26/09/2022
Joseph is sold into slavery in Egypt. After the brothers of Joseph come to Egypt begging for food, and after a long series of intriguing episodes, Joseph reveals his identity to them and they all rejoice together in their incredible good fortune. The entire clan, including the patriarch, Jacob, moves to Egypt to be provided for by Joseph. They beg Joseph to forgive them for their crime of selling him into slavery,and Joseph replies to them with one of the most impressive statements of the entire Pentateuch: "Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to harm me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones" (Genesis 50:19-21)
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good." This is a powerful lesson, meant to be taken from this legend of the sons of Jacob. God works behind the scenes to bring about what is best for his people. Not only can he overcome adversity and hardship, drought and famine, slavery and imprisonment. He can turn the brutal, harsh, and malignant actions or spiteful people into good, effecting his salvation precisely through mean and sinful acts meant to destroy others. Nothing can stop God from achieving his purposes.
