at verse 15. When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said,
what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?
So they sent word to Joseph, saying, your father left these instructions before he died.
This is what you are to say to Joseph. I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and wrongs
they committed in treating you so badly. Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the
God of your father. When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers then came and threw
themselves down before him. We are your slaves, they said. But Joseph said to them, don't be afraid.
Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is
now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your
children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph stayed in Egypt along with all his
father's family. He lived 110 years and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children.
Also, the children of Machir, son of Manasseh, were placed at birth on Joseph's knees.
Then Joseph said to his brothers, I am about to die, but God will surely come to your aid and take you up
out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And Joseph made the
Israelites swear an oath and said, God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones
up from this place. So Joseph died at the age of 110. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a
coffin in Egypt.
Thank you very much, Chris. And thank you, Ralph, for leading.
I'm just going to adjust this. So bear with me a moment. Talk amongst yourselves.
The eyes are going. Can't see so well.
Well, let's have our Bibles open at Genesis chapter 50. Let's pray together.
Our Father God, we come to you as the maker of heaven and earth. You spoke the universe into existence.
And by your word, you sustain it and keep it. And it is that same word that we listen to now.
Asking that you would change us, sustain us and give us strength as we seek to follow you.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
So we've come to the end of Genesis and what a journey it's been.
We started all the way back in Eden and here we are now in Egypt.
Eden, of course, was the place where God's people lived, enjoying God's presence and his blessing.
But we know from the story the blessing didn't last.
The people rebelled against God and they were removed from Eden out of God's presence.
But the rest of the Bible story, all the way from Genesis through into Revelation,
is all about the story of going back to Eden.
A better Eden, where God's people will be with God and enjoy his blessing forever.
So as we come to the end of Genesis, the big question is, are we going to make it?
Will we reach the eternal destination?
Well, we get a chance to listen in to Joseph's final words to his brothers.
And as we listen to what Joseph says, we are given assurance, confidence and hope
that God's people will make it in the journey to that better and greater Eden.
Three comforting words, if you're taking notes.
Here we go.
Provision, providence and promise.
So here's the first one.
God's provision for our past sins.
It seems that Jacob's death has raised an old fear for the brothers.
Look at verse 15.
When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said,
what if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?
Now, 40 years have passed since the brothers had sold Joseph as a slave.
That's a lot of brooding time for Joseph.
Lots of time to plan your revenge.
The brothers are terrified of what Joseph might now do to them.
You see, the brothers fear judgment.
So they come up with a plan, don't they?
Verse 16.
They sent word to Joseph saying,
your father left these instructions before he died.
This is what you are to say to Joseph.
I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.
Now, please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.
Sounds good.
But the problem is, there's no suggestion anywhere that Jacob had ever said such a thing.
In fact, they are so desperate that they tell a few lies to try and force forgiveness from Joseph.
That's what happens when we try to deal with our own guilt.
We run into fear.
Fear of others and fear of God.
But the point is, they don't need to fear.
Because there is assurance of forgiveness.
Look at how Joseph responds to the brothers.
Verse 17 at the very end.
When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
Now, I think Joseph's weeping here is a weeping of sadness and disappointment.
Joseph isn't angry with his brothers.
He feels for them because they're still carrying their guilt and shame.
They're still living in fear.
You see, as far as Joseph is concerned,
the past, well, that's in the past.
It's water under the bridge.
Their sin had been confessed and had been dealt with.
Look back with me to chapter 45.
In the previous chapter, they had admitted their guilt before God.
And now Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers.
Let's pick it up in verse 4.
Then Joseph said to his brothers,
Come close to me.
And when they had done so, he said,
I am your brother Joseph,
the one you sold into Egypt.
And now do not be distressed.
Pick it up in verse 14.
Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept.
And Benjamin embraced him weeping.
And he kissed all of the brothers and wept over them.
Afterwards, his brothers talked with him.
Tears of reconciliation.
They had come back together again.
And if that was not enough,
Joseph had ensured that the brothers in the time of famine
had received the best of food,
that they had got land for all their livestock,
and the best of housing in all of Egypt.
Joseph had held no grudge.
He wasn't looking for payback.
The sins had been confessed and forgiven.
So there was no need to fear.
Let's go back to chapter 50.
Well, it seems these brothers
are having a hard time accepting this.
Look at verse 18.
His brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph.
We are your slaves, they said.
But Joseph said to them,
Don't be afraid.
Am I in the place of God?
Can I take God's place
and bring judgment upon you?
You see, Joseph knows that God must judge all sin.
The sins of the brothers can't be ignored.
It must be dealt with.
Yet Joseph is confident that where sin
has been judged,
then forgiveness can be received.
But the sad reality is
the brothers have not yet grasped
the once and for all forgiveness of God.
They're still carrying around with them
their guilt and their shame.
They're living in fear.
Now, how often are we like the brothers?
You know what it's like, don't you?
You confessed some past sin.
You know God has forgiven you of it.
But yet we still have this nagging fear
that somehow God is going to punish us.
We fear that God is just biding his time
and he's just waiting to pounce and remind us.
You see?
You remember those sins?
Now I've got you.
Well, it seems we impose on God
how we respond to each other
in our own relationships.
You see, I can say,
I forgive you,
but I know full well in my heart
I can still hold a grudge.
I know I can take subtle revenge.
But that's not God.
He doesn't hold grudges.
He doesn't pay back evil with evil.
You see, the Bible is crystal clear on this.
God has judged sin
through the death of his son Jesus on the cross.
It's been dealt with.
So where there is now true repentance,
there is in its place forever forgiveness.
Now we need to drive this truth home
time and time again.
Listen to what scripture says.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
From all eternity,
he has removed our sin.
Or what about this one from Micah?
Who is a God like you who forgives sins?
You will again have compassion on us.
You will tread our sins underfoot.
That is, he will judge them.
And when he's done so,
he will hurl our iniquities.
Where?
Into the depths of the sea.
Never to be brought before us again.
You see, God doesn't forgive sins twice.
Or three times.
Or four times.
God forgives your sin once.
And he remembers them no more.
So first, let's see God's provision
for our past sins.
Second word from Joseph.
God's providence in our present suffering.
There's something else he needs to share with them.
So look at verse 20.
You intended to harm me,
but God intended it for good
to accomplish what is now being done,
the saving of many lives.
Now that's a big statement, isn't it?
It's what theologians call providence.
It simply means, you can see it there on the screen,
God's active rule in the world
to accomplish his plan
and achieve his purposes
for his glory
and for our good.
You see, look what Joseph,
look what they said to Joseph.
Or sorry, what Joseph said to the brothers.
Verse 20.
You intended to harm me.
Well, harm is what the brothers caused to Joseph, isn't it?
It was an evil, wicked act what they did.
At the age of 17,
they threw their brother Joseph into a pit
and then sold him off as a slave.
And then they went and told their father
that he had been killed by some wild animal.
And things were only to get worse for Joseph.
Soon afterwards, having been sold off,
he was thrown into the pit of a dungeon
where he spends 13 years of his life.
Joseph suffered terribly
through the evil actions of his brothers.
They intended harm
and harm is what they did.
And harm is what Joseph experienced.
But yet in it all,
God's providence
was at work.
Look at verse 20 again.
He says,
You intended to harm me,
but God intended it
for good.
You see,
in and through the wicked actions
of the brothers,
God was working good.
trace the story with me,
the outline of the story of Joseph.
Joseph was sold as a slave to Egypt,
but Joseph became the ruler
over all of Egypt.
Famine came on the land.
There was no food,
but Joseph had stored up food
for distribution.
His brothers,
years later,
on the verge of dying,
travelled down to Egypt
looking for food,
and lo and behold,
who provides for all of their needs?
Joseph.
You see,
this isn't coincidence.
This is providence.
This is God's active rule
in the suffering of Joseph
to accomplish God's plan
and to achieve God's purpose.
purpose.
And what was the plan
and purpose?
Well,
look at the end of verse 20.
To accomplish
what is now being done,
the saving
of many lives.
Out of suffering
came salvation.
Now,
we've come across
this theme before.
You might remember it.
Go back again
to chapter 45.
chapter 45,
and we'll pick it up
in verse 5.
Chapter 45,
verse 5.
So,
Joseph is speaking
to his brothers,
and he says,
and now do not be distressed,
and do not be angry
with yourselves
for selling me here,
because it was to save lives
that God sent me ahead of you.
Verse 7.
But God 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.
Now,
do you see the two actions
that are in those verses?
On the one hand,
the brothers
sold Joseph
into Egypt,
and then on the other hand,
God sent
Joseph
into Egypt.
The brothers
sold him,
God sent him.
Now,
you tell me
which one is right.
Did the brothers
sell him,
or did God
send him?
Well,
both actions
are true,
aren't they?
The suffering
Joseph endured
was caused
by the brothers.
They are responsible.
Yet,
at the same time,
it is all planned
and purposed
by God.
You sold me,
but God
sent me.
You see,
Joseph's life
from beginning
to end
is in
God's control.
Joseph
suffered terribly,
but yet
God was at work
to accomplish
his plans
and to achieve
his purposes.
And that means
your life
and my life
are in
God's hands.
There are no
chance circumstances
that we face.
There are no
random events
in our lives.
Every second
of your life
is designed
and orchestrated
by God.
Even
our suffering.
Go back
with me
to chapter 50.
You see,
when we suffer
and we can
all have
our stories
of trials
and struggle,
in the midst
of it,
we can feel
abandoned
by God.
That he's
ignoring me.
That he's
forgotten.
And we can
even ask
God to
take all
the suffering
away.
But it's
still there.
We still
have to
live with
it.
And our
experience
is dark
and difficult.
Well,
the account
of Joseph
reminds us
that our
suffering
is not
some
random
chance
event.
No,
God is in
control of
your life.
God is
actively
ruling
over
every
circumstance
and event.
He is
working
in
and
through
your
suffering
to
accomplish
his
plans
and
to
achieve
his
purposes.
Now,
we mightn't
always see
it.
We can
be sure
we don't
always feel
it.
But yet,
this is what
God's word
is saying
to us.
Look again
at verse
20.
Let's read
it all.
You
intended
to harm
me,
but God
intended
it for
good to
accomplish
what is
now being
done,
the saving
of many
lives.
Now,
let's get
this clear.
It doesn't
say
God
turns
our
suffering
into
good.
I know
we've got
a song
about that,
don't we?
We sometimes
sing it.
Whatever
the enemy
means for
evil,
he turns
it for
our good.
Well,
I want to
say that's
kind of
half right.
It's not
fully right.
God
doesn't
turn our
suffering
into good
as if
God were
responding to
some
calamitous
event that
he couldn't
prevent and
he's playing
catch up.
No,
God means
all our
suffering for
good,
to accomplish
what is
now being
done,
the saving
of many
lives.
Last week,
you may
remember,
we prayed
for Yaroslav,
a pastor
and his
family in
Ukraine.
Right now,
in that
situation,
in his
home and
where he
lives,
there is
terrible
evil
happening.
Drones
and missiles
are flying
through the
air.
harm is
intended
and harm
is being
done.
Yaroslav and
his church
family,
they've lost
loved ones.
They live
in fear.
Any day,
he says,
could be our
last day.
But yet,
in their
suffering
and through
their suffering,
people are
trusting Christ
and finding
hope and
peace in
him.
Lives are
being
saved.
Not just
physically and
temporarily,
but spiritually
and eternally.
And so,
in the same
way,
in each of
our lives
today,
whatever the
suffering you
are going
through,
it is not
a random
chance.
God is
working in
it and
through it.
He means
it for
your good.
for your
best.
It can
keep you.
It can
change you.
It can
lead you
to Christ.
And in
your testimony
as you look
to God,
it can
lead others
to Christ.
So,
second,
God's
providence
in our
present
suffering.
God's
promise for
our future
salvation.
Joseph has
one last
closing word
for his
brothers.
We pick
it up in
verse 24.
Joseph said
to his
brothers,
I'm about
to die,
but God
will surely
come to
your aid
and take
you up
out of
this land
to the
land he
promised on
oath to
Abraham,
Isaac,
and Jacob.
God had
promised
that his
people
would have
a place
where they
could live
and enjoy
God's
presence
and blessing.
And that
promise was
given,
do you see
the end of
verse 24,
to Abraham
and to
Isaac
and then
to Jacob.
So,
right the way
through the
story of
Genesis,
we've been
tracing it
as we've
been going
through it.
there's a
longing for
and a
looking forward
to this
promised land
that God
would give
to his
people.
But yet
when we
read this
story carefully,
we get
hints that
this promised
land is
actually
something
future
and
something
eternal.
Go back
with me
please to
chapter 47.
Trace the
theme in the
story here
with me.
Genesis
chapter 47.
Here
Jacob is
talking with
Pharaoh
but look
how he
describes
his life
and the
life of
his
fathers.
We'll
pick it
up in
verse 9.
So he's
telling
Pharaoh all
about his
life and he
describes it
like this.
Jacob said
to Pharaoh,
the years
of my
pilgrimage
or sojourn
are 130.
My years
have been
few and
difficult and
they do
not equal
the years
of the
pilgrimage
or the
sojourn
of my
fathers.
You see,
they saw
their life
as a
pilgrimage.
They were
passing
through.
Their home
was not
here.
They were
looking forward
to something
beyond this
life.
Now look
at chapter
48.
Here,
Jacob
remembers
God's
promise of
a land
but again
look how
he describes
it.
Chapter
48,
verse 4.
And God
said to me,
I am going
to make you
fruitful and
increase your
numbers.
I will make
you a
community of
peoples and
I will give
this land
as a
everlasting
possession
to your
descendants
after you.
It was to
be everlasting,
not just for
a time here
on earth.
The promised
land was
actually a
foretaste
of a
future
and eternal
land.
A land
that's
everlasting.
everlasting,
a forever
home for
God's
people.
Now let's
go back to
chapter 50.
So when
Joseph tells
his brothers,
God will
take you
to the land
that he
promised,
he's saying
to them,
it's not just
about the
here and
now,
it's something
future and
eternal.
it's the
land of
God's
eternal
kingdom,
the new
and better
Eden
promised
to all
God's
people.
Now to
assure them
of what's
to come,
Joseph makes
a very
strange
request.
Verse 25,
And Joseph
made the
Israelites,
his brothers,
swear an
oath and
said,
God will
surely come
to your
aid and
then you
must carry
my bones
up from
this place.
What a
strange
request.
Why the
insistence
that his
brothers
would bring
his bones
up to
the
promised
land.
Why doesn't
he just
stay buried
in Egypt?
What
difference
would it
make whether
his bones
stay in
Egypt or
whether they
go to
the promised
land?
What's
the point?
Well,
it's not
going to
make any
difference,
but it's
symbolic.
You see,
look at the
language Joseph
uses here in
verse 24
and 25.
verse 24,
God will
surely take
you up
out of
this land.
And
verse 25,
carry my
bones up
from this
place.
You see,
it's the
language of
resurrection.
Moving
Joseph's
bones from
this land
of Egypt
up to
the promised
land is
a picture
of a
resurrection
to come.
One
day,
the
risen
Lord
Jesus
will
come
and
he
will
take
you
up
out
of
your
grave
and
he
will
carry
you
up
out
of
this
place
to
your
forever
eternal
home.
You see,
if the
bones
of a
dead
Joseph
can
give
just a
glimmer
of hope
of what
is to
come,
how much
more
then
does
the
empty
tomb
where
a
dead
Jesus
was
laid
make
to
us
today?
You see,
we are
buried,
aren't we,
when we
die?
Not
just to
be
remembered,
but
God's
people are
buried
in the
sure and
certain
hope
that one
day
the
risen
Lord
Jesus
will
come
again
and
we
will
be
raised
with
him
and
we
will
be
given
new
bodies
for
our
everlasting
future
home.
Just
as
Joseph's
bones
were
carried
up,
well you
can check
out the
rest of
that story
in Joshua
and see
what
happened,
so we
can be
sure
of God's
promise
of salvation.
It is
guaranteed
and it
is
assured.
So here
we have
it,
we come
to the
end of
Genesis,
comforting
words,
not just
for the
brothers,
but for
us.
As we
make our
journey
forward,
let us
remember that
our past
sins are
all forgiven.
Our
present
suffering
is not
wasted.
Our
future
salvation
is sure
and certain,
comforting
words that
God's
people will
make it.
God
will ensure
that we
get to the
ultimate
promised land,
the new
and better
Eden.
Thank
God
for his
promise.
Thank God
for his
providence
and thank
God
for his
provision.
Let's
pray.
Thank you.