Genesis 45: 1–15; Matthew 15: 21–28

The Effects of Sin and God’s Graciousness and Faithfulness

By Revd Hannah Akibo-Betts

Summary of our Passage

• Famine continued to be severe, triggering a second trip by Joseph’s brothers to secure grains to avoid starvation of the family.
• Reluctantly, under the guarantee of Judah; Jacob agreed to send Benjamin his youngest son with the ten brothers to meet Joseph’s condition to prove that they were not spies but genuine purchasers of grain for domestic consumption.
• They took enough money to cover the cost of their previous grain and the grain they were due to purchase.
• Joseph, no longer able to control his emotions, particularly on seeing his younger brother Benjamin, revealed himself to his brothers as the one they sold into slavery because he was their dad’s favourite. They envied his future revealed in his dreams and their father’s special love for him.

So how did the twelve brothers get to where they each found themselves? What are the implications and significance of the Genesis passage for us?

To understand this passage, we need to go back to where it all began.

The starting place was the call of Abraham in Genesis 12 and the Covenant God made with him known as the ‘Abrahamic Covenant’. The call of Abraham was about:

• Using Abraham’s as the lineage through which God would eventually reconcile man with himself after man’s fall in Genesis 3.
• Inclusive in the Covenant was the promise of God’s blessing of all nations and families through Abraham’s seed.
• In Genesis 15:13–14; in a deep sleep; the Lord told Jacob that his lineage would go into slavery for four hundred years, after which he, God will deliver them and make them into a nation. This passage is part of the start to that prophecy.
• God chose Abraham and the rest of the patriarchs, not because of their perfection, but in spite of their imperfections.
• Some of the weaknesses of the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives were common to all three; becoming generational sins that led to Joseph being sold into slavery. These sins included:
  • Deceit, lies and favouritism that went down the generational lines, affecting the twelve sons of Jacob and beyond: Bad behaviours that were compounded with betrayals and rejections.
• Generational issues of: deceptions, lies, favouritism and covetousness in the home always bring problems

The lies and deception started with Abraham and Sarah.

• Both Abraham and Isaac deceived King Abimelech about their wives being their sisters.
• Abraham deceived his own son about the sacrifice – possibly; thus breaking trust and confidence in the father–son relationship.
• Isaac wanted to hurriedly pre-empt God’s plans for Jacob by blessing Esau.
• Rebeka plotted with Jacob to deceive Isaac.
• Jacob coveted the firstborn position and deceived his father Isaac that he was the firstborn.
• Both Rebeka and Isaac took sides with their two boys and tried to have their own ways for each instead of God’s.
• Jacob tried to scheme with God too in Genesis 28 where he encountered God: he tried to bargain with God to bless him like he did with the bowl of broth with Esau. (Bethel = Place of God).
• The ten brothers were envious of Jacob’s love for Joseph outwardly expressed in actions of favouritism that included the famous ‘coat of many colours’. The very coat that was used to deceive Jacob of his son’s ‘made up death’ story. They lied that Joseph was killed by a wild animal. In truth, they sold him into slavery. In our passage the sold Joseph was the one they bowed down to as Governor of Egypt in fulfilment of the dreams he had as a boy. They could not recognise him.

Through all this God was gracious: their deeds did not separate them from God’s love, protection and provision

• God did not allow Abraham to kill Isaac, though it must had shaken Isaac’s trust in his father, and human relationships.
• God saved both Abraham and Isaac’s wives from being taken as wives to Abimelech.
• God blessed Jacob at Bethel, the place where Jacob first encountered God.
• God protected Jacob from both Esau and Laban.
• God restored Joseph to his father and family.

Was God rewarding bad behaviour? No. Why? Because:

• Isaac was the seed of God’s promise to Abraham: the lineage through which he was to work towards man’s redemption (from the disobedience of Adam and Eve).
• Jacob was the chosen brother for this work and not Esau. So, God had to protect Jacob’s lineage. No one can fathom God’s mind. He shows mercy to whom he chooses.
• God uses the weak to perfect his word, to fulfil his promises and works.

I believe God was working with humanity to bring us from where we were to where he wants us to be in Kingdom things and principles.

What are the significance and implications of our Bible passage?

• This passage is the start of the second phase in God’s redemptive plan for mankind that involved Christ our redeemer and reconciler to God.
• Jacob’s family was to grow and multiply in Egypt in preparation for God’s deliverance of them and the making of them into a nation.
• This passage is the source of their slavery for four hundred years in fulfilment of God’s prophesy.
• This passage opens the gateway to believers’ dependency in God and discipleship. Without their awareness; all of the patriarchs and Joseph were being discipled by God.
• This passage tells us that God watches over his word to perform it.
• God’s prophesies and promises are true. The eleven brothers bowed down to Joseph in fulfilment of the dream God gave Joseph.
• What they had meant for harm God worked through to bless and prepare the way of provisions for them years down the line and in fulfilment of the ‘Abrahamic Covenant’: that there will be universal salvation for all. This promise includes us today.

The revelation of Joseph is a foretelling of Jesus being revealed to Israel as their Messiah, whom they were to reject. Jesus knew he was their Messiah, but Israel did not connect him to their Scriptures for recognition. This passage points to Jesus revealing himself to us to his people.

What about us? This passage and the history behind it warn us:

• Not to be deceitful to others.
• Not to take sides with our children, grandchildren and people we love, favouring one against the other.
• This also extends to the employees we manage and our friendship groups.
• This passage warns us not to try to thwart the plans of God and his choices for us and our children, but rather to co-operate with him on those plans. Moreover we should always put God at the centre of our choices and decisions.
• This passage tells us that we can be blinded to God’s ways; blind and deaf to what God is trying to communicate to us through the Scriptures as we read them. However, God does not give up on us and would always find a way of getting through to us. Generational sins are not easy challenges in our lives, but in Ezekiel, God promised that those who do not partake of their ancestors’ sinful practices will be saved.
• Later, God also brought Jesus to atone for our sins and give us access to his forgiveness. He also sent both the risen Christ and the Holy Spirit, to intercede for us in our weakness

But God is able:

• To turn those generational weaknesses into good outcomes.
• He is able to transform our own weaknesses: He changed Jacob from a man of lies and deceits to a father of many nations.

Romans tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus. He who chose the lineage of Isaac and Jacob did look after them. Similarly, he who has chosen and called us into his kingdom will also look after us. He did not let the Syrophoenician woman go empty handed even though Jesus’ initial call was to Israel’s lost. Why? Because nothing can separate us from the love God has for us in Christ Jesus.

Amen