Bible Study - Overcome (6) - Overcome - An Earthly Mindset - Genesis 50:15-21 - Novembeer 23, 2014

Bible Study – Overcome (6) – Overcome An Earthly Mindset – November 23, 2014.

This is lesson six (6) and our final lesson in this series entitled “Overcome: Living beyond Your Circumstances.”

Our focus scripture is Genesis 50:15-21.

We can trust that GOD is at work on our behalf. This is true for those who are to receive salvation and those who have received salvation. GOD is sovereign and is in control.

Joseph revealed himself to his brothers. (Genesis 45:1-8)

1 Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. 2 But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence. 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. 5 And now don’t be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. 7 God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Joseph and Pharaoh had a unique relationship. Joseph’s relationship with GOD produced a special, trusting relationship with Pharaoh.

Let’s read Genesis 45:16-20 (Pharaoh invited Joseph’s family to relocate to Egypt.)

16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and go on back to the land of Canaan. 18 Get your father and your families, and come back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you can eat from the richness of the land.’ 19 You are also commanded, ‘Do this: Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives and bring your father here. 20 Do not be concerned about your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

Pharaoh invited Joseph’s family to come to live in Egypt and they did.

How long did Jacob live in Egypt? 

Let’s read Genesis 47:27-28:

27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous. 28 Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years.

Keep in mind that GOD changed Jacob’s name from Jacob to Israel as recorded in Genesis 35:10:

10 God said to him: Your name is Jacob; you will no longer be named Jacob, but your name will be Israel.

Jacob was 130 years old when he traveled to Egypt and settled in the land Goshen. In 17 years Jacob died.

Jacob knew that his days upon earth were coming to a close, Joseph requested his father to bless his two sons Manasseh, his oldest son or firstborn and Ephraim, the younger son. Jacob agreed. Joseph positioned them so that Jacob would naturally place his right hand upon Manasseh and his left hand upon Ephraim. Let’s read Genesis 48:17-20:

17 When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he thought it was a mistake and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s. 18 Joseph said to his father, “Not that way, my father! This one is the firstborn. Put your right hand on his head.” 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know! He too will become a tribe, and he too will be great; nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a populous nation.” 20 So he blessed them that day with these words: The nation Israel will invoke blessings by you, saying, “May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh,” putting Ephraim before Manasseh.

If interested you can fast forward to the dividing of the Promised Land and read, in Joshua 13 how it was distributed. The land was distributed according to the character of the tribe’s founder. Joseph’s descendants from Ephraim and Manasseh were given the richest and most fertile land in all of Canaan because of Joseph’s Godly character.

GOD does not depend upon circumstances in hopes that they come out according to HIS plan and purpose but HE sees the entire plan from beginning to end and HE controls events such that they come out according to HIS plans and purpose. Yes, people have choices. Those who choose to do the will of GOD are rewarded.

Joseph was seemingly dealt a harsh hand in life but it was according to GOD’S will and purpose.

Genesis 49:29-33: (Jacob’s dying request)

29 Then he (Jacob) commanded them: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. 30 The cave is in the field of Machpelah (mak-PEE- luh) near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. 31 Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried there, Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried there, and I buried Leah there. 32 The field and the cave in it were purchased from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and died. He was gathered to his people.

Joseph bid his dad farewell.

Let’s read Genesis 50:1-3:

Jacob’s Burial

1 Then Joseph, leaning over his father’s face, wept and kissed him. 2 He commanded his servants who were physicians to embalm his father. So they embalmed Israel. 3 They took 40 days to complete this, for embalming takes that long, and the Egyptians mourned for him 70 days.

Jacob died and the Egyptians mourned his death along with Joseph for 70 days. Joseph told Pharaoh that his father had requested that he be carried back to Canaan and buried. Pharaoh agreed and they did as Jacob requested.

Joseph’s brothers had a dose of reality. Their father was dead and would Joseph now take out his revenge on them? So they hatched a plan to save their necks.

Let’s read Genesis 50:15-17:

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.” 16 So they sent this message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: 17 ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin—the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him.

When Jacob died at some point in time, reality set in for Joseph’s brothers. Once the patriarch died, there was nothing to hold Joseph back from punishing his brothers for selling him into slavery.

Notice in verse 15, they concluded if Joseph was holding a grudge he would repay them for their evil deed. So they put their heads together and came up with a solution. They would send Joseph a message which began in verse 16 “Before he died your father gave a command:” We do not know if this really happened or they made it up. They referred to their father as “your father.” They wanted Joseph to know that his father requested him to forgive his brothers for what they did to him because they were his brothers. They are family and families depend upon each other. They need to be in unity.

They used the word “transgression.” Transgression in Hebrew means sin and carries the idea of a breach in relationship between two parties because of “a defiant violation of GOD’S law,” “a brazen revolt,” or “rebellion.”

They also made a connection between GOD and their identity as “the servants of the GOD of your father.” They went beyond family ties to spiritual ties. Joseph might have thought “Gee! Why didn’t this dawn on my brothers when they thought about killing me or selling me into slavery?”

The point was they had realized what they had done. Joseph’s heart was broken because they did not know his heart toward GOD and toward them. They were family and he had forgiven them as he had told them in Genesis 45:4-8 when he identified himself as Joseph, their brother.

Joseph wept.

Overcoming an earthly mindset is often difficult. Our earthly mindset is often to get revenge. We have to decide whether or not to accept an apology for something done to us or make an apology for something we have done to another. Our ego gets in the way. When we forgive it needs to be a complete release. Will we remember the issue? Yes, but we need to remind ourselves that the matter has been forgiven just as GOD has forgiven us for our transgressions. GOD not only forgives but HE forgets our transgressions when we confess them.

Let’s read Genesis 50:18-19:

18 Then his brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

Joseph brothers came into his presence and bowed before him. They told him that they were his slaves. They were willing to give up their status as his brothers, their family name, and freedom and become Joseph’s slaves. Being slaves was a better alternative than being killed or tortured.

Joseph was in a unique position. In that day, it was a common practice for people, especially people with power to take revenge. He could have taken advantage of their vulnerability. But he overcame the earthly mindset to take revenge and chose to forgive because he saw the hand of GOD at work in his life.   

Joseph put their minds at ease by telling them not to be afraid because he was in the right spot at the right time to accomplish GOD’S will, plan and purpose. The question Joseph asked, “Am I in the place of God?” revealed his heart. Only GOD can judge and take vengeance. Joseph was not GOD. GOD would be their judge but as far as he was concerned he forgave them.

Joseph may have recalled the dream he had as a young lad as recorded in Genesis 37:5-11:

5 Then Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7 There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the field. Suddenly my sheaf stood up, and your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 “Are you really going to reign over us?” his brothers asked him. “Are you really going to rule us?” So they hated him even more because of his dream and what he had said. 9 Then he had another dream and told it to his brothers. “Look,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun, moon, and 11 stars were bowing down to me.” 10 He told his father and brothers, but his father rebuked him. “What kind of dream is this that you have had?” he said. “Are your mother and brothers and I going to come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Let’s read Genesis 50:20-21:

20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people. 21 Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph uttered a hallmark statement in verses 20-21. It revealed a forgiving heart which had been shaped by the love of GOD. His brothers meant to do Joseph evil but GOD used it for good and the preservation of his family and many other families. GOD had taken their evil intent and turned it into good. Joseph never said that what his brothers had done was good because it wasn’t but GOD used it for HIS plan and purpose.

Do we see the value in our lives?

Christians may wonder why their lives took certain paths. When we look back over our lives many can see the hand of GOD leading and guiding us to the exact place HE wanted us to be.

Joseph recommitted to his care for them and their children. The tone of his voice was sincere, tender and kind. GOD had forgiven them and so did Joseph. Often, the toughest job is to forgive ourselves for what we have done.

Let’s read Genesis 50:22-26: Joseph’s Death

22 Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation; the sons of Manasseh’s son Machir were recognized by Joseph. 24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will certainly come to your aid and bring you up from this land to the land He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 25 So Joseph made the sons of Israel (Jacob) take an oath: “When God comes to your aid, you are to carry my bones up from here.” 26 Joseph died at the age of 110. They embalmed him and placed him in a coffin in Egypt.

Joseph’s family remained in Egypt until he died at 110 years old. Joseph made his brothers promise him that when GOD came to their aid and lead them back to the Promised Land, they would carry his bones to the land GOD had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It would be about 359 years before that request was fulfilled. Exodus 13:19:

19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, because Joseph had made the Israelites swear a solemn oath, saying, “God will certainly come to your aid; then you must take my bones with you from this place.”

Hebrews 11:22:

22 By faith Joseph, as he was nearing the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Again, GOD gave Joseph a vision and a hope for the future for the Israelites.

GOD has a vision, plan and purpose for each of HIS children. Give your life to HIM and allow HIM, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to lead and direct your life. Blessings!!!