GOD USED JOSEPH IN HIS REDEMPTIVE WORK Genesis chapters 42-47, 50 Key Verse: 45:7 “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”  

Introduction Today’s passage shows how the Lord used Joseph in his redemptive work. We can learn about true love, the faith it takes to believe in God’s sovereignty, and true hope. We pray that we may grow to be like Joseph, who was a man of faith, love and hope.

I. Joseph Trained his Brothers (42:1-44:34) Joseph’s brothers needed discipline in order to become the kinds of men God needed them to be to use them as ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. They had to come to understand how terrible the result of their sin was. They also needed to experience the joy of forgiveness. Most of all, they had to learn true faith and obedience to God.

How Did Joseph Train His Brothers? Joseph spoke harshly against them, saying that they were spies. He asked them to prove their innocence by bringing their youngest brother, Benjamin. Then he locked them in prison.

What Was Their Response? 42:21, “They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that's why this distress has come upon us.’" 42:22, Reuben replied, "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.” The passing of twenty years had not solved the problem of their sin. The problem of our sin is solved only when we receive God’s forgiveness.

How Did Joseph React? Joseph turned away from them and began to weep, but then turned back and spoke to them again. His weeping shows his pure and sincere heart; it reveals how much he loved them in his heart. Joseph gave them money out of his love for them, but they were terrified, thinking that God was punishing them.

How Did Jacob React? Instead of trusting God, he was grieved, thinking that everything was against him. However, everything was working for his good. We must believe that in all things, including unfavorable circumstances, God works for the good of those who love him (Ro 8:28).

Why Did They Have To Go Back to Egypt Together with Benjamin? 43:1,2, “The famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food.“ Judah told his father that they could not go without Benjamin. He persuaded his father by saying that he would be personally responsible for Benjamin’s safety.

How Was Joseph Moved When He Saw Benjamin? When Joseph saw his brother Benjamin he was deeply moved and hurried out to find a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve the food."

What Additional Trainings Did Joseph Give His Brothers? Joseph had them seated in the order of their ages. Joseph gave Benjamin five times more food than the others. When they were leaving to return to their home, Joseph asked his steward to put his silver cup into Benjamin’s sack.

Joseph’s Silver Cup Found In Benjamin’s Sack

How Did the Brothers Respond? They all tore their clothes and returned to Joseph. They all said that they would be Joseph’s slaves (44:16). Joseph told them that they should all return home in peace except Benjamin.

Judah Begs Joseph for Mercy

44:18-34 Recounts Judah’s plea It has been called the most moving speech in the Old Testament. Judah was speaking not only for the life of Benjamin but also for the life of his father. Although he was innocent, he was prepared to take Benjamin’s place as a slave for the sake of his father’s life.

What Genuine Repentance Can We See in Judah’s Words? First, he had become a responsible man: he promised his father that he would guarantee Benjamin’s safety. Second, Judah had become a man of sacrificial love who valued the life of his father and his brother more than his own. God accepted Judah, who repented, and used him as a prominent heir to his redemptive work.

How Did Joseph Respond to His Brothers’ Repentance? 45:1, “Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, ‘Have everyone leave my presence!’ So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.” When Joseph saw his brothers’ repentance he did not need to disguise himself anymore, and he wept loudly. Until that point Joseph had caused his brothers so much trouble. But the problems he caused were not intended as revenge against them. Joseph truly loved them.

Why Did They Need Training? They were useless before God because they were sinful and self-centered, emotional and irresponsible. They had to be transformed into spiritual men through repentance in order to be used by God. Joseph trained his brothers in many ways so that they could realize their sin and become useful men of God.

What Is True Love? True love is disciplining men to become useful before God. True love is helping others to repent for their sins before God and helping them to become useful men of God. Only God’s holy love can transform sinful men and help them to have a new life in God.

Joseph Reveals Himself

II. God Used Joseph (45:1-47:26) 45:4-8 are the essence of his testimony: "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 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….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. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” Because of his faith he could not only forgive his brothers but welcome them from the bottom of his heart.

What was God’s purpose in elevating Joseph into the prime minister of Egypt? First, God preserved the lives of Jacob and his descendants. God used Joseph to save Jacob’s descendants, who otherwise would have died of starvation. Second, God preserved the lives of many people and nations.

What Is the Secret? He could do this because of his faith in God’s providence. 45:5, 7: “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… God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” 50:20, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

If he had seen his life not from God’s point of view but from a human point of view, what would have happened? His life would have looked like one of the most miserable possible and he would have seemed to be one of the most miserable men on earth.

But Joseph did not see his life from a human point of view. Joseph believed in God’s perfect will for his life, and he believed that God was leading his life according to his good, pleasing and perfect will. Joseph believed in God’s providence; therefore he believed that not people but God, in his good and perfect will, controlled his life.

When we believe in God’s providence,… When we believe in God’s providence we become bright and positive. We can live a life full of thanks and grace and spirit, overcoming weakness, sorrow and loneliness. Joseph could live a victorious life by faith in God’s providence.

45:21-28 It recounts how Jacob’s descendants went down to Egypt on Joseph’s invitation. There was God’s great will in this. It was in order for them to become a great nation and to be disciplined as God’s people.

47:13-26 It tells how Joseph discharged his responsibility as prime minister. Joseph was faithful to Pharaoh and took care of everything in wisdom without seeking his own interest. As a steward for Pharaoh, he both benefitted Pharaoh and saved peoples’ lives during the famine.

III. Joseph’s Hope (50:22-26) 50:24,25: “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 sons of Israel swear an oath and said, ‘God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.’” He had a clear identity as a man of God. His hope was not in Egypt but in Canaan, God’s Promised Land.

Conclusion The one who made Joseph’s life beautiful is the Lord God. “The Lord was with Joseph.” God is with us, and in all things he works for the good of those who love him. We cannot fathom all of God’s providence, but we must have faith in God’s providence, believing that he is leading our lives in perfect goodness and love. Then we can live a victorious life.