4/25/19 

Genesis 45:26A

26    And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

1.      Joseph was supposed to be dead.  His torn blood-soaked cloak was a witness that the wild beasts of the wilderness had killed him.

His brothers had intended to kill him until it was determined to throw him into a pit (without water) and leave him to die.  But he was brought up out of the pit.

After he was sold into slavery he rejected his master’s wife sexual advances. She falsely accused him of assault and intended his death.  He was sent to prison and was placed in the pit.  But he was brought up out of the pit again.  And Joseph is alive.

1.      If the story ended here how great it would be.  Jacob would have been satisfied.  But it does not end with Joseph being alive.  “He is ruler over all Egypt.”

In all the Old Testament there is none so virtuous, so faithful, so dependable as Joseph.  The beauty of his character is a wonder to behold.

There is no single true accusation against him.  He is not sinless, there is only one truly Holy.  But his last act of which we are told is one of faith. cf Genesis 50:24-25.

⁴ And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” ²⁵ Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”