Would you become great? Ungodly Judah, thinks, turns, trusts, confesses.. repents. And God blessed by making him a great man.

Why not.. all this happening with his older bro Reuben who should have known better?  Well, Reuben stubbornly opted to cover his sin instead.  

With the proper Jewish situation at the time, if the son(s) wouldn’t raise up an heir for his dead brother, the dad could fill-in and do that, but Judah and his remaining sons didn’t do that. 

Again, more family trickery. Apparently Tamar made a plan after noticing how Judah, after the death of his Gentile wife, had a habit of seeking comfort by visiting prostitutes. So Tamar took a risk and ended up with twins Perez and Zerah. Grandchild - Hezron.

“Judah identified them and said, ‘She (meaning his daughter in law, Tamar) is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.’ And he did not know her again.” (See Gen. 38:20-26) #emph.mine. Muse on...

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” 1 Corinthians 11:31 

“Israel moved on again and pitched his tent beyond Migdal Eder. While Israel was living in that region, Reuben (Jacob’s 1st born) went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard of it.” Genesis 35:21-22

Reuben, “Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence..” Gen. 49:1

But Judah judged himself. Why wait and have God’s judgement arrive instead? And God changed him into a great man. 

Be fast, yes, quicker to go tell on you ..to God! He already knows it all anyways (Receive God’s free forgiveness. Learn more, click here).

1. Be brave in getting honest (Gen. 38:20-26). 
“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13)
2. Be humble, faithful, selfless, godly, a wise witness and example of good character.    
God does care about you, about how you are / live.. and about good works -- yes, about them being on the right side of your born again experience, not merely before trying to earn your salvation. Ain’t gunna happen--it’s religious. 
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” (Lk. 16:10) 
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” (Lk. 16:10) 
“A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies.” (Pro 14:5)
"Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Lk. 16:11). Hey, remember how the Father and Jesus are faithful (1 Co. 1:9, Deut. 7:9), and Moses was, (Num. 12:7). 
“Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? (Lk. 16:11)
“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Co. 4:2)
“And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'” (Lk. 19:17)

Moses did not fully share all things regarding Tamar’s plan and seduction of her father-in-law. Think about it, she really was after all the victim in this story though she did all that she could possibly do to faithfully bear a son for her dead yet ungodly husband, Er. Genesis 38 really condemns Judah, implying at least that his passive sin partially justifies Tamar’s non-passive acts.

Judah’s years of wickedness is plain. He defied his forefathers’ wisdom (24:1–9; 26:34–35; 28:1–2). He became yoked in marriage to a Canaanite (38:1–3). He showed no drive to properly give Abraham offspring and ignored a helpless widow when he withheld his son Shelah from his daughter-in-law (38:11, 14b). He actually made Esau’s errors (26:34–35; Heb. 12:12–17), for he married a pagan-chic and later lustfully played the fool in seeking after a prostitute (Gen. 38:15–19; Prov. 23:27). Judah also felt eye-for-an-eye justice when Tamar’s deception of him involved a goat and clothing (38:15–26) since he earlier deceived Jacob with these things (37:29–35). 

Think about how Jacob deceived using goat skin. 

This reveals Judah’s own evil acts. In 38:20–23, he sent his friend with a goat to pay his debt to Tamar and retrieve his own seal and staff. Both of these would bear his identity / name, and he would have been embarrassed if they were found in a harlot’s possession. This potential embarrassment, with no hint of remorse for his wicked lust, moves Judah to stop looking for Tamar lest his sexual dalliances become publicized. Would he forever hide, conceal, cover his sins?

Nope. He’d be exposed, for he wouldn’t expose himself. 

Not surprisingly, Judah is way stricter, tougher, harsher with Tamar for her alleged immorality than he is with himself for his own perverse sins (v. 24). Tamar was factually and technically betrothed to Shelah (v. 11), and her apparent adultery merited execution under the proper conditions (by stoning, not more painfully by fire). 

Why are we typically so quick to judge and much harsher on those people who do the same sins we do?

Yet Judah changes his tune when Tamar produces his staff and ring as proof that capital punishment rightly applies to him as well (Deut. 22:22–24). She was ready for him. 

Judah now sees his own refusal to give Tamar a husband for the sin that it really was. He made it clear that Tamar was more righteous than he because his refusal to get to her a husband had literally pressured her to take matters into her own hands. And she took such drastic action. (Gen. 38:25–26).

This son from the chosen line, Judah, has put his duty off. He has cared so little to live according to God’s holy promise (15:1–6) and give Abraham many well-taught grandsons. By contrast and great risk to her own life, Tamar has acted to increase the patriarch’s progeny even though she was not brought up knowing this Lord of truth, justice and super kind love.

Study through, prayerfully muse on, meditate upon:  

Num. 5:5–7
2 Chron. 7:14
Luke 18:9–14
James 5:16

What did Judah’s disobedient refusal to give Tamar a husband show? He revealed that his faith was really weak (James 2:14–26). Let God save and strengthen you! 

We likewise show our faith to be weak, lacking, yes wanting when we passively or actively sin against the Lord. Why are we more concerned about offending other people these days..like the snowflakes with anything we believe.. than offending God with sin. Let's be bold in Christ.. yes, become more concerned with offending Him in sin, than offending any human-beings. 

Like Judah, we would be wiser to become willing to confess our own sins before God and others whom we trust when the Spirit convicts our hearts. Fast.. when the Holy Spirit pricks our consciences. Truth and God’s grace should win inside of us. It should so far prevail with all of us, even today, so that we should never become too embarrassed or feel ashamed to quickly confess em... before God and the whole world. All those sins with which the seeing God charges us. Choose to trust Jesus today! 

"For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it." Luke 9:24

I've never regretted that day in the Spring of '77 in Newport Beach area when I decided to repent and trust Christ as my Savior. Not one day, and really don't mind sayin' it. Jesus Christ has all the way been good to me! 

Facebook.com/shareJesus

Got some moments for study questions and facts on the life of Joseph the businessman in Egypt?

(Insert your own own questions, verses, prayer requests, responses and insights at the end). 

--1. There are only two kinds of people these days – Judah-types and Reuben-types.

What type of person or business person are you? Lost, saved by farith, coming closer to God, or drifting away from Him? What's your greatest fear, need, or longing today? Listen, on Joseph and his brothers some flaws and greatness are to be found but the story is indeed edifying. How in the world do their stories relate to my life, Kurt, to my spiritual experience and Christian walk.. or to my ministry?

What Bible verses or passages come to mind dealing with besetting sins?

You well know how people in the world categorize lots of types of people, but what about the Bible?

...and what about different spiritual temperatures of born again believers?

--2. Would you like to do a comparison of the Prime Minister, Vizer of Egypt Joseph, and Jesus Christ the Savior of the World?

Hint. There are more than 100 fascinating parallels between Joseph who was an illustration of Christ. Joseph was clearly an illustration of Christ Jesus -- the analogies are too numerous to be accidental. Both men are special objects of their father's love (see Gen. 37:3; Matt. 3:17). The Bible says...

"For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel."

"The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand." (See John 3:35; 5:20). 

...and yet both were also hated by their Jewish brethren (Gen. 37:4; John 15:25). 

--3. Joseph was great. Would you too become great? Ungodly Judah repents. And God blessed by making him a great man too.

--4. How did honest biz-man Joseph overcome temptation in his world, even when it came to dealing with those who hurt him the most?

Do you think he felt like forgiving his brothers? How would you forgive if you were in the same situation and didn’t feel like it.. or would you?

--5. How did Joseph receive and relate to the promises from God?

How confident was he regarding them?

As an aside.. how many types of promises from God to people have been found in the Bible?

Have there been any promises made from angels or fallen angels.. to people?

How about any promises made from God to His dear Son?

Were there any promises made from that creepy fallen angel, Mr. Lu-Cifer (the devil)?

As Joseph did, have you like a pitbull been able to remember and hold on to God’s promises to the benefit of many… even when the circumstances get tough and cry out that it’s time for you to let go?

God deeply loves, guides,encourages and pragmatically assists His workers with their difficult tasks,and we today have good promises from Him to hold on to..like: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).

What are five discipline-steps that will help you hold on to God’s promises and keep you from falling away?  

Have you been enjoying fellowship both upwards and outwards enough..with growing believers to live balanced and strong?

Factoid: Where I was raised in California people go to a local church 2 out of 5 Sundays. I challenge you to go and take part more often..and to a healthy Bible teaching church. 

--6. An illustration of Christ, a shadow of Him, a type of, or similitude of Him.. properly what was Joseph in Old Testament?

Ask yourself, would there be shadows for us if there wasn't any light? Nope.

Have you kind of wondered how types, shadows, similitudes and illustrations differ from each other in the Bible? Have you ever known any believer or group to over spiritualize individuals, things or an application in the Old Testament into something God never intended them or it to be?

How could an example business person become ready for a great assignment? They could…

a. Tour, inspect, and prayerfully become as familiar as possible with the state of affairs on the work site.
b. Ask God with specificity for discernment, insight, and wise right underling leaders regarding the future of the projects.. to help him with wise plans. In the multitude of wise counselors there is victory.

“Where there is no wise guidance, the nation falls, but in the multitude of counselors there is victory.” Proverbs 11:14 (web)

--c. Want to stay close. Doing my best, I commit the rest – really don’t want to run out ahead of my Chief Shepherd’s lead or lag behind! No need for distractions, miss-sowing, apathy or passivity. Commit yourself wholeheartedly to the Lord—seek first His Kingdom and righteousness. And then expect Him to step by step direct and establish your plans.
--d. Gratefully and appropriately acknowledge the gifts God has given you. Thank, praise and worship Him from the heart, and give that to no other idol in His place.
--e. Even if some others recognize God’s presence in your life, His hand upon you, or the special talents He gave you to employ, do not broadcast these in a self-serving effort to gain respect. Like Joseph did, give the glory to the Lord.
--f. Educate yourself in the truth daily, and about how to better do your job ..in fully carrying it out to the end with excellence.
--g. Seek the practical good for others, knowing that God has placed you where you are to be a blessing for the people He loves and died for. Let Him give you His love for the people and do what it takes to protect them.
--h. Be level-headed showing genuine concern -- very fair in all of your dealings, especially when the circumstances are grim and deeply problematic.
--i. Hard smart work pays off. And although your exemplary service may propel you into some level of prominence, remember your founding mission as God’s servant. Be not self-seeking. Your life does not consist in possessions – in what your hard work gains for yourself.
--j. See no practical work as below you. Value the godliness of the myriad types of honorable work that society really needs to have done.
--k. Walk with the fruit, kindness and victory of the Spirit.. with quality-building, with wise investments. Choose to generously extend the fruit of your labor as widely as possible to those who truly need it, regardless of what you think of them as individuals.
--l. Minister to people at the point of their need! Accept the fact that God may bring you into a particular field of work under crisis or extremely challenging conditions. It’s not really my job to figure out who sinned to bring it on (it might just be from Adam’s sin, God knows). Just stay in God’s will with a paramedic’s attitude and tender approach, rather than a cop’s investigative approach,,,unless you’re actually working as a cop (BTW We love and support you). Police and detectives seek to get to the bottom of it so they can prevent it happening again, but a paramedic seeks to find out what’s broken, stop the bleeding, the pain, the damage.. so healing can start (with a city or nation, of course the application is somewhat different for God’s minister). 
--m. Have courage that God will fit you for the task..and some of that fitting (polishing) will happen as you are in the middle of dong it.
--n. Lead the people in prayer with some fitting Scriptures daily. I like to start with praise worship, for the group of workers. It’s how we start our work depending on God, not on us. Accept the fact that sometimes people must choose what they regard as the better of two very unpleasant yet unavoidable situations.

--o. Being used to save souls and to save people from starvation is SO important – sometimes we work at both. We seek to feed em with food before we feed em with truth in love asking for a decision. Just believe that what you do.. will not only benefit those whom you meet, but will by faith have the potential to touch lives for many generations to come. 

As Joseph served people in love.. go serve like that. God is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine so pray big (see Eph. 3:20).

--7. What is your character like off and on the work site (like at home)? With your words, thoughts, business where is there room for growth?

What are the keys to your personal success at home, in school, in business or elsewhere (see Psalm 1)?

Who is your closest friend on the horizontal plane, or your top business partner – what is their character like? Who or what are they committed to the most?

“Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness,  and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ..” 2 Peter 1:4-8

--8. On God's Providence, On a Life-Time of Crisis-Management, and On Joseph's Number Two Role.. What Stands Out Most On How He Acted?

How Could He Long-term Trust God And Wisely Prove All Things?

--9. Joseph was a well-prepared businessman for the king, having great acumen for excellent work. He was gifted in the area of dreams, and used that to bless God. No spiritual-compromise with him!

He was the reliever a comforter a problem solver during crisis and widespread poverty (Genesis 47:13-26). People want to survive. Joe was precisely organized (with strategic planning), straightforward, diligent, and humble in heart.. not corrupted or perverse at all. Joseph’s successful management of Egypt’s food crisis (Genesis 41:46-57; 47:13-26) saved the world. God made him both wise and discerning (Gen. 41:39). He was commonsensical, shrewd in business. His extraordinary abilities with respect to his relationship with the Lord and the locals did not operate in separate domains really. The Hebrew words for wise and wisdom (hakham and hokhmah) denote a high level of mental perceptivity, but also are used in regards to a wide range of practical work-skills including craftsmanship of wood, precious stones, and metal (Exod. 31:3-5; 35:31-33), tailoring (Exod. 28:3; 35:26, 35), as well as administration (Deut. 34:9; 2 Chr. 1:10) and legal justice (1 Kgs. 3:28). These skills are found among unbelievers as well, but the wise in the Bible enjoy the special blessing of God who intends Israel to display God’s ways to the nations (Deut. 4:6). 

When you read the story of Joseph you can easily see that he was well respected among the Egyptian nationals around him.

The people he served really seem to feel and know how he cared about them -- check out their attitude towards him. Grateful!

Yes, Joseph had immediately gotten to the work with an inspection-tour (see Gen. 41:46), becoming an avid learner of Egypt's agricultural industry. As the nation's top administrator, Joseph’s career touched on nearly every practical area of the nation’s life. His office would have required that he learn much about legislation, communication, negotiation, transportation, safe and efficient methods of food storage, building, economic strategizing and forecasting, record-keeping, payroll, the handling of transactions both by means of currency and through bartering, human resources, and the acquisition of real estate. He went about the work to which Pharaoh had appointed him as if he was born for it. During the seven years of abundant harvest, Joseph had the grain stored away in cities (Gen. 41:48-49), and there was an effective redistribution of the workforce. When the people ran out of money, Joseph allowed them to barter their livestock for grain. This God-given plan lasted for one year during which Joseph collected horses, sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys bringing all under the authority of the throne (Gen. 47:15-17). He would have had to determine the value of these animals and establish an equitable system for exchange.

When all of the livestock had been traded off, the people willingly sold themselves into slavery to Pharaoh. Literally. They sold him the ownership of their properties too (Gen. 47:18-21). Can you imagine how horrifically-tough must have been to see? Joseph wasn’t a perfect man—he let them do this to enter into Egyptian servitude (I’ll let God judge on this call, but we trust Joseph’s heart was right from the get go because we can see how he refused to ever take advantage of this people in their weakened state of powerlessness). Joseph made sure their properties were valued correctly in exchange for the seed for planting (Gen. 47:23). He enacted an appropriate enduring law so the Egyptians would return 20 percent of the harvest to Pharaoh -- it was all acceptable and above board.

Joseph’s primary interest was in glorifying God without cutting corners. He was enthusiastic and motivated to get the job done right while maintaining his faith and fervor.. yes, rather than taking interest in exploiting this opportunity for self and relatives. He blessed his boss, but another really cool part is how Joseph turned the work towards blessing the people. We often don’t see that with Governments in our day. 

Yes, with a good (can do) attitude, he was consistently a blessing for his God, for his family, for his boss, and for the hungry people.

What business has God given you grace, gifting and an anointing for -- what's your main and secondary callings in life?

Will you do it with excellence? Hey, if it's worth doing at all, it's worth doing with excellence for God's glory!

--10. Perhaps like Joseph needed to forgive his brother, there are some sinners and or saints that you too need to forgive?  

Are there any family members that need your forgiveness and love? Are there any people that you need to test a bit..like Joseph did just to see if there was anything that verified true sorrow with repentance after wronging you? Prove all things, can't judge hearts, minds or motives, but consider their history, works and message. Past behavior often predicts future behavior..even inside the church-house.

Can you relate to Joseph? Have loved ones cut you off, or tossed you out? Did you break the law or house rules? Was it deserved? Forgive em--it starts as a simple choice, not a feeling. Is there someone who has deeply hurt or rejected you ..like for money etc?

--11. We all have dreams. Some believers experience a really unique dream though.. or a vision. A vision at night, that’s a dream.. but not like some normal dream.

Have you had a dream or a vision that you think came from God? What has He promised you that is in agreement and loyal with what the Bible teaches? You already know.. if it dies the death, and doesn’t ever resurrect, come alive, come to fruition.. then it of course wasn’t from God at all. Even if some think it was. Believer, we are to walk by faith in Christ, not by some lame presumption.  

--12. Five Steps to Be Faithful and Fruitful like Joseph.. Instead of all Backslidden.

How did it go with Joseph's big reveal (Gen. 45). Why did he wait so long to reveal himself? 

- We see the revelation of Joseph's person in verses 1-3 

- We see the revelation of Joseph's purpose in verses 4-16

"Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph; does my father still live?' But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence." Genesis 45:3 

Perhaps you need to receive forgiveness? God is near and He can help you! Facebook.com/shareJesus

Only two kinds of people these days -- Judah-types and Reuben-types. Back in Joseph's day he had some rascals as brothers. How did they differ?

Seems like there are only two kinds of people these days. There sure are two: 1.) Judah-types, who turn and confess their sins to God. Their hearts are softened, and 2.) The hard-hearted Reuben-types who for some excuse or another.. cover their-sins-up and refuse to humbly repent and believe. They are calloused, or seared dead inside. Even the fig leaves don't work good enough with them. The Bible says... 

“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 

“People who conceal their sins will not prosper,  but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy..” (nlt)

Joseph was a saved-sinner by faith -- he'd experienced brokenness like Judah had. So many people on earth -- there are only two types of em really. Lost or saved, (forgiven). Those not yet born again spiritually, and those totally cleansed and regenerated. Those in Christ who are open to maturation, wanting to grow in the grace and truth of the Scriptures..... and those not yet this way who have remained closed to His Message of truth. They’re just not yet into being spiritual in a healthy balanced sense, not into maturing on every level. They don’t want to think about heaven, hell or the spiritual battles that rage around them. 

Judah was a rank sinner too, like his brothers were, but remember how he claimed that his wrong was greater than Tamar's, and how his offense was more worthy of punishment. True, it was. But his changed heart was the start of his true repentance. Some are merely sorry that they got caught, that they've been exposed and there are now consequences. I'm sure that you've encountered false repentance before, but this wasn't like that. I personally was saved in a moment when confronted with my sin in a small Newport Beach Bible study. Sometimes there's a bit of a process when someone's coming to repentance though. The Spirit works as their mind engages with Him -- God reasons with them.

"Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'" Isa. 1:18 nkjv (Come to Christ right here and now. No excuses. No need to wimp-out and put it off another moment!)

Then his inner changed heart led to outward changed behavior: "And he did not know her again" (v. 26c). Although in some perverted way Judah could have rightly taken Tamar as a wife, he knew that would be wrong. So he never again indulges in lustful pleasure with her again, completely turning from his past sinful ways. 

Think about it. Judah does seem to be a man transformed by genuine repentance—a change of mind leading to an ongoing change of behavior. For throughout the rest of Genesis, we witness Judah's nobility, his selfless leadership, and his courage. God will use this changed sinner with faith to carry on the covenant name—the promised seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Judah had lost his seal to a prostitute, but here God seals him with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30). He had lost his staff in a proverbial and perverse one-night stand, but God would replace it with a royal scepter (Gen 49:10). He had been impure with a woman not his wife.. God hates such infidelity ..but the Lord would make him a new man with a new heart who longed to worship and obey Yahweh.  

No, but Judah’s a believer whose faith points ahead in time to the cross. Our saving faith points back in time to the Cross.

Are you open or closed? Do you live a life of integrity, a life on-fire for Christ? 

Believer, I challenge you to. Yes, live the life by faith and the power of the Spirit, and go tell your story. And share the Gospel tactfully. Do this clearly. boldly, accurately. I like to spend my time verbally witnessing to people who are open to the truth rather than those how stick a palm in my face. You know what I mean - I only want to be a blessing to people. And why cast my pearls before spiritual swine who are closed-minded? Maybe they've been burned somehow before by a so called Christian? I want to pray for both open and closed people. -- we all need to do that because God can turn a closed-minded person into an open minded by His mercy and grace. 

Are you open to the Gospel or closed-minded? Are you forgiven and forgiving?

Forgiven people really need to become forgiving people, and those "cover-ers of personal sin" need to learn how to run to God to uncover it all to Him. He knows it all anyways.  

It’s a good thing to quickly..not slowly..go tell on yourself to God asking for his cleansing so you can learn to hate sin like He does.

For me what's beautiful to see is not only how Joseph constantly gives the credit to God with the use of his gift, but I never seem him exploiting or maneuvering or manipulating or even grasping for a higher position in life (Love.. isn’t self-seeking). He wanted the baker to remember him in prison because he suffered injustice and wanted deliverance is all. It was Pharaoh's birthday and what gifts did he get? He got two dreams and a leader in Joseph. Joe's head is lifted up elevated (Study: Remember what happened to John the baptizer’s head on King Herod’s birthday after all that dancing?). After interpreting the king’s dreams, Joe sees the great need immediately (for two Egyptian administrators, a wise and a discerning one there. v.33), but he not once acts self-seeking or self promoting (he obviously does not view himself as wise or discerning. See the context. Joseph in Gen. 41:34-35 says, “Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.” What was the greatest gift there with Joe? This.. “The Lord was with Joseph” (the Giver of good gifts was there. Genesis 39:3, 5, 21, 23). You and I may also suffer injustice or come into other distressing circumstances at times, but our attitude, outlook and how we respond is always important. Think, talk and act like proper men.. men. Think, talk and act like proper women.. women! As we learn from the account of Joseph’s life, by remaining faithful to the Faithful One (the Lord) and accepting that God is ultimately in charge of the situation, we can be confident that the Lord will deliver, will comfort, will restore, and will eventually... in His perfect time.. reward us. Who would blame Joseph if he had turned his brothers away in their their time of need? Yet Joseph showed them mercy, and God desires that we exercise mercy above all other sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13). Joseph’s story shows us how God overarching sovereignly works to overcome evil and to bring about His good plan. After all Joseph’s multiple ordeals, Joseph was able to see God’s hand at work..even to fix his own family situation. As he finally revealed his identity to his brothers, Joseph spoke of their sin this way: “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.. It was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:5, 8). Later, Joseph again reassured his worried brothers, offering them his forgiveness and saying, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Man’s most wicked intentions can never thwart the perfect plan of God.

Joseph was a forgiven believer with a gift. He was a forgiver too like his God is. 

Notice with Joseph’s forgiveness of his bros--there was a realistic appraisal of their sin. “You meant it evil against me..” No: “Aww, you guys, don’t worry about it. Just forget it--It was nothing.”

Remember this... that cheap or flippant forgiveness is no forgiveness at all. And apologies really ought not try to do the job that only repentance can do. A nicely worded slippery apology is merely a courtesy to civility--sure, it can be an end-run around true repentance. We all need the later and saving faith. How easy it is to be flippant in forgiveness or even in receiving God's free forgiveness. It’s been rightly said that, “Forgiveness is never any better than our personal ability to receive it.” Have you..yet? 

Think about it, Jesus Christ came from Judah who humbled himself and changed Listen, when you and I get to heaven through faith in Christ and we get to meet some Old Testament people like Jacob, Judah, and Joseph we will see that they are there by faith alone with nothing added to it. None of them earned their way in by good works. Like we in faith point back in time to the Cross, these godly people in faith pointed ahead in time to that bloody Cross at Calvary -- to Jesus the Ultimate Solution for all mankind.

These believing-sinners were not puffed up with pride, but were humble, were open to and committed to Scriptural truth. They were submitted to authority (both Direct and delegated authority). There was brokenness, repentance, contrition, the fear of God and love with them. Their hearts had a Yes-posture towards the Holy Spirit of God, yes to whatever, whenever and wherever -- they maintained that. Their candid openness and confession towards God.. their relationship is what helped these men to obey, to grow, to mature and to glorify the Lord. And God used these people to save and help so many others! God can use us too!

See (Gen 44:18-32) how Judah tells Joseph the whole recent story from the beginning (JUDAH SELFLESSLY INTERCEDES FOR BENJAMIN).

When he Jacob sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: Think about it, 20 years before Joseph’s brothers showed a callous disregard of their father when they reported Joseph’s supposed death (Genesis 37:31-33). Judah showed they were now greatly concerned for the feelings and welfare of their father. This was more evidence of a change of heart.

See (Gen 44:33-34) how Judah is ready to lay down his life for Benjamin and his father. You recall how Judah was the one who suggested selling Joseph 20 years earlier. (37:26-27). We tend to look up to our older brothers as heros or examples, so can you imagine how Joseph felt when all his bros completely betrayed him?

1. Who was this Joseph in the Bible? How did he not lose his faith or hope?

How is understanding the life of Joseph the overcomer valuable to our spiritual growth?

2. Why did Pharaoh give Joseph so much power?

Why did Pharaoh make Joseph second in command over all of Egypt?

3. What is the story of Joseph and Potiphar?

Why did Potiphar have Joseph thrown in prison of having him killed?

4. What should we learn from the tribe of Joseph?

What does the Bible say about the tribe of Joseph?

5. What is the story of Joseph and his brothers?

Why did Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery?

6. What kind of "divination" did Joseph do in Genesis 44:5, 15?

Why would Joseph even use divination.. or did he really.. when this is against God's commands?

7. Who were the priests of On? Was Joseph wrong to marry the daughter of a pagan priest (Genesis 41)?

Was Joseph wrong to marry the daughter of a pagan priest (Genesis 41)? Why did Pharaoh give Joseph the daughter of a priest?

8. Where was Joseph when Jesus was an adult?

What happened to Joseph? Did Joseph die before Jesus began His public ministry?

9. Was Joseph the same person as Imhotep in Egyptian history?

10. Why did Jacob give Joseph a coat of many colors? Was it wise for him to do this for Joseph?

Why were Joseph's brothers so angry at him? Every had a teacher, a boss or parents play favorites with a sibling.

11. What can we learn from the account of Potiphar’s wife?

Why did lustful Potiphar's wife get all warm to Joseph's form instead of remain faithful to her husband. As is so common in our day.. why did she get this urge to unrighteously merge..proactively trying to seduce him?

12. Who was Benjamin in the Bible and how did Joseph feel about him?

13. Today there are so many weird and off-base teachings on dreams, but what are some biblical examples of dream interpretation?

14. How did God use dreams and visions in the Bible.. even in the life of Joseph?

Why did God choose to give out some promises via dreams -- why did He communicate through dreams and visions to people?