Session 13
key words or phrases
19 But Joseph said to them,
“Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?
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 children.”
And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
Believers can faithfully exhibit God’s character to others.
Highlight this statement from the middle of page 123:
“Joseph’s response to his brothers in verses 19-20
summarizes the entire message of the Joseph narrative:
do not be afraid but trust in God
because He is faithful to accomplish His plans and purposes in the lives of His covenant people.”
God’s Control
In verse 20, Joseph wisely acknowledged that God had reversed his brothers’ plot for calamity.
The basic idea of the Hebrew wording involves the use of the mind in the thinking process.
The concept is not so much that of understanding as it is the creating of new ideas.
The brothers concocted their plans in their own minds, but God sovereignly overcame their mischief to fulfill the plans of His own mind.
The two parts of Joseph’s statement parallel one another, which heightens the contrast between humans’ evil intentions and God’s good purposes.
This theme of the contrast between good and evil appears throughout Genesis and makes its final appearance in Joseph’s interpretation of his experiences.
Once they finally embraced Joseph’s mercy and forgiveness,
his brothers and their families were able to settle peacefully in Egypt.
But while Joseph was busy taking care of the present, he also had an eye toward the future-
and God’s ultimate fulfillment of his promises.