Returning to Genesis chapter 50. Genesis 50. Now this is the final chapter in Genesis, and I want to look at some closing lessons that are given to us concerning Joseph at the end of his life, from the time when his father passes away to the time of his death. Now, he's been such a faithful type of the Lord Jesus Christ his whole life, and we see that he is faithful type right unto the end of his days, right unto the closing of his days, and it reminds me of something that the Apostle John wrote concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom Joseph is a type, when he said that in John 13, that when Jesus knew that his time was come, that the hour was come, that he should depart out of this world unto the Father and It says, having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

And that's the sense in which we're going to see Joseph here this morning. And so these parting lessons are recorded here in the scriptures for our comfort, for our learning, for our joy, and our peace with the Father, with God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, we know these lessons, they rise up out of the fact that after Jacob dies, Joseph's brethren are worried. They become fearful that Joseph is going to repay them according to their sins. So they're recalling now, they're remembering their sin, their transgression, their trespasses against their brother, and they start thinking, uh-oh, he's gonna deal with us, he's gonna give us what we deserve, what we've earned. So the first lesson that we're gonna draw from this is about grace and forgiveness, about the forgiveness of God. This is the first lesson we're looking at here with Joseph, forgiveness.

Joseph's brethren recall their sin and they are made to know we need forgiveness upon the death of Jacob, upon the death of Jacob. It says in verse 15, Genesis 50 verse 15, And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will, peradventure, hate us, and will certainly requite us, or repay us, all the evil which we did unto him. And so they're realizing, Joseph's going to deal with us harshly. They know the heart of man. They know the cruelty of man. They know the darkness of man's heart. They know what man thinks because they have that same heart. They thought evil towards their brother. They hated him and sold him into slavery. And so knowing the darkness of their own heart, they begin to think, this is it, Joseph's gonna deal with us now. Daddy's not here to help us. And he's gonna repay us as we deserve. And so they judged him to have the same heart, to be the same way toward them as they were toward him. And so now they want peace. Now they want reconciliation. They want forgiveness. They want forgiveness.

And there's an understanding about the forgiveness that we see here in this text that we can lean from, that we can have an understanding about the forgiveness of God for us. a believer, a Christian, one who's elect and chosen of God, is going to seek forgiveness with the one true and living God. And the reason why we're going to seek Him, there's going to come a day Before we profess Christ, there's going to come a day when we realize, I'm a sinner. I've offended holy God. And the reason why that day comes, the reason why we are stirred in our hearts to see our sin and to know our need of him, the reason why is because of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This guilt that we feel and this stirred up need for forgiveness with God is wrought in our hearts because of the death of Christ. It's because of his redemption that we have this blessing. It's a blessing. When you feel your sin, when you know what a vile, wretched sinner you are by nature, and the things you've done against God, when God brings it to your mind, it's a blessing because it rises up out of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise, we'd be ignorant. We'd be ignorant.

And so there comes a time when we begin to see God, when we are troubled by our sin. And we need to know, Lord, Lord, will you forgive me? Lord, will you have mercy on me? Lord, I need your grace. That's a spiritual blessing. And so these men remembered what they had done to Joseph, and now they're terrified. Now they're afraid. Now they're guilty. And they feel that guilt and that shame, and all God's people do. Because we're lost sinners, and he makes us to know we're lost sinners. Because unless we're guilty, we don't need a savior. If you weren't guilty, would you seek God? If you didn't know your guilt and your shame, would you seek God? Would you cry out to the Lord for mercy and grace? No, no, we wouldn't.

And so, this guilt that the Lord makes us to feel and know, it's for our good. It's for our good. And so, for example, we see this with David, right? David, who sinned with Bathsheba, committed adultery with another man's wife, and he put that man Uriah to death to cover his sin. Now, you would think David probably felt a little bad about that. He realized, no, that really wasn't good of me to do. And I'm sure he sacrificed and did religious things to try and make amends for what he had done. And after a year's time, thought, well, I guess it's in the clear. It still bothers me when I think of it. But I dealt with that under the law. I took care of that. Well, God sent a prophet, sent that prophet Nathan with the word. And Nathan spoke that word, and it struck David, and David heard, and David was convicted. David was troubled by that. The Lord now was working repentance in David's heart. He thought that he had already done that, but now the Lord convicted David.

And it says down in Psalm 51, verses three and four, David said, I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. I thought I erased it, and yet I see now my guilt and shame." And he said, "'Against thee, thee only, have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.'"

And I thought about that, why David said, "'Against thee, and thee only, have I sinned.'" And I don't know for sure, but David is the king. And he's the sovereign in that land. And so he can do what he pleases and likely get away with it among men. He could put a man to death if he so chooses to put a man to death. And because what are the people going to say to him? You can't do that? He could command another soldier, rise up, strike that man, take his life, put him out of my sight. I don't want to hear that. But against God, he can't say that. Against God, he can't say that.

And that's true of all of us, whether we are a dad, whether we are a boss, whether we're a person in a position of authority. There's a lot of things that we have liberty to do and can get away with among the people. But against God, we're all submissive. We all submit to him, and he knows. He has a way of dealing with the heart and getting after us. If we're his, he can throttle it up. He can turn it up. Oh, you're not going to listen? OK. And he can just turn it a little more. And he'll be patient, but he can turn it a little more until we break and say, Lord, you're right. What can I do? What can I do, Lord? What can I say? You're right, Lord. You're just when you speak, and I can't clear myself.

And so the Lord is able. If you're his child, every one of us is going to know I'm the sinner. I'm the sinner. I need his grace. And he's the one that brings that broken and contrite heart.

We think we can do it. We think we can make it. But then when God turns it up and really breaks the heart, that's when we know I've been playing games all these times. And he's right, and he's just. But when he does it, it's for our good. It's for our good. He says in 1 John 1, 9, if we confess our sins, when God has brought us to that part to show us our guilt and shame, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness. And it's not to punish us. He's not bringing our guilt and shame before us to punish us. He's showing us our guilt and shame to break us.

As David also said later in Psalm 51, he said, thou desirest truth in the inward parts. We could put on a show of repentance, but only God is able to work repentance in the heart, to the depths of the heart, to where we cry, Lord, have mercy on me. I've sinned against you. I've offended you. And I can't get away from that. I know you're grieved and offended. Lord, forgive me. Forgive me.

Now, unlike the Pharisee, the Pharisee doesn't acknowledge their sin. They keep putting up all kinds of things. Well, I did this. I took care of it with that. And they boast of what they've done. And they find fault with everyone else but themselves. Whereas the publican, as we'll get to in a few weeks from now, I suppose, In Luke 18, the publican standing afar off would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. I'm the sinner. I'm a sinner, and I am the sinner. And that's when the Lord brings us to that, to see our guilt. We know I'm the problem. I'm the sinner. Lord, have mercy on me.

So we own our sin. We own our sin. We're broken for it. We're not looking for excuses to excuse ourselves. Lord, deal with me and be merciful, please. Be merciful. You know I'm dust. You know I can't take it anymore. Have mercy. And he's able. He's able. So we're not justifying ourselves like the Pharisee, finding fault with everyone else. we confess, Lord, I can't deal with them, but you know my heart and I'm the sinner. And so he does that.

And so if God is drawing that sinner in grace, that sinner will hear Christ, he'll hear him in his word, he'll hear his voice speaking to him, not audibly, but knowing this word is for me. Lord, you sent this word for me and he receives that word by faith, because faith is the gift of God, which he gives to his children, making us to hear his word and be taught and instructed by him for our good. To know what Paul said when he was in Antioch of Pisidia. At Pisidia, he said, be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man, the Lord Jesus Christ is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And all that you could not be justified by under the law of Moses, you're justified in Christ. He's the Savior. He's the Savior. And so the sinner hears that voice of grace commanded by God to be spoken to the people, and that contrite and broken sinner will come to God in faith, venturing not on their righteousness, God isn't pleased with our righteousness, but venturing wholly upon the righteousness of Christ. We're full of sin, and in self-righteousness, we think we're acceptable to God and make ourselves acceptable. And God, in grace, will break that down and dismantle that self-righteousness so that we come in Christ Jesus.

Moreover, Paul said in Romans 5, the law entered that the offense might abound. That's the purpose of the law, and that's the purpose of the elements in the earth, to show us what sinners we are. Not to make a righteousness for ourselves, but to show us I can't save myself. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. And that's where the Spirit of God is leading us. to seek his grace, just like Joseph's brethren were stirred up to seek mercy, to seek forgiveness with Joseph for their sin. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. He's Lord. He's our Savior.

Now, Additionally, back in our text, it says in verse 16 and 17, that under this conviction of sin they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin, for they did unto thee evil. And now we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. Let's just stop there for a moment. We'll look at that last phrase in a moment.

These brethren came to Joseph pleading the word of their father. That's what they said. They were pleading the word of their father that they might find mercy with Joseph. Now, let me say a few things about pleading God's word for mercy. The Lord our God tells us when he sent his darling son into the world and Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, right, to walk the path that we walk, brethren, to fulfill it perfectly in perfect righteousness, a voice from heaven was heard saying, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. He's well pleased in the Son.

All right, religion says, oh, Jesus, OK, I'm a Christian. And then he starts to put on his robe of righteousness and thinks to come to the Father, that this is salvation by his works, by his religion, by his prayers, by his Bible reading, by his faithful attendance. That's what the self-righteous thinks. And for a time, I myself thought that very same thing. I tried to be a Christian. and come to God, saying the things that I read in the Bible and saying the things I heard preached and whatnot, and thinking that was my righteousness. I'm a Christian now. But I wasn't coming in Christ. I wasn't venturing upon Christ. I was venturing on my righteousness and my works and what I did to please and impress God. And it failed. Thank God it failed. I'm so thankful that God had me stumble and fall on my face, because that's not righteousness. God's not pleased with you plus Christ. He's pleased with his Son and all who come to him in the Son, having no righteousness of their own sticking out. It's all Christ's righteousness. Having no confidence in the flesh, Paul said. I don't want to be found in my own righteousness, which is of the law. I don't want to be found in my own sanctification and my works and what I've done to please God or to gain forgiveness. I want to come in what the Father said. Come in my Son. Come in the Son. That's the one in whom I am well pleased.

The Lord teaches us, whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. That's the word of the Father. You come believing God's word, pleading that word, trusting wholly upon Christ, trusting that word that tells us, go to my son. I am pleased with all who come to me in him.

Now, having sent a messenger to say these things to Joseph, we read at the end of verse 17, and Joseph wept when they spake unto him. Now, it doesn't say this for certain here, but I sense that it was the fearfulness and suspicion of Joseph that caused him to weep. And it wasn't the words that they said his father said that broke his heart. I believe it was because of all the kindness and mercy he had shown them up to that point, they still didn't believe him. They still doubted him. They still doubted his mercy. and forgiveness of them.

" Remember back in Genesis 45 verse 5 when he first revealed himself to them? When he first made known to them, I'm Joseph your brother, he could have done evil to them right then and there, but instead he said, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life. He already told them these words. And then when they came down to Egypt, he put them in the best land, in Goshen, to feed their flocks, to nourish their flocks upon the good grasses that grew there. And it says that he nourished his brethren, all of his family, his brothers and their families, their children, and Jacob, he nourished them all on his own expense. He paid for them while at the same time it was costing the Egyptians their money, all their money, all their cattle, all their land eventually, even their own persons were sold into slavery to pay for their seed, for their bread. But to Joseph's family, he gave it all freely on his expense. His expense. He did this.

And now he's going to turn around and slay them? or pay them back, do evil to them. And so Joseph was kind then, and yet even though they broke his heart saying these things, he still was kind to them nonetheless. He continued to be kind to them. And that's what our Lord does. Even though we doubt him, even though we think ill of him, Even though we wonder foolishly about many things, he yet remains kind and faithful toward his people. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not change against us, brethren. It's because he changeth not that ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. He doesn't change.

Surely goodness and mercy, the psalmist said, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. If your hope is in your righteousness, we can't say that. But if your hope is in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, That's your hope, and you can say that. You can boast in his righteousness and be glad in him. You can take that to the grave, to the grave, because you'll close your eyes and awake in seeing his face. You'll awake in his likeness. forevermore to be with him. So another lesson then that our Lord teaches us here in his love and forgiveness and unchanging provision is that we may rest in his providence. We may rest in his providence. It says in verse 18 and 19, and his brethren also went and fell down before his face. And they said, behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, fear not, for am I in the place of God?

Now you can imagine, if you put yourselves in Joseph's shoes, going back to when he was a boy and his brethren hated him and mistreated him, they spoke ill to him, evil to him all the time, and then when they put him in the pit and they pull him up, only to see, they're selling me into slavery. Surely they're going to laugh and say, fooled you. We scared you that time, didn't we? You better straighten up. No, they went through with it. They sold right off into slavery. And then he lands in Potiphar's house. And that seems good until Potiphar's adulterous wife charged him with a crime he didn't commit. And so then he goes to jail. And in jail, he helps others. And he's still forgotten, still forgotten. And all that cruelty, you can imagine how dark the days were of Joseph. how dark his days were, and how lonely he must have been a lot of years. How lonely he must have been a lot of years.

And yet, for all that, for all that suffering, Joseph said, fear not. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid that I bore this suffering for you, because God has done this. God has done this for good. And the Bible words it as a question. Am I in the place of God? And it might be a question, right? Like, who am I to judge you? I'm not God. God did this, and I'm not God. But it could also be read as a statement, meaning, fear not. I'm right where God has put me. I'm right where the Lord has put me here. Don't be afraid. This is of God. In both cases, question or statement, he's saying the same thing.

Now, he says, as for you, ye thought evil against me, in verse 20. But God meant it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. And so Joseph, for all the suffering that he went through, realizes this is of the hand of God. This is the providence that God has done for good. God has purposed it to be this way. And so every, just like Joseph, every believer may rest in the fact that the Lord has done this. There are lessons for us. When we sin, when we make mistakes, when we make bad choices and evil comes about, we blame ourselves and we beat ourselves up about it. And I understand that. I do that to myself all the time. But overarching all of that, we still may rest in knowing the Lord has done this for good, to bring about good. Even if it's to humble me, even if it's to show me my need of him, it's still good. It's good, right, that the Lord has done that. And that's, we may rest in that very truth.

You know, when Christ was taken and with wicked hands was crucified and slain, the people of God saw that, yes, that evil happened. our Lord and he was taken from us but he it was it was a for him to put away the sin of his people to obtain eternal redemption for us by the death of himself and going back to the father he sent the Holy Spirit that all his people spread throughout the world should know him and have the presence of our Savior dwelling in our hearts, that we may know him. And he doesn't walk with us in the flesh as he did with the 12 apostles, but he's in a better place in the sense that we all now know him. and are taught of him and hear him and follow him by his grace and power through the giving of his Holy Spirit and the giving of a new birth in his people so that we know him in spirit and in truth. And so get this truth in your heart, brethren. All things, Paul said, all things are of God. all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ."

And so our paths are predestinated. Our walk in which we will come to know the true and living God is predestinated, ordained of God. And each one, though it was different, and each one of us is shown to be a sinner and guilty of it, yet we are each trophies of his grace, trophies of his grace, that none can say to him, well, because I was like this, he'll go and say, well, here's Claudia. She had the same life, and she believed by my grace and power. We're all trophies of his grace, each one, each one. He reveals Christ in us, so all things are of God. all things.

And this brings us to the third and final thing here that we learn from Joseph's life in verse 21. Now therefore, he says, fear ye not, I will nourish you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them. And so As Joseph reaffirmed his desire to bless them and provide for them all the days of their life, so we see another type of Christ in him there, of our Lord's willingness to nourish us and bless us and to care for us all the days of our life.

And so he assures the hearts of his redeemed that he'll never fail us. He'll never fail to give you your meat in due season. That's why he's put his word here and gathers you together to hear that word, to nourish you, to give you your meat in due season, saying, I will nourish you and your little ones. And so he does that, brethren, and he promises, I'll comfort you. I'll comfort you with this gospel word. And God's people are comforted. Only the unrighteous are not comforted by it. But God's people hear and are comforted. As our Lord said in Luke 12, 32, fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Trust him.

So first, behold the forgiveness of God for sinners who come to him by faith in his well-beloved son. That's his grace. That's his grace drawing you. Second, trust God in your providence. Whatever it is, he's put you there for your good, to teach you, to bless you. And third, rejoice in the love of Christ toward you, brethren. Be thankful for what he's done and how through his redemption, to you the promises of God are given.

" And so Joseph loved his brethren in this manner unto the end, and his mercy toward them extended all the days of his life. Because at the end of this chapter, it speaks of him, in his final days, just before he dies. It never changed. He loved his brethren. As Christ loves us to the end, so Joseph loved his brethren unto the end. And it's a picture of what our Lord does for us. He loves us unto the end. Rejoice in him, brethren. Amen.