Genesis 50: 15-21: “And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 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. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”
Joseph’s brothers were guilty because they knew that they had behaved very badly towards their own brother. They also judged him by their own standards and expected him to seek revenge as, no doubt, they would have done. They manufactured lie by telling Joseph that their father had specifically commanded him not to take revenge. However, Joseph was made of different stuff and he knew God personally. He understood why he had been through all those years of trials and tribulations. First, he understood that vengeance belongs to the Lord and not to any man (Deut 32: 35, “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence;” and compare Heb 10: 30, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”).Joseph had no business seeking vengeance because he knew the Lord would take care of any vengeance that was needed. He also understood the truth that Paul wrote about as well (Rom 8: 28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”) No matter how people deal with us, if we trust our lives to the Lord then He will work for good. Joseph also predicted the words of the Psalmist (Psalm 119: 65-80, “Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts. Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.”)
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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