Hebrews 12:15 CSB – Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.
Galatians 5:14-15 CSB – For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.
Galatians 5:22-23 CSB – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
Joseph’s Brothers Beg for Help
Genesis 42:6-7 CSB – Joseph was in charge of the country…. His brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. 7 When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them.
The Brothers Tested
Test 1
Genesis 42:8-15 CSB – Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land.”
“No, my lord. Your servants have come to buy food,” they said. 11 “We are all sons of one man. We are honest; your servants are not spies.”
12 “No,” he said to them. “You have come to see the weakness of the land.”
13But they replied, “We, your servants, were twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no longer living.”
14Then Joseph said to them, “I have spoken: ‘You are spies!’ 15 This is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.
Genesis 42:21-24 CSB – Then they said to each other, “Obviously, we are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his deep distress when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this trouble has come to us.”
22 But Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to harm the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. Now we must account for his blood!”
They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept.
Psalm 32:3-4 CSB – When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was drained as in the summer’s heat.
Psalm 32:1 CSB – How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the LORD does not charge with iniquity …
Test 2
Genesis 43:16 CSB – When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his steward, “Take the men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they will eat with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph had said and brought them to Joseph’s house.
18 But the men were afraid because they were taken to Joseph’s house. They said, “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time. They intend to overpower us, seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”
Proverbs 10:9 CSB – The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out.
Isaiah 57:2 CSB – He will enter into peace — they will rest on their beds— everyone who lives uprightly.
Genesis 42:23 CSB – Then the steward said, “May you be well. Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your bags. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.
Genesis 42:26-34 CSB – When Joseph came home, they brought him the gift they had carried into the house, and they bowed to the ground before him.
27 He asked if they were well, and he said, “How is your elderly father that you told me about? Is he still alive?”
28 They answered, “Your servant our father is well. He is still alive.” And they knelt low and paid homage to him.
29 When he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother that you told me about?” Then he said, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room and wept there.
31 Then he washed his face and came out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”
32 They served him by himself, his brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who were eating with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, since that is detestable to them.
33 They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. 34 Portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, and Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of theirs.
Genesis 44:4b CSB – ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Isn’t this the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wrong!’”
Genesis 44:7&9 CSB –
7 They said to him, “Why does my lord say these things? Your servants could not possibly do such a thing….
9 If it is found with one of us, your servants, he must die….
Genesis 44:11-13 CSB – So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Then they tore their clothes, and each one loaded his donkey and returned to the city.
Genesis 44:18&20 CSB – Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please let your servant speak personally….. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.
20,‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
Genesis 44:29-31 CSB – [our father told us] If you also take this one from me and anything happens to him, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.’
30 “So if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us—his life is wrapped up with the boy’s life— 31 when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die.
Genesis 44:33-34 CSB – Now please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave, in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the grief that would overwhelm my father.”
The Big Reveal
Genesis 45:1-2 CSB – Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. 2 But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it.
Genesis 45:3 CSB – Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?”
But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.
Genesis 45:4-5,7-8 CSB – Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt.
5 And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.
7 God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
James 1:13 CSB – God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.
Genesis 45:14-15 CSB – Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. 15 Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept, and afterward his brothers talked with him.
Genesis 45:26 CSB – They said, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them.
Genesis 45:28 CSB –Then Israel said, “Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go to see him before I die.”
Forgiveness: Learning From Joseph
Be Honest about the hurt
Try to imagine being on the other side
Matthew 7:12 CSB – Jesus says do to others as you would have others do for you.
- Forgiveness means giving up my right to retaliation
Romans 12:19-21 CSB – It is mine to avenge, I will repay says the Lord.
If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Ephesians 4:32 CSB – Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ
How does God forgive us?
Hebrews 8:12 CSB – For I will forgive their wrongdoing, and I will never again remember their sins.
Psalm 103:12 CSB – As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Pray for God to bless the one who hurt you
Matthew 5:44 CSB – love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Romans 12:20 CSB – If your enemy is hungry, feed him.
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
