Seems like there
are only two kinds of people these days. There sure are two: 1.) Judah-types,
who turn and confess their sins to God. Their hearts are softened, and 2.) The
hard-hearted Reuben-types who for some excuse or another.. cover their-sins-up
and refuse to humbly repent and believe. They are calloused, or seared dead inside. Even the fig leaves
don't work good enough with them. The Bible says...
“He who covers
his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have
mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
“People who
conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from
them, they will receive mercy..” (nlt)
Joseph was a saved-sinner by faith -- he'd experienced brokenness like Judah had. So many people on earth -- there are only two
types of em really. Lost or saved, (forgiven). Those not yet born again spiritually, and
those totally cleansed and regenerated. Those in Christ who are open to maturation, wanting to grow in the grace and truth of the Scriptures..... and those not yet this way who have remained closed to His Message of truth. They’re just
not yet into being spiritual in a healthy balanced sense, not into maturing on every level. They don’t want to think about heaven, hell or the spiritual battles that rage around them.
Judah was a rank
sinner too, like his brothers were, but remember how he claimed that his wrong was greater than
Tamar's, and how his offense was more worthy of punishment. True, it was. But his changed heart was
the start of his true repentance. Some are merely sorry that they got caught, that they've been exposed and there are now consequences. I'm sure that you've encountered false repentance before, but this wasn't like that. I personally was saved in a moment when confronted with my sin in a small Newport Beach Bible study. Sometimes there's a bit of a process when
someone's coming to repentance though. The Spirit works as their mind engages with Him -- God reasons with them.
"Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the LORD, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.'" Isa. 1:18 nkjv (Come to Christ right here and now. No excuses. No need to wimp-out and put it off another moment!)
Then his inner
changed heart led to outward changed behavior: "And he did not know her
again" (v. 26c). Although in some perverted way Judah could have rightly
taken Tamar as a wife, he knew that would be wrong. So he never again indulges in
lustful pleasure with her again, completely turning from his past sinful ways.
Think about it. Judah does seem to be a man transformed by genuine repentance—a change of mind
leading to an ongoing change of behavior. For throughout the rest of Genesis,
we witness Judah's nobility, his selfless leadership, and his courage. God will
use this changed sinner with faith to carry on the covenant name—the promised
seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Judah had lost his seal to a prostitute, but
here God seals him with the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13-14; 4:30). He had lost his staff in a proverbial and perverse
one-night stand, but God would replace it with a royal scepter (Gen 49:10). He had been impure with a woman not his wife.. God
hates such infidelity ..but the Lord would make him a new man with a new heart
who longed to worship and obey Yahweh.
No, but Judah’s
a believer whose faith points ahead in time to the cross. Our saving faith
points back in time to the Cross.
Are you open or closed? Do you live a life of integrity, a life on-fire for Christ?
Believer, I challenge you to. Yes, live the life by faith and the power of the Spirit, and go tell your story. And share the Gospel tactfully. Do this clearly. boldly, accurately. I like to spend my time verbally witnessing to people who are open to the truth rather than those how stick a palm in my face. You know what I mean - I only want to be a blessing to people. And why cast my pearls before spiritual swine who are closed-minded? Maybe they've been burned somehow before by a so called Christian? I want to pray for both open and closed people. -- we all need to do that because God can turn a closed-minded person into an open minded by His mercy and grace.
Forgiven people really need to become forgiving people, and those "cover-ers of personal sin" need to learn how to run to God to uncover it all to Him. He knows it all anyways.
It’s a good thing to quickly..not slowly..go tell on yourself to God asking for his cleansing so you can learn to hate sin like He does.
For me what's beautiful to see is not only how Joseph constantly gives the credit to God with the use of his gift, but I never seem him exploiting or maneuvering or manipulating or even grasping for a higher position in life (Love.. isn’t self-seeking). He wanted the baker to remember him in prison because he suffered injustice and wanted deliverance is all. It was Pharaoh's birthday and what gifts did he get? He got two dreams and a leader in Joseph. Joe's head is lifted up elevated (Study: Remember what happened to John the baptizer’s head on King Herod’s birthday after all that dancing?). After interpreting the king’s dreams, Joe sees the great need immediately (for two Egyptian administrators, a wise and a discerning one there. v.33), but he not once acts self-seeking or self promoting (he obviously does not view himself as wise or discerning. See the context. Joseph in Gen. 41:34-35 says, “Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.” What was the greatest gift there with Joe? This.. “The Lord was with Joseph” (the Giver of good gifts was there. Genesis 39:3, 5, 21, 23). You and I may also suffer injustice or come into other distressing circumstances at times, but our attitude, outlook and how we respond is always important. Think, talk and act like proper men.. men. Think, talk and act like proper women.. women! As we learn from the account of Joseph’s life, by remaining faithful to the Faithful One (the Lord) and accepting that God is ultimately in charge of the situation, we can be confident that the Lord will deliver, will comfort, will restore, and will eventually... in His perfect time.. reward us. Who would blame Joseph if he had turned his brothers away in their their time of need? Yet Joseph showed them mercy, and God desires that we exercise mercy above all other sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13). Joseph’s story shows us how God overarching sovereignly works to overcome evil and to bring about His good plan. After all Joseph’s multiple ordeals, Joseph was able to see God’s hand at work..even to fix his own family situation. As he finally revealed his identity to his brothers, Joseph spoke of their sin this way: “Do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.. It was not you who sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:5, 8). Later, Joseph again reassured his worried brothers, offering them his forgiveness and saying, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” (Genesis 50:20). Man’s most wicked intentions can never thwart the perfect plan of God.
Joseph was a forgiven believer with a gift. He was a forgiver too like his God is.
Notice with Joseph’s forgiveness of his bros--there was a realistic appraisal of their sin. “You meant it evil against me..” No: “Aww, you guys, don’t worry about it. Just forget it--It was nothing.”
Remember this... that cheap or flippant forgiveness is no forgiveness
at all. And apologies really ought not try to do the job that only repentance can do. A
nicely worded slippery apology is merely a courtesy to civility--sure, it can be an
end-run around true repentance. We all need the later and saving faith. How easy it is to be flippant in forgiveness or
even in receiving God's free forgiveness. It’s been rightly said that, “Forgiveness is never any better
than our personal ability to receive it.” Have you..yet?
Think about it, Jesus Christ came from Judah who humbled himself and changed Listen, when you and I get to heaven through faith in Christ and we get to meet some Old Testament people like Jacob, Judah, and Joseph we will see that they are there by faith alone with nothing added to it. None of them earned their way in by good works. Like we in faith point back in time to the Cross, these godly people in faith pointed ahead in time to that bloody Cross at Calvary -- to Jesus the Ultimate Solution for all mankind.
These believing-sinners were not puffed up with pride, but were humble, were open to and committed to Scriptural truth. They were submitted to authority (both Direct and delegated authority). There was brokenness, repentance, contrition, the fear of God and love with them. Their hearts had a Yes-posture towards the Holy Spirit of God, yes to whatever, whenever and wherever -- they maintained that. Their candid openness and confession towards God.. their relationship is what helped these men to obey, to grow, to mature and to glorify the Lord. And God used these people to save and help so many others! God can use us too!
See (Gen 44:18-32) how Judah tells Joseph the whole recent story from the beginning (JUDAH SELFLESSLY INTERCEDES FOR BENJAMIN).
When he Jacob sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: Think about it, 20 years before Joseph’s brothers showed a callous disregard of their father when they reported Joseph’s supposed death (Genesis 37:31-33). Judah showed they were now greatly concerned for the feelings and welfare of their father. This was more evidence of a change of heart.
See (Gen 44:33-34) how Judah is ready to lay down his life for Benjamin and his
father. You recall how Judah was the one who suggested selling Joseph 20 years
earlier. (37:26-27). We tend to look up to our older brothers as heros or examples, so can you imagine how Joseph felt when all his bros completely betrayed him?
How is understanding the life of Joseph the overcomer valuable to our spiritual growth?
Why did Pharaoh make Joseph second in command over all of Egypt?
Why did Potiphar have Joseph thrown in prison of having him killed?
What does the Bible say about the tribe of Joseph?
Why did Joseph's brothers sell him into slavery?
Why would Joseph even use divination.. or did he really.. when this is against God's commands?
Was Joseph wrong to marry the daughter of a pagan priest (Genesis 41)? Why did Pharaoh give Joseph the daughter of a priest?
What happened to Joseph? Did Joseph die before Jesus began His public ministry?
Why were Joseph's brothers so angry at him? Every had a teacher, a boss or parents play favorites with a sibling.
Why did lustful Potiphar's wife get all warm to Joseph's form instead of remain faithful to her husband. As is so common in our day.. why did she get this urge to unrighteously merge..proactively trying to seduce him?
Why did God choose to give out some promises via dreams -- why did He communicate through dreams and visions to people?
2.) Both men, were hated by their Jewish brethren (Gen. 37:4; John 15:25); 
