spiritual leadership role and draws the family to recognize the work of God, and more… to know and understand God?
I can’t tell you how Joseph had come to know God during his 13 years as a slave in Egypt, but it’s clear he protected his heart from anger and his mind from planning retaliation, if he ever had the chance to repay his brothers. Rather Joseph focused on keeping his own reputation clean, and seeking to honor God with every aspect of his life… even as a slave and wrongly imprisoned. As a result, not only did God give Joseph the ability to interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams, and then the ability to lead Egypt through those years of both bounty and famine, God also gave Joseph the ability to understand the much larger work and purposes of God in saving many people from starvation.
Let’s pause right here my friends… ponder what I’ve just said. Ponder what unfair injustices have been done to Joseph and yet how he was able to protect his heart and mind from all the attitudes which could have destroyed his potential. Ponder how God has guided Joseph, protected Joseph, blessed Joseph and given Joseph amazing wisdom so now Joseph can lead his large, extended family morally, ethically and spiritually. Look closely at yourself my friends, do you see how God is trying to work this in your life as well? Spend some time right now in reflection, in prayer and talk with Jesus about this matter of retaliation and spiritual leadership.
I’ve found a song that might be just where your heart is today, here’s the link my friends…
Today’s Scripture is Genesis 50:15-21.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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