Knowing The Word in Genesis 50:15-21, God's Good Purposes

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” [They fear all that Joseph has done for them was motivated by his affection for Jacob and not out of real love for them. I think some people believe the same thing about Jesus going to the cross.] 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” [They ask Joseph to act like God!] Joseph wept when they spoke to him. [“He weeps because they think they need a mediator, because they are afraid of him, because they ascribe to him the attitude of v. 15, because he hears his father’s voice, because he recalls his youth persecuted by their hate, and because it is they who remind him of this through their submissiveness. These his last tears are really their tears.” (E. Jacob)] 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. [Von Rad writes, “The statement about the brothers’ evil plans and God’s good plans now opens up the inmost mystery of the Joseph story. It is in every respect . . . the climax of the whole. Even where no man can imagine it, God had all the strings in his hand. But this guidance of God is only asserted; nothing more explicit is said about the way in which God incorporated man’s evil into his saving activity.” We can never outdo God or mess up his plans!]