We have finally
come to the last instalment of our series on Genesis, yet this is only
the beginning of God’s unfathomable Grace! Today, we will examine Joseph’s
understanding of God’s Grace, how the inward working of God’s Grace in his life
revealed itself through his actions and conduct.
There are many times in our lives when we think that we
have been dealt the short end of the stick, a raw deal or an unfavourable hand.
It is in times like these that we can relate to someone like Joseph. Joseph experienced
some of the worst things that life in all its unfairness could deal a person,
and he experienced it from the tender age of 17. Sold into slavery by his own
brothers, uprooted from his family and culture,
condemned to a strange land, then cast into prison when he had done
nothing wrong, he had every reason to be angry and resentful. However, he did
not allow himself the luxury of self-pity. He did not languish in the dungeon,
although it seemed that both God and man had forgotten him. Instead, he chose
to busy himself doing whatever work his hands found to do and God honoured his
positive attitude and willingness to serve.
He never once cursed God, neither did he blame others
for his situation. He used the talents God gave him and gave all credit to God.
Joseph’s deep experiental and living understanding of God’s Grace is revealed
through his conduct after being reunited with his brothers. He did not exact
revenge on them in their helpless state, when they came to him with no
bargaining power in his position of authority. He sought only to test them to see if their
characters had changed, if they remembered what they had done to him and showed
any remorse (Gen 42:18-24, Gen 44:16-34). Once convinced that they realized
that what they had done was wrong, he immediately embraced them and forgave
them, explaining that it was God’s design to send him ahead of them so that
their whole family would be preserved!
What they had meant for evil, God had used for their good. (Gen 43:30,
Gen 45)
How often do we see our circumstances, difficult as
they may be, as another way that God is showing His Grace to someone else? Or
do we mostly view opposition and adversity from the standpoint of selfishness,
of how it affects just us? I think the latter is more often the case than the
former. Only one who has a real, deep and true understanding of God’s Grace can
look outside himself and see how God is using even his adverse circumstances
for the good of others and his own long-term benefit.
Joseph’s brothers thought that his graceful conduct
would end with the death of his father, Jacob. They thought that he was
reserving judgment for them and would visit it upon them after their father
died. When Jacob died, they were terrified! Joseph was an example of God’s
Grace at work in a human life (Gen 50:16-21). He spoke kindly to his brothers, promising to
look after them and their families. God preserved the nation of Israel through
Joseph and fulfilled His Promise to Abraham.
Joseph’s life had many parallels to Christ, confirming
that same Grace that worked in Christ’s life was at work in him.
