“So Joseph said to his brothers, come near to me please.” And they came near, and he said, “I am your brother, Joseph. Who you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.'”
– Genesis 45:4–5
I specifically remember a day years ago when I read these two verses in my time with the Lord. It immediately brought me to my knees in tears and worship. At that moment, and I’ll speak really generally here, but I was in a situation where I felt that I had been wronged, and I was having to make a decision and walk through circumstances in a way that I would not have planned. And in a way that would lead to criticism and I wouldn’t be able to fully explain myself. So the circumstances are not what’s most important.
I just remember wrestling with, “God, why? Why did this happen and this happen and this happen?” And as I read Genesis 45:4–5, my aim was to read through the whole chapter that day in my time with the Lord. I didn’t make it past Verse 5 because in these verses, I was reminded, yes, there are things that happen in this world, there are things that people may do to us that are not right, that are unjust.
God’s Sovereignty Amidst Trials
This is exactly what happened to Joseph. Very clearly in a way that’s even far more clear than what I was walking through. He was sold by his brothers into Egypt, and he says that here, “I am your brother Joseph whom you sold into Egypt.” And yet what he does is he looks them in the eye and he says, “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because of what you did,” which was obviously wrong, sinful.
He says, “For you sold me here but God sent me here.” In other words, even amidst the things, circumstances that were wrong, that had hurt Joseph, God was still working. And God was ultimately working for good, to preserve life. And it was just such a clear reminder to me in that moment. That even in this sinful, unjust world where circumstances don’t work out the way we would plan, it is good to know that there is a god who is sovereign over all and who has promised to work all things together for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purpose. That in the end, sin, injustice, unfairness, whatever it might be, evil, will not have the last word. That in the end, God and his ultimate purposes will have the last word.
Genesis 45:4–5 Is a Reminder that God is With Us During Difficult Times
So I hope this is an encouragement to you. Maybe you’re walking through similar circumstances today. Just soak in these words as we pray. As Joseph says, “You sold me here. You did this, but God sent me here. God was sovereign even in the midst of difficult circumstances.”
So God, we praise you, that you’re in control. God, I think about even the hard conversation I had last night with a group of people around a brother who is facing the last days of his life and God, I praise you, that as we were able to pray together, we were able to look to you and see that you are in control and that you love your people, that you love all who trust in you and you promise that this world will not have the last word. That you will bring us into glory, that you will work all things together for the good of those who love you and who have been called according to your purpose. We love that promise, we lean on that promise.
Genesis 45:4–5 Prays for Those Walking Through Difficult Circumstances
God, I pray for that over people today who are walking through difficult circumstances. Especially circumstances in which maybe they have been wronged, sinned against. God, I pray, that they would know your sovereign love for them in a deep way today, that they would know the peace that’s found, that’s the only way, oh God, as we read Genesis 45, that Joseph could have peace in this moment is knowing and trusting that you were working even in what his brothers had done to him, that you were sovereignly working over and above it all, for good in ways that no one ever could have imagined. God, we are so thankful. Jesus, we praise you that sin and evil and injustice do not have the last word.
We praise you that you have conquered sin and evil and death. You have risen from the grave, ascended into heaven, promised to return. So we say come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Come quickly, bring an end to sin and evil and injustice and help us. Help us to not wrong others. Help us to live justly. God, help us to love mercy. Help us to do good and in this world, help us to trust in you. No matter what happens around us, help us to trust in you to keep our eyes fixed on you as we lean on you, look to you, trust in you, and say we love you. God, we love you. We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
