June 24, 2024
Repaying Evil -- Part 1
Genesis 50:15
06/24/2024
15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was
dead, they said, ``It may be that Joseph will hate
us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to
him.'' (ESV)
Each time we recite the Lord's Prayer we say, ``Forgive us
our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.'' We
ask God to apply the same standard which we apply when dealing
with people who have caused us great harm.
This week's Old Testament lesson is about Joseph, the Prince
of Egypt, forgiving his brothers. Moses, the author of Genesis,
wrote: ``When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead,
they said, `It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back
for all the evil that we did to him.'''
What evil did Joseph's brothers commit against him? They
first were going to kill him, but relented and placed him in a
waterless pit. He remained there until the brothers saw a
caravan of traders to whom they sold Joseph into slavery. As a
slave in Egypt, Joseph was falsely accused of adultery and
imprisoned for a number of years. Only as he was able to
interpret the dream of Pharaoh, and avert a disastrous famine,
was Joseph released from prison to become second in Egypt.
Joseph had a lot of problems caused by his brothers, and was
in a position to give just payment for their actions. Yet, as we
will learn, Joseph forgave his brothers in the same way that God
had forgiven and blessed him.
May our Lord grant you the peace of knowing your sins are
forgiven, and the grace to forgive others. Amen.