Sweet Revenge?
I slept better last night and have been resting most of the day. But I believe I am feeling better. My rest, allowed Debbie to get some much needed rest from her busy schedule and taking care of me. We have experienced a nice rain and the clouds have dispelled the higher temps from earlier this afternoon. Hopefully with another good night of rest and the affect of some of the medication, I will be ready for the week ahead.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. They [Joesph’s brothers] said to each other, “We are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his trouble, and he begged us to save him, but we refused to listen. That is why we are in this trouble now.” Then Reuben said to them, “I told you not to harm the boy, but you refused to listen to me. So now we are being punished for what we did to him.” Genesis 42:21,22 (NCV)
There are many scenes in the Bible that I would have loved to have been present to witness. This is one of those. It had been some seventeen years prior to this that Joesph’s brothers decided to take action and silence the annoying little brother that was favored by dad and had these grandiose dreams and possessed this cocky attitude.
At the time they thought their actions in sparing Joesph’s life and just selling him into slavery was noble on their part and kept them murder. But they had to go home and face “dad” and see the reaction of grief and the toll the presumed death of Joesph caused. They wanted to “get even” with Joesph, but didn’t understand the extent of the “collateral” damage on a father, as well as themselves.
The Lord used slavery and prison to humble and prepare Joesph for the fulfillment of the dreams that he had as a youth. Now his brothers (unknown to them) are standing before him begging to buy food during a famine. The questions Joesph asks and their own short stay in prison finds them relating their own hardship to how they treated their younger brother.
So we see even though many years had passed the memories were fresh. During the ensuing years adjustments to life without Joesph would have come, but there was still in the back of their minds the knowledge of the truth and they would carry the rest of their lives. In getting rid of Joesph, they acquired a new set of problems they never would have anticipated. Scripture makes it clear they all shared the guilt and made the connection between their past actions and their present sufferings.
As we move through the story we see the brothers returning to Egypt for more food and Joesph finally revealing himself to his brothers. He graciously provides a place for his father, his brothers and their families to live during the rest of the famine, so the family is saved.
However, after Jacob dies we see Joesph’s brothers still live with guilt and fear. “After Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph is still angry with us? We did many wrong things to him. What if he plans to pay us back?” (Genesis 50:15) His brothers ask Joesph to forgive them…and Joesph does. As Joesph forgives his brothers, he shares this powerful insight, “Don’t be afraid. Can I do what only God can do? You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done. So don’t be afraid. (Genesis 50:19-21)
As Joesph experienced all that happened to him, it seem that Lord had allow him to forget and move beyond the pain and suffering his brothers had caused. But his brothers still carried their guilt until the time their father died.
There are some important lessons and cautions for us in this story. Joesph’s brothers took revenge, but found themselves haunted with guilt. Joesph refused to remain embittered and take revenge and found what Paul would write to the Romans to be true…
Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. (Romans 12:19)
I saw a quote that said, “The best revenge is to live well. Remember, you can’t get ahead if you are trying to get even.” Revenge may feel “sweet” at the time, but it often has lingering consequences. Forgiveness is the better alternative.