Joseph Forgave His Brothers

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “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. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 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.
(Genesis 45:4–8)

Joseph’s brothers were guilty on all counts.

They had plotted to kill their brother Joseph and then sold him as a slave.

They had cut him off from the family, ending his life as he envisioned it.

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There was no making up for it.

There were no excuses.

They were all guilty.

But they still had one hope: forgiveness.

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Joseph forgave his brothers.

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Joseph declared one of the most profound theological truths of the Bible: God had been sovereign over the whole matter.

Joseph was able to see God’s purposes and be free of bitterness.

Lesson: When we are wronged, we need to look to see how God can bring good from it. God can and He will.

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.
(Romans 8:28)

Then we need to forgive and let God work out His purposes.

Joseph forgave his brothers.

Let us forgive one another.