June 27, 2024
Repaying Evil -- Part 4
Genesis 50:19-20
06/27/2024
19 But Joseph said to them, ``Do not fear, for am I
in the place of God?
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God
meant it for good, to bring it about that many
people should be kept alive, as they are today.''
(ESV)
A bit less than 2000 years before the birth of Jesus, during
a great famine, the Jewish patriarch, Jacob, and his family moved
to Egypt. Several years earlier, Joseph, one of Jacob's sons,
had declared that in some future date both his father and
brothers would bow before him. For this prideful statement, and
because of jealousy, the brothers sold Joseph into slavery.
It came to pass, after being falsely accused of adultery,
Joseph was imprisoned. Eventually, because he could interpret
Pharaoh's dream about the coming famine, Joseph became the second
highest ruler in Egypt. Indeed, his father and brothers did bow
to him.
But now Jacob was dead, and the brothers, fearing
retribution for their past evil towards Joseph, confessed their
guilt, expecting severe punishment.
But Joseph said to them, ``Do not fear, for am I in the
place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me,
but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many
people should be kept alive, as they are today.''
Had Joseph sinned against his brothers? Yes, the sin of
pride. Did his brothers sin? Yes, attempted murder. Yet,
Joseph repented and was forgiven. Joseph gave the same
forgiveness, complete and without conditions, to his brothers.
``Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us.'' Our prayer is to forgive in the way Joseph
forgave, the way that God forgives us, full and complete pardon
without conditions.
May our Lord grant us the desire to forgive as we have been
forgiven. Amen.