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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: And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since
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  Speaker 1: I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.
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  Speaker 1: Genesis 46.30 Dear Lord, I thank you that as I
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  Speaker 1: stay connected to you like Joseph, the transformation of my
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  Speaker 1: life will be so drastic that others won't recognize me.
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  Speaker 1: Thank you, Heavenly Father, that you care about relationships. and
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  Speaker 1: that you long to bring healing and understanding to broken relationships. Therefore,
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  Speaker 1: I thank you in advance for mending the wounded relationships
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  Speaker 1: in my life, and for giving me the maturity to
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  Speaker 1: operate in divine forgiveness. Speak to my heart, Holy Spirit,
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  Speaker 1: like Jacob, and remind me that I can make the
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  Speaker 1: journey to my promise, and that time is not against me,
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  Speaker 1: but on my side. I choose to change my perspective
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  Speaker 1: and realize that nothing happens to me, but because I'm
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  Speaker 1: in alignment with you, Lord, everything happens for me. For
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  Speaker 1: I know that what Satan meant for evil, God, you
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  Speaker 1: will turn it for my good. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 1: Listening to these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God.
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  Speaker 1: Continue hearing from the Lord. by listening to today's Bible
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  Speaker 1: in a Year. Brought to you 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. But before we begin, I want
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: to let you know about a unique e-book that's yours
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free from Stress.
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: And my prayer is that it will help you conquer
• 2:42
  Speaker 3: the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that bring stress
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: in your life. Download your free copy of Breaking Free
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress. That's jackgram.org
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  Speaker 3: slash stress. In our previous time together, we learned how
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  Speaker 3: Joseph's brothers traveled to Egypt, not knowing their long-lost brother
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  Speaker 3: Joseph was alive and well. And now he is the
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  Speaker 3: second in command in all of Egypt. We discovered that
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  Speaker 3: Joseph's brothers had indeed become different men. We don't know how,
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  Speaker 3: but somehow they are changed. And when Joseph saw them
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  Speaker 3: falling before him and begging him to release their youngest
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  Speaker 3: brother Benjamin, it was too much for Joseph to bear.
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  Speaker 3: And so today we're going to learn how Joseph responded
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  Speaker 3: in that significant moment and how his response to his
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  Speaker 3: brothers testified powerfully to God's sovereignty, God's perfect plan and grace.
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  Speaker 3: Listen for Joseph's words as he explains how God worked
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  Speaker 3: through his life to save the lives of many. His
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  Speaker 3: response and the offer he makes to his brothers will
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  Speaker 3: set them on a course that will dramatically change the
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  Speaker 3: history of the world and the history of God's people.
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  Speaker 3: Let's listen now to today's story 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!
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  Speaker 3: Everyone!
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  Speaker 2: Leave me, he shouted. So everybody left, all but his brothers.
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  Speaker 2: Joseph stood in front of his brothers, then began to
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  Speaker 2: weep greatly. His cries could be heard from the palace
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  Speaker 2: gates and echoed through the halls of Pharaoh's household. Joseph,
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  Speaker 2: tears streaming from his face, said, I am Joseph. He
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  Speaker 2: walked closer to his brothers, watching their amazed faces. Is
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  Speaker 2: my father still alive? He asked, still weeping. His brothers
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  Speaker 2: could not answer him. They were dismayed and completely caught
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  Speaker 2: off guard. Please, come closer to me, he asked again.
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  Speaker 2: So they came near, watching him with pensive stares. Joseph
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  Speaker 2: could tell they needed more explanation. For the last time
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  Speaker 2: they saw him, he was being shipped off into slavery.
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  Speaker 2: Now he stood before them a governor of the most
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  Speaker 2: powerful nation on earth. I am your brother, Joseph, whom
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  Speaker 2: you sold into slavery, please, do not hate yourselves for
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  Speaker 2: what you have done to me. God sent me here
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  Speaker 2: 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: In Israel, with all his family, servants, and livestock, ventured
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  Speaker 2: towards Egypt. As Israel was traveling in He heard a
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  Speaker 2: familiar voice, Jacob. Jacob, God spoke gently. Here I am,
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  Speaker 2: he replied, adoring the sweet comfort of hearing the Lord's voice.
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  Speaker 2: I am the God of your father. Do not be
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  Speaker 2: afraid to go down to Egypt, he said. For Israel
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  Speaker 2: was old, and the journey was tumultuous for someone his age.
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  Speaker 2: For 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. He came to them, dismounted,
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  Speaker 2: and ran towards his father and fell on his neck.
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  Speaker 2: The two embraced for a long while before speaking, weeping
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  Speaker 2: tears that had been held in for years. At last,
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  Speaker 2: Israel could die a happy man. After reuniting with his father,
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  Speaker 2: Joseph spoke to Pharaoh about setting his family up on Goshen.
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  Speaker 2: He instructed them that they mention how skilled of herders
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  Speaker 2: they are, instead of shepherds, for Egyptians loathed shepherds. Joseph's
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  Speaker 2: family settled in the land of Goshen and thrived under
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  Speaker 2: the care of Pharaoh. The rest of Egypt, however, suffered
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  Speaker 2: from the famine, but Joseph's governance and wisdom guided them
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  Speaker 2: into flourishing. The Egyptians and Hebrews loved Joseph. and all
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  Speaker 2: considered him to be their greatest treasure. The time had
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  Speaker 2: finally come for Jacob to depart from this world and
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  Speaker 2: be with his Lord. His eyes dimmed as his father's
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  Speaker 2: once did. Jacob touched his hip, still sore from years
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  Speaker 2: ago when he wrestled with God. He had lived a
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  Speaker 2: long and prosperous life, and had seen his sons grow
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  Speaker 2: to be fathers and lords of their own households. He
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  Speaker 2: asked to be buried in his homeland, Canaan.
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  Speaker 3: Beside Leah.
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  Speaker 2: Jacob blessed Joseph's sons as well as Pharaoh. The Egyptian
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  Speaker 2: 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.
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  Speaker 3: A ripe old age.
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  Speaker 2: His sons mourned and journeyed back to Canaan once more
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  Speaker 2: to bury their father. Joseph, for as long as he lived,
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  Speaker 2: protected his brothers and their families. The Hebrew people thrived
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  Speaker 2: and prospered, and the years of famine came to a cease.
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  Speaker 2: They 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 hardships
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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: So he knows that they are filled with regret. When
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  Speaker 3: we have the opportunity to confront someone who may have
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  Speaker 3: sinned against us, especially if they've been changed and are
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  Speaker 3: 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. Amen. Thank you for listening to
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  Speaker 3: today's Bible in a Year podcast. Before we go, I
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: want to let you know about a unique e-book that's
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: yours to download absolutely free today. It's called Breaking Free
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: from Stress. And my prayer is that it will help
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: you conquer the daily tasks and pressures and burdens that
• 14:45
  Speaker 3: bring stress into your life. Download your free copy of
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: Breaking Free from Stress today by visiting jackgram.org slash stress.
• 14:55
  Speaker 3: That's jackgram.org slash stress.