God Meant It For Good It Is Enough

It Is Enough Genesis 45:1-28

We spent our time last week looking at chapter 44. The chapter divisions are great to help us reference certain passages of scripture and to break down a larger story into its parts. Chapters 44 and 45 are a telling of one scene in the life of Joseph. Remember that Joseph has been about testing his brothers. He had put his silver cup into Benjamin’s bag and had his servant chase down his brothers as they were making their way back home. He told his steward to accuse them of stealing. Joseph then awaited their response to this new accusation. Joseph’s brothers fell before Joseph and pleaded for mercy. Judah reminded Joseph that the reason why Benjamin was there was because of his request. Then Judah described the love of their father and the vow that he had taken to be Benjamin’s pledge of safety. And so, the stage is set for Joseph’s response. Judah and the brothers lie face down on the ground in homage and fear of Joseph. Their destiny hung in the balance and Joseph was the one holding the scale or so it would seem. In this story, and throughout the book of Genesis, we see the idea of good vs. evil. From Adam and Eve to Joseph, we are shown that there is only one who is truly good, and that is God. He is the source of goodness and if there is good in the world it is because it is flowing from God. If a person does good it is only because of their faith in God, which God has worked into and out of their lives. And so today, we find the goodness of Joseph which is founded in his faith in the one God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The story breaks easily into three acts. In the first we have Joseph making himself known to his brothers and their conversation. In the second, we have the decrees of Pharaoh and Joseph on behalf of Joseph’s family. And in the third act, we have the response of Jacob to the news that Joseph is alive and well and living in Egypt.

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