Genesis 45:3-15 (Epiphany 7C)
St. John, Galveston 2/23/25
Rev. Alan Taylor
+ In Nomine Jesu +
Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Although the Old Testament is a collection of interesting stories about the People of Israel, it isn’t just a collection of interesting stories. Rather, like the New Testament, the Old Testament is about Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the central figure in all of human history. The people of the Old Testament looked forward to Jesus’ coming, even as you and I look forward to His return. Consequently, there has only ever been one way of salvation from sin and death, and that is through Jesus Christ.
This morning we have an interesting story before us, interesting, in part, because it takes up the last 13 chapters of the Book of Genesis, and yet, the central character in the story, that being Joseph, is not in the line of the Messiah. In other words, the promised Messiah didn’t come through the descendants of Joseph, and yet, his story is so prominent in the Book of Genesis. It would be reasonable for us to ask, “why?” What is it about Joseph and his story that makes so important?
In this morning’s reading, we pick up with the story of Joseph and his brothers toward the end, but I’m sure you’re at least somewhat familiar with what happened to Joseph. His brothers were jealous of him because, when they were younger, Joseph had a dream that he would one day rule over them. Sometime after Joseph told them the dream, they conspired to do away with him. They sold him into slavery in Egypt, and with that, they thought they were done with him.
But Joseph found favor in the eyes of the Pharoah, because he could interpret dreams. Having interpreted Pharoah’s dreams, Joseph was rewarded by being put in charge of all the food supply in Egypt. A severe famine came upon the land, which forced Joseph’s brothers to go to Egypt, to plead for help, mainly in the form of grain. When they arrived, what did they find, but their brother Joseph in charge of the distribution of food supplies? It’s at that point, that we pick up this morning with the story of Joseph and his brothers.
It begins with the brothers meeting Joseph for the first time after they had sold into slavery. As you might expect, it was a tearful reunion, especially for Joseph. He said to his brothers, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” “Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them. After that his brothers talked with him.”
There are two theological points to be made regarding this story. One is explicitly stated by Joseph, “It was not you who sent me here, but God.” That point is stated elsewhere in the narrative as “you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” We’ll come back to that point in a few moments, but I’d like emphasize the second point to be made, first. Joseph said, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.”
While the Messiah would come through the line of Judah, God never intended to save only the people of Judah. Rather, as we are told repeatedly in the New Testament, it is God’s will to save all people. Joseph’s people were at a critical point, one that would determine whether or not they existed in the future. They were starving to death and they desperately needed food to survive. Their only hope was for someone to intervene on their behalf. That person, of course, was Joseph, the brother they had so despised and mistreated.
God’s will to save a remnant and ultimately as many people as possible is evidenced throughout the Scriptures. Even when the world was worthy of destruction, He saved Noah and his family. Much later, the prophet Elijah moaned about the threat that Jezebel had made on his life, saying, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” To which God said, “I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” God’s will to save a remnant and ultimately as many people as possible is evidenced throughout the Scriptures, in stories just like these.
Most importantly though, in the story of Joseph, is that what Joseph’s brothers meant for evil, God meant for good. As we begin to think about that statement, perhaps we should begin by acknowledging that there is, indeed, evil in the world. And beyond that, we can begin by acknowledging that evil is sometimes in us. Now, lest that sounds a little too forthright to you, consider the words of the Apostle Paul. “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
So, there is evil in the world, and sometimes that evil is in us. But God is able to bring good out of evil. Now, of course, there is no evil in God, but He does and will use the evil works of the world and of people, to bless those who are His own, as well as others. The remnant of Joseph’s people were ultimately saved from starvation, for salvation, by the wicked deed of Joseph’s brothers.
This principle, that God can turn evil into good, is, of course, nowhere more evident than in the life, death and resurrection of His own dear Son. On Good Friday, evil seemed to have carried the day. Jesus was mocked, beaten and crucified, all because people had in their hearts that He deserved to die. While Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” the people’s intentions were still evil, for ignorance is not an excuse for evil.
Jesus accusers meant it for evil, but God meant it for God. “If, because of one man’s trespass (that would be Adam), death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” And so, in that moment that appeared to be pure evil, “God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.”
Jesus resurrection from the dead is God’s “Amen” to His Son’s sacrifice. There is an Easter hymn in our hymnal titled “He’s Risen, He’s Risen.” It was written by Dr. C.F.W. Walther, who was the first president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Two of the verses in the hymn speak of beautifully of how God can turn evil into good.
“The foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to a tree.
In Satan’s domain did the hosts shout and jeer,
For Jesus was slain, whom the evil one’s fear.”
“But short was their triumph; the Savior arose,
And death, hell, and Satan He vanquished, His foes.
The conquering Lord lifts His banner on high;
He lives, yes, He lives, and will nevermore die.”
Joseph’s brothers meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. And so, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him and have been called according to His purpose.”
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.
+ Soli Deo Gloria +