A Model Of Forgiveness
Genesis 37:2-4, 12-13, 17b-20, 26-28, 36; Genesis 42:1-10; Genesis 45:3-4, 13-46:4
The account of Joseph is contained in Genesis 37 - Genesis 50. There are many lessons that we can learn from Joseph but
today we are going to talk about forgiveness.
Joseph is truly a model of forgiveness. We want to look at how Joseph’s brothers dealt with Joseph and how Joseph
dealt with his brothers. This is a wonderful story that most of you know and since the entire story is too long to read this
morning I will summarize the part that we did not read.
In our first scripture lesson (37: 2-4) that Sarah Beth read that Joseph was 17 years old and that his father, Jacob, loved
Joseph more than any of his 11 other sons. The Bible tells us that Jacob loved Joseph the most because he was the first son
from his wife Rachel and because Joseph was born when Jacob was an old man.
Joseph had dreams. The first dream was that his older brothers would bow down before him and that Joseph would reign over
them. When Joseph told his dreams (Genesis 37:8) we read that his brothers hated Joseph even more. Joseph’s brothers
were jealous of him and hated Joseph for 4 reasons.
1. Their father loved him more than them.
2. Their father shoed favoritism toward Joseph. (We saw that Jacob made Joseph a coat of many colors (37:3).
3. Because Joseph had prophesied that they would bow down before him and that he would reign over them.
4. Joseph told on his brothers – He brought a bad report to his father
We also read in chapter 37 that Joseph stayed home with his father, Jacob, while the older brothers were sent off to pasture
the flocks. The older brothers were not in the back 40, they were miles away from home. Since there were no cell phones in
that day, Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers.
When the older brothers saw Joseph coming they saw this as their chance to get even and they plotted his death. It is important
to note in verses 21 and 22 that Reuben spoke up and did not want to kill Joseph. We also need to note that selling someone
into slavery in that day was a kiss of death. We are going to come back to these details later, but, let’s continue
with Joseph’s story.
Joseph was taken to Egypt where the Midianite traders resold Joseph to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s bodyguards.
Joseph was true to God and God blesses Joseph. Potiphar promoted Joseph to his chief housekeeper. The Bible tells us Joseph
was handsome and well built (39:6). Next we read Potiphar’s wife begged Joseph to have sex with her. Joseph refused
Potiphar’s wife and we read that this was not a one-time request and denial, but <quote> "day after day".
Joseph was true to his master, Potiphar, and Joseph was true to God, but Potiphar’s wife did not give up. … One
day, when she and Joseph were alone in the house she grabbed Joseph’s coat and said, "Come to bed with me."
(37:12) But Joseph slipped out of his coat and ran outside. This is the second incident about Joseph’s coat. The first
got him in trouble. The second got him out of trouble.
After Joseph refused Potiphar’s wife, she falsely accused Joseph of trying to rape her and Joseph was thrown into
the king’s prison.
In verse 21 of Genesis 39 we read, "But the Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor
in the sight of the chief jailer." Then we read that Joseph was put in charge of all of the prisoners and was responsible
for all the affairs of the jail. (39:23).
Joseph was true to God and in Genesis 39:23, we read that the Lord was with Joseph and whatever Joseph did, the Lord
made it prosper.
One day Pharaoh’s Chief Cup Bearer and Pharaoh’s Chief Baker did something to irritate Pharaoh so Pharaoh had
them thrown into the same prison with Joseph. While the Cup Bearer and the Baker were in prison they each had a dream. Joseph
interpreted their dreams. Joseph’s interpretations came true and Pharaoh’s cupbearer was restored to his previous
job. However the chief baker was beheaded.
In chapter 41 we read that two years later Pharaoh had a dream that none of the magicians or wise men in Egypt could interpret.
At this point The Chief Cup Bearer remembered Joseph and Joseph was called in to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Verse 16
is a key. "Joseph told Pharaoh I can not intrepret it but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires" Pharaoh’s
dream was that there was going to be a world wide famine that would last for seven years. The seven years of famine were to
be preceded by seven years of plenty. It is interesting that God not only gave Joseph the interpretation of the dream but
God also gave Joseph a plan of action that Pharaoh should take during the seven years of plenty to prepare for the seven years
of famine. Next, we see that Joseph is put in charge of Pharaoh’s house (41:40) and over the land of Egypt (41:41).
Joseph was made the # 2 man in all of Egypt (41:43) or Joseph was made The Prime Minister of Egypt.
You are probably wondering when we are going to talk about forgiveness. But first it is very important for us to note all
of the times Joseph was hated, maligned, mistreated, lied about, and taken advantage of. Joseph was 30 years old when he stood
before Pharaoh (41:46). So Joseph suffered unjustly for 13 years. We need to keep in mind that Joseph had been hated, maligned,
mistreated, lied about, taken advantage of for 13 years in order for us to fully appreciate that Joseph totally forgave the
people that caused him so much grief. We also need to remember that, throughout these 13 years of suffering Joseph was true
to God.
In our second reading from Genesis 42 that Chris read we saw that the famine in Canaan was bad and Jacob’s send his
10 oldest sons go to Egypt to buy food … and in Genesis 43 we are told that the famine was so sever in Canaan that Jacob
sent his sons back to Egypt a second time to buy more food.
This brings us up to our third reading in Genesis 45. When Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt they were ushered into
Joseph’s presence since Joseph was in charge of the storehouses. They had no clue that the Prime Minister of Egypt was
their brother that they had sold into slavery. After all it had been over 20 years since they had seen Joseph, Joseph was
dressed like an Egyptian, and the brothers thought Joseph was dead.
Joseph recognized his brothers but Joseph did not reveal his identity and treated them as strangers. So if Joseph is a
Model of Forgiveness why did he "speak harshly to his brothers"? I can think of two reasons: First Joseph did
it to keep from breaking up emotionally. But more than that Joseph was helping his brothers begin the process of restoring
a broken relationship. Joseph had already forgiven his brothers; Joseph had forgotten about the dreams of his brothers bowing
down to him (42:7). When Joseph accused his brothers of being spies and put them in prison for 3 days the brothers were begging
for mercy. They knew they were wrongly accused and wrongfully mistreated and they were begging for their lives. At this point
they began searching their own souls and in verse 21 of Chapter 42 we see they remembered Joseph pleading for his life. They
had been carrying the pain and guilt of a terrible sin they had committed 20 years ago. Reuben spoke up and said "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." You
see confession is the first step in reconciliation.
Now, let’s go back and see how Joseph practiced true forgiveness. Please turn to the chart in the center of your
Bulletin Insert.
Notice that each time the brothers mistreated Joseph, Joseph chose to respond in love and kindness. These were not little
things; the brothers’ actions caused Joseph at lot of pain, hardship, and changed Joseph’s life.
You see the key to forgiving other people lies in our perspective on life.
After Joseph’s initial dream the Bible does not record that God spoke to Joseph directly but the Bible clearly records
that the Lord spoke through Joseph’s faithfulness and devotion to God.
God did not give Joseph a detailed printout and we should not expect one either. We will not know what God has in
mind for us unless we spend time in His Word and time in prayer seeking His plan for us. God revealed His overall plan to
Joseph in a dream when Joseph was a young man. Joseph never lost sight of that dream but I do believe the circumstances in
Joseph’s life blurred that dream. However, God reassured Joseph throughout Joseph’s life through everyday occurrences.
So, what are some of the lessons we are to learn from Joseph life?
First and foremost, we need to remember that God is sovereign. God is in control of everything. Nothing happens to His
children unless He permits it and since God is all powerful He can turn the worst situation into something for our ultimate
good if we trust Him. In Romans 8:28 we read "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to his purpose
Secondly we must choose to forgive. We forgive out of gratitude of all that God has already forgiven us. We looked at that
in detail last week in The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.
Next we need to remember that we are spiritual beings temporarily housed in a physical body. Our life on earth is very
short compared to eternity. Our life on earth is a series of tests and trials designed to prepare us for our life in the hereafter.
We have little test and big test every day. In a sense we are in training.
Joseph believed God’s promise, Joseph trusted God, Joseph was faithful to God, and Joseph allowed God to use him
in all circumstances. God may not choose not to remove the circumstance but God has promised never to leave us or forsake
us. God’s grace is sufficient for us!
Next we need to focus on God’s purpose and God’s plan for our lives. "As Christians we were given
the mind of Christ that we might know God’s will and God’s purpose for our lives. In 1st Corinthians
we read "No eye has seen no ear has heard no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God
has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." (I Corinthians
2:9-10).
These truths enabled Joseph to:
- Keep his focus off of himself and his circumstances and to keep his focus
on God.
- To know God was with him no matter what
- To repay meanness and evil with kindness and good.
- To allow God to use him in all circumstances
In the account of Joseph we find over and over that God was with Joseph and God rewarded Joseph’s faithfulness
by blessing all that Joseph did. And the good news is that God will do the same for us. We will begin looking at that next
week. So stay tuned.
In the mean time we should never doubt God’s love, protection, or providence! AMEN
