The story of Joseph and his brothers, found in Genesis 37-50, is one of my personal favourites in Genesis. This is partly because I have fond childhood memories of seeing the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat’ and singing songs from the production at school. However, it’s also because the story of Joseph is one that reminds us of God’s sovereignty and providence working within human history. Joseph faces many difficulties and challenges, including being sold into slavery by his brothers, being taken to a foreign land, and being placed in prison. However, in all of these events God safeguards his purposes and brings about his good through Joseph’s story.

In the verses that we have today Joseph’s father, Jacob, has died and his brothers have become fearful that Joseph may bear a grudge towards them because of the crimes they have committed against him. So the brothers share the words of their father with Joseph, asking him to forgive them, while they themselves weep and fall down before him, offering to be his slaves.

Joseph responds to his brothers with kindness and forgiveness telling them:

“Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” (Genesis 50:20).

This echoes an earlier part of the story when Joseph previously found himself calming and allaying his brothers’ fears by expressing a theological perspective that puts God at the centre of all things (See Genesis 45: 5-11).

Joseph is able to see how God has been working in his life, and in the lives of others, as well as the events which he has been situated within. Joseph has not been given an easy ride, or withheld hardship and challenge, but through it all God has been with Joseph working his good purposes out.

The story acts as a reminder that God’s ultimate good purposes do not depend on our human intentions nor can they be frustrated and quashed by our mistakes. Instead God works through all circumstances to fulfil his redemptive plans for us and for the whole of creation.

The story of Joseph has some parallels with the story of Jesus in that both speak to God’s redemptive purposes for humanity. In Christ God works his good purposes out amongst us. Although Jesus is mistreated and crucified by human beings, God uses the cross as the means by which humanity finds forgiveness, reconciliation, and redemption.

In Genesis 50: 15-21 Joseph shows grace, kindness, and forgiveness towards his brothers who have wronged him and in so doing demonstrates true godliness. God also offers us his loving kindness and forgiveness despite what we have done against him and gives us the opportunity to live in a restored relationship with him. This restored relationship is possible through Jesus Christ and because of what he has done for us on the cross and through the power of the resurrection. Our salvation has therefore not come about because of our own merit or the high standards of behaviour that we have demonstrated. Rather salvation depends on God’s grace, offered out to us, and on his action in Christ for us.

As we come to the end of our journey through Genesis we recall a narrative that has celebrated God’s sovereignty and purposes being worked out in relationship with humanity and all of creation. We are reminded that God continuously brings about transformation by creating new beginnings and bringing about hope. God invites us to participate in his work and partner with him in a meaningful manner. God’s plans for humanity and creation lead to him sending Jesus in order to enable a reconciliation between him and us. Jesus is at the very centre of God’s story of creation and redemption, and brings us back to God’s creational intentions: That God created all things to be good and is the one to restore that goodness. So let us thank God for his goodness and for the eternal love that he has for us in Jesus.