A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
GENESIS 45
LESSON #61
PRINCIPLES OF FORGIVENESS
- Memory verse: Luk 6:37
- Read Gen 45:1-15
- (Discussion) What do you learn about forgiveness from this chapter?
- Some Principles of Forgiveness (Material from Basic Youth Conflicts — Bill Gothard)
- Forgiveness means you have a positive attitude toward the offense instead of a negative attitude toward the offender.
- Forgiveness sees the offender as a tool in God’s hand.
- Forgiveness looks at the wounds of the offense as God’s way of drawing attention to the offender’s needs.
- Forgiveness recognizes that bitterness is assuming a right we do not have. Only God has the right to punish. (Rom 12:19)
- Forgiveness realizes that the offender has already begun receiving the consequences of his offenses.
- Forgiveness involves cooperating with God in the offender’s life.
- Joseph’s demonstration of love
- After 22 years of separation, Joseph privately reveals himself to his brothers and weeps so loudly that all the Egyptians in the palace heard him.
- Joseph assures his brothers that he cherishes their brotherly relationship. (4)
- Joseph offers land and provision to all his family through the remaining 5 years of famine. (11)
- Joseph kisses and weeps over each brother. (15)
- Joseph’s faith in God’s plan
- Read Act 7:9-14
- Notice that Joseph reassures his brothers’ fears of retaliation by showing them his faith in God’s plan. (7-8)
- Principles we can learn from this:
- God is in control of your life.
- Affliction may be hard to bear, but God will use it for something good ultimately.
- God’s timing is perfect.
- Forgiveness frees God to act in people’s lives.
- God elevates leaders.
- God provides for and protects his own people.
- God doesn’t put you through more than you can bear, but that he provides the strength.
- Notice that it is Joseph who kisses his brothers and not his brothers who initiate the affection. (15)
- Read Gen 45:16-28 Pharaoh’s response to Joseph’s family:
- Because Joseph had been so valuable to him, Pharaoh, too, encourages the brothers to return to Egypt with all their families.
- The wealth of Egypt will be at their feet. (18)
- In the Bible, Egypt is a symbol of the world.
- God will use the riches of the world to provide for the believer who trusts him. (Psa 37:8-9)
- Because Joseph had been so valuable to him, Pharaoh, too, encourages the brothers to return to Egypt with all their families.
- Read Gen 27:28
- God promised Jacob that he would give him the fatness of the land. Gen 45:18 is a fulfillment of that promise.
- Joseph’s warning to his brothers (24)
- Joseph warns his brothers not to “fall out by the way“.
- What does he mean?
- He warns them not to go back to their old ways of quarrelling among themselves with petty jealousies and hatred.
- Notice that the gifts given to Benjamin are more than those given to his other brothers. (22)
- Joseph is still testing their brotherly love.
- The reaction of Israel (Jacob):
- At first there is shocked disbelief that Joseph is still alive.
- In explaining that Joseph is still alive meant that the brothers would have to disclose the 22 year deception the brothers engaged in against their father.
- However, the shock turns to joy when he realizes that Joseph is alive.
- Israel (Jacob) agrees to go to Egypt.
- At first there is shocked disbelief that Joseph is still alive.
Joseph a Prefigure of Jesus Christ
| Joseph and His Family | Jesus Christ and His Family |
| Once guilt and humility were admitted, Joseph immediately extended forgiveness.
Gen 44-45 |
Once we admit our guilt and come to Christ in humility, we are immediately forgiven.
1Joh 1:9 |
| Joseph was made known to his brothers at their second coming to Egypt. Act 7:13 | Jesus Christ will be made known to the Jews at the second coming of Christ. Zec 12:10 |
| Joseph’s brothers were troubled at his presence.
Gen 45:3 |
At the second coming of Christ, the Jews will be greatly troubled at Jesus’ presence. There will be a great mourning. Zec 12:10-11 |
| Joseph invites his brothers to come near to him. Gen 45:4 | Jesus Christ will forgive the Jews and invite them into a new relationship with Him.
Zec 13:9 |
| Joseph extended grace toward his brothers. Gen 45:4-5,15 | Jesus will extend grace toward the Jews at the second coming. Zec 13:1 |
| Joseph was revealed as a man of compassion. Seven times he wept. Gen 45:1-2; 42:24; 43:30; 45:15; 46:29; 50:1; 50:15-17 | Jesus is also a man of compassion who wept. Mat 9:36 Mat 14:14 Mar 1:41 Luk 19:41
Joh 11:35 |
| Joseph revealed himself to Judah and his brothers before he was known to the rest of his family. Gen 45:1,19 | Jesus will reveal himself to the tribe of Judah first at the second coming. Zec 12:7 |
| Joseph sends for Israel (Jacob) and all their families Gen 45:9 | Jesus will gather all the Jews into the millennial kingdom after his second coming.
Isa 66:20 |
| Joseph tells his brothers of the great provision waiting for them. Gen 45:10-11 | Jesus Christ supplies all our needs and will pour out a marvelous provision upon the Jews in the millennium. Phi 4:19 Isa 60:16 |
| Joseph’s brothers are told to go out to proclaim Joseph’s glory.
Gen 45:13 |
In the millennium, the Jews will declare the glory of the Lord among the Gentiles.
Isa 66:19 |
| Joseph gives proof that he is fully reconciled to his brothers. Gen 45:15 | It is God (Jesus Christ) who initiates reconciliation from sin for us and for the Jews. Luk 15:20 |
| Joseph’s joy was shared by others. Gen 45:16 | Angels rejoice when sinners repent and come to the Lord. Luk 15:10 |
| Joseph gives his brothers a warning.
Gen 45:24 |
Jesus warns believers to love one another so that none fall away from the new relationship with Christ. 2Tim 2:24 Joh 13:34-35 |
Homework
Genesis 46-47
- Application of Gen 45
- Is there some act of forgiveness that you need to do to extend forgiveness toward someone just as Joseph did his brothers? If so, describe the situation, and what you need to do about it.
- Preparation for Gen 46-47
- Read Gen 46:1-7
- Is it God’s will for Israel (Jacob) to leave the Promised Land and go down to Egypt with all his household?
- How do you know?
- What is God’s purpose for them in Egypt?
- Gen 46:8-25 is a genealogy
- Read Gen 46:26-34
- Read Gen 47:1-31
- What were the final promises made to Israel (Jacob)?
- Why were these promises important?
- Read Gen 46:1-7
- Memory verse: Ephesians 1:11
