Genesis 45-46
Notes
Transcript
Background
Last week we began our final section in Genesis, focusing on the reunification of Joseph with his family. Due to the famine in the land, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food, and Joseph took advantage of their ignorance to have them bring his brother Benjamin to see him.
We were left last week at a cliffhanger, with Joseph having ensnared his brothers into thinking Benjamin was guilty of theft and destined for slavery, and Judah pleading to take his place for the sake of Jacob’s life.
We’re going to do things a bit differently, as there is a lot of repetition in these final chapters. We’re going to focus on the main points of the story, rather than go through every verse as we usually do.
1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
2 He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it.
3 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.
We’ll briefly stop here to remind ourselves of what had happened.
When Joseph’s brothers arrived in Egypt, they did not recognize Joseph, but he recognized them.
First he accused them of being spies. When they mentioned their youngest brother Benjamin, he sent them away but held Simeon in jail.
When they returned for more food, they brought Benjamin with them, and Joseph gave them a feast, seating them in age order.
Before they left, he had his silver cup put inside Benjamin’s bag.
As they were leaving, Joseph had his servants stop and confront his brothers over the theft.
Throughout all of this, the brothers had no idea who they were dealing with, though there were hints all along the way.
It was Judah’s plea for the life of their father that sent Joseph over the edge. He could no longer restrain his emotions.
Because of his position of power, it was inappropriate for him to display emotions to his subordinates, which is why he sent his servants away.
Yet, his weeping was so loud that everyone still heard him.
Notice that he seeks confirmation that his father lives.
Joseph's revelation to his brothers left them dumbstruck.
This is no wonder, considering they thought all the trouble they were experiencing was because they sold Joseph into slavery.
21 Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.”
28 Then he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
Their dismay was essentially terror, that their lives are now in the hands of the brother they wronged so terribly, expecting judgment.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.
5 “Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 “For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
8 “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
9 “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 delay.
Joseph recognizes their distress and draws them near to him in a very gracious manner, in order to calm them.
He identifies the wrongdoing, but informs them of the truth of what they did - they were accomplishing God’s will.
God’s purpose in Joseph being sold - and perhaps in giving Joseph his dreams that would agitate his family - was to bring about the preservation of God’s chosen family in the midst of severe famine.
Though we often cannot see it, God uses hardships for His purposes.
Though we often cannot see it, God uses hardships for His purposes.
Because we cannot know the future, the trials we face seem to happen in a vacuum. Yet God moves in those trials for our benefit.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Notice that Joseph reveals the future to his brothers as was shown to him by God through Pharaoh’s dreams.
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
Joseph requests that his father, and his whole household, be brought to Egypt to preserve them from the famine.
They are to settle in Goshen, which will be significant later.
MAP
MAP
Joseph embraces his younger sibling Benjamin, and then does so with his older brothers as well.
Surely having questions, his brothers speak with him further.
16 Now when the news was heard in Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan,
18 and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.’
19 “Now you are ordered, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come.
20 ‘Do not concern yourselves with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
Clearly Joseph has won the favor of Pharaoh during his time as administrator. Any family of Joseph’s was welcome in Pharaoh’s presence.
Pharaoh gives the command to not only bring Jacob and his household to Egypt, but also provide them with the wealth that Joseph has brought to Pharaoh through his administration.
Joseph fulfilled these commands, though again showing favoritism towards Benjamin.
He ensures Israel will have plenty of supplies for the journey.
He tells his brothers not to quarrel on the journey, clearly still knowing their temperament and dispositions.
The brothers arrive and give Israel the news. He initially does not believe them.
27 When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
28 Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
His son who was dead is now alive. Though he is old, he does not hesitate to go.
Israel would remember the prophetic dreams Joseph had as a boy.
9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?”
11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
All this took place just as God had ordained, and now Israel is witnessing the goodness of God.
God is faithful to fulfill all of His promises.
God is faithful to fulfill all of His promises.
God, like Israel, celebrates when His children are returned to Him from death to life.
22 “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.
In the parable of the two sons, we are the younger son. We too can experience the fulfillment of God’s promise - reconciliation through Jesus Christ.
1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.”
3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there.
4 “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes.”
5 Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
6 They took their livestock and their property, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him:
Beersheba is a very significant location for Israel and his ancestors.
31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath.
33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba.
24 The Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham.”
25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
Israel receives his last documented interaction with God at the place that his father had settled so many years prior.
God reaffirms the promises He has made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
He also tells him that he will die in Egypt, but the occasion will be in the presence of his favored son.
And so the household travels to Egypt, all 70 of them.
28 Now he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out the way before him to Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
29 Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time.
30 Then Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.”
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me;
32 and the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’
Judah leads his father’s household to Goshen, and Joseph met them there.
The reuniting of Joseph and Israel was quite emotional.
Israel is now contented with his life, and ready to die.
Joseph tells his family that he will prepare the meeting between them and Pharaoh. Knowing Egyptian culture, he knows exactly what to say and what to expect.
He will point out that they are shepherds by occupation, which is significant as we see in the very last verse of the chapter that shepherds are “loathsome” to the Egyptians.
Those who tend the flocks in Egypt were considered a lower class of people.
Joseph will prepare Pharaoh for this interaction with perceived outcasts.
We will see this interaction next week.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
Though we often cannot see it, God uses hardships for His purposes.
God is faithful to fulfill all of His promises.
Next week, we will continue through the book of Genesis.