September 11, 2006

• Genesis 45

  Finally Joseph comes to a point where he can no longer hide himself and makes himself known to his brothers. (Heather breaths a sigh of relief.) He weeps so loudly that the Egyptians and House of Pharaoh hear him.

  Now we will see something of what sin can do – guilt feelings of his brothers overshadow the joy of the reunion.

  Verse 3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph; does my father still live? But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.

  I think you could safely say that they are terrified and in more ways than one. First, as Prime Minister, Joseph could make their lives VERY uncomfortable for what they did to him. But there is another aspect – they will have to go home to their father and confess what they did to Joseph and ultimately their father will realize the lie that they shared with him. It says, “…be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23

  Now the family secret is out, verse 4-5 “And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here: for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

  This is a perfect example of Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

  God has provided for Joseph and his family – first preparing a place for Joseph, and then the means to bring his family. Joseph lets the brothers know that there are still five more years of famine. While I am certain that Joseph did not relish the time he spent in slavery or in jail, and I know that he trusted God in the midst of it, but I know that it still must have been hard for him to say Genesis 45:8 “So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all of Egypt.”

  Have you ever looked back on your life and sometimes wished that God could have found an easier way to get you where you are today? I sure have. I know that we don’t always see God’s hand in the midst of our trials, but I am learning – over time – to realize that His hand is there whether or not I perceive it. God can take the ashes and turn it into something of beauty. He can redeem terrible things and turn them to good. It used to make me FURIOUS that God would allow the trials but we don’t always know the whole situation – especially when we are so close to the main character – us. God has often used adversity to sharpen a person for leadership – Joseph, Moses, David to name a few. And after their trials they come out wise and able. Of course, these same people could have met their trials and come out angry, bitter, self-serving. Guess the onus is on us – what do we do with our trial? Do we learn and grow or do we become embittered and angry? That choice is up to us. And the really neat thing – at least from my perspective – is that when we make the wrong choice (as I did for so many years) we are not permanently stuck with it. If we bring our wrong choice to God, and repent 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness. God can redeem those wasted years and turn them into something that also glorifies and helps others. We do serve an awesome God who is ABLE, WONDERFUL, LOVING, GENTLE, HEALING, KIND, BEAUTIFUL, FORGIVING, TEACHER, FATHER, etc.

  Joseph can wait no longer – verse 9 – he tells his brothers “Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph: ‘God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me do not tarry.’”

  Even the brothers’ good news will have some bad in it, for they will have to confess to their father about the slavery.

  GOSHEN means Drawing Near

  So now Joseph is going to draw his family near him – much the same way that Jesus draws us near to him. God wants a closeness with us. He has made provision for us and for the famine that we are going through in our lives. So often when we sin, we face a famine of the Spirit – and it takes confession and coming closer to Jesus for us to receive relief from that famine.

  Joseph talks about his whole family, the flocks, children, children’s children, etc coming to Goshen and he says, verse 11 “There I will provide for you lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine. And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you.”

  He tells them to tell his father about all his glory in Egypt, and of all that they have seen. Then Benjamin and Joseph weep together, and Joseph kisses all his brothers and weeps over them.

  Pharaoh gets wind of this good news and it pleases Pharaoh. Pharaoh instructs Joseph to send his brothers for his father and family and that Pharaoh will give them the best land of Egypt and they will eat of the fat of the land. They are to take carts and are commanded to do this.

  Verse 22 (Joseph) “He gave to all of them, to each man, changes of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments.”

  He sends things back to his father too – 10 donkeys loaded with good things of Egypt, 10 female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey.

  I wonder why the 10 donkeys and 10 female donkeys. Any ideas?

  Even though there was a happy reunion of sorts, Joseph still has some concerns, Verse 24 So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”

  The trouble today could be backsliding, reverting to one’s old ways. And perhaps he had some concerns for Benjamin’s safety.

  Jacob is somewhat of a pessimist. He could gladly believe the bad news about Joseph’s “demise,” but good news was hard for him to believe.

  The brothers returned to Canaan and verse 26 “And they told him, saying, “Joseph is alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. “

  Here is another example of Jacob (flesh)/Israel (Godly behavior) watch the transition in the next two verses.

  Verses 27-28 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father revived. Then Israel said, “It is enough, Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

  Beth Moore, in a video that accompanies her The Patriarchs study mentions that Joseph framed the entire picture in the sovereignty of God. It was their (him and his family’s) only hope of healing. “Feelings of distress and anger toward others sometimes can’t rival those we harbor toward ourselves. The Hebrew word for distressed means “to worry, grieve; to afflict, cause pain..denotes mental and physical discomfort.” The Hebrew word for angry means “to burn, be kindled, to be angry…act zealously. Points to the fire or heat of anger after it has been ignited.”

  She points out that when our abuse stops, God can redeem every bit of the abuse, we have to hang on until the blessing comes. God can help us loose those who have hurt us, to forgive them. When we lay down our lives for God, we find them. Also she points out that our great pain can be someone elses deliverance – even someone who hurt us.  God sometimes gets into our business. After all the hurt that someone causes you, can you lay down your life enough to God to allow yourself to be part of their deliverance? – which in a funny way, also is part of your own deliverance.

  If we refuse God’s means of our deliverance (for example if the brothers did not do what Joseph suggested), we could find our selves destitute. What I find cool is that God can even redeem that destitution once we turn around and get back on track with God.

  Joseph did not only forgive his brothers in word, but he did so in deed as well, providing for them.

  Beth then says, p. 217 “A fresh anointing of faith restores feeling.”

  That one line says a lot to me. I had so much hurt from my past (see testimony) that many of my feelings were numb – I didn’t express them, didn’t even know some of them existed. The more I allowed God in my life, the more He revealed to me – through him, through prayer, through dreams, through Pastor Don and others, things that I needed to know to start a deep healing. The emotions are still being sorted out, but there is a melting of that iceberg of emotions that I held within so much. I know, in faith, that as I continue to pursue God and love God, that more and more He will free the things that need freeing in me.

  I am praying that God’s word washes you – frees you from ties that bind, and refreshes you. Have a blessed day!

  Heather

  • 1:59 pm
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