“Redemptive Love” Genesis 42-45 Reading: 45:1-8 Pastor Bob Leroe
God was with Joseph—He was with him in his father Jacob’s house; He was with Joseph in the house of Potiphar; He was with Joseph in the dungeon; and He was with Joseph when he ruled all Egypt. Joseph never forgot that God was with him—in good times and bad. Joseph never forgot that he was part of a divine plan. This is made clear in 50:20, a verse that perfectly sums up Joseph’s faith and his view of life: “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” Joseph had lived as a slave and prisoner on the bottom rung of society, friendless and powerless, yet he never wore the chains of a slave mentality. He maintained faith in God, never doubting God’s power, love, or plan. We see how God used Joseph to save Egypt and preserve a remnant of His chosen people. Joseph has been called the most Christ-like individual of the Bible; in his life of suffering, victory, and redemptive love he bears the image of Jesus.
The famine Joseph predicted affected the entire Middle East; it forced Jacob to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain. They appear before Joseph, who is now governor of the land, the one in charge of administering the grain. When Joseph sees them, he immediately recognizes them, but they have no idea who they are talking to. He had successfully adopted his new identity and was much older. Many years had passed, and by now they figured the brother they’d sold into slavery was likely dead; he certainly wouldn’t be the vice-regent of Pharaoh! When his brothers arrived, Joseph’s mind must have been flooded with memories!
The brothers bow before Joseph, and he recalls the dreams of his youth (42:9). His brothers had been angry and upset when he told them how, in his dreams, their sheaves of grain had bowed down to his, and how the sun, moon and stars also bowed to him. They were God’s promise to him, hidden in his heart during all the years of suffering, and they kept him from losing hope. Now God was fulfilling the prophecy of those dreams exactly. Joseph realized that his life had a great purpose and that everything that had happened to him was part of God’s sovereign plan. He knew God had sent him to Egypt for a reason, and God’s purpose was becoming clear.
Joseph accuses the brothers of being spies; the Egyptians viewed foreigners with suspicion, regarding them as potential enemies; this gave Joseph leverage to interrogate them about his father and younger brother Benjamin, to prove their innocence. In other words, he questions them to see if they’re whom they claim to be…but his real reason is to learns whether his father Jacob is still alive. Simeon is held as a hostage till they return with Benjamin. They are given grain but the money they paid is secretly returned in their grain sacks. The nine brothers return home and tell Jacob what had happened. Faced with starvation, he reluctantly grants permission for them to return with Benjamin to Egypt. Again they purchase grain, but this time a silver cup is planted in Benjamin’s sack. They are detained and searched; the cup is found, and they’re forced to return to Joseph to try to explain what happened.
We might think that Joseph was giving his brothers a hard time to get revenge for how they had mistreated him. But as we examine the events in chapters 42-44 we can see that he was not harassing them for his own pleasure. Joseph felt compassion on them, wept for them, and was leading them, step-by-step, to repent of their sins. Joseph shows us that real love is redemptive; it is helping those we love come to God and live in a right relationship with God.
God wanted to use Joseph not only to save the lives of his family from starvation, but to redeem them spiritually. God wanted to change them from evil murderers, full of jealousy and hatred, into men of God, patriarchs of God’s chosen people.
Joseph tests his brothers by planting a silver cup in Benjamin’s bag, detaining and searching the brothers, and finding the “stolen” property with Benjamin—now will they casually sacrifice Benjamin as they so easily disposed of Joseph? Benjamin was Joseph’s only sibling who was not a half-brother; they were the sons of Jacob and Rachel; the others had different mothers. Earlier, in chapter 43, Joseph deliberately shows Benjamin generous favoritism; will the brothers respond with envy, as they had with him? Joseph now offers his brothers an easy way out in 44:17. They could return to Jacob and tell him that Benjamin had stolen the cup. Will they show loyalty or save themselves? Remember—what Joseph is doing is not revenge; it is a test to see if his brothers have changed. Everyone in Egypt would have understood if Joseph had sentenced his brothers to prison or even had them executed. Joseph’s test produced in his brothers guilt over their past wickedness, an evil past which was rising against them. Numbers 32:23 warns, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” The memory of what they had done to Joseph was beginning to rub on their consciences.
The brothers do not blame Benjamin when the planted cup is found in his bags—they assume he is innocent, though they could have been swayed by the incriminating ‘evidence’.
Judah steps forward. When he saw the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack he was stunned. Now he stands before this fearsome Egyptian and pleads for his youngest brother. Judah asks to be taken as Joseph’s slave in place of Benjamin, a surprising display of self-sacrifice. Judah’s deep concern for his father Jacob (44:25-34) shows that he is a transformed man. Joseph was learning that his brothers had grown, and repented of their earlier evil. The cup incident led them to tear their clothes in anguish and to admit their years of unrepented sin, 44:16: “God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves”. They’re afraid that if Benjamin does not return their father Jacob might die of sorrow. Judah shows leadership and responsibility by volunteering to take Benjamin’s place and serve as a slave in Egypt in his stead. Judah’s unselfish act is the evidence of true repentance. Judah had been the hate-filled ringleader when Joseph was sold to the Ishmaelites. He now demonstrates integrity by offering to take Benjamin’s place. The one who instigated selling Joseph as a slave now offers to be Joseph’s slave. God used Joseph to transform Judah into a man of faith and love.
The climactic moment of this drama comes in chapter 45, verses 1-4. Joseph declares: “I am Joseph.” These words, probably spoken in Hebrew, must have come as a thunderclap out of a clear sky to these unsuspecting brothers.
Joseph chooses to cancel his brothers’ treachery through forgiveness. His goal is reconciliation. To forgive, we have to give up some power—namely the advantage of being the injured party, and the right to get even. The Hebrew word “forgiveness” (salach) means “to have anger in one’s fist and to release it.” Joseph knew his relationship with his brothers was more important than his hurt.
Joseph declares that ultimately it was not his brothers who sent him to Egypt—it was God. God had a great purpose in sending him to Egypt ahead of them. Because Joseph believed in the sovereignty of God he is able to love and forgive his brothers. He explains that there will be 5 more years of famine; they could not possibly survive in Canaan. In vs. 7 he declares: “But God has 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.” Joseph was used as the bridge into Egypt and deliverance.
Later on, after the death of Jacob (ch 50), the brothers again ask for forgiveness, fearful that Joseph may have held a grudge against them. Joseph responds with words that teach us the depth of his faith. “You meant it for evil, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (50:20).
Joseph planted in the hearts of the Israelites a firm and confident faith in God’s promises and providence.
Is there someone in your life who needs your forgiveness? Is someone you know in need of redemptive love? Is there someone—a friend, neighbor, relative, who is far from God? You can be their Joseph, leading them back to God through your life and love. Don’t let the hurt of the past keep you from this. Let go of the pain of the past and look instead at their need. When people hurt us, it reveals that they have a need which only God can heal. We can be used by God to help bring about healing and reconciliation.
Prayer: Dear Lord, may Joseph be a model for us of unconditional love which rises above the painful circumstances of life, a love that reaches out to those who don’t deserve acceptance. Help us to reconcile our differences with others, because thanks to Jesus, we’ve been set free. In our Savior’s Name we pray—Amen.
