Joseph Revealed
Notes
Transcript
When we left our story, Joseph had setup his brothers.
First he made sure his brother Benjamin had a feast.
Then he set him up by having a silver cup hidden in Benjamin’s sack.
Now the brothers, especially Judah, are begging for the boy.
Judah was even willing to trade himself for his brother.
Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Make everyone go out from me!” So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it.
ge 45 1-
“Everybody, our of the room!”
Joseph couldn’t contain himself anymore.
But he couldn’t be open in front of all these Egyptians, so they had to leave.
Then he made himself known to his brother.
And he wept so loud that the Egyptians could hear him from the other room.
What does Joseph say?
ge 45 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.
The first thing he asks is about his father.
Not “Hey, how are things back in Canaan?”
Not “Look at how good I’m doing!”
But “Is dad still alive?”
And the brothers are shocked.
They thought Joseph was dead.
And now this Egyptian they’ve been terrified of tells them he is their lost brother.
The one they sold into slavery.
I bet they were dismayed.
ge 45
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. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 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 the land of Egypt.
Can you picture Joseph?
Waiving his hands, telling his brother to come close.
“I am Joseph your brother”
This is really happening.
Remember, the brothers have been blaming themselves for what they have done.
Which they should, it was their fault.
They have also been blaming the famine and all the troubles they’ve been having in Egypt on their guilt.
While not the cause of the famine, it was the cause of all the troubles they were having in Egypt.
And now, the person they had sinned against.
The one person they thought they would never have a chance to get forgiveness from,
Is alive, and well, and in charge of all of Egypt.
And what does their brother say?
“Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves”
Don’t beat yourselves up for what you have done.
We would expect Joseph to harbor a grudge against his brothers,
But he doesn’t.
Don’t wallow in your guilt for selling me into slavery.
Wouldn’t you expect just a little “see what you have done”?
But not here.
Because God sent me before you to save your lives.
Sure, you guys sold me into slavery,
But it was because God wanted me here in Egypt.
Have you ever thought that maybe what is happening to you is not just for yourself?
That maybe God is using you to save someone else?
Are you willing to submit to God when things don’t go the way you planned?
Will you treat those to put you in God’s will as graciously as Joseph?
Imagine how the brothers feel?
Are they relieved to see their brother?
Sure, they sinned against him, but at least they did not send him to his death.
Are they terrified that he will want revenge for what they had done?
Are they in shock, unable to feel anything?
Then what do the brothers hear?
It was God who sent Joseph to Egypt.
And he did so to save lives.
What troubles have you gone through that God used to save lives?
Have you ever thought that maybe what is happening to you is not just for yourself?
That maybe God is using you to save someone else?
Are you willing to submit to God when things don’t go the way you planned?
Will you treat those to put you in God’s will as graciously as Joseph?
Joseph continues.
These two years are only the beginning, there are five years left.
God has made me a father figure to Pharaoh.
He has made me lord of all of Pharaoh’s house, and ruler throughout Egypt.
Now that Joseph has revealed himself to his brothers, what does he want his brothers to do?
“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 to me, you and your children, your children’s children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. 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.” ’
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Go get Dad!
Tell him I am in charge of all Egypt.
Come on down, this famine will be around a long time.
I’ve got a place for you.
You and all you have shall be near me.
Your children, your grand children, even your livestock.
And I will provide for you.
Not just enough to survive, but to keep you from falling into poverty.
Are we prepared to take care of others in our family?
Do we have a place to take care of our parents when they get older?
Are we prepared to provide for others and not let them fall into poverty?
“And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”
This reminds me of Thomas.
jn 20 27
Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
Joseph tells his brother to look closely, with their own eyes.
And with the eyes of his closest brother.
It is Joseph.
I’m sure they didn't believe their eyes at first.
Tell Dad what I have done.
Then hurry and bring him here.
Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
ge 45 14
Then Joseph hugged and kissed his brothers, starting with Benjamin.
Only then would his brothers break out of their stunned silence.
6
Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well. And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan. Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land. Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come. Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
Gossip travels fast in the royal household.
Pharaoh hears about Joseph’s brothers.
Excellent!
Grab your stuff and go get your father.
Bring everything he has to Egypt.
I will give him the best of everything.
He will eat the best food.
Have the best land.
Better yet, go take some of my carts so the women and children don’t have to walk.
Jacob will be welcomed in Egypt and the house of Pharaoh.
All because of his son Joseph.
It’s enough to make a Jewish mother proud.
ge 45 21-34
Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them carts, according to the command of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. 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. And he sent to his father these things: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and food for his father for the journey. So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”
How could the brothers pass up an offer like this?
Joseph gave them carts and provisions.
Not just for them, but for Jacob’s whole family and their journey to Egypt.
And of course he gave Benjamin so much more.
Five changes of clothes and three hundred pieces of silver.
And what were Joseph’s last words to his brother before they left?
“Don’t become troubled along the way.”
Given time, we all tend to stew on our situations.
And we tend to focus on the bad, rather than the good.
Our imaginations are almost always worse than reality.
But Joseph doesn’t want his brothers to do this.
Just go get Dad and bring him here.
ge 45 25
Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.
Guess what Dad, your favorite son is still alive.
And he is governor of all Egypt.
I can’t imagine the shock Jacob must have been in.
Remember, there were seven years of plenty and two years of famine.
That’s nine years.
We don’t know how long Joseph served in Potiphar’s house, or in the prison before the butler’s dream.
But we know it was two years after the butler was restored to his position before Pharaoh’s dream.
That’s 11+ years that Jacob has been morning for his son.
It was probably more like 15-20 years that Joseph has been gone.
And now Jacob finds out he is still alive!
I bet his heart stood still.
The word here means to be in a state of mental numbness.
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.”
ge 45 27-
When the brothers delivered Joseph’s message and showed all that he had sent for the journey, Jacob came back to his sense.
I’m reminded of some old Super Bowl commercials.
Jacob, the son you’ve mourned over for 20 years is alive and well, what are you going to do now?
I’m going to Egypt!
But not Jacob.
His response is “It is enough. I’ll go and see my son before I die.”
Talk about a downer.
Jacob is certainly not a “glass half full” kind of guy.
In fact, he’s not even a “glass half empty” kind of guy.
He’s more a “somebody is going to knock over the glass” kind of guy.
You just found out that the son you thought was dead for who knows how many years is alive and all you can say is “I’ll go see him before I die”?
He is the governor of all Egypt, and that is the level of excitement you come up with?
Most people I know would look more like David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem.
But that part of the story will have to wait until next time.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The big reveal has led to some unexpected reactions.
Joseph doesn’t blame his brother for what they did.
God sent him to Egypt to save life.
The brothers don’t seem quite sure how to react.
Should they be afraid Joseph will retaliate for what they had done?
Could he really forgive them>
And Jacob is so happy to hear that his favorite son is still alive that he… plans to see him before he dies.
But what can you expect from such a dysfunctional family.
And we will find out more, next time.