Am I in the Place of God?

Joseph had eleven brothers that mistreated him badly. They hated him because their father, whose name was Israel, loved Joseph more than all the rest. Joseph also had the gift of prophecy and dream interpretation which fueled the fire of their hatred even more.

“Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more” (Genesis 37:3-5).

The brothers attempted to kill Joseph by throwing him into a pit, but later sold him to passing Ishmeelites who were headed for Egypt.

While enslaved in Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, “an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard” (Genesis 37:36).

A series of events unfolds over the course of many years in which Joseph demonstrates certain skills and abilities of one truly guided and blessed by God. As a result, Pharaoh raises Joseph to the level of second in command in all of Egypt.

Joseph prophesied a seven year period of abundance followed by seven years of drought. He prepares Pharaoh’s kingdom by filling the storehouses with grain during the seven year abundance and selling it to the people during the seven year dearth.

As God would have it, Joseph’s brothers, who were suffering from the consequences of the famine, approached him for food. The brothers begged Joseph for forgiveness and, “fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants” (Genesis 50:18).

How did Joseph respond to his brothers pleas? After being brutally mistreated, left for dead, and then sold into slavery, did Joseph respond by exacting his revenge on them?

“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive”, Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. (Genesis 50:19-21).

“Fear not: for am I in the place of God?”

Joseph could have reacted in one of two ways. He could have exacted his revenge on his brothers and punished them as he saw fit. After all, Joseph was in the right. He was unfairly and unlawfully treated by his brothers. Now Joseph was in a position of authority with the right and might to do whatever he saw fit to do.

Or, Joseph could demonstrate Divine authority and show mercy and forgiveness. Which would he do? Exercise his earthly power and get his revenge? Or exercise divine authority and show mercy?

Punishment or mercy?

“Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee” (Proverbs 20:22)

That’s exactly what Joseph did during all the time he was mistreated and abused by his brothers. Joseph waited on the Lord.

“To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste” (Deuteronomy 32:35).

Joseph also knew that vengeance and retribution (recompence) belongs to God and God alone. Vengeance and retribution are things too big for man. They are the swords of justice. So big are these swords that they will not only destroy the enemy, but will consume and control the man wielding them as well. Only God is just. Only God is capable of handling those swords. The smartest thing anyone can do if they find these weapons of total destruction in their hands is to immediately turn these swords over to God.

The Apostle Paul understood this.

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

Paul here is desperately trying to get the swords of vindication and retribution out of the hands of man and into the hands of the one just God.

The Jewish Publication Society of America (JPSA) in their English version of the Torah have translated a key verse differently than the King James Version (KJV). Instead of the KJV, “am I in the place of God?” the JPSA, translating from the original Masoretic text reads, “Am I a substitute for God?”

The KJV is more of a reference to position of authority; as in, “Am I in the seat of God?”

The Jewish translation connotes a proxy; “Do I represent God?”

Probably one of the best renditions that most accurately reflects the sentiment of Joseph comes from the 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV).  The GNV poses a question and the answer all in one; “for am not I under God?”

The GNV expresses, why would Joseph do evil to his brothers when he is a child of God? Why would Joseph do anything but love his brothers since he was a child of God? Love is God’s will for us. Joseph knew not to be, “overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

Punishment or mercy? Punishment (vengeance) belongs in God’s hands. Love (mercy) in ours. To love is to know God.

“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).

God is love. As, “he is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:17). In a very real way, Joseph is demonstrating the epitome of “Philadelphia” or brotherly love. Joseph was in God and God in him and demonstrated that God within him by loving his brothers through the mercy he afforded them.

“…for am not I under God?” is more a statement of amazement than anything else. It’s like Joseph is saying, “Of course I’ll show you love, mercy and kindness. I’m a child of God!”

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-45, 48).

“And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).

Brotherly love, think how Joseph loved his brothers even though they treated him harshly, cruelly, and to the extent (and with intent) of killing him.

Joseph demonstrates for us all the will of God for man and the point and purpose of the Bible. We are to love our fellow man, yes, but only through God. This love can only come by righteousness, not emotions or lusts. God is love. God is also, “righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works” (Psalm 145:17).

Man could not figure this out on his own. God had to send His only Son, Jesus Christ to show us the way, the truth and the light.

I’ll leave you with the following passage from the Apostle Paul. This describes perfectly the person and love that was Joseph. It is the message of the Bible to us all; love God, love your neighbor and your brother as yourself.  

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:9-21).

Bill Hitchcock