In the downward spiral that Joseph was afflicted with, men were the instrumentalities. Thus, we observe two sides to each of the events that Joseph suffered: there the tools or instruments we name as inflictors on one side and the afflicted on the other.
Consider, have you been such an inflictor of ‘hardship’ upon your brother? You satisfied your misplaced wrath, your wrong motive, yet you were only moving him toward his destiny. As it happened in all the four instances, and as in our text, your guilt and fear of reprisal is waiting to haunt you!
But now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful. “Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him,” they said. So they sent this message to Joseph: “Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: ‘Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you—for their sin in treating you so cruelly.’ So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin.” When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them. Genesis 50:15-21 (NLT)
Now to the afflicted or offended, Joseph’s example reflects the freedom bequeathed on a heart that forgives; but more was Joseph’s recognition of the divinely imposed responsibility as one blessed of God not to hold anything against his offending brethren. Joseph was in full realisation of Romans 8:28 (NLT), that –
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
It is required of those blessed of God to thread carefully towards the less blessed, even when such acts despicably toward you.
Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried. Luke 16:19-22
God will judge your response. So that you do not forget, we repeat here this life principle shared in the last admonition – “whatever good or evil any man does to you, it is because God allowed it, not because your afflicters or benefactor had the power!” John 19:11(NLT) affirms this –
Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”
Let us all live by the words of caution the Lord gave his disciples in Luke 17:1-4 (NLT) –
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
And in Matthew 18:7 (NLT)
What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting.
Just as Paul summarised it in 1 Thessalonians 4:6 (NKJV). Although he was referring to a specific matter here, the principle holds on all matters of relationship with my brother.
that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
Blessed are you if you take heed to these things. Selah
Pastor Afolabi Oladele
Leave a Reply