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Joseph Reunited with his Family - The Book of Genesis · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let
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  Speaker 1: me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou
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  Speaker 1: art yet alive. Genesis 46.30 Dear Lord, I thank you
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  Speaker 1: that as I stay connected to you like Joseph, the
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  Speaker 1: transformation of my life will be so drastic that others
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  Speaker 1: won't recognize me. Thank you, Heavenly Father, that you care
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  Speaker 1: about relationships and that you long to bring healing and
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  Speaker 1: understanding to broken relationships. Therefore, I thank you in advance
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  Speaker 1: for mending the wounded relationships in my life and for
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  Speaker 1: giving me the maturity to operate in divine forgiveness. Speak
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  Speaker 1: to my heart, Holy Spirit, like Jacob, and remind me
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  Speaker 1: that I can make the journey to my promise. and
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  Speaker 1: that time is not against me, but on my side.
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  Speaker 1: I choose to change my perspective and realize that nothing
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  Speaker 1: happens to me, but because I'm in alignment with you, Lord,
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  Speaker 1: everything happens for me. For I know that what Satan
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  Speaker 1: meant for evil, God, you will turn it for my good.
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  Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, amen. Listening to these daily prayers strengthens
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  Speaker 1: your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the Lord by
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  Speaker 1: listening to today's Bible in a Year. Brought to you
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  Speaker 1: by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph reunited with his family. Before this story, we learned
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  Speaker 2: how Joseph tested his brothers to see if their hearts
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  Speaker 2: had truly changed. He tricked them into thinking Benjamin had
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  Speaker 2: stolen a silver cup. When Joseph threatened to take Benjamin away,
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  Speaker 2: the brothers wept and offered themselves up instead. This showed
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  Speaker 2: Joseph that their hearts had truly been softened over the years,
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  Speaker 2: and Joseph was ready to reveal his true identity to
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  Speaker 2: his brothers. Now, we will learn about how Joseph is
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  Speaker 2: reunited with his whole family, inspired by the book of Genesis.
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  Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. In our previous time together, we
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  Speaker 3: learned how Joseph's brothers traveled to Egypt, not knowing their
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  Speaker 3: long-lost brother Joseph was alive and well. And now, he
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  Speaker 3: is the second in command in all of Egypt. We
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  Speaker 3: discovered that Joseph's brothers had indeed become different men. We
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  Speaker 3: don't know how, but somehow they are changed. And when
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  Speaker 3: Joseph saw them falling before him and begging him to
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  Speaker 3: release their youngest brother, Benjamin, it was too much for
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  Speaker 3: Joseph to bear. And so today we're going to learn
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  Speaker 3: how Joseph responded in that significant moment and how his
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  Speaker 3: response to his brothers testified powerfully to God's sovereignty, God's
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  Speaker 3: perfect plan and grace. Listen for Joseph's words as he
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  Speaker 3: explains how God worked through his life to save the
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  Speaker 3: lives of many. His response and the offer he makes
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  Speaker 3: to his brothers will set them on a course that
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  Speaker 3: will dramatically change the history of the world and the
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  Speaker 3: history of God's people. Let's listen now to today's story
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  Speaker 3: of Revelation, Reconciliation, and Reunion.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph watched as his brothers bowed before him, begging that
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  Speaker 2: he spare the life of their youngest brother. The hard
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  Speaker 2: hearts they once had were softened by time and grief.
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  Speaker 2: He saw in his brothers a love and humility he
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  Speaker 2: had never seen in them before. Joseph's throat tensed, and
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  Speaker 2: he held back tears and turned towards his servants and
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  Speaker 2: guards in the room. Everyone, leave me, he shouted. So
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  Speaker 2: everybody left, all but his brothers. Joseph stood in front
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  Speaker 2: of his brothers, then began to weep greatly. His cries
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  Speaker 2: could be heard from the palace gates and echoed through
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  Speaker 2: the halls of Pharaoh's household. Joseph, tears streaming from his face, said,
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  Speaker 2: I am Joseph. He walked closer to his brothers, watching
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  Speaker 2: their amazed faces. Is my father still alive? He asked,
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  Speaker 2: still weeping. His brothers could not answer him. They were
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  Speaker 2: dismayed and completely caught off guard. Please, come closer to me.
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  Speaker 2: He asked again. So they came near, watching him with
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  Speaker 2: pensive stares. Joseph could tell they needed more explanation. For
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  Speaker 2: the last time they saw him, he was being shipped
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  Speaker 2: off into slavery. Now he stood before them a governor
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  Speaker 2: of the most powerful nation on earth. I am your brother, Joseph,
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  Speaker 2: whom you sold into slavery. Please, do not hate yourselves
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  Speaker 2: for what you have done to me. God sent me
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  Speaker 2: here to preserve the lives of thousands of people, Joseph said.
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  Speaker 2: He explained to them how God had used him to
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  Speaker 2: save the lives of the land and all those who
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  Speaker 2: dwell outside of it. So it was not you who
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  Speaker 2: sent me here, but God, Joseph said. Joseph found himself ranting,
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  Speaker 2: yet could not help himself. There was so much he
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  Speaker 2: wanted to share and so much lost time he had
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  Speaker 2: with them. Finally, he gave them an invitation, one that
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  Speaker 2: would change the course of human history. God has made
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  Speaker 2: me lord over all of Egypt. Come down to me
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  Speaker 2: and dwell in this land with me. Bring your families, flocks,
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  Speaker 2: and herds, and I will provide for you. Joseph offered
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  Speaker 2: this so that his family might be saved from the
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  Speaker 2: coming years of famine. Joseph then fell on Benjamin's neck
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  Speaker 2: and kissed him. He kissed all his brothers and embraced them. Slowly,
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  Speaker 2: all eleven of them began to speak to him, still
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  Speaker 2: dismayed over what had just transpired. Word came to Pharaoh,
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  Speaker 2: and he was pleased with the news and offered his
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  Speaker 2: family the best land Egypt had to offer. Joseph then
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  Speaker 2: sent them on their way with wagons to fetch their
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  Speaker 2: father and families. The brothers arrived back to their father
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  Speaker 2: and told him all that had transpired. Israel, who had
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  Speaker 2: lived in a daze of grief and mourning ever since
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  Speaker 2: Joseph's departure, found himself revived. I must see him before
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  Speaker 2: I die, Israel exclaimed. They departed as soon as they could,
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  Speaker 2: and Israel, with all his family, servants, and livestock, ventured
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  Speaker 2: towards Egypt. As Israel was traveling, he heard a familiar voice.
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  Speaker 3: Jacob!
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  Speaker 2: Jacob! God spoke gently. Here I am, he replied. adoring
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  Speaker 2: the sweet comfort of hearing the Lord's voice. I am
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  Speaker 2: the God of your father. Do not be afraid to
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  Speaker 2: go down to Egypt, he said. For Israel was old,
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  Speaker 2: and the journey was tumultuous for someone his age. For
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  Speaker 2: there is where I will make you a great nation.
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  Speaker 2: I will go down with you. So Israel and his
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  Speaker 2: people made a sacrifice to God and traveled to the
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  Speaker 2: land Goshen on the outskirts of Egypt. Israel sent Judah
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  Speaker 2: out to fetch Joseph, and Joseph immediately took his chariot
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  Speaker 2: to pursue them. Joseph rode harder than he ever had before.
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  Speaker 2: Tears fell off his face and blew into the wind
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  Speaker 2: as he rode towards the countryside. A small dot could
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  Speaker 2: be spotted in the distance, and Joseph saw the face
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  Speaker 2: of his father as he drew closer and closer. He
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  Speaker 2: came to them, dismounted, and ran towards his father and
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  Speaker 2: fell on his neck. The two embraced for a long
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  Speaker 2: while before speaking, weeping tears that had been held in
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  Speaker 2: for years. At last, Israel could die a happy man.
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  Speaker 2: After reuniting with his father, Joseph spoke to Pharaoh about
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  Speaker 2: setting his family up on Goshen. He instructed them that
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  Speaker 2: they mention how skilled of herders they are, instead of shepherds,
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  Speaker 2: for Egyptians loathed shepherds. Joseph's family settled in the land
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  Speaker 2: of Goshen and thrived under the care of Pharaoh. The
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  Speaker 2: rest of Egypt, however, suffered from the famine, but Joseph's
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  Speaker 2: governance and wisdom guided them into flourishing. The Egyptians and
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  Speaker 2: Hebrews loved Joseph and all considered him to be their
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  Speaker 2: greatest treasure. The time had finally come for Jacob to
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  Speaker 2: depart from this world and be with his Lord. His
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  Speaker 2: eyes dimmed as his father's once did. Jacob touched his hip,
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  Speaker 2: still sore from years ago when he wrestled with God.
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  Speaker 2: He had lived a long and prosperous life and had
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  Speaker 2: seen his sons grow to be fathers and lords of
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  Speaker 2: their own households. He asked to be buried in his homeland, Canaan,
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  Speaker 2: beside Leah. Jacob blessed Joseph's sons as well as Pharaoh.
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  Speaker 2: The Egyptian sun set, turning the surrounding dunes a bright orange. Jacob,
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  Speaker 2: the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, father of nations,
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  Speaker 2: breathed his last at a ripe old age. His sons
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  Speaker 2: mourned and journeyed back to Canaan once more to bury
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  Speaker 2: their father. Joseph, for as long as he lived, protected
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  Speaker 2: his brothers and their families. The Hebrew people thrived and prospered,
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  Speaker 2: and the years of famine came to a cease. They
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  Speaker 2: multiplied and lived under the blessing and provision of God.
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  Speaker 2: Yet their journey was far from over, and their hardship
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  Speaker 2: had not even begun.
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  Speaker 3: This is a very. dramatic story as it opens with
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  Speaker 3: Joseph's holding back his tears. He is overcome with emotion
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  Speaker 3: as he witnesses the selfless actions of his brothers, the
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  Speaker 3: brothers who so long ago hated and despised him. He
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  Speaker 3: is finally ready to reveal his true identity to these men.
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  Speaker 3: And when he does, They, of course, are terrified. This
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  Speaker 3: young boy, who they so callously threw into a pit
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  Speaker 3: and left him for dead, then sold him for profit,
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  Speaker 3: now had their own lives in this very powerful man's hands.
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  Speaker 3: But Joseph rushes to reassure them that there is no
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  Speaker 3: need for terror, guilt, or shame. Joseph, now 30 years
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  Speaker 3: of age, shows his maturity, and he wants his brothers
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  Speaker 3: to know that they do not need to beat themselves
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  Speaker 3: up over their past sins. When they first came to Egypt,
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  Speaker 3: he overheard them speaking of their guilt for his blood,
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  Speaker 3: and so he knows that they are filled with regret.
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  Speaker 3: When we have the opportunity to confront someone who may
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  Speaker 3: have sinned against us, especially if they've been changed and
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  Speaker 3: are now remorseful and repentant, do we offer mercy and comfort,
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  Speaker 3: or do we relish the shame and lay on more
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  Speaker 3: guilt and more guilt and more shame? Joseph could have
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  Speaker 3: easily done the latter, but he chose the former and
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  Speaker 3: gave us a great model to follow. It's a beautiful
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  Speaker 3: picture of what Christ would one day do for all
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  Speaker 3: of us. When Jesus on the cross even prayed for
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  Speaker 3: his enemies, Father forgive them for they do not know
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  Speaker 3: what they do. Rather than blaming his brothers, he believes
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  Speaker 3: in God and thanks God for what God has done
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  Speaker 3: and professes it by saying what you meant for evil,
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  Speaker 3: God has meant for good. Joseph wasn't saying God caused
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  Speaker 3: his brothers to do evil. That's not God's nature. But
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  Speaker 3: God in his sovereignty, God in his goodness and kindness,
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  Speaker 3: worked through Joseph's circumstances and brought him exactly where he
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  Speaker 3: needed to be and preserved his life. Joseph doesn't simply
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  Speaker 3: extend forgiveness and tell them to go on their way
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  Speaker 3: and be well. He knows God's purpose is much greater
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  Speaker 3: and he invites them to bring their families, their flocks
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  Speaker 3: and herds to Egypt. to fully rescue them from the
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  Speaker 3: famine that is still devastating the world. When his brothers
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  Speaker 3: return to Canaan and give Jacob the good news, he
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  Speaker 3: is overcome with joy. He knows he must go to
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  Speaker 3: his son. On the way, God speaks to him and
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  Speaker 3: reaffirms the promise to make him a great nation and
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  Speaker 3: then to tell him that Egypt is the next stop
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  Speaker 3: on his journey with the Lord. When Joseph and Jacob
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  Speaker 3: finally meet, tears of joy stream down their faces. What
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  Speaker 3: seemed impossible so long ago, now God has made reality.
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  Speaker 3: The Hebrews grow in number and prosperity alongside the Egyptians.
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  Speaker 3: There's no fear or ill will, and Jacob departs this
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  Speaker 3: earth a happy man, asking only to be buried in
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  Speaker 3: his homeland of Canaan. As they bury their father, the
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  Speaker 3: brothers are once again fearful of what Joseph will do
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  Speaker 3: if he was only biding his time until their old
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  Speaker 3: father was gone. But Joseph once again reassures them what
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  Speaker 3: they meant for evil God used for good. Here Joseph's
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  Speaker 3: story ends. It ends in peace and prosperity, in blessing
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  Speaker 3: and favor. But when we return to Egypt, we'll find
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  Speaker 3: a much different reality for the descendants of Joseph. Let's
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  Speaker 3: pray together. Dear God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph,
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  Speaker 3: We pray in the name of your son, Jesus Christ,
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  Speaker 3: thanking us that even in the most impossible situations, you
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  Speaker 3: bring about your purpose and your plan for our lives,
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  Speaker 3: that we can trust you because we know that you're
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  Speaker 3: a good God, that you do good, that you are good,
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  Speaker 3: and you're working all things together for your perfect will
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  Speaker 3: in our lives and for your glory alone. And in
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  Speaker 3: your name, we pray.
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  Speaker 1: Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
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  Speaker 3: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Pray.com
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  Speaker 3: their lives. And if you want more resources as to
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  Speaker 3: how to discover God's perfect plan and power for your life,
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  Speaker 3: be sure to visit jackgraham.org.
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  Speaker 2: This episode is sponsored by MediShare, an innovative healthcare solution
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.
• 14:42
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