When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil which we did to him." ... His brothers also came  and fell down before him, and said, "Behold, we are your servants."

But Joseph said to them, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God?"

Genesis 50:15 & 19, RSV

 

"Am I in the place of God?" This is one of the great questions asked by man, and we would do well to remember what was meant by it. Joseph clearly had the authority to put his brothers to death for any reason at all. He didn't even have to have a reason, for he was Pharaoh's second in command. But that wasn't the point. The point was that Joseph was not in the place of God, so he had no right to take revenge on his own behalf. While he had a governmental right to punish, he hadn't the God-given right to get even, and he had no intention of violating that principle.

 

In our own lives, we often have the opportunity to see this principle in action. Now that we have read the Bible and studied it, we know for ourselves what God has said on certain matters. And since we have the obligation to teach God's truths to others, sometimes it is taken the wrong way. For example, the New Testament teaches a clear plan of salvation. Since we have a clear responsibility to teach the Good News, some people will mistakenly think that we are judging they or their ancestors.

 

For example, I often get questions like: "So, do you think because my grandmother was not baptized that she is burning in hell right now?"

 

I am glad that Joseph came before me, because he gave me the answer to that question over 2,500 years ago: "Am I in the place of God?"

 

So, while I know what the Bible teaches when it comes to things like the relationship between salvation and baptism (and so do you, if you have been honestly studying the Word of God), the fact is that I am not in the place of God! It is God who will judge, not I, so I would never speculate on whether somebody's deceased relative is saved or not: it is simply not in my realm of privilege or responsibility!

 

If you and I will be careful to read and study the Word of God, we will indeed understand the things that men can understand. This means that we can know the difference between right and wrong, we can know what God says about salvation and worship and everyday living, and we can know what His revealed will is. And while we may have certain positions in the church and in society that will give us the authority and responsibility to carry out certain functions - including punishment if that falls under our area of duty - we will never have the right to certain things such as vengeance or eternal judgment -

 

For we are not in the place of God! And, quite frankly, I am very grateful that we are not!

 

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written,

"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the LORD."

Romans 12:19, RSV

 

Today is day 12 of the 30 day challenge to study through the books of Moses, with Genesis 46-50 being the text for today. May God richly bless you as you seek His will, while always remembering that you are not in the place of God!