“God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.”

Joseph recognized that God had used his life to save his family. Through God’s work he was able to forgive the wrong committed against him. His brothers were also able to submit themselves before him and ask for forgiveness.

We all have people whose forgiveness we need to seek out. We all have people that we need to forgive in our hearts. What is God doing in your life to allow this forgiveness to come about? Has God brought you to a place where you need to ask for or extend forgiveness. I am sure you have never been sold into slavery by your brothers; if Joseph can forgive his brothers and see God working through their evil act, then you can forgive those whom you hold something against.

Peristera (dove) can mean either dove or pigeon.  To subscribe to this podcast please go to iTunes and subscribe to “The Koine Greek Word of the Day Podcast”.

Throughout the soap opera of Joseph being reunited with his family, Joseph has been unsure of how his family will respond if they realize who he is. The last time he was with him they almost killed him and they did sell him into slavery. Joseph puts his brothers through one final test to see if they are willing to give up their younger brother in order to save themselves.

Who are you willing to sacrifice in order not to suffer? Who do you view as expendable? At the very beginning of this story Joseph’s brothers viewed Joseph as expendable, at the end they have realized that sacrificing other people hurts everyone. This time they were unwilling to sacrifice someone else.

In our lives we need to be careful that we do not sacrifice other people for our own selfishness. Everything we do affects those around us. We need to try to be aware of the consequences of our actions.

Pleonexia (covetousness) is ruthless self-seeking and an arrogant assumption that others and things exist for one’s own benefit.  To subscribe to this podcast please go to iTunes and subscribe to “The Koine Greek Word of the Day Podcast”.

Joseph and his brothers are able to eat alone “because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome to the Egyptians.”

This is not really related to the passage but it was the question raised in my mind: is there anyone I am unwilling to eat with? If there was a potluck after church is there any table I would be willing to sit down at? At work if we all went out to lunch together is there anyone i would be unwilling to sit next to? Are there people in my life I despise so much that I can not eat a meal with them? I think these are good questions to periodically ask myself.

Polemos (war) may refer to an entire campaign or a specific battle.  To subscribe to this podcast please go to iTunes and subscribe to “The Koine Greek Word of the Day Podcast”.

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be
tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted
by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of
each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.