Our Savior Lutheran Church

Last Week

Last week we looked at God’s healing of Joseph’s emotional pain through freedom, respect, success, intimacy, and family. This week we witness the beginning of God’s transformation of his brothers. Joseph forgives them as a prelude to reconciliation with them.

To Get Us Started

Forgiveness is difficult to give to others. It’s also hard to ask for. However, we all probably have more experience with forgiveness than we bother to remember.

1. When you were growing up, which of these did you need to ask forgiveness for? How did you handle it?

a. Stealing cookies from mom or candy from a store.

b. Wrecking someone’s car.

c. Telling a whopper.

d. Ruining a brother’s or sister’s date.

e. Setting the house, garage, or barn on fire.

f. Shaving the cat or dog.

g. Other _____________________

2. Which of your childhood playmates did you have reason to hold a grudge against? How did that situation affect your friendship? Do remnants of that grudge linger on today?

The Word

During the brothers’ first trip to Egypt, Joseph treated them as they had treated him. He spoke harshly to them. He accused them of spying. He locked them up. When Joseph treated his brothers as they treated him twenty years before, the first thing they thought of was their own treatment of Joseph, whom they now assumed to be long dead or forgotten in slavery. Yet Joseph did not treat them this way to get even with them, but rather to help them to find repentance and forgiveness.

Genesis 42:1-28

When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" [2] He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die."

[3] Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. [4] But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. [5] So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.

[6] Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. [7] As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked.

"From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food."

[8] Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. [9] Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected."

[10] "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food. [11] We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies."

[12] "No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected."

[13] But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more."

[14] Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies! [15] And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. [16] Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" [17] And he put them all in custody for three days.

[18] On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: [19] If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. [20] But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." This they proceeded to do.

[21] They said to one another, "Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us."

[22] Reuben replied, "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." [23] They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.

[24] He turned away from them and began to weep, but then turned back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.

[25] Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man's silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, [26] they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.

[27] At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. [28] "My silver has been returned," he said to his brothers. "Here it is in my sack."

Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, "What is this that God has done to us?"

Observations

Forgiving those who wrong us is a great struggle, especially those who have not acknowledged the wrong or asked for forgiveness. The Bible nowhere indicates that we should be willing to forgive only when someone has asked forgiveness or has been properly disciplined. Jesus Christ exemplified forgiveness – both in His teaching and with His life. As He hung on a rugged cross, He cried out for those who had so cruelly nailed Him there – “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

Observation 1

When someone wrongs us, we’re to forgive unconditionally even though that person may not admit being wrong or ask for forgiveness.

Even before Joseph met his brothers when they came down to Egypt to buy food, he forgave them for what they had done to him. The tests he set before them were not examples of seeking justice or making them suffer for the harsh ways they had treated him. The tests sought to discover their present attitudes and to prepare them to accept his forgiveness. His life is a beautiful Old Testament illustration of what Jesus taught centuries later when He said, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

Observation 2

True forgiveness does not mean we will not continue to experience some negative emotions.

We can truly forgive and yet have negative feelings toward people who have hurt us – especially at certain moments in our lives. The true test of forgiveness is whether we allow negative feelings to keep us from doing what is right. In time these negative feelings usually dissipate and come into conformity with the forgiveness we have already done as an act of the will. Joseph remembered how his brothers had treated him. So did they. Long years before, God had revealed his will and plan in Joseph’s dreams. Decades later he worked to fulfill those dreams and deal with the wrongs that alienated brothers. Joseph forgave his brothers and worked out plans to lead them to forgive him and themselves.

Observation 3

Granting forgiveness and praying and hoping for justice are not incompatible concepts.

Paul wrote, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. …Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:17, 19). Ultimately, God will deal with evildoers – especially those who do not repent. We do not forgive, however, so that those we forgive will receive justice. We forgive and seek reconciliation with the parties who wronged us.

If Joseph had wanted justice for his brothers, he had the authority as prime minister of Egypt to make sure justice won the day. Instead of demanding justice, Joseph sought reconciliation. This required a change of heart in his brothers. To achieve reconciliation, Joseph did not utilize channels of justice. He used “tough love” – even imprisoning them and threatening them with execution. As we deal with people who mistreat or even persecute us, we must focus on love for our enemies and hope for reconciliation. We can never take justice into our own hands, leaving that to our all-knowing, merciful, yet holy, God.

Observation 4

All our dealings with a person who wrongs us should focus on bringing that person into a saving relationship or a renewed relationship with God.

Joseph was very concerned about his brothers’ relationship with God. Had they truly repented? Were they truly sorry because of their sin? Or were they just sorry they had gotten caught?

Hebrews 10:31 teaches us, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!” This applies to anyone who has not confessed his or her sins and sought forgiveness. It applies particularly to those who are trying to destroy the work of God. Our response to them must not be one of joy and elation at the fate they face but one of forgiveness and loving witness to bring them to know and follow Christ.

To Discuss

3. Who have been the hardest people for you to forgive as an adult? Why do you think that’s so?

4. What would you have done if you had been Joseph looking down at his prostrate brothers? Do you think his childhood dreams entered the picture? Why?

5. How do you imagine Joseph’s 10 older brothers felt about the way their father ordered them to Egypt and kept Benjamin home (Genesis 42:1-4)? Did this recall Jacob’s favoritism to Joseph? Did the brothers act differently this time? How might this have begun their own repentance?

6. How do you think 10 shepherds from Canaan felt when the man they thought was a powerful Egyptian official started harshly interrogating them (Genesis 42:7) and then repeatedly accusing them of spying (vv. 9, 12, 14, 16)?

7. What do you think Joseph wanted to accomplish by imprisoning his brothers for three days?

8. What was Joseph forcing his brothers and father to do when he demanded that Benjamin come to Egypt?

9. What insights did Joseph’s brothers gain as a result of the way he treated them (vv. 21-22, 28b)?

10. Joseph had forgiven his brothers when he helped them. What do you think happens when somebody tries to help a person without forgiving past offenses? Can such help be effective? Why or why not?

11. How do the examples of Jesus and Joseph motivate you to forgive those who offend you?

12. If you let somebody off your hook (by forgiving them) and put them on God’s hook (Romans 12:17, 19), you must accept God’s sense of justice and timing. What are some of the practical implications of that?

13. In what ways do we “play God” when we hold grudges and refuse to forgive?

If men are going to lead in their homes, churches, and workplaces, they have to set clear personal examples in challenging spiritual tasks. One such task includes forgiving those who wrong us. Joseph provides a sterling example to follow, exceeded in the Bible only by the forgiveness Jesus demonstrated.

14. Make a list of those situations in which you need to exercise forgiveness better than you have.

15. Pray of one another that you will forgive others as Christ has forgiven you.

16. Thank God for the forgiveness He has granted you through the death of Jesus.

Next Week

When Joseph saw his brothers prostrated before him, he face a difficult decision. He could have remembered his teenage dreams and decided to enjoy his vindication by making his brothers suffer. Instead, he realized that he had not been exalted to make them grovel in shame. Joseph realized that he had been exalted to be a rescuer and a change agent. Next week we look at the issue of trust and see Joseph continuing as God’s tool to shape moral midgets into spiritual giants.