We go into the eighth lesson in our series. We're studying Joseph. And you're gonna be, this is gonna be a really good one today. I mean, it's so much joy in this one that it's kind of hard to even comprehend the situation Joseph was in where his brothers had done such dirt to him and to come to reconciliation and so forth. But this is a good lesson and I'm looking forward to presenting it. Today's lesson's titled Principles for Peacemaking. And I think Joseph did an excellent job in that part. The references for today's lesson come from Genesis 45, and it's verses one through 28. So, by way of introduction, occasionally we all experience a falling out in a relationship. Now, most of us aren't burnt like Joseph was burnt by his brothers in that relationship, but it happens in our lives. When that happens, our responsibility as Christians is to do all we can to restore the relationship. We don't just burn down the relationship and walk away. That's not what we're called to do. We have an obligation to act like Christ. That's our main goal. Though Joseph does not have a Bible, he knows God's heart. And he also knows God's way that Paul expressed so well in Romans 12, 18. And I read that to you now. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. And that's a good, A good thing to put in your heart and lock away so that you can, even when you're watching fools burn down our cities and cast aspersions upon our president for trying to enforce the laws of our land, this should still be in our heart. And as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. And this is exactly what Joseph does. Therefore, in this chapter, we find three principles for peacemaking, and we're going to go through those one by one. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we approach you again, just so grateful to be in your house. So grateful, Lord, for your word and the, the, peace and the knowledge that we get through that word in guiding us in our daily lives. Lord, just help us to read these things today, to understand them, comprehend them, bring them into our heart, and have them bear fruit in our lives. We need to be peacemakers. We pray all these things now in your son's precious and holy name, amen. So the very first point in this lesson, the first principle is allowing God time to work. In other words, be patient in how you approach this process of peacemaking. The reference for this would be Genesis 45, one through eight. Now, if you recall, we look back into chapter 44, Judah had some positive things to say finally. And he was pointing out, saying things that made Joseph realize that there was a change in their thinking and how they are approaching their responsibilities. So we hear Judah's offer to stay as a slave in Benjamin's place. Joseph knows his brothers have truly changed. They're concerned. He can no longer contain his emotions. and orders everyone except his brothers out of the room. And we're going to read this soon here. And he weeps so loudly the Egyptians outside the room can hear him. And this is the third of five times Joseph weeps over broken relationships in his family. If you recall, like three weeks ago, we had the first point where he was weeping over his brothers. and the fact that he was having to go through these issues. That was in Genesis 42, 24. And he turned himself about from them, and wept, and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. So there's a big change coming here. The second one was in Genesis 43, 30. Joseph made haste, for his bowels did yearn upon his brother, and he sought where to weep. and he entered into his chamber and wept there. And in 45.2, that's this week, we read, and he wept aloud and the Egyptians in the house of Pharaoh could hear him. And finally in 45.14, we'll see later in the lesson, he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And in 5017, Pharaoh said unto Joseph, say unto thy brethren, this do ye, lay your beasts and go, get you unto the land of Canaan. So, Joseph's weeping reveals he took no pleasure in deceiving and frightening his brothers. It has been a long, hard, and heartbreaking 22 years since he was sold into slavery. If we desire to be peacemakers, we must allow God the time, we need to be patient in how we're approaching this, for Him to do the work. If we wait on Him, God will give us opportunities to make reconciliation and peace. Therefore, we must follow this example that's found in Psalm 135. And I read, I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. We have a lot of hope in that, waiting on the Lord. We know God's power, we know God's character, and he will work on these things in our lives. After releasing his emotions, Joseph says to his brothers, this is the first time he tells them this, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? That's Genesis 45, three. Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brethren, they were stunned. They could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence. What do you think was troubling for them? To them, Joseph had been dead 22 years. And now there's a person in front of them. And I think probably if they kind of stand back and go, oh yeah, he looks like Joseph, you know, I can remember that little kid, you know, I'm thinking they were troubled by that because it's like, well, one of us, if we were to say, think we had seen a ghost or spirit. And his brothers have already answered the first part of that question before. In Genesis 43, 27 to 28, he asked them of their welfare and said, is your father well, the old man of whom you speak, is he yet alive? And they answered, thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance." They're making obeisance to Joseph, which was one of Joseph's first prophetic dreams. But Joseph's hurting hard, he wants reassurance. However, his brothers are so shocked and terrified, they can't utter a word. In Genesis 45.3, we read that they were troubled at his presence. They probably are expecting Joseph to execute them for selling him into slavery, because that's what they know they justly deserve. They justly, this is almost like what happens to us, what it's exactly like what happens to us when we finally recognize our sin nature and our nastiness in our hearts before God. If we confess our sin, what does he, that's exactly right, Steve. Yep, he is going to take care of that for us. But we gotta come to that point first. Joseph is now going to complete the task of peacemaking with his brothers. Seeing his brother's terror, Joseph tells them to come closer to him. And again, he is their brother, Joseph, whom they sold into slavery. So Joseph tells the brothers, the famine has been in the land for two years, and there are five more years of famine to come. And we see that three times in verses five through eight, Joseph tells them God sent him ahead to save their lives. So they may have done the sin, but God used that sin to preserve that remnant. that was going to become Israel. Isn't that a blessing to your heart? It's amazing. So and I'll read Genesis five, verses five through eight of 45. Now therefore he be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither. So he's telling him that you know, this is, forgive yourselves, I'm forgiving you. And for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land, and yet there are five years in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God, and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh. and Lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt." Now that term father there, this doesn't mean literally he's treating Pharaoh like a child. He's a counselor to Pharaoh. He's providing him with wise counsel. Huh. Notice here that Joseph further tells his brother that God has made him a father or counselor to Pharaoh and ruler of all Egypt. The reason that Joseph can be so loving and forgiving is he understands God has and had a purpose for every hurtful event in his life. If we read in Romans 8.28, we'll see and we know all that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are called according to his purpose. I would say that Joseph realizes he was called to a pretty amazing purpose. A journey into victorious living requires believing that in God's time he will bring good out of every hurt we suffer. Therefore, we can forgive those who wrong us, and we better. We have to have that kind of heart. God will do his part, but we must do ours by obeying the command of Jesus that we find in Luke 628. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. These are hard things in our flesh to think of and do, aren't they? You have to be completely surrendered to God to be able to rightfully see these things and do these things. The word translated bless in that verse is eulogio, and it is the Greek word from which our word eulogy is derived. Now what is a eulogy? Usually it's fairly nice words, platitudes about a person who's passed on. You don't wanna speak badly of the dead. And it means to speak well of, that's what a eulogy actually means, to speak well of or say only good things about them and pray for them. The only exception for not saying good things would be to protect someone else, okay? The first principle for peacemaking is allow God the time to do his work. And then, second point, await opportunities to talk. Now, I have a terrible problem because if I think something, I want to say it. Do you have that problem, Mark? No, sometimes we do, don't we? We just want to say it because it came into my head. But it's good to be patient and await when those opportunities arise. You'll recognize it when you have waited. You'll recognize it. Joseph tells his brothers to hurry back to their father and to tell him God has been good to him in Egypt and to come immediately. That's Genesis 45, nine. Haste ye and go up to my father and say unto him, thus saith thy son Joseph. Now this is gonna be a shock for, Jacob, isn't it? Thus saith my son Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt. Come down unto me and tarry not. Man, can you imagine? That's the most mind-blowing statement I can think of. Here's a guy that's supposed to have been dead 22 years. You've wept, you've grieved him, you've moved on, and now his son's the The perpetrator's sons come back and say, we got this message for you. Thy son Joseph, thou spake thy son Joseph. Load up and come on down because I'm gonna take care of these things for you. Three times Joseph said God sent him to Egypt, remembering from Genesis 45, five through eight. But in the final, in the last verse there, so now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. He hath made me a father to Pharaoh and Lord of all the house and a ruler throughout all the land. These are meaningful things, and these are... things that need to be said to the brothers so that they can properly approach this, this telling their father about these things. This, you know, dad, you know, we, we did this, but it was all God's will. And we want to, we want to make sure you understand that. It kind of saves them and their bacon with their dad. Problems and hurts are some of the most effective tools God has to make us into the people he wants us to be. There's a lot of problems that are going on here for Jacob's family, or Israel's family at this point. Joseph also informs his brothers that when their families come back from Canaan, they will live in the land of Goshen. Goshen is a very fertile area of northeastern Egypt. There, Joseph will provide for their needs until the famine ends. Again, he tells them to tell his father about his position in Egypt and all that they have seen. And this is Genesis 45, 10 through 13. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks and thy herds, and all that thou hast. And there will I nourish thee, for yet there are five years of famine, lest thou and thy household and all that thou hast come to poverty. And behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory, in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen." And that last part, I truncated off of that verse, but Joseph then adds this kind of very special thing. He says, and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. So go do this, make it fast, I'm waiting on you. Joseph is afraid his aging father might die unless they quickly bring him to Egypt. Now we come to another of the most moving verses in the Bible, and that's Genesis 45, 14. And Joseph fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck. Can you imagine that reunion? That had to be amazing. Benjamin is Joseph's youngest and only full brother by Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel, who died giving birth to Benjamin in Genesis 33, 18. It came to pass as her soul was in departing, for she died, that she called his name Benoni, but his father called him Benjamin. Benoni, that is, the son of my sorrow. Benjamin, what the father named him means the son of the right hand. It's very interesting. They were the sons of Rachel, Joseph, and Benjamin. After embracing and weeping with Benjamin, Joseph hugs each of his brothers and weeps over them. Afterwards, his brothers talk with him in Genesis 45, 15. So that's just a, imagine you're finally with your brother who'd been gone out of your life for 22 years. You have a few things to talk about. I would imagine that it was very sweet for them to have this reunion now at this point. After we give God time to work, we must wait for an opportunity to talk constructively. The author of this lesson series relates this story. So the author being the person who I'm following his notes for this lesson. And he tells the story, he says, over the years, he has had to lead his church to make decisions that did not please everyone. You've never had that situation, have you, Pastor? You have to lead, though, and that's what God expects of you. The way he detects if someone is upset with him is when they don't want to talk to him. Has that ever happened to you? Somebody, they just kind of turn their head and move on? I don't think that's the way to handle things, but it is human nature. The same is true when his heart is not right towards someone. Not wanting to talk to someone is usually a symptom of not obeying this command that we find in Ephesians 4.31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Gotta be clean. Those are hard things in the human flesh. All of those are, but that's what we need to do spiritually to get to this level. We cannot be peacemakers until we first deal with the bitterness and anger in our own hearts. Sometimes we need to give God time to work in our own hearts, as well as in the heart of someone who has hurt us. One way we know our hearts are right is when we want to talk sincerely and lovingly to someone for the sole purpose of reconciliation. Now, if we try to rush things and talk too early, the situation almost always becomes worse. Therefore, we allow God time to work, await for opportunities to talk, and number three, point three, anticipate God's blessings upon your efforts. That's Genesis 45, 16 through 28. When Pharaoh hears Joseph's brothers are in Egypt, he is pleased. Pharaoh probably sees this as an opportunity for him to repay Joseph for helping him prepare for the famine. He tells Joseph to tell his brothers to return to Canaan and bring back their families. Furthermore, he tells Joseph to let them know they will have the best land and will live off the fat of the land. That's Genesis 45, 16-18. And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come. And it pleased Pharaoh well and his servants. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye, lay your beasts, and go get you into the land of Canaan, and take your father and your households, and come unto me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land. That's quite a blessing. The word fat refers to the finest products of the harvest. Finally, what does Pharaoh tell Joseph's brothers they can take from Egypt in which to bring their families back? Now this is Genesis 45, 19. Now thou art commanded. Pharaoh always commands people. That's kind of like kings. They like to command a lot. This do ye, take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. Now, it's interesting to think about this, wagons. These are not going to be, these are royal wagons. So imagine in your mind what a royal wagon would be like. We know what a buckboard's like, but a royal wagon. They're not cheap, they're not rickety wagons, they are Egyptian carts, the finest in the world. The Hebrew word translated wagons can also be translated chariots. They are the equivalent of a today's Rolls Royce to the people of the time. The brothers came to Egypt on foot, riding or riding on donkeys, which would return loaded with food. Returning to Canaan with Egyptian wagons would be the equivalent of going home in a limousine to transport their families back to Egypt. This is how it would seem to them. Joseph follows Pharaoh's instructions, equipping his brothers with new clothing and provisions for the journey. He also sends his father 20 donkeys loaded with food and provisions for the journey back to Egypt. Then he tells his brothers not to quarrel on the way home. I don't know, what would he tell his brothers not to quarrel? Well, we'll find out here in God's word. Genesis 45, 21 to 24, and the children of Israel did so and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment, but to Benjamin he gave 300 pieces of silver and five changes of raiment. Again showing favor to his actual flesh brother. And to his father he sent after this manner, 10 asses laden with the good things of Egypt and 10 she-asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away and they departed and he said unto them, see that ye fall not out by the way. Don't argue with each other. Joseph knew that although poverty often draws people closer together, prosperity sometimes pulls them apart. Once things get improved, we're not as tight as we used to be. Prosperity is the worst thing that can happen to some families. A falling out is often the result of this truth that we find in 1 Timothy 6.10 and the first part of the verse. For the love of money is the root of all evil. While Jacob's sons are in Egypt, he has been anxiously waiting to see if Benjamin and Simeon would return with his other sons. Therefore, he must have been overwhelmed when he sees all of his sons riding up on New Harleys, riding up in these limousine kind of wagons, the latest model of Egyptian wagons loaded with all kinds of extravagant provisions. However, Jacob's sons tell him he never expected to hear something that he never expected to hear. It's more shocking than all the carts and provisions. Genesis 45, 26, and told him saying, Joseph is yet alive. Can you imagine that moment? Your father's heart has been torn from your soul, from your body 22 years ago, and now you find out. It was all fantasy. Those boys lied to you, dad, and your son is alive. And he is governor, this is the next part of that verse, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. But when he comes to believe them, it'd be a very joyful moment, I know. Jacob is stunned and cannot believe his ears. Then they relate to him what Joseph told him about coming to Egypt, seeing all the carts and provisions, convinces Jacob that the story is all true and his spirit is revived, Genesis 45, 27. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them. And when he saw the wagons, he was revived. In verses 25 to 27, the father is called Jacob, but we read in verse 28, And Israel said, it is enough, Joseph, my son is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die. He is called Israel because not only is he revived mentally and emotionally, but also spiritually. The old man whose spirit had been crushed is now totally revived and living up to his new name, Israel. Wow, which means God rules. Israel's decision to take his family to Egypt begins the fulfillment of the prophecy that God gave to Abram, that his descendants would be foreigners and servants in a foreign land for 400 years. That's Genesis 15, 13. And he said unto Abram, know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them 400 years. So in the land of Goshen, as God preordained, they will multiply without losing their identity as the twelve sons or tribes of Israel. This is the result of efforts of Joseph, who throughout his life exhibits godly wisdom, which is always pure and peaceable. We see in James 3.17, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Joseph is a wonderful example of this promise. of this, what it stated there in 317, but it's a promise made in James 318. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. This means peacemakers will reap a harvest of right relationships with God and with other people. To reap this kind of harvest and have a journey into victorious living, you must practice the principles for peacemaking. Allow God time to work await opportunities to talk, and anticipate God's blessings on your efforts. That concludes this lesson. And for next week, we will continue this journey. And I will be here next week. So that's it.