Genesis 50:18 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Genesis 50:18

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Joseph believes that, even if he wanted to, he cannot possibly take revenge. ‘Vengeance is mine’, says the Lord. It is God who repays. It is not for him to do that; he is not God. So he would have had no intention, with or without repentance and apology, of turning them into slaves, sending away their children, burning down their houses, or taking any measures against them for what they'd done in the past. ‘Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? Then there's another reason why he is ready to forgive, which he wants to tell them about. ‘But as for you, ye thought evil against me’, and they did: they plotted it; they planned it for days, weeks, months before the opportunity arose. But God meant it unto good. That does not mean to say that God made them do it. But God knew they would do it, and he planned from eternity to make use of that deed against Joseph, and turn it into something so good and positive. ‘God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive’ – Egyptians as well as the people of God.Through their evil, Joseph, the man of God, was trained in faith and reliance. We have traced his life; we have seen him sold into slavery. We have seen the way he conducted himself: he never let go of the promise of God. He trusted him, and though he was plunged down, raised up, and plunged down again, constantly his faith and his reliance upon God was exercised. He was taught the Egyptian language through his being sold into Potiphar’s house. He learned the ways of Egypt and the ways of the Egyptian court. He was ultimately introduced into Pharaoh's household, and able to prove himself, and had he never been sold into slavery, none of those things would have come to pass, and he would never have been elevated into the position of power and authority to be the benefactor of his people. Every step of the child of God counts. It is all for our training and preparation for the things we have no idea of, and so it was with Joseph, ‘Now therefore fear ye not.’ First of all, I will nourish you. I will provide for you, and your little ones. I will guarantee your posterity, your preservation. And he comforted them: assurances and comfort.

Application

Doesn’t this mirror the way in which God deals with us. We repent of our sins through the work of the Holy Spirit, regenerating our hearts, working within, and we get the word of assurance from God: ‘Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you,’ and we are nourished; we are preserved right into the future, all the way home. We are comforted; we are given assurance. There is a nice translation here: ‘and speak kindly unto them’, and the original Hebrew actually says that he spoke to their hearts. He spoke to them in such a way that they would be moved and comforted. God does that to us too: moving us and comforting us. I hope your hearts don't grow cold and you cease to be moved by the word of God and the promises of God, and great answers to prayer, and God's dealings with you. Oh, the believer who ceases to be moved! Keep your heart warm always. In personal devotions, appreciate God's dealings with you. Turn them over in your mind: all his promises. What he has done for you from Calvary on, and let it warm your heart. It is so vital, because just as Joseph spoke to his brothers, speaking to their hearts, God speaks to our hearts. In your private devotions use your hymn book. Read the hymns and the verses. Relish them; think of them; let them move you. Be believers who are readily and constantly moved at the great goodness of God. That is how Joseph dealt with his brothers.

Who can do anything to thwart God’s purposes, when the things we try to do to stop his will coming to pass, are the very things he uses to bring about his will. We are so unskilful in our sin, and he is so skilful in his righteousness.

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Genesis 50:18 Commentary and Bible Study