"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."
Genesis 50:20
Part 7
Yesterday: Benjamin “Brings Trouble” to the Brothers
“But God meant it unto good.” (c)
Every challenge that the brothers were facing, God was using to change their hearts.
Today: Joseph and His Brothers Are Reunited!
“But God meant it unto good.” (d)
The sons of Jacob are alone with this unknown Egyptian ruler in his home, and he is standing before them weeping. They still are clueless. Can’t you imagine them looking from brother to brother, wondering what they ought to do now? Slowly the prime minister speaks.
“I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?” (Genesis 45:3b).
The men stood there in stunned silence. Flashback images of the past and their sin against their brother come flooding back. How can this be? Is it possible that Joseph is still alive? Collectively their thoughts must have darkened, “If we can remember what we did to him, surely he does too!” “He’s going to get even with us. He will kill us now!” But this man did not seem angry. His actions have been nothing but gracious, and he seemed grateful and pleased to see them. His tears were not of anger but joy. Somehow, God miraculously brought Joseph and his brothers together again!
“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt” (Genesis 45:4).
Joseph then caringly gave his brothers a practical lesson in their God and how He works in lives.
“And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 45:5-8, ESV[1]).
There was no animosity in Joseph’s heart against his brothers. He had forgiven them years earlier. For years he watched as God worked in his life. How could God have used Joseph as he did if Joseph was not right with Him and forgiving his family? This reunion for Joseph must have been a little bittersweet. For many years he had longed for his family and home, but he watched God do great things through him here in his adopted country. Now he and his brothers are reunited, and they now know who he is. For his brothers, this reunion must have begun in great fear that gradually eased as they saw their brother had no interest in harming them. Joseph never said to his brothers that what they did to him was not evil. In fact, he let them know they were wrong. Their motives and their intentions were purely evil.
In it all, Joseph saw God’s hand working, and he understood this principle,
“Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (Psalm 76:10).
Psalm 105 shares what God had done for Jacob’s family.
“Moreover He [the sovereign God] called for a famine upon the land: He brake the whole staff of bread. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant” (Psalm 105:16-17).
All the past years’ events “happened” so that Joseph would be in place when it was time for God to move his family to Egypt. The LORD used the sin of Joseph’s brothers to bring glory and praise to His name.
“God cannot in any sense be the author of sin so far as to be morally responsible for its existence, but it often happens through the evil which is inherent in human nature that the acts of the Lord arouse the ill-feelings of ungodly men”[2] (Spurgeon).
When the brothers sold Joseph, they were definitely acting like ungodly men. But God can even use the works of evil men to bring about His glory.
Come back tomorrow as we see Joseph and his father, Jacob, united.
Quote: “The furnace of affliction is a good place for you, Christian; it benefits you; it helps you to become more like Christ, and it is fitting you for heaven”[3] (Spurgeon).
[1] ESV is the English Standard Version.
[2] Spurgeon’s quote is from the Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 105.
[3] Spurgeon’s quote Downloaded: Wednesday, August 4, 2021. From: https://gracequotes.org/topic/affliction/.