Messianic Perspectives

Announcer (Female): In spite of human weakness, God vindicates his servants. Join us, won't you, as Pastor Al Runge uses God's word to discuss the life of Joseph. Today, right here on Messianic Perspectives.

Liz Aielo: Shalom, and welcome to Messianic Perspectives, a daily program where we look into the scriptures from a distinctive first-century Jewish point of view. I'm Liz Aielo.

Today, we'll look into the life of Joseph from a distinctly Messianic Jewish point of view. Our Bible teacher is Pastor Al Runge. I'll be back at the end of the message with a special offer. And now, here's Pastor Runge.

Pastor Al Runge: I am concluding my Bible series on the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob. We have seen how God's promise to Joseph was finally fulfilled in spite of all his troubles. It is amazing how God can take our troubles and work them out to fulfill his plan for our lives.

For example, if Joseph had not been kidnapped by his brothers and sold as a slave and taken to Egypt, he would never have been purchased by Potiphar. If Potiphar's wife had not falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape, and if Joseph had not been sent to the royal prison, he would not have interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker. He would never have been brought out of the royal prison to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph's wisdom and that God's Spirit was in him that he appointed him the most powerful man in Egypt.

In Genesis 6, verse 9, we're encouraged, "Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."

Now, in this message, I want to talk to you about divine vindication. When the famine hit Egypt, it affected Canaan as well. Jacob told his sons, "I've heard that there is food in Egypt. Go there and buy some so that we might survive." Jacob kept Benjamin, that was Joseph's full brother, at home.

When the brothers got to Egypt, Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him. It never entered into their minds that the governor of Egypt was their brother. The brothers bowed down to Joseph with their faces to the ground, then Joseph remembered his dreams.

In Genesis 42, verse 8, Joseph decides to hide his identity from them, and he said harshly to them, "You are spies who have come to see where our land is unprotected." "No, my Lord," they answered, "Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies." "No," Joseph said to them, "You have come to see where our land is unprotected."

Joseph noticed that Benjamin, his full brother, his younger brother was not with them, and decided to get his younger brother to Egypt. Joseph said to them, "It's just as I've told you. You are spies. But this is how you will be tested. Send one of your brothers to get Benjamin. The rest of you will be kept in prison." And he put them all in custody for three days.

On the third day, Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God. If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your younger brother to me so that your words may be verified and that you may not die." Joseph threatened them with prison and death. I don't think Joseph intended to forgive them at that time.

The brothers spoke together in Hebrew, not knowing that Joseph could understand them because he spoke to them through an interpreter. In Genesis 42, verse 21, they said to one another in Hebrew, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother Joseph, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear. Therefore, this distress has come upon us."

Joseph's heart had gotten hardened through his unjust sufferings. But their confession moved him to tears. He had to leave immediately to hide his identity. Now, Joseph kept Simeon in prison and sent the others back with grain along with their money secretly put back in their sacks, which worried the brothers later. The famine got worse, and Egyptian grain was all gone.

So Jacob told his sons to go back and buy more grain from Egypt. The sons reminded their father Jacob that the only way they could buy grain was to bring along Benjamin. Listen to Jacob's words in Genesis 42:36.

And Jacob their father said to them, "You have bereaved me. Joseph is no more. Simeon is no more. And you want to take Benjamin? All these things are against me." Jacob seemed to forget that God had promised him blessings. Reuben persuaded his father to send Benjamin with them.

What was Joseph's plan? I believe he wanted his full brother with him in Egypt. Joseph had built up a wall of resentment against his 10 half-brothers. There was conflict going on between his angry desire for revenge and God's desire for reconciliation. In Genesis 43, verse 16.

When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, prepare dinner, they are to eat with me at noon." Joseph released Simeon from prison, and had them seated according to their ages, which surprised them. How could he know their ages?

Joseph was not ready to forgive. I think I know why. All those years as a slave and prisoner, his father did not come for him. His father did not redeem him. And while he loved his father, he might have concluded that his father did not really care about him. That may be the reason Joseph, as the governor, never sent for his father.

Joseph plotted to keep Benjamin with him. He sent them away with grain and with their money back in their sacks, and had his steward plant his personal cup in Benjamin's sack. Egyptian soldiers were sent to pursue them. Joseph's steward accused them of stealing the governor's personal cup. They denied it and said, "Whoever has his cup will become Joseph's personal slave."

The steward found Joseph's cup in Benjamin's sack where he had placed it and arrested him. The anguished brothers followed Benjamin back to Egypt to plead for his release. In Genesis chapter 44, verse 27, Judah pleads with Joseph.

"Your servant, my father, said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons. One of them went away from me, and I said, 'He has surely been torn to pieces by a wild beast, and I have not seen him since.' If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hairs down to the grave in misery." At last, Joseph knew his father loved him and would have come for him if he had known that he was still alive and in slavery. The wall he had built came down and his tears burst out.

In Genesis 45, verse 3, Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him because they were terrified at his presence. You know, they had good reason to be afraid. Joseph had them in his power. He could have had his revenge and placed them in prison for life or made them slaves or executed them. But instead, he finally understood God's plan to save his family.

Joseph comforted his brothers and said, "Now do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourself for selling me here because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you." In Genesis 50, verse 18, we're told that his brothers fell down before his face and said, "Behold, we are your slaves." Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about it as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now, therefore, do not be afraid."

When Pharaoh heard that Joseph's brothers had come, he invited the entire family to live in Egypt with Joseph. I get emotional when I think of Jacob back home, worried about Simeon and Benjamin and the fate of his sons. The returning brothers were excited. They burst into the house and they said about Joseph that he's alive and the ruler of all Egypt. Jacob was stunned and did not believe them. How could this ever be? When he looked out of his window, he saw the Egyptian wagons guarded by Egyptian soldiers that Joseph sent.

And Israel said, "I'm convinced. My son Joseph is alive. I will go and see him before I die." Jacob had two natures. As Jacob, he was a doubter. But as Israel, a prince with God, that God gave him that name, as Israel, he trusted the Lord. On the way to Egypt, God encouraged Jacob. Listen to Genesis 46, verse 2.

And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, "Jacob, Jacob. Here am I," he replied. "I am God, the God of your father." He said, "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you." Isn't that wonderful that even as he would go down to Egypt, God said, "I'm going to go with you and I will surely bring you back." And Jacob was told that Joseph's own hand would close your eyes. God truly cares about his servants.

Joseph called his firstborn son Manasseh, which means, "Forget your troubles." And in the end, God vindicated Joseph and the dreams he gave him. Here's a promise to all of God's servants in Isaiah 54, verse 17, "No weapon formed against you shall prosper and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their righteousness is from me, says the Lord."

So put your trust in Jesus, don't be worried, for the Lord, when he's with you, and when he leads you, no matter how many troubles you'll go through, he will bring you out victoriously and he will vindicate you because you're his servant. May God really bless you is my prayer. Amen.

Liz Aielo: Thank you, Pastor Runge, and thank you, listening friend, for tuning in today. Now, let me tell you about our special offer. It's the compact disc, which includes all of the programs in this current series of studies on, "God's Plan for Your Life." And it can be yours for a gift of just $6 or more to Messianic Perspectives.

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And as always, when you're in touch with us, please mention the call letters of this station. If you're listening to our webcast or podcast, we need to know that too. I'm Liz Aielo. Join us next time, won't you, as Dr. Gary Hedrick begins his series on, "Do Christians Worship Three Gods?" Right here on Messianic Perspectives.