Contributor: Peter Folikwe
INTRODUCTION
To have a better perspective of our study tonight it will be expedient we look back at events that build up and how they played out to this stage. Joseph, dad’s favourite envied by his big brothers had a dream. He was hated for it, sold into slave merchants going to Egypt. On getting to Egypt he was bought by Potipher who place him as caretaker over all he had, but for his seductive wife who tried to lure an uncompromising Joseph to lie with her. Joseph’s refusal of his master’s wife offer landed him in jail and forgotten there until two other prisoners who were erstwhile workers in the king’s palace had dream that were interpreted by Joseph with precision.
Long after that the king – Pharaoh also had two separate dreams same night and none of his astrologers/divinators could interpret the dreams until one of the prison inmates (now free and working as the kings butler) whose dream Joseph had interpreted informed the king of the power of God in the life of Joseph to interpret dreams. The interpretation of which earned him to position of the governor of Egypt, second to Pharaoh to administer the outcome of the king’s dream. As we learned, Joseph was to manage the period abundance that will precede the period of drought so that the people of Egypt will not starve, based on the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream. Israel’s family felt the effect of the famine and hearing of the abundance in Egypt had to travel to buy some grains. There they met their brother Joseph whom they could not recognize because he was dressed in Egyptian royal robe.
Last week, our teacher highlighted that Joseph, having recognize his brothers, took them through several tests to confirm if they were still as heartless as they were when he-Joseph we sold into slavery. Part of the test was to ascertain if his half-brothers had similar jealousy and hatred for his mother’s last-born Benjamin. He wanted to know if they have genuinely repented of their evil nature. They eventually passed all the test the climax of which was that they united to surrender themselves in support their brother Benjamin to serve the punishment for being the one in possession of the king’s silver cup planted on Joseph’s instruction in Benjamin’s travel bag. Eventually, we see how Judah interceded to take on Benjamin’s punishment instead, offering himself sacrificially.
Chapter 45:1-3
Here we see an emotional Joseph eventually revealed his identity that he has been holding back from his erstwhile wicked brothers. We need not forget that his apprehension of his brothers while he was putting them through series of tests were justified. He wanted to know if they were pretending just because they were desperate for food occasioned by the famine. Secondly, he wanted to validate if they had the same resentment and cruelty towards his mother’s last born Benjamin. At last Judah’s show of empathy and uncompromising sacrifice to take the place of Benjamin must have pierced Joseph’s heart and he emotionally broke down and wept so loud that the house of Pharaoh heard his cry from his chamber.
In V3 his brothers were dumbfounded and terrified at his presence after he revealed his identity as their lost brother. Their brothers had no figment of imagination that it was their brother they sold to slavery 20 years earlier. For a split second they could not reconcile the transition from a slave boy to such a high position as prime minister in a foreign land - Egypt. Also, they must have had a flash back of the atrocities committed against Joseph and this seemed to be a payback period. The prime minister crying so loud and asking after their father simply meant that the secret they hid from their father all these years has come to the open, the consequences of which is, loss of their integrity. Our Lord Jesus in Luke 8:17 stated that “For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.” Just like evil done in secret will one day see the light of the day, our good deeds done in secret will showcase us someday.
Chapter 45:4-8
In v4, Joseph robbed it in their face that he was their brother they sold as a slave into Egypt, yet beckoning on them to come close to him in brotherly love. V5-6 fundamentally changed their thinking and allayed their fears of retribution as Joseph echoed his renewed perspective stating that what they did 20 years ago was orchestrated by God to save mankind from a famine 20 years later (another type of Jesus as discussed at the Bible study elaborately two weeks ago). Joseph reiterated further that the famine was just two years as at the time of their meeting and that the intensity of the famine will continue for another five years.
V7-8: these two verses testify of Joseph as a God fearing, kind hearted and a forgiver of wrong done to him. Looking back at his torturous journey to the palace: envied and hated by his own brothers, sold into slavery, wrongly accused and thrown into prison and forgotten. He had every justification to ask God if it was a crime toeing the right path in life, yet seemingly abandoned by God: that’s hard to take in. Don’t we feel that way sometimes. Some even get angry at God. Most often we try hard to figure out why we go through some challenges to being persecuted. However, God in Isaiah 55:8 says “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.” Rom 11:33b also says “how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
Chapter 45:9-24
Joseph sent for his father relocate abroad with his entire household form a famine infested nation to a land flowing e reaffirmed his love for his brothers by kissing them and weeping Hwith milk and honey. over their shoulders. Many are privileged and divinely orchestrated by God to travel abroad against all odds and have become blessed. Like Joseph they need to extend their hands of love back to their family members back home.
Of note in this passage is the special gifts Joseph gave Benjamin and his father. He reckoned that Benjamin did not have access to motherly love/care, except for the love of his father. Besides, Joseph was not there for him either. He had to send so much of food clothing and wealth to his father to convince him that his beloved son was still alive in a foreign land as a prime minister.
In V 24 he admonished his brother and said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”- reassuring them that his forgiveness and that they should come to terms of the obvious reality of his dream being played out in their face. When Joseph’s brother got back Canaan and narrated their experience with Joseph to their father, he was shocked to learn that his special son was still alive. However, when he saw the sheer number of donkeys and food items and gifts sent to him, he came to terms with the reality that his son was still alive and braced up to set his eyes upon him before he dies.
Chapter 46:1-4
Beersheba is the last point in Canaan before crossing over to Egypt. Israel following the footsteps of his grandfather Abraham and father Issac worshipped God there. Then God spoke to him in a vision, not a dream. Joel 2:8 & Acts 2:17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.” Israel very well qualified to be an old man at his age then, yet God spoke to him in a vision. If you have the right relationship with God, you may look old and frail in the physical but will be spiritually young and alert. That was the case with Israel. Worship (makes you act like a child). It usually brings in the presence of God. Israel was still nursing the fear of an uncertainty regarding his relocation abroad to Egypt, leaving the promise land, but for his innate desire to see his lost but found beloved son. God appeared to him in a vision to reassure him and confirmed his support for the trip by going with him, prosper him in Egypt according to His covenant with Abraham and in V4 God told him that Joseph will put his hands on his eyes; meaning Joseph will be there when he breathes his last.
Chapter 46:5-27
These verses reeled out the descendants of Jacob through who God’s covenant will be fulfilled. Some leave their homeland and travel abroad and forget their roots and even change their identity. The Bible often traces back genealogy of persons to prove His covenant as we have it with the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matt 1.
Chapter 46:28-30
Joseph finally reunites with his father and Israel with his lost son and they both cried on each other’s shoulders. This tells us that when people are going through challenging situations, it is also good that we allow them to express their emotions whether for joy or when grieving. Israel said that he can now die after seeing and feeling the touch of his beloved lost son Joseph for over 20 years. Every parent prays to outlive their children.
That was Israel’s prayer. For Israel, he has crowded over Joseph for so long, but his grief has been turned into joy unspeakable.
Chapter 46:31-34
In the concluding part of chapter 46, Joseph having understood the cultural nuances of the Egyptians, guided his brothers on what to tell Pharaoh when they meet him. They are to present themselves as hardworking and self-sufficient people except for the famine in the land. That they were shepherds by profession. They came with their animals to Egypt and all they needed was a gazing land for their flocks in Goshen. This worked out with Pharaoh because the Egyptians considered sheep/animals generally to be very dirty and so also is the shepherds who keep them. Having to live separately from the Egyptians was ideal and at the same time preserve the Israelites and their descendants for their covenant promise as Jews.
CONCLUSION
Like Joseph, we may be tossed and beaten by the tides of life, betrayed by our own blood ration, hated by Neighbours and sometimes feel rejected. These circumstances should never make us doubt the authenticity and promises of God for our lives. Some may even conclude and say that they have sought God, but he has turned His face away from them.
• Note: at no time should we exalt our circumstances above God’s words: irrespective of challenges that may come our way.
• Habakkuk 2:3 tells us “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.”
• Again, we all need the help of the Holy Spirit to stay calm through that difficult period of waiting.
