Focus Verses: Genesis 43:33-34 "Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest. And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him."
You probably know the story of Joseph well. He was a young man who was hated by his brothers because they were jealous of him. So they planned to kill Joseph, but then decided to sell him as a slave to some travelers headed to Egypt. Once Joseph got to Egypt he was hired for a job in the house of Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife had lust for Joseph and accused Joseph of rape even though he did nothing wrong. So then he spent years in prison for something he didn’t do. But God was with Joseph, and God was working out His plan in Joseph’s life.
Twenty years after Joseph was sold by his brothers he was second in command in all the land of Egypt under Pharaoh. There was a great famine in all the land and Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt for food. Now Joseph was in charge of all the food. How do you think Joseph would treat his brothers after the way they treated him? He treated them kindly, he even gave them grain free of charge. Then he prepared a big feast for his brothers at his home. And at this point the brothers still did not know this was Joseph, the brother they sold into slavery many years before. Joseph loved his brothers in spite of what they did to him.
Joseph’s life is a great example of how Jesus came to our rescue. Joseph had the power to have his brothers killed, but instead he extended incredible generosity and mercy. Instead of blaming them, he forgave them. instead of being punished they were seated at his table for a feast.
This is a beautiful picture of what Christ did for us at the cross. He took all our sins and forgave them all. Isaiah 30:18 says, “Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.” Do you long for Him? He longs to be gracious to you. That’s great news. These brothers deserved none of this. What God is offering to us in His Son Jesus, we deserve none of it. But it is a gift. And like any gift, if we want to enjoy it we must receive it.
Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries
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