God used Joseph in a mighty way to save and bless not only Egypt, but also his brothers, the very ones who had treated him so unfairly! When all had come to pass, he said to his brothers, “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order … to save many people.” Joseph’s brothers had their plan for Joseph, and all the while God was working out His plan!

The antitype to the story of Joseph is found in the Gospels. Men counseled to murder the Lord Jesus (Mt. 26:3–4) and delivered Him to be crucified “by lawless hands.” Yet it was “the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God” that was fulfilled (Acts 2:23). In fact, the Jewish leaders counseled to accomplish their wicked deed after the Passover season in order that there would be no uproar among the crowds gathered in Jerusalem for the observance. But God overruled this because Christ was the Passover Lamb, and He must die during the feast (Mt. 26:5; 1 Cor. 5:7). God is sovereign; even when man’s hatred had accomplished its own will, it was God’s counsel that would stand and prevail for our eternal blessing. This is a great mystery: man’s evil will being used sovereignly by God for His glory and our blessing, yet man left free and not a robot or puppet under control. As it is written, “Surely the wrath of man shall praise You” (Ps. 76:10).

Man is left free to make his decisions, as we know from our everyday experience, but our choices will always be against God if not overruled by grace. While Joseph’s brethren hated him and planned to kill him (Gen. 37:4), it also remained true that God “sent a man before them” (Ps. 105:17), to “save many people.” Such a God demands our full trust.