Genesis 50:15-21 / Are You in The Place of God?

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:15-21

Joseph had been sold into slavery by his brothers because they were jealous of him. Now—after Joseph had been in captivity for years and then risen to power in Egypt—his brothers need his help because of a famine.

Naturally, they're terrified. They think Joseph "hates" them and will "pay us back for all the evil that we did to him." So they come in humility, subjecting themselves to him as "servants" and hoping he will receive their offer of servitude.

Joseph's response to them shows the glory of God in Jesus Christ. Mercy and grace! He said,

“Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them."

The mercy is that they did not get what they did deserve—punishment for their evil.
The grace is that they did get what they did not deserve—provision for their families.
Jesus—in the same way—grants us mercy in the forgiveness of sins and grace in the gift of eternal riches with God!

God is revealing His glory to us here. The world cannot understand this sort of grace and mercy toward your enemies. We are a culture that "cancels" people and demands justice for every wrong committed, whether perceived or real. This is partly because the world holds to what William Ernest Henley famously wrote in his poem, "Invictus," which says, "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."

But God—through His Son and His Scriptures—is showing us another way. And you may have noticed this in our passage, but it started with Joseph's heart toward God, he said, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God?"

Joseph may have been justified in the world's eyes to bring down harsh penalties on his brothers, but He yielded to the purposes of God. He did not pretend to be God in this moment. And of course, we know that God had amazing purposes for Joseph and his family, to deliver them from Egypt and continue making them a Holy people that would bless the world.

This question is at the heart of every sin—"Am I in the place of God?"
Do I determine right and wrong?
Do I determine my world view?
Do I determine my lifestyle?
Do I determine my future?
Do I determine how I should spend my time?
Do I determine the way of eternal life?
Or, is it God's place to determine those things. That's the choice Adam and Eve faced in the garden, and that's the choice we face every day.

Like Joseph, our response to situations throughout life hinges on our answer to this question. We must settle it in our hearts that we are NOT in the place of God. We must know that God has bigger plans for us than we can see. And we must yield to His Spirit, even when it doesn't make sense to the world. In doing this we show the glory of God in Christ Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross--through which He extends mercy and grace to all those who will believe.

If you want to dig deeper into this, need help, need prayer, or have questions—please reach out to us here: Roots Help & Prayer Form

Faithfully,

Pastor Kevin

Corinn ElliffMarch 24, 2022