Prologue: Gov. Mike Huckabee preached at church recently, and his topic included Joseph. Ravi Zacharias also talked about Joseph, and I have been thinking about Joseph as well. So all of these things have coalesced into this thought.
Joseph is an Old Testament embodiment of a pair of New Testament concepts. First, he did not hold a grudge or refuse to forgive. He was abused, imprisoned, and sold into slavery by his brothers. He had two chances to retaliate and refused both times. The traders were the vehicle of removing Joseph to Egypt and specifically sold him into the custody of Potiphar. (Genesis 37)
He was falsely accused and imprisoned by Potpihar and his wife. (Genesis 39) No retaliation occurred once Joseph had risen to the second highest position in the land of Egypt. He did not even rebuke the forgetful butler (cupbearer) who left him in prison for a couple of extra years or so.
His second New Testament application is probably a big reason for the forgiving spirit. That was his understanding that God was in control of life and that He was orchestrating events to bring glory to Himself. Joseph was privileged to participate in this. (Romans 8:28)
Looking back on events, Joseph was sent ahead to prepare the way to save the lives of his family. (Genesis 45:5) They were still doubtful and re-raised the issue after Jacob, their father, had died. Joseph reiterated the same point in Genesis 50:20. God was in control of their lives and Joseph was merely a tool that was responsible for a portion of the plan.
Joseph also traced God's "leading" in placing him into prison where he encountered the baker and butler. There was not immediate need for a "dream reader," when the butler was released and had the butler told Pharaoh about Joseph immediately, he might have been forgotten. But after Pharaoh's dramatic dream sequence, he was "ripe" for the disclosure of someone who could interpret. Again, God's planning was impeccable.
A friend of mine used to say, "God is never in a hurry. But He is never late. He is always right on time." And the "time" is His time, not mine. The Greek words used are "chronos" and "kairos," which mean time, but they imply different things. Chronos refers to minutes and seconds. Kairos means an appointed time, an opportune moment, or a due season.
Jesus specifically delineated this first concept in Matthew 6:15.
"But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." This was in conjunction with the giving of the Lord's prayer. Jesus wanted to emphasize the "forgiveness" part. "Forgiving trespasses or debt as we have been forgiven."
Jesus did not explicitly explain this, but since the Lord is using everything that happens to us for His glory, there is no foundation for holding a grudge against someone who "offends" us. The "offense" is actually God's moving in our lives. (This does not mean that any evil thing is done by God, but it does mean that any evil action can be "used" by the Lord and will benefit us and the Kingdom in the end.)
Thank you, Joseph, for illustrating two potentially troublesome concepts so clearly. He was not dreaming, or suffering a nightmare during the 20 or more years away from home. Being in the center of God's will is better than any option we might choose based on peace and pleasure.
How can we refuse to forgive when, like Joseph, we understand that God is using even unhappy events for our good?
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