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.” Genesis 50:15 ESV
In Genesis 50, Joseph’s brothers are terrified because their father died. Joseph is one of the most powerful men in Egypt and they are worried that without their father, Joseph will take revenge for all the wrong his brothers did him. However, Joseph does not have revenge in mind.
His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 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. So do not fear, I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:18-20 ESV
Joseph’s response shows his trust in God and reveals how God worked everything together in the end. Not only is his family safe and well in Egypt, but many people were also saved through Egypt’s famine preparations that Joseph put into place. God’s hand on Joseph ultimately turned all the horrible things that happened to him into blessings. Even though Joseph went through incredible hardships, his life had a happy ending.
So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation…And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob…and you shall carry up my bones from here” Genesis 50:22-25 ESV
God blessed Joseph with long life and the promise that his family will eventually leave Egypt and head to the land God promised to give to Abraham.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:4-6 ESV
Just as Joseph and his descendants were heirs to God’s covenant with Abraham, so I am an heir to God’s covenant through Christ. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, I am adopted by God and share in God’s covenant.
Dear God, thank you for send Jesus to die for my sins. Thank you for adopting me into your covenant and sending your Spirit into my heart. Please help me follow You and grow closer to You. In Your Holy Name, Amen.
Nathanael (nborger2017)
Sixty-six books in a year 