But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:19-21
The sovereignty of God. I always get goosebumps when I read this story and it get to these verses. The part where Joseph gently explains to his brothers that their desire to remove him from their lives was part of a bigger plan. This only further illustrates Gods sovereignty.
When you think about it if they had not acted upon their sinful desires, they would not have lived to ask for his forgiveness. Famine would have wiped them out. Imagine that. Who would have married Mary and raised Jesus? Mary’s husband would never have been born. The ripple runs deep here. Take some time and consider the wonder of it all. The grace that Joseph’s brothers received from him is only a glimpse of the grace that was to come for all of us.
Of course I must confess that the many times I have read through this part of the bible; the story of Joseph… I have not always grasp the enormity of it all. The fact the Joseph’s gift of reading dreams would cause his brothers to send him away, save him from death, launch him into a position of status, secure his release from prison and help a nation to survive a famine; it’s just mind boggling. But I also see more works of God when I meditate a bit further. For instance…why was Joseph’s gift so limited? Example; why didn’t his dreams show him his terrible fate at the hands of his brothers? For that matter why didn’t he see in his dream that boasting to his brothers would deepen the bitterness they held toward him? And Potiphar’s wife…why didn’t he see that coming?
Again I have to lean on the understanding that God’s plan and his wisdom is sovereign and that he gives us just enough to work with at just the right times. All in his plan. All in his timing.
My conclusion; Joseph was faithful to God’s visions even though the dreams probably made no sense to him at times. He was God’s instrument. How else can you understand his willingness to forgive his brothers and show them mercy. Do you think Joseph had any idea just how many “lives would be saved” from this series events?
The glory of it all.
Cindi
Sixty-six books in a year 
I like all your ponderings! Joseph’s life was something to marvel at… how God took a life full of suffering but full of joy and made something so beautiful out it. What’s equally amazing to me is that he took his brothers who were murderous and opportunistic and made a nation out of all of them. Will his wonders never cease?! There’s grace everywhere.
If we got to see the whole picture even in a dream we would crumble under the weight of God’s plans. I love that way God’s word gets our brains cranking.
Pingback: Tweets that mention Genesis 50; Luke 3; Job 16,17; 1 Corinthians 4 | Sixty-six books in a year -- Topsy.com
I’m still thinking about Joseph’s story! Back in my Sunday school flannel graph days it was such a tame story, but there are really such cruel and ruthless behaviors in this story and God takes such misery and redeems it. It still makes my head spin. I like Reggie’s comment about the mind crumbling under the weight of God’s plans. So true.