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Joseph and His Brothers, Part 1

Sam Stringer

Jan 7, 2025

16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he
died: 17 'Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin,
because they did evil to you."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants
of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also
came and a fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19 But Joseph
said to them, "Do not fear, for a am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil
against me, but a God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept
alive, as they are today. (Gen. 50:16-20 ESV)

There’s multiple lessons that could be drawn from this passage, so for the next few days, that’s
exactly what I want to do. For today’s lesson, rather than focusing on Joseph, I want us to look
more at the brothers. Let’s draw some very simple conclusions here in this lesson on how not to
be. You know, some people teach us how to be and some people teach us how not to be; some
folks teach us what to do, and some what not to do. We’re all capable of being teachers of both,
aren’t we? Nevertheless, in this passage, there’s a negative that is on display with the brothers
from which we might draw some wisdom.

Lesson #1: be honest and do right to others before God. You see, for the brothers, this was not
a day of joy in this passage, but of grave fear. All they can muster up is a plea in appealing to
their father’s wish that Joseph forgive them. Why? Because they did their brother wrong,
incredible wrong. Those who choose to deceive and plot for their own selfish ends, (and the
world is full of them), cannot own their “wins” without the guilt and shame that they must
inevitably suppress. All was fine and in the past for Joseph’s brothers until their past caught up
with them as they stood before the brother that they’d turned against, sold into slavery, and then
turned to lie about his death. He was off of their radars and because of that, little stood to
provoke their consciences, but when anyone does wrong and the truth comes to light, there is
no celebration, is there? We must remember that Joseph had already welcomed them in by this
time and blessed them and their families and Jacob. The terror had already passed once, but
now that Jacob was dead, it was there again. Why? Because people who live by deceit will
begin to project that very character onto others, expecting the same meals that they have
learned to dish out themselves. Don’t be like this; no one who achieves their ends by deceit and
manipulation and powerplays can ever in good conscience before God “own” their wins. They
must live in denial to sleep well. Don’t do that.

Lesson #2: have a biblical view of God. You see, it was Joseph who looked at all of the
circumstances in view of God’s sovereignty in this passage, not the brothers. Their eyes seem
to have been looking quite horizontally. The more we live for the temporary pleasures and
acquisitions and accomplishments of this world, the more we will take our eyes off of God and
fail to see His hand in the matters of life. What a shame, because there is a beauty to seeing
God in the happenings of our circumstances; those who abandon waiting on Him, playing by His
rules, accepting His boundaries and so forth must inevitably begin to see all things in a rather
materialistic, unspiritual manner. Even when people who have grown to see things horizontally
are reminded of vertical, spiritual realities, it doesn’t hit all that well because of how much
they’ve grown accustomed to not thinking that way. Remember that sleepy eyes and
indifference on a Sunday morning do not mean the sermon isn’t exactly what God wants spoken
for the day. God blessed the brothers on that day not only by Joseph’s mercy, but also by His
own form of mercy in that they were reminded of God’s authority over even their own wicked
actions. They had their own intentions, but it was God’s plans that won out and will always do
so.

I encourage you and I to think future-tense about the decisions we make today. What we may
override in our consciences in the moment may prove to be a far greater weight to bear down
the road. Get your wins with integrity and see God rightly. Be blessed, be brave.

Sam Stringer

Braver Than Lions

©2024 by Braver Than Lions

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