Joseph, Dearest, Joseph Mine

Genesis 45:1–14 ESV

Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And 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. So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed 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 yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 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. You shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, and your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, for there are yet five years of famine to come, so that you and your household, and all that you have, do not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept upon his neck.

Joseph

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This is the second to last week in the season of Epiphany. It will draw to a close next Sunday with the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. In our Gospel lesson today, Jesus has continued His Sermon on the Plain, again teaching with authority displaying that He is Messiah. Our Epistle speaks about the greatest way that Jesus shows that He is Lord of our Life and God of our salvation: He rises from the dead. And, as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive. Jesus being Messiah and God has come into this world to give you resurrection as well by making you holy with His blood.

There are rarely seven Sundays after Epiphany— the length of the season is determined by when Easter Falls, and it falls late this year— April 20, so Epiphany is an extended time this year. Because there are rarely seven Sundays that follow, and because there are three different lectionaries, or series of readings appointed for each Sunday, you never, ever get to hear about Joseph being reunited with His brothers. There is so much in this Old Testament Lesson today, that we must seize the opportunity to hear the Lord’s voice in this wondrous account.

For some, this might take you back to Sunday School days where you learned this story. Joseph is the son of Jacob and Rachel, brother to Benjamin, and half brother to all of the other sons of Jacob, who is sometimes referred to as Israel.

Joseph’s brothers— who were extremely jealous of him, particularly because he dreamed that all of his brothers would bow down to him-- got what was coming to him in their eyes. Genesis 37. Originally wanting to murder him because of their jealousy, thus breaking the fifth commandment even though the did not lay a hand on him— the same way that our jealousy and hatred makes us murderers in God’s eyes— relented and sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites from Gilead— who were on their way to Egypt. They slaughtered a goat, put the goat’s blood on Joseph’s colorful robe, and took it back to Jacob. They didn’t tell him that Joseph was dead— they allowed Jacob to come to that conclusion on his own. They said, “we found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe… Jacob recognized it and said ‘it is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.” When Joseph arrived in Egypt, he was sold to one of Pharaoh’s assistants named Potipher, who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.

While in Egypt, Joseph interpreted the dreams of several men, including Pharaoh. He told Pharaoh that his dream showed him that after seven years of prosperity, Egypt would suffer seven years of famine. This allowed Pharaoh to respond, and ordered that during the seven years of prosperity that grain would be saved for the time of famine. After being falsely accused and jailed for allegedly having a sexual affair with Potipher’s wife, not only did Pharaoh release him from prison, but made him ruler over his palace, and governor of the land of Egypt.

It is during these seven years of famine— that also hit Caanan, that caused Jacob’s other sons to go to Egypt to buy grain. They come before Joseph to make the purchase. He recognizes them, but they don’t recognize him. Joseph is harsh with them, calling them spies. Joseph asks them about their family. They tell him that there were 12 brothers, but the youngest of them (Benjamin) is home with their father. He imprisons them for three days, and then sends them back to Jacob, but Joseph keeps Simeon in prison as collateral so that they would return. He sends the brothers on the way back to Jacob with grain, and he put their money back in the grain sacks. They think it is a mistake.

They get to Jacob and plead with him to let Benjamin go. Jacob was reluctant, because Benjamin was the only other son of Rachel. Joseph’s perceived death almost destroyed him; if Benjamin were to be killed, Jacob would be totally without hope. Judah guarantees Benjamin’s safety. Jacob consents, and fills their bags with treasures from Canaan that the Egyptian governor might have mercy on Benjamin and not harm him. After Benjamin arrives, Joseph sends the brothers back one more time, but puts a silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. After they leave, Joseph sends the guard out to them on their journey, telling them that one of the brothers stole the cup. They force the brothers to empty their sacks and they find Benjamin with it. Benjamin is arrested. The brothers return to Egypt to plead with Joseph not to hold Benjamin— it would literally kill their father. Judah, who had guaranteed the brothers return, offers himself to stay instead of Benjamin. It is at this time that our text picks up.

Joseph reveals himself to his brothers.

Jesus

It’s a powerful story of reconciliation. It’s a powerful display of total forgiveness for a horrific crime committed by Joseph’s brothers against him and his father. It is an example for each of us to follow to forgive, no matter what, no matter how deep the hurt, no matter how evil others have been to us.

It’s more than a story of human forgiveness. It’s a story about God’s forgiveness for you. It’s a story that you’ve lived. You sold out the Son. Not Jacob’s son, God’s Son. His only son. The one born from the fulfillment of Rachel, Mary. The one who He loved. It was your sin, your jealousy, your hatred that cast him into the pit. The blood of goats and bulls only stained the garment, they could not remove sin. But that stain goes bone-deep. Jesus enters into the slavery caused by this sin. Jesus is accused of horrific sins he did not commit. Unlike Joseph, he wasn’t cast in Potipher’s wife’s earthly dungeon. The false charges brought Him death. He was taken from His Father because of you. That is cause for the Father to blame you, withhold forgiveness from you, hate you. But your nature knows nothing but hate and vengeance. From this there is no coming back.

Except He came back. Jesus, the eternal Joseph, Son of God and Son of Man defeats your hatred, damns your damnation, pummels your death, and cancels sins debt that stains you like the blood of that goat smeared on Joseph’s robe.

Joseph’s brothers— the very leaders of the Tribes of Israel, stand before Joseph as Judge. They are terrified. They know the weight of their sin. They know what they did to him and his father. And they know that any sentence Joseph had the power to pronounce would be just— even death itself.

But the Judge shows mercy. He forgives. Totally and completely. Kill the fattened calf! For these sons were lost but now are found, were dead but now alive. He brought them to the banqueting table and his banner over them is love. Israel restored. The joy of Jacob is reborn. And they will dwell in the house of Egypt, where there is the best of meats and the finest of wines. No death. Just life as they never expected.

The Judge will come to us. The one we threw in the pit. The Crucified one we handed over to death by our sins. Any sentence He pronounces upon us is just, even death and hell itself. If anyone had the right to a grudge, it was Him. If anyone had the right to withhold forgiveness, it was Jesus. After all, that is what we would do. I don’t get mad, I get even.

The judge speaks: “I am your brother, Jesus. Your Father is still living. And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives— your lives— that God sent me ahead of you.

Mercy.

But we threw you into the pit, Jesus. We sold you out.

“God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” Actually, the greatest deliverance. A deliverance that could have only come by you throwing Jesus into the pit of death. A deliverance that was granted not by might, not by might but by His Spirit. A deliverance that required a Cross. It was there that God got even with you by damning His only begotten Son.

Mercy.

Out of love God spares us from what our sins deserve. Out of mercy God spreads a table before our enemies. Out of mercy God calls us to leave it all and follow Him who is the way, the truth and the life. Out of mercy, the Father welcomes us— his wayward, sinful, murderous children— back to the table where He gives us a foretaste of the feast to come. Out of mercy, God drowns out what is old and raises us up, restored, renewed, resurrected. Even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.