Genesis Ch50v15-26 - Comforting Last Words

at verse 15. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said,

what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?

So they sent word to Joseph, saying, your father left these instructions before he died.

This is what you are to say to Joseph. I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and wrongs

they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the

God of your father. When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw

themselves down before him. We are your slaves, they said. 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. Joseph stayed in Egypt along with all his

father's family. He lived 110 years and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children.

Also, the children of Machir, son of Manasseh, were placed at birth on Joseph's knees.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, I am about to die, but God will surely come to your aid and take you up

out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Joseph made the

Israelites swear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones

up from this place. So Joseph died at the age of 110. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a

coffin in Egypt.

Thank you very much, Chris. And thank you, Ralph, for leading.

I'm just going to adjust this. So bear with me a moment. Talk amongst yourselves.

The eyes are going. Can't see so well.

Well, let's have our Bibles open at Genesis chapter 50. Let's pray together.

Genesis 50 · chapter mention

Our Father God, we come to you as the maker of heaven and earth. You spoke the universe into existence.

And by your word, you sustain it and keep it. And it is that same word that we listen to now.

Asking that you would change us, sustain us and give us strength as we seek to follow you.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

So we've come to the end of Genesis and what a journey it's been.

We started all the way back in Eden and here we are now in Egypt.

Eden, of course, was the place where God's people lived, enjoying God's presence and his blessing.

But we know from the story the blessing didn't last.

The people rebelled against God and they were removed from Eden out of God's presence.

But the rest of the Bible story, all the way from Genesis through into Revelation,

is all about the story of going back to Eden.

A better Eden, where God's people will be with God and enjoy his blessing forever.

So as we come to the end of Genesis, the big question is, are we going to make it?

Will we reach the eternal destination?

Well, we get a chance to listen in to Joseph's final words to his brothers.

And as we listen to what Joseph says, we are given assurance, confidence and hope

that God's people will make it in the journey to that better and greater Eden.

Three comforting words, if you're taking notes.

Here we go.

Provision, providence and promise.

So here's the first one.

God's provision for our past sins.

God's provision for our past sins.

It seems that Jacob's death has raised an old fear for the brothers.

Look at verse 15.

When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said,

what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?

Now, 40 years have passed since the brothers had sold Joseph as a slave.

That's a lot of brooding time for Joseph.

Lots of time to plan your revenge.

The brothers are terrified of what Joseph might now do to them.

You see, the brothers fear judgment.

So they come up with a plan, don't they?

Verse 16.

They sent word to Joseph saying,

your father left these instructions before he died.

This is what you are to say to Joseph.

I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.

Now, please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.

Sounds good.

But the problem is, there's no suggestion anywhere that Jacob had ever said such a thing.

In fact, they are so desperate that they tell a few lies to try and force forgiveness from Joseph.

That's what happens when we try to deal with our own guilt.

We run into fear.

Fear of others and fear of God.

But the point is, they don't need to fear.

Because there is assurance of forgiveness.

Look at how Joseph responds to the brothers.

Verse 17 at the very end.

When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

Now, I think Joseph's weeping here is a weeping of sadness and disappointment.

Joseph isn't angry with his brothers.

He feels for them because they're still carrying their guilt and shame.

They're still living in fear.

You see, as far as Joseph is concerned,

the past, well, that's in the past.

It's water under the bridge.

Their sin had been confessed and had been dealt with.

Look back with me to chapter 45.

In the previous chapter, they had admitted their guilt before God.

And now Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers.

Let's pick it up in verse 4.

Then Joseph said to his brothers,

Come close to me.

And when they had done so, he said,

I am your brother Joseph,

the one you sold into Egypt.

And now do not be distressed.

Pick it up in verse 14.

Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept.

And Benjamin embraced him weeping.

And he kissed all of the brothers and wept over them.

Afterwards, his brothers talked with him.

Tears of reconciliation.

They had come back together again.

And if that was not enough,

Joseph had ensured that the brothers in the time of famine

had received the best of food,

that they had got land for all their livestock,

and the best of housing in all of Egypt.

Joseph had held no grudge.

He wasn't looking for payback.

The sins had been confessed and forgiven.

So there was no need to fear.

Let's go back to chapter 50.

Well, it seems these brothers

are having a hard time accepting this.

Look at verse 18.

His brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph.

We are your slaves, they said.

But Joseph said to them,

Don't be afraid.

Am I in the place of God?

Can I take God's place

and bring judgment upon you?

You see, Joseph knows that God must judge all sin.

The sins of the brothers can't be ignored.

It must be dealt with.

Yet Joseph is confident that where sin

has been judged,

then forgiveness can be received.

But the sad reality is

the brothers have not yet grasped

the once and for all forgiveness of God.

They're still carrying around with them

their guilt and their shame.

They're living in fear.

Now, how often are we like the brothers?

You know what it's like, don't you?

You confessed some past sin.

You know God has forgiven you of it.

But yet we still have this nagging fear

that somehow God is going to punish us.

We fear that God is just biding his time

and he's just waiting to pounce and remind us.

You see?

You remember those sins?

Now I've got you.

Well, it seems we impose on God

how we respond to each other

in our own relationships.

You see, I can say,

I forgive you,

but I know full well in my heart

I can still hold a grudge.

I know I can take subtle revenge.

But that's not God.

He doesn't hold grudges.

He doesn't pay back evil with evil.

You see, the Bible is crystal clear on this.

God has judged sin

through the death of his son Jesus on the cross.

It's been dealt with.

So where there is now true repentance,

there is in its place forever forgiveness.

Now we need to drive this truth home

time and time again.

Listen to what scripture says.

As far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

From all eternity,

he has removed our sin.

Or what about this one from Micah?

Who is a God like you who forgives sins?

You will again have compassion on us.

You will tread our sins underfoot.

That is, he will judge them.

And when he's done so,

he will hurl our iniquities.

Where?

Into the depths of the sea.

Never to be brought before us again.

You see, God doesn't forgive sins twice.

Or three times.

Or four times.

God forgives your sin once.

And he remembers them no more.

So first, let's see God's provision

for our past sins.

Second word from Joseph.

God's providence in our present suffering.

There's something else he needs to share with them.

So look at verse 20.

You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for good

to accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives.

Now that's a big statement, isn't it?

It's what theologians call providence.

It simply means, you can see it there on the screen,

God's active rule in the world

to accomplish his plan

and achieve his purposes

for his glory

and for our good.

You see, look what Joseph,

look what they said to Joseph.

Or sorry, what Joseph said to the brothers.

Verse 20.

You intended to harm me.

Well, harm is what the brothers caused to Joseph, isn't it?

It was an evil, wicked act what they did.

At the age of 17,

they threw their brother Joseph into a pit

and then sold him off as a slave.

And then they went and told their father

that he had been killed by some wild animal.

And things were only to get worse for Joseph.

Soon afterwards, having been sold off,

he was thrown into the pit of a dungeon

where he spends 13 years of his life.

Joseph suffered terribly

through the evil actions of his brothers.

They intended harm

and harm is what they did.

And harm is what Joseph experienced.

But yet in it all,

God's providence

was at work.

Look at verse 20 again.

He says,

You intended to harm me,

but God intended it

for good.

You see,

in and through the wicked actions

of the brothers,

God was working good.

trace the story with me,

the outline of the story of Joseph.

Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt,

but Joseph became the ruler

over all of Egypt.

Famine came on the land.

There was no food,

but Joseph had stored up food

for distribution.

His brothers,

years later,

on the verge of dying,

travelled down to Egypt

looking for food,

and lo and behold,

who provides for all of their needs?

Joseph.

You see,

this isn't coincidence.

This is providence.

This is God's active rule

in the suffering of Joseph

to accomplish God's plan

and to achieve God's purpose.

purpose.

And what was the plan

and purpose?

Well,

look at the end of verse 20.

To accomplish

what is now being done,

the saving

of many lives.

Out of suffering

came salvation.

Now,

we've come across

this theme before.

You might remember it.

Go back again

to chapter 45.

chapter 45,

and we'll pick it up

in verse 5.

Chapter 45,

verse 5.

So,

Joseph is speaking

to his brothers,

and he says,

and now do not be distressed,

and do not be angry

with yourselves

for selling me here,

because it was to save lives

that God sent me ahead of you.

Verse 7.

But God sent me ahead of you

to preserve for you

a remnant on earth

and to save your lives

by a great deliverance.

So then,

it was not you

who sent me here,

but God.

Now,

do you see the two actions

that are in those verses?

On the one hand,

the brothers

sold Joseph

into Egypt,

and then on the other hand,

God sent

Joseph

into Egypt.

The brothers

sold him,

God sent him.

Now,

you tell me

which one is right.

Did the brothers

sell him,

or did God

send him?

Well,

both actions

are true,

aren't they?

The suffering

Joseph endured

was caused

by the brothers.

They are responsible.

Yet,

at the same time,

it is all planned

and purposed

by God.

You sold me,

but God

sent me.

You see,

Joseph's life

from beginning

to end

is in

God's control.

Joseph

suffered terribly,

but yet

God was at work

to accomplish

his plans

and to achieve

his purposes.

And that means

your life

and my life

are in

God's hands.

There are no

chance circumstances

that we face.

There are no

random events

in our lives.

Every second

of your life

is designed

and orchestrated

by God.

Even

our suffering.

Go back

with me

to chapter 50.

You see,

when we suffer

and we can

all have

our stories

of trials

and struggle,

in the midst

of it,

we can feel

abandoned

by God.

That he's

ignoring me.

That he's

forgotten.

And we can

even ask

God to

take all

the suffering

away.

But it's

still there.

We still

have to

live with

it.

And our

experience

is dark

and difficult.

Well,

the account

of Joseph

reminds us

that our

suffering

is not

some

random

chance

event.

No,

God is in

control of

your life.

God is

actively

ruling

over

every

circumstance

and event.

He is

working

in

and

through

your

suffering

to

accomplish

his

plans

and

to

achieve

his

purposes.

Now,

we mightn't

always see

it.

We can

be sure

we don't

always feel

it.

But yet,

this is what

God's word

is saying

to us.

Look again

at verse

20.

Let's read

it all.

You

intended

to harm

me,

but God

intended

it for

good to

accomplish

what is

now being

done,

the saving

of many

lives.

Now,

let's get

this clear.

It doesn't

say

God

turns

our

suffering

into

good.

I know

we've got

a song

about that,

don't we?

We sometimes

sing it.

Whatever

the enemy

means for

evil,

he turns

it for

our good.

Well,

I want to

say that's

kind of

half right.

It's not

fully right.

God

doesn't

turn our

suffering

into good

as if

God were

responding to

some

calamitous

event that

he couldn't

prevent and

he's playing

catch up.

No,

God means

all our

suffering for

good,

to accomplish

what is

now being

done,

the saving

of many

lives.

Last week,

you may

remember,

we prayed

for Yaroslav,

a pastor

and his

family in

Ukraine.

Right now,

in that

situation,

in his

home and

where he

lives,

there is

terrible

evil

happening.

Drones

and missiles

are flying

through the

air.

harm is

intended

and harm

is being

done.

Yaroslav and

his church

family,

they've lost

loved ones.

They live

in fear.

Any day,

he says,

could be our

last day.

But yet,

in their

suffering

and through

their suffering,

people are

trusting Christ

and finding

hope and

peace in

him.

Lives are

being

saved.

Not just

physically and

temporarily,

but spiritually

and eternally.

And so,

in the same

way,

in each of

our lives

today,

whatever the

suffering you

are going

through,

it is not

a random

chance.

God is

working in

it and

through it.

He means

it for

your good.

for your

best.

It can

keep you.

It can

change you.

It can

lead you

to Christ.

And in

your testimony

as you look

to God,

it can

lead others

to Christ.

So,

second,

God's

providence

in our

present

suffering.

God's

promise for

our future

salvation.

salvation.

Joseph has

one last

closing word

for his

brothers.

We pick

it up in

verse 24.

Joseph said

to his

brothers,

I'm about

to die,

but God

will surely

come to

your aid

and take

you up

out of

this land

to the

land he

promised on

oath to

Abraham,

Isaac,

and Jacob.

God had

promised

that his

people

would have

a place

where they

could live

and enjoy

God's

presence

and blessing.

And that

promise was

given,

do you see

the end of

verse 24,

to Abraham

and to

Isaac

and then

to Jacob.

So,

right the way

through the

story of

Genesis,

we've been

tracing it

as we've

been going

through it.

there's a

longing for

and a

looking forward

to this

promised land

that God

would give

to his

people.

But yet

when we

read this

story carefully,

we get

hints that

this promised

land is

actually

something

future

and

something

eternal.

Go back

with me

please to

chapter 47.

Trace the

theme in the

story here

with me.

Genesis

Genesis 47 · chapter mention

chapter 47.

Here

Jacob is

talking with

Pharaoh

but look

how he

describes

his life

and the

life of

his

fathers.

We'll

pick it

up in

verse 9.

So he's

telling

Pharaoh all

about his

life and he

describes it

like this.

Jacob said

to Pharaoh,

the years

of my

pilgrimage

or sojourn

are 130.

My years

have been

few and

difficult and

they do

not equal

the years

of the

pilgrimage

or the

sojourn

of my

fathers.

You see,

they saw

their life

as a

pilgrimage.

They were

passing

through.

Their home

was not

here.

They were

looking forward

to something

beyond this

life.

Now look

at chapter

48.

Here,

Jacob

remembers

God's

promise of

a land

but again

look how

he describes

it.

Chapter

48,

verse 4.

And God

said to me,

I am going

to make you

fruitful and

increase your

numbers.

I will make

you a

community of

peoples and

I will give

this land

as a

everlasting

possession

to your

descendants

after you.

It was to

be everlasting,

not just for

a time here

on earth.

The promised

land was

actually a

foretaste

of a

future

and eternal

land.

A land

that's

everlasting.

everlasting,

a forever

home for

God's

people.

Now let's

go back to

chapter 50.

So when

Joseph tells

his brothers,

God will

take you

to the land

that he

promised,

he's saying

to them,

it's not just

about the

here and

now,

it's something

future and

eternal.

it's the

land of

God's

eternal

kingdom,

the new

and better

Eden

promised

to all

God's

people.

Now to

assure them

of what's

to come,

Joseph makes

a very

strange

request.

Verse 25,

And Joseph

made the

Israelites,

his brothers,

swear an

oath and

said,

God will

surely come

to your

aid and

then you

must carry

my bones

up from

this place.

What a

strange

request.

Why the

insistence

that his

brothers

would bring

his bones

up to

the

promised

land.

Why doesn't

he just

stay buried

in Egypt?

What

difference

would it

make whether

his bones

stay in

Egypt or

whether they

go to

the promised

land?

What's

the point?

Well,

it's not

going to

make any

difference,

but it's

symbolic.

You see,

look at the

language Joseph

uses here in

verse 24

and 25.

verse 24,

God will

surely take

you up

out of

this land.

And

verse 25,

carry my

bones up

from this

place.

You see,

it's the

language of

resurrection.

Moving

Joseph's

bones from

this land

of Egypt

up to

the promised

land is

a picture

of a

resurrection

to come.

One

day,

the

risen

Lord

Jesus

will

come

and

he

will

take

you

up

out

of

your

grave

and

he

will

carry

you

up

out

of

this

place

to

your

forever

eternal

home.

You see,

if the

bones

of a

dead

Joseph

can

give

just a

glimmer

of hope

of what

is to

come,

how much

more

then

does

the

empty

tomb

where

a

dead

Jesus

was

laid

make

to

us

today?

You see,

we are

buried,

aren't we,

when we

die?

Not

just to

be

remembered,

but

God's

people are

buried

in the

sure and

certain

hope

that one

day

the

risen

Lord

Jesus

will

come

again

and

we

will

be

raised

with

him

and

we

will

be

given

new

bodies

for

our

everlasting

future

home.

Just

as

Joseph's

bones

were

carried

up,

well you

can check

out the

rest of

that story

in Joshua

and see

what

happened,

so we

can be

sure

of God's

promise

of salvation.

It is

guaranteed

and it

is

assured.

So here

we have

it,

we come

to the

end of

Genesis,

comforting

words,

not just

for the

brothers,

but for

us.

As we

make our

journey

forward,

let us

remember that

our past

sins are

all forgiven.

Our

present

suffering

is not

wasted.

Our

future

salvation

is sure

and certain,

comforting

words that

God's

people will

make it.

God

will ensure

that we

get to the

ultimate

promised land,

the new

and better

Eden.

Thank

God

for his

promise.

Thank God

for his

providence

and thank

God

for his

provision.

Let's

pray.

Thank you.