Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 45:1 – 8 “Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard him. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so.

“I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Twenty – two years! That’s how long it had been since Joseph’s brothers had seen him. When Joseph was sold into slavery, he was seventeen years old. Joseph began working for Pharaoh at age thirty, and now it’s nine years later. (Seven years of plenty plus two years of famine) Frankly, Joseph’s brothers had long since concluded that he must have died in captivity, and their consciences had given them no peace ever since the day they had sold him. Now the brothers weren’t sure if this was a dream or their worst nightmare. Obviously Joseph had become the number two man in all of Egypt with unlimited power. What would happen to them? How was he going to take revenge?

But listen to what Joseph was saying! “And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Joseph was not blaming his brothers, even though he had the best reason in the world to do so. Joseph had seen the hand of God working in his situation and he knew that God was now using him to preserve his entire family. Had Joseph not forgiven his brothers long before that day, he could not have said this.

v. 9 – 15 “Now return quickly to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’

Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you. Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.” Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.”

Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, weeping so loudly that all the Egyptians could hear him! Joseph had truly forgiven his brothers and they had to recognize that fact.

APPLICATION: Joseph and his brothers were blessed because they were able to reconcile and forgive before it was too late. Sadly, there are many families in which this is not the case. In one family of our acquaintance, two siblings had quarreled five years previously and had only begun to speak over the phone. But just as the one brother was about to visit his sister for the first time in five years, he died.

If COVID has not accomplished anything else, it has made us aware that life is fragile and time is short. Nobody has tomorrow guaranteed to them. Perhaps you have a friend, a neighbor, or a relative with whom you have been at odds. Think about Joseph; he was able to forgive the brothers who sold him into slavery. Now think about the person with whom you have the grievance; is their sin as bad as that of Joseph’s brothers? It’s hard to reconcile with a grave.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to search our hearts and to see those people whom we need to forgive and those from whom we need to seek forgiveness. Help us to clear this backlog of hurt and to keep short accounts going forward. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 44:1 – 9 “Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’” When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

So far, Joseph has rated pretty high on the forgiveness scale, but what is he up to now? Joseph has deliberately set a trap for his brothers, particularly for Benjamin. Why?

Remember that Joseph and Benjamin are the only two sons of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife. And remember that fifteen years ago, most of the other brothers were willing to sell Joseph into slavery. Perhaps Joseph is testing his brothers to see if they will really defend Benjamin and if they have developed more compassion over the years.

The brothers hurry and open their sacks for inspection. Naturally, Joseph’s silver cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. And now the real test begins. The steward tells the brothers that Benjamin must become a slave while the rest of them will go free. The brothers are dismayed and rush back to Joseph’s house, where they fall on the ground before him.

Still playing the role of the haughty Egyptian, Joseph interrogates his brothers. The brothers agree to be slaves but beg Joseph to allow Benjamin to return to their aged father. Judah was the brother who suggested selling Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37:26-28). Now Judah speaks to Joseph personally, begging Joseph to release Benjamin, even going so far as to offer to remain as Joseph’s slave in place of Benjamin!

v. 27 – 33 “And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. So if you take this one from me as well and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, my father—his life is wrapped up in the boy’s life— when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’ Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

WOW! What a change of heart for these brothers, particularly for Judah! And how stunned Joseph must be to hear this statement. While Joseph has been enduring slavery and false accusations in Egypt, God has been working on his brothers’ hearts. They really do care about their father; in fact, they care far more than they did when they sold Joseph into slavery.

APPLICATION: What can we learn from this passage? Joseph has been able to move forward because he has refused to hate his brothers or those who have hurt him in Egypt. Now Joseph learns that his brothers have also had a much – needed change of heart. Many times, we may forgive people but we still have a very poor opinion of them. We want everybody to acknowledge us when we change our behavior for the better; however, we frequently write others off, assuming that they will never change. When we truly forgive people, that frees them from our misconceptions. Never forget that God is working in the hearts of others just as He is working in yours. Allow God plenty of wiggle room.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are always working in our hearts and in the hearts of others. Help us never to cling to negative beliefs about people when you are actually changing them in ways we cannot see. Help us to realize that forgiving others also means giving them a brand new start. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 43:16 – 34 “When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house. But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon. When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

They served Joseph’s brothers separately from him and the Egyptians who ate with him, because Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews, since that was detestable to them. They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at each other in astonishment. When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.

(This is a long passage, but the Bible tells the story so well that it’s useless to paraphrase it.) Talk about feeling guilty! While Joseph is preparing a royal welcome for his brothers, his brothers are terrified that they will be taken as slaves. Evidently Joseph paid for the grain his brothers collected last time himself because the steward knows nothing about their money being returned to them. And the steward receives them into Joseph’s house as honored guests, giving them water to wash their feet and food for their donkeys. Everything that can be done for the brothers is complete. Joseph makes sure that his brothers are well fed but he can’t help surprising them a bit by sitting them in order of their birth and then giving Benjamin a portion that is 5 times as big as anyone else’s. All this time Joseph maintains his haughty Egyptian persona, a necessity in a society in which intrigue is rife. Joseph weeps tears of joy. After all these years he is getting to see Benjamin and he hears that Isaac is still healthy.

APPLICATION: What would you do if you had the chance to get back at someone who had blighted your career, perhaps causing your family to lose your house and wind up in a homeless shelter? If God allowed you to make a complete financial recovery and then made someone you had considered your enemy vulnerable to you, what would you do?

Jesus tackled this question with his disciples. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:32-36) Joseph could easily have made things terrible for his brothers, throwing them all in prison, but he didn’t. Somewhere along the line, Joseph managed to forgive his brothers. Whom do you need to forgive?

PRAYER: Father God, thank your for your forgiveness of our sins and for sending Jesus to die on our behalf. Help us to see those whom we need to forgive and to keep choosing to forgive them as many times as we have to until we are free of all resentment. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 43:1 – 10 “Now the famine was still severe in the land. So when Jacob’s sons had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”

But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go; for the man told us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”

“Why did you bring this trouble upon me?” Israel asked. “Why did you tell the man you had another brother?” They replied, “The man questioned us in detail about ourselves and our family: ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ And we answered him accordingly. How could we possibly know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother here’?”

And Judah said to his father Israel, “Send the boy with me, and we will go at once, so that we may live and not die—neither we, nor you, nor our children. I will guarantee his safety. You may hold me personally responsible. If I do not bring him back and set him before you, then may I bear the guilt before you all my life. If we had not delayed, we could have come and gone twice by now.”

Jacob is not only stubborn but also ungrateful! Jacob sent ten of his sons to Egypt to buy grain. Nine of them returned, leaving Simeon as a hostage until they would return bringing Benjamin with them. The sons have already explained to Jacob what the Egyptian ruler said; yet, Jacob is still whining and trying to manipulate the situation without sending Benjamin. The grain from Egypt has been consumed; this means that the family and all their animals are on the verge of starvation. Despite all the life lessons that Jacob has experienced, he continues to try to control people and situations. But time has run out; if the family doesn’t get grain soon, everyone will die.

v. 11 – 15 “Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. Take double the silver with you so that you may return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother as well, and return to the man at once. May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother along with Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.” So the men took these gifts, along with double the amount of silver, and Benjamin as well. They made their way down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.”

This story is fascinating from a number of angles, but we are concerned about the lessons to be learned about forgiveness. One aspect that should be considered is the abuse that Jacob has heaped on the nine sons who have returned from Egypt. These poor fellows did their best and it was not their fault that the Egyptian ruler wormed details about their younger brother out of them. These men really are victims of circumstance.

APPLICATION: We are going to let the nine older brothers plus Benjamin go on to Egypt while we look at their predicament. These men have been badly mishandled by their father for their entire lives. Jacob has ordered them around with little regard for them as individuals or as his children.

Many of us have found ourselves in situations not unlike those of Jacob’s sons. Perhaps you joined a company that promised excellent benefits and a good health care package. Now the company has changed hands and you are wondering if you will even have a job, let alone any benefits. Live long enough and you will definitely find yourself between a rock and a hard place at some point. The question for each of us is this: when you find yourself in a hard place, what do you do? Do you blame God? Do you blame other people? Do you scramble to find someone to blame? Do you waste your time hating those who have hurt you? Or do you forgive those who might be responsible? Do you refuse to blame God and do you move forward?

Sometimes situations deteriorate. We came to work in a small mission clinic in January 1993. Thirteen months later, our area was embroiled in a tribal conflict and we became the only source of medical care for 100,000 people from one ethnic group who had nowhere else to go. Later we realized that God had strategically positioned us for that crisis. We quickly realized that we did not have the energy to blame people and to work at the same time. Of necessity we had to forgive and then move on.

The take – home lesson is this: Choose forgiveness. And then ask God to show you what he wants you to do while you are in that difficult situation.

PRAYER: Father God, many of us feel stuck! Our jobs may have evaporated. Our businesses may have gone under. Lord, help us to forgive those we feel are responsible and to refuse to blame you. Show us what you want us to do and what you want us to learn. And bring us into the future you want us to have. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 42: 25 – 28 “Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out, and they loaded the grain on their donkeys and departed. At the place where they lodged for the night, one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of the sack. “My silver has been returned!” he said to his brothers. “It is here in my sack.” Their hearts sank, and trembling, they turned to one another and said, “What is this that God has done to us?”

To the guilty, everything becomes a new source of guilt. Until Joseph’s brothers entered Egypt and faced the reality of long – term imprisonment, they never considered the fate to which they consigned him. Now a generous gesture by Joseph is creating more fear and guilt. The brothers return to Canaan and report to Jacob, explaining how and why Simeon has remained in prison in Egypt and the demand for the brothers to bring Benjamin back with them.

v.35 – 38 “As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his bag of silver! And when they and their father saw the bags of silver, they were dismayed. Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my sons. Joseph is gone and Simeon is no more. Now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is happening against me!”

Then Reuben said to his father, “You may kill my two sons if I fail to bring him back to you. Put him in my care, and I will return him.” But Jacob replied, “My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If any harm comes to him on your journey, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

Talk about dysfunctional families!!! Jacob had six sons with Leah, Reuben being the eldest, and four sons with the two maid servants. Joseph and Benjamin were Jacob’s only sons by Rachel; yet, Jacob is speaking as if only Joseph and Benjamin are his sons and the rest of the men don’t count for anything! How horrible! It becomes obvious that Jacob has never really loved his other sons because he never really loved their mothers. Jacob was a sperm donor but not really a father. No wonder that when Jacob began favoring Joseph so obviously, the older sons were furious and resentful. Does this problem have its roots in the fact that Jacob was his mother’s favorite but not his father’s? Perhaps Jacob has forgive his brother Esau but has never forgiven his father Isaac, even after all these years. Jacob is more concerned about Benjamin who is still with him than about Simeon, left in prison in Egypt. And what caring grandfather would even consider for an instant the murder of two grandsons if anything happened to a favorite son?

APPLICATION: Many of us have made the same mistakes that Jacob has made. We have forgiven some people and have felt pretty smug about it. And perhaps we might even have sought forgiveness from a few people we know we have wronged. But when Jesus was teaching his disciples about forgiveness, he didn’t allow any wiggle room. When Jesus was teaching his disciples to pray, he told them, “Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 Later Jesus also warned his disciples, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.” Matthew 6:14-15 We don’t get to pick and choose either the people from whom we seek forgiveness or the people whom we forgive! We have to make sure we seek forgiveness from those whom we have wronged and that we forgive those who have hurt us.

Oswald Chambers in his meditation for June 12^th from My Utmost for His Highest writes,”God writes the new name on those places only in our lives where He has erased the pride and self-sufficiency and self-interest. Some of us have the new name in spots only, like spiritual measles. In sections we look all right. When we have our best spiritual mood on, you would think we were very high-toned saints; but don’t look at us when we are not in that mood. The disciple is one who has the new name written all over him; self-interest and pride and self-sufficiency have been completely erased.”

Jacob sought Esau’s forgiveness, but there is never any indication that Jacob sought his father Isaac’s forgiveness for having deceived Isaac. Perhaps Jacob felt somehow that Isaac deserved to be deceived because Isaac favored Esau, but that was still no excuse. Jacob’s acts of forgiveness left him with spiritual measles – fine in some places but not in others.

Ask God to show you those people from whom you need to seek forgiveness. Once that is done, you can start forgiving others with a clear conscience.

PRAYER: Father God, please show us those people to whom we need to make amends. Help us to fully and completely seek their forgiveness. And then help us to forgive everyone who has hurt us, keeping nothing back. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

It’s 5 AM and outside our house in Saboba, it’s too quiet. This time last Saturday morning you could hear our hospital chaplain’s children sweeping our yard, picking up leaves, and making swirling patterns in front of the house with their brooms. Leading them in these daily chores was Godson, the fourteen year old first – born son. Once the children finished sweeping, they would come in for tea and bread and for teasing by Uncle Bob. But nobody has swept since Saturday morning.

Saturday afternoon, Godson and some other boys had finished helping his grandmother on her small farm and decided to play in the shallows of the River Oti. Oti is a dangerous river with sandbars alternating with sudden drop – offs into deep spots and a swift current. While going after a ball that had been tossed to him, Godson stepped off into one of these holes and drowned! Chaplain called us in tears and we rushed with him to the river side. All we could do was to pray and watch with hundreds of others as those who knew the river searched for Godson’s body. It took nearly five hours to retrieve the body, and they buried Godson Saturday night. Chaplain and the family are still at the family house in their village on the road to the river.

Godson was everything you could ask for in a son. Godson was handsome, bright, hard – working, perceptive, and imaginative. Godson was a problem solver who took initiative. Godson also was a loving and protective big brother for his two younger sisters and his younger brother. At home, Godson was helping care for Chaplain’s animals. Godson was a good student and highly intelligent. Godson was respectful and obedient.

Godson was a Christian and had been baptized at age twelve. Many times Godson had joined his family in prayers for us, prayers that we treasured.

We have lost a Ghanaian grandson. Godson was a bright spot in our lives, particularly for Bob. We are close to Chaplain’s other children, but we were particularly close to Godson.

When tragedy strikes, the natural reaction is to ask God “Why? Why Godson with all his talents and his great personality? Why now?”

Psalm 139:16 tells us, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.”

On many occasions when I have lost patients, God has told me that the day that person was born, He, God, knew the day that person would die. This means that the day Godson was born, God knew that Godson would die last Saturday, February 13, 2021. As I prayed for this situation, God asked me this: knowing that Godson was to die that day, was drowning as bad as some other means? Godson’s body was not mutilated. Had Godson been struck and killed by one of the many vehicles now plying the streets of Saboba, his family might have been left with the memory of a broken body. And God showed me something else also.

As I prayed, God showed me that Godson had fulfilled the purpose for which God had created him. For fourteen years Godson was the best son that he could be. How many of us can honestly say that we are fulfilling God’s purposes for our lives?

A favorite pastor friend who is now with Jesus used to tell us, “We are only in advertising. God is in management.” At the end of the day, we have to accept the sovereignty of God. And there’s another lesson here as well.

God sent his only Son, his first – born, his perfect, handsome, charismatic Son, to be a sacrifice for our sins. For thirty – three years God watched, knowing that Jesus would have to die on Good Friday. We are about to enter Lent, a time in which we consider Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Lent is a time for soul – searching and for drawing closer to God. If our hearts ache at the loss of Godson, how much more did the Father Heart of God ache as He sent Jesus into the world? How much does the Father Heart of God ache when those who should love Him refuse to do so?

1 Corinthians 15:51-58 tells us, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Job was a rich man with many children who lost everything in a series of catastrophes. When Job’s friends came to comfort him, their thoughtless platitudes only made things worse. But Job said, “But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.

I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25 – 27)

On Saturday February 13, 2021, Godson stepped from the River Oti into eternity with Jesus. Godson fulfilled the purpose for which God created him. We who are left to mourn can only ask God to “teach us to number our days, so that we will get hearts of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for Godson! Thank you for allowing us to know him and love him. Comfort all those who are grieving and strengthen them. Let all of us learn everything we are supposed to from this tragedy. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 42:1 – 7 “When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” “Look,” he added, “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.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I am afraid that harm might befall him.”

So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was the ruler of the land; he was the one who sold grain to all its people. So when his brothers arrived, they bowed down before him with their faces to the ground.” When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them as strangers and spoke harshly to them. “Where have you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We are here to buy food.”

WOW! By now, Joseph’s dream might be fifteen or twenty years in the past. The last thing Joseph has anticipated is that his brothers would show up along with others wanting to buy grain. But here are Joseph’s brothers, bowing down just as they did in his dreams. What Joseph does next doesn’t seem like an act of forgiveness. Joseph accuses his brothers of being spies, but his brothers protest that they are honest men seeking to buy food.

v.13 – 20 “But they answered, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” Then Joseph said to them, “Just as I said, you are spies! And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be confined so that the truth of your words may be tested. If they are untrue, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” So Joseph imprisoned them for three days, and on the third day he said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God. If you are honest, leave one of your brothers in custody while the rest of you go and take back grain to relieve the hunger of your households. Then bring your youngest brother to me so that your words can be verified, that you may not die.” And to this they consented.”

Captured at age seventeen and freed at age thirty, Joseph was in prison for thirteen years. At first, Joseph imprisons all his brothers, but eventually he elects to keep only one of them in custody while allowing the others to return to Canaan to bring Benjamin back with them. Why does Joseph do this? First of all, Joseph must establish his persona as an Egyptian ruler. The Egyptians are a very proud people and generally feel that other races are beneath them. It’s likely that there are those around Joseph who are watching him closely. Any gentleness on Joseph’s part would be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Perhaps Joseph realizes that the famine has yet to hit full stride; he knows his family will not agree to relocate from Canaan unless they have a strong reason to do so. Joseph has to find some means of convincing his family to leave Canaan and move to Egypt.

v. 21 – 24 “Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” But Reuben replied: “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!” They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them. And he turned away from them and wept. When he turned back and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and had him bound before their eyes.”

Why does Joseph keep Simeon in prison? Simeon was a son to Leah and a brother to Reuben. Perhaps Simeon was one of the ones who argued most strongly for Joseph to be sold into slavery. One thing is clear: the brothers still argue just as much as they ever did. A second thing is equally clear: Joseph still loves his brothers. As Joseph hears his brothers rehashing the old arguments about having sold him into slavery, he weeps. Perhaps Joseph weeps because he realizes that not all his brothers agreed to sell him and that some of them were trying to save him. Perhaps Joseph simply remembers the good days before his brothers became jealous.

APPLICATION: What would you do were God to give you control over someone who has hurt you? Although the beginning of this passage makes Joseph sound harsh, in reality Joseph knows that his family’s only hope of survival depends on their moving to Egypt until the famine is over. (Such moves were not unusual; see the story of Ruth.) Without a compelling reason to move, Jacob and his family might stay in Canaan until they die of hunger. Joseph is trying to save his family, including the brothers who sold him into slavery.

God tells us that vengeance is His and not ours. And Jesus told his disciples, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.” (Matthew 6:14-15) Let God settle things; you forgive.

PRAYER: Father God, forgiveness is HARD, especially when people have really hurt us repeatedly and severely! Help us to freely forgive and to let you settle matters for us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 41:46 – 52 “Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt. During the seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. During those seven years, Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he laid up the food from the fields around it. So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance, like the sand of the sea, that he stopped keeping track of it; for it was beyond measure.

Before the years of famine arrived, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, (“Making to forget”) saying, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s household.” And the second son he named Ephraim, (“Making fruitful,” or “Twice fruitful”) saying, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

From seventeen year old slave to thirty year old Chief Administrator, Joseph’s life has taken a remarkable turn. But none of this would have been possible had Joseph not humbled himself and also forgiven all those who had hurt him. And none of these good things would have happened to Joseph had he remained whiny and full of self – pity.

v. 53 – 57 “When the seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt came to an end, the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt. When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” When the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened up all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians; for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. And every nation came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.”

God is fulfilling Pharaoh’s prophetic dream, just as Joseph interpreted it. Many times when disaster strikes, we blame God, not realizing that He can use everything to work out His purposes. At this point, Joseph has become the most important man in Egypt, actually more important than Pharaoh. Joseph controls the food supplies and Joseph is the one who must keep a close watch on things, knowing that there will be seven years of famine before the situation improves.

APPLICATION: While this appears to be a lull in the story, it really is not. Forgiveness sets us free for the good things God wants to do in our lives. As long as we fail to forgive, we cannot move forward. Does this mean that if you forgive those who have hurt you, you will wind up in a position of high authority as Joseph did? Not necessarily. But forgiveness frees your mind and heart to see new possibilities. When you forgive, God can bless you! (And do you REALLY want the administrative headaches that Joseph took on???)

The verse from James 4:10 says “Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Psalm 75:6 – 7 says, “For exaltation (promotion) comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the Judge. He puts down one and exalts another.” As long as we refuse to forgive someone else, we are putting ourselves above them and setting ourselves up to judge them. But God is the ultimate Judge and He is the only one who truly knows the human heart. Forgiveness is an act of humility, and God rewards the humble. Proverbs 3:7-8 says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us so much that you refuse to allow us to wallow in unforgiveness! Help us to freely and completely forgive all who have hurt us so that we will be open to the bright future you have for us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 4:37 – 45 “This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.

And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”

Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, (The name means “God speaks and lives.”) and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphar, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.

Talk about turn – arounds! That morning when Joseph got up, he was still a slave and in prison. Joseph had to shave, bathe, and put on new clothing before he appeared before Pharaoh. As Joseph was interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, he was probably anticipating a return to prison within a short while. And when Joseph was advising Pharaoh to get an able administrator to handle the grain during the years of plenty, he had no idea that Pharaoh would name him to that position.

Joseph’s life turned around within a few hours. What helped Joseph? Despite all the years that Joseph had spent in captivity, he was neither resentful nor self – pitying. When Joseph left his prison that morning, he was a free man spiritually, even though he was still a prisoner physically. Later, the Psalmist David would say, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God has surely heard; He has attended to the sound of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me His loving devotion!” (Psalm 66:18-20)

APPLICATION:God could bless Joseph and give him favor with Pharaoh because Joseph was not carrying around unforgiveness. Unforgiveness blocks God from blessing us. Look at all that Joseph had to forgive:

1. Joseph had to forgive his father for spoiling him.

2. Joseph had to forgive his brothers for envying and resenting him and selling him into slavery.

3. Joseph had to forgive those who had sent him to Egypt, no doubt abusing him on the way.

4. Joseph had to forgive Potiphar’s wife for falsely accusing him.

5. Joseph had to forgive Potiphar for believing his wife.

6. Joseph had to forgive the jailers for whatever they had done to him.

7. Joseph had to forgive the chief cup bearer for failing to plead on his behalf when the cup bearer was first restored.

8. Joseph had to forgive himself for all the problems he had created.

What burdens of unforgiveness are you bearing? The more resentment you have, the heavier the burden will be. Your unforgiveness is not hurting the people you hate; it is only hurting you. Why not get rid of those burdens? Pray right now.

PRAYER: Father God, I confess that I have not forgiven __________ for what they have done to me. (You can fill in the blanks; you might want to write out your list if it is long.) Lord, here and now I choose to forgive all of these people. I also choose to forgive myself for harboring resentment. Lord, please free me from the ravages of my own unforgiveness and let me move forward into your glorious will for my life. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 41:1 – 13 “After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river. And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows.

Then Pharaoh woke up, but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind. And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.

In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I recall my failures. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard. One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams and he interpreted them for us individually. And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”

Better late than never! Two years after the chief cup bearer has gotten his job back, Pharaoh has profoundly troubling dreams. When none of the court magicians can come up with an interpretation, the cup bearer remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh how accurately Joseph interpreted his dream and that of the chief baker. Quickly, Pharaoh sends for Joseph, who comes and interprets the dreams.

v. 25 – 36 “At this, Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind—they are seven years of famine.

It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in the land of Egypt will be forgotten and the famine will devastate the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe. Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.

Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”

God has prepared Joseph for this hour! Joseph’s years of imprisonment have helped humble him and eliminate any sign of presumption. At the same time, Joseph has occupied several managerial positions, first in Potiphar’s house and then in the prison. Joseph glorifies God before giving any interpretation. After the interpretation, Joseph gives the best advice to Pharaoh that he can. Notice that Joseph does NOT waste any time blaming the chief cup bearer for not mentioning him sooner. Joseph has truly forgiven the chief cup bearer. This act of forgiveness on Joseph’s part means that Joseph is not dragging any unforgiveness around.

APPLICATION: Sometimes people surprise you! Joseph probably viewed the chief cup bearer as a lost cause and forgave him on that basis. But at the right time, God reminded this man and he recommended Joseph to Pharaoh. Delays are not denials. Forgive people and continue to be faithful. Your forgiveness frees you up for whatever God wants to do in your life.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for forgiving us. Help us to forgive others and to bless them as we do so. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.