Genesis 45
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The Revelation
The Revelation
20 years prior to this moment Josephs' brothers had sold him into Egypt. The made up a story that he was killed by wild beasts and told Jacob their father. They were glad that they got rid of him because they hated him. He was the favorite son as was demonstrated by the multi colored coat that Jacob gave him. On top of that He shared a dream with his father and his brothers that one day they would bow down before him. They wanted to kill him, but instead they sold him in to Egyptian slavery.
They probably went on with their lives as if nothing had ever happened. They never imagined that they would have to face their past wrong. They probably never though the dream that Joseph had shared 20 years ago would ever come true. However, this is the day that Joseph chose to reveal himself. The brothers had already bowed down to him and now was the time that he chose to reveal himself to them.
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. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. 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. 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.
Joseph was revealed himself after his brother Judah demonstrated a repentant heart. Judah was willing to lay his life down for his younger brother Benjamin and spare the life of his dad Jacob. Overcome with emotion Joseph wpt and revealed himself to his brothers.
Needless to say, his brothers were shocked at the revelation. The Bible says they were dismayed at his presence. The word dismayed is bhl in the Greek and it means to be terrified. The word presence is paneh’ which means proximity to someone's face. Do they were terrified when they recognized Joseph’s face. They knew what they had done and was fearful of what might happen to them.
Jesus Reveals Himself To Us Through Repentance
Jesus Reveals Himself To Us Through Repentance
Jesus does the same thing to us. When we come to a place of repentance in our life Jesus meets us where we are and reveals His mercy, forgiveness and salvation. This is why repentance is necessary fir salvation. Repentance is the inward change one has towards their sin. They have a inward change that seek to follow righteousness rather than sin.
“Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;
When we repent the Lord brings times of refreshing. The Lord’s mercy brings great relief to the guilt and burdon of sin.
“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
When our sin becomes apparent to us through the conviction pf the Holy Spirit, God declares that we must repent.
I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Sorrow is a part of repentance that leads to the Joy of the revelation of Jesus. One must understand the magnitude of their sin before they can adequately appreciate the forgiveness of God.
Your Past Is Part of God’s Plan
Your Past Is Part of God’s Plan
Joseph encouraged his brothers not to grieve about what they had done because it was God’s plan to bring Joseph to Egypt. Does this mean that they are not responsible for their wrong in selling Joseph? Absolutely not! They are responsible for their wrongdoing, however Joseph was willing to look past what they had done and look to what God had planned. Gen.45:5-8
“Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. “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. “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. “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.
Joseph did not dwell on the past wrong, but instead chose to focus on how God used this wrong to fulfill his purpose.
Our past is part of God’s plan
Our past is part of God’s plan
All of us have a past that we are not proud of. However, the Lord is not taken by surprise by your past life, but instead uses it for His glory. God is glorified in the forgiveness of our repented sin. Eph. 1:6-7
to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
God demonstrates His mercy and grace through the removal of the penalty of our sin through the resurrection of Jesus.
Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.
Understand that God fully knows your past and yet He still calls you into salvation. Our sin does not disqualify us from salvation, but instead qualifies us for salvation. Mark 2:17
And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus has come to save those who have a sinful past.
Not only does God get glory in the forgiveness of our sin, but He uses it to bless others. Our mess becomes our message. You can use your past to help others who are struggling in sin to find forgiveness in Christ. God can use every aspect of your life for His glory and your good.
You Shall Be Near To Me
You Shall Be Near To Me
Not only did Joseph not punish them for their past sin, he blessed them. Gen. 45:10
“You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have.
Joseph told his brothers that they would live with him in the splendor of Egypt an have the finest of all the land. Gen. 45:11
“There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.” ’
Joseph promised them that the famine would not have an impact on them, but instead he would provide everything they needed.
Joseph wanted his family back the way God intended for them to be. He wanted them to live in harmony with one another and be with Him. He wanted to see his father and have the family that he wanted when he was younger.
Joseph brought his entire family to live in the land of Egypt. He would take care of all their needs and give them the best Egypt had to offer.
Jesus calls us to be near to Him
Jesus calls us to be near to Him
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
Jesus desires that we abide in Him. This means that we spend time with Him in prayer, Bible study, worship, disciple making, and serving. It is in doing this that we bear fruit for the Lord. This is how the Lord receives glory from our lives.
Jesus loves us and desires that we abide in His love. We do this by obeying His commandments. John 14:15
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
When we pattern our lives by the commandments, teachings, and principles of Christ we will abide in His love. Our fellowship will be sweet and our joy will be full.
Jesus desires to spend time with us! do you want to spend time with Him?
Spirit Is Revived
Spirit Is Revived
When Jacob was told that Joseph was alive, his grieving soul was revived. Gen 45:27-28
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. Then Israel said, “It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
His son, whom he thought was dead, is now alive. This brought great joy to Jacob. It is as if he had a new life. He had grieved the loss of his son his whole life and was paranoid of losing his youngest son Benjamin. Now he has it all He has the son he though he lost and also all his children. There is great joy in the resurrected son!
Our Spirit is revived at the resurrected Son!
Our Spirit is revived at the resurrected Son!
Because God’s Son Jesus Christ is resurrected the Father can now have a relationship with all his children. Our sin separated us from the Father. Jesus death, burial, and resurrection restored this relationship.
Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
This is through the gift of God.Eph. 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
It is nothing that we earn, but is something that is given. We must receive the gift of God for salvation. John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
Is your soul revived today?
Conclusion
Repent of your sin and Jesus will reveal himself to you.
He will change you and uses you for HIs purposes
He will call you to follow Him and abide with Him.
In doing so, you will find your soul revived
