Part 2: Don’t Quarrel Along the Way

Sermon from Genesis 44 & 45 on May 22, 2011

Sermon from Genesis 44 & 45 on May 15, 2011

Sermon from Genesis 44-45 on May 8, 2011

Here are some more details to what was studied last week to come to such conclusions. It isn’t until Joseph is about 37 years old, 20 years after his brothers had wronged him… that we see that Joseph is starting to heal & forgive.  And it isn’t until he is 39, 22 years after the incident that Joseph shows them forgiveness. Observe:

- Genesis 37.2 = At 17 years old, Joseph is sold by brothers

- Genesis 41.46 = At 30 years old, Joseph is appointed by Pharaoh

- Genesis 41.51-52 = Joseph is healing, indicated by his naming of his children:

• Manasseh – “God has made me forget all my hardship & my father’s house”

• Ephraim – “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

- Genesis 45.6 = At 39 year old Joseph has forgiven his brothers.  (after 7 years of abundance + 2 years of famine)

Thus, it took Joseph about 22 years to fully show forgiveness to his brothers.  Joseph took a long time to heal from the damage his brothers did to him.  He took a long time to forgive them.  I shared that, although we should not take this long, forgiveness is a process that takes time.

Sermon from Genesis 42 & 43 on May 1, 2011