Again we see Joseph’s trust in God’s providence and the practical results that it brings:

• Trusting God’s providence – While his brothers meant their actions for evil, God used the circumstances to bring about good. In your difficult circumstances, will you trust in God’s good plan for your life?
• Forgiveness – Because Joseph trusts in God’s providential control over his circumstances, he is free to forgive his brothers. God’s good triumphs over their evil, and Joseph forgives. How might trusting in God’s providence help you to forgive? Who do you need to forgive?
• No retaliation – Retaliation is our sinful default reaction to those who hurt us. But Joseph makes clear that such reactions put ourselves in place of God and show a lack of trust in God. When are you tempted to retaliate? How will you respond instead?
• Judah’s line – Finally we see God’s providence in Jacob’s blessing to Judah. God causes Jacob to prophesy that kings will come from Judah. And indeed David is a descendant of Judah, as is David’s descendant – Jesus the King of Kings. God is in control!

Joseph reveals himself to his brothers and reveals his trust in God’s providence.

• God’s providence – Joseph recognizes that while his brothers sold him, God had sent him to Egypt for a purpose. From slavery to Potiphar to Potiphar’s wife to prison to the cup-bearer to Pharaoh to ruling just below Pharaoh. Any piece of the chain, good or bad, would have led to a different end, but God providentially worked out each situation to bring Joseph to where he was. How have you seen God’s providence in your life?
• Trusting God – Undoubtedly Joseph struggled at times with the direction his life was going. His brothers note the distress of his soul when they sold him as a slave (42:21). Being cast into prison was not a fun thing. And yet, we see in Joseph a man who walked with God and generally trusted God with his life. “It was not you who sent me here, but God” (45:8). He trusted in God’s providence. Will you trust God with your life? In the darkness of difficult situations, will you trust that God has a good plan for you?

Last week we saw Judah’s selfish example as he freely did whatever pleased him, even selling his brother Joseph into slavery. But in today’s passage we see a distinct change in Judah’s character:

• From hatred to love – Judah hated Joseph enough to sell him into slavery. This action also showed a hatred for his father who would be cruelly hurt by his loss of Joseph. But now Judah shows love for his father as he intercedes for Benjamin. Have you moved from hatred to love? This is a serious question, for John makes clear that if we don’t love, we don’t know God (I John 4:7-8). Is your life characterized by love or hatred?
• Self-sacrifice – True love means sacrifice. Judah offers to become a servant in Benjamin’s place. In what ways are you sacrificing yourself for others?
• Christ’s sacrifice – As Judah offered to become a servant for Benjamin, so Judah’s descendant Jesus became a servant for us. He offered himself as a sacrifice for our sins. Have you accepted his gift of love to you?

In our passage today, Joseph is able to interpret several dreams. Note:

• I can’t but God can – Joseph tells the baker and cup-bearer that interpretations belong to God. Joseph can’t interpret the dreams on his own, but he can with God’s help. Later, Pharaoh summons Joseph to interpret his dreams and Joseph tells him, “It is not in me.” Joseph can’t do it, but God can. In both cases it is God that helps Joseph interpret the dreams. Joseph not only recognizes this, he credits God with his ability. What abilities do you have? Have you recognized that these abilities come from God? Do you give God the credit?
• God’s sovereignty – Joseph makes clear in his interpretation that God is the one who will bring seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. God is in control. The future is not mere chance or fate, but is determined by the merciful God who prepared Egypt for the famine with an advanced warning. No matter what you are facing, God is in control, and he will help you. Will you trust him?

In our reading today we see the glaring difference between living with God in mind and living with self in mind:

• Joseph’s godly example – Joseph lived with God in mind. When tempted by Potiphar’s wife, his response is clear – “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” When pressed, he runs lest he sin against God. How are you being tempted to sin against God? How will you respond? How might you grow in living with God in view?
• Judah’s selfish example – While Joseph flees temptation, Judah seeks it out by approaching Tamar. Rather than living with God in mind, he is thinking only of himself. Earlier Judah suggested to his brothers that they sell Joseph to the traders. He says, “What profit is it….” For twenty shekels of silver he sells his brother. In what ways are you living selfishly for your own gain?

God commands Jacob to go to Bethel (meaning the house of God) and built an altar to God. In preparation, Jacob commands his family to put away all foreign gods. Note:

• Faithfulness to God – You cannot serve God and foreign gods – you must make a choice. If you serve God, you must put away all other gods. Anything that you honor or trust can be a god to you. Are there gods you need to put away today?
• God answers – Jacob testifies that God is a God who answers prayer. False gods can’t answer prayer, but the true God does! How have you seen God answer prayer? Do you pray with expectation that he will answer?
• God’s presence – Jacob testifies that God has always been with him. God is always with you too. When has God’s presence been a comfort to you?
• God’s protection – As chapter 34 ends, Jacob is afraid the cities in the area will attack him, but God fills the cities with terror so they will not pursue Jacob as he travels to Bethel. False gods can’t protect us, but God can. When have you seen God’s hand of protection in your life?

God faithfully brings Jacob back home, and Jacob finally comes home to God.

• God’s faithfulness – God had promised to safely bring Jacob back home, and God keeps his promise. How has God been faithful to you this week?
• Jacob’s prayer – Afraid of his brother Esau, Jacob cries out to God in prayer. Notice that Jacob approaches humbly, claims God’s promises, and makes his request. How might you incorporate these three elements in your prayers?
• Jacob’s humility – Jacob shows an amazing character change from when he left several years ago. He humbly acknowledges his unworthiness to God. And he treats his brother with utmost humility and respect that undoubtedly helps to end a family quarrel. How do you relate to God and the people around you?
• Jacob’s God – Our passage ends with a most striking verse. Until now, Jacob (renamed Israel in the wrestling match) always refers to God as the God of Abraham or Isaac. Now he builds an altar to God and calls it El-Elohe-Israel, meaning God, the God of Israel. Finally, Jacob (or Israel) has come to serve the God of his fathers. Have you come to the place where you can fill in the blank with your name? God, the God of _______

God is at work in Jacob’s life. God’s purpose will stand:

• Abrahamic Covenant – The covenant God made with Abraham continues to go forward. Having passed through Isaac, it now continues to Jacob. Land, descendants, and all nations blessed through him is the continued promise. God’s purpose will stand.
• Jacob’s lack of commitment – Interestingly, it appears that Jacob is not yet a follower of God. Jacob says that if God will bring him back, then he will serve God. God has promised to bring him back, and God will be working in Jacob’s life to bring him back a changed man. God’s purpose will stand. How have you seen God at work in your life – even before you came to follow him?
• More lies and deceit – Laban, like his sister Rebekah, is a deceiver. Jacob, also a deceiver, works seven years for Rachel, and receives Leah instead. Jacob the deceiver is deceived by another! But in the midst of this dishonest mess, God’s plan continues. He takes the bad and uses it for good. God’s purpose will stand. How have you seen God take your bad to bring about good?