Burunche’s Blog

Genesis 50:22 – 26 “Now Joseph and his father’s household remained in Egypt, and Joseph lived to the age of 110. He saw Ephraim’s sons to the third generation, and indeed the sons of Machir son of Manasseh were brought up on Joseph’s knees. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place. So Joseph died at the age of 110. And they embalmed his body and placed it in a coffin in Egypt.”

This is really fascinating! By God’s providence, Joseph has become the second most important man in all of Egypt, hailed by the Egyptians as their savior. Were Joseph to allow his body to remain in Egypt, the Egyptians would have given him a wonderful funeral and a magnificent tomb befitting his status. But Joseph doesn’t want any part of an Egyptian burial; instead, Joseph forces his family to swear an oath that they will take his body with them when God sends them out of Egypt. What has moved Joseph to demand this and to force his family to swear such an oath?

The ancient Egyptians practiced polytheism – they had a whole array of different gods. A burial for an important Egyptian official would include an elaborate tomb with all kinds of grave goods so the person being buried would be provided for in eternity. But Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and now Joseph all worshiped the one true living God. For the Israelites, there was no need of elaborate tombs and grave goods. Joseph knew where he had come from, and he had no desire to remain in Egypt after his death. And when you go on to read the Exodus story of how God led the Israelites out of Egypt and then kept them during forty years of traveling in the desert, remember that all that time they were also carrying Joseph’s coffin with them.

For Joseph, Egypt was an interlude in his life, but he was still looking forward to something more, even at the time of his death. Joseph did not want his body to become a part of Egyptian soil. For Joseph, being buried in Egypt might have symbolized that his descendants would be stuck there forever. Just as Jacob had spoken prophetically as he was dying, so Joseph was now prophesying over the Israelites that Egypt would not be their permanent home but that God would send them back to the land He had promised to Abraham. For the next few centuries, every time the Israelites wondered if/when God would remove them from Egypt, they would look at Joseph’s coffin and remember what he had made them promise.

APPLICATION: God wiped out Joseph’s suffering and blessed Joseph because Joseph was willing to forgive his brothers. Sometimes we claim to have forgiven someone, but then we keep recounting stories of all the hurts that person has inflicted on us. Bury those hurts at the foot of the cross of Jesus and leave them alone!

When we were raising pigs on our family farm, we had a huge metal trough into which we poured water in the summertime. Pigs can’t sweat, so unless they can wallow in water, they can’t stay cool enough. This metal trough was like an above – ground pool for our pigs, and they loved it. They would get in and wallow around at every opportunity.

While wallowing might keep pigs cool in the summertime, wallowing in our hurts is a worthless endeavor that will only make us more miserable! Search your heart. Have you really forgiven someone who has hurt you, or are you still wallowing in your hurt, enjoying your feelings of self – pity?

PRAYER: Father God, help us to leave our hurts at the foot of the cross and move on into the glorious future you have for us. Do not allow us to continue to pity ourselves. Thank you for loving us so much that you refuse to leave us in our messes. Change us into your likeness. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 50:15 – 21 “When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge? Then he will surely repay us for all the evil that we did to him.” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Before he died, your father commanded, ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I beg you, please forgive the transgression and sin of your brothers, for they did you wrong.’ So now, Joseph, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them.”

Joseph’s brothers have a right to be concerned! After all, Joseph spent thirteen years as a slave and in prison because of them. And now that Jacob is dead and buried, what is to prevent Joseph from taking revenge? So the brothers message Joseph, begging him to forgive them and telling him that they are willing to be his slaves. Joseph’s dream as a teenager has come true.

Joseph has a choice: continue to forgive, or take vengeance. But those years in prison have taught Joseph lessons he would not have learned in any other way. Joseph now sees the hand of God in his being brought to Egypt; after all, the slave traders could have sold him somewhere else. Looking back, Joseph now sees that God was with him every step of the way and that God was preparing him for his current role as administrator to Pharaoh. Why hold a grudge when things have worked out well?

When I was growing up on an Illinois farm, we had a large Newfoundland dog; unfortunately, the dog was fond of dragging dead carcasses of squirrels, baby pigs, etc., up to our house. That dog couldn’t understand why we weren’t delighted with her offerings and why we immediately burned the dead bodies! We found out that if we merely buried the bodies, the dog would dig them up and drag them out again. People who insist on carrying grudges are a lot like that dog. Someone hell – bent on carrying a grudge will do anything to dig it back up and drag it around. And just like those dead bodies, the longer the grudge is dragged around, the worse it smells!

Life as a prisoner and a slave in Egypt gave Joseph plenty of opportunity to see the results of court intrigues and the futility of bearing grudges. It’s likely that Joseph might also have seen tragic examples of people bent on wreaking vengeance on one another and spoiling many lives in the process. God had taught Joseph not to hold a grudge!

APPLICATION: Are you carrying a grudge? “But they really did me dirt! They really hurt me!” you say. There’s no doubt that if you live long enough, you are going to be hurt, many times by the very people whom you have tried to help. Just this morning I was reading a post from a fellow missionary in another part of Africa. This brother was being summoned to appear before local authorities because one of his workers who had mishandled money was attempting to cover up his wrong – doings by accusing our friend instead. The saddest part of the whole thing was that this worker was someone our brother had trusted implicitly, making the betrayal far more painful. The point this missionary was making with his post was the very lesson that Joseph had to learn: you must be prepared to forgive people repeatedly, even when they continue to betray you and cause problems for you with local leaders.

Dump that grudge at the foot of the cross and leave it alone! If you find yourself mentally rehearsing the details of the offense, ask Jesus to help you drop it. After all, God says in His Word that He has set our sins as far as the east is from the west.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to forgive others from our hearts and to drop all the grudges we have been carrying. Help us to bury those grudges in the depth of your love and to leave them there. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 49:29 – 33 “Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.” When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.”

Throughout the long years of captivity, Joseph longed to see his father again, to be with his father, and to be able to close his father’s eyes once his father had died. And God promised Jacob as they were at Beersheba on the way to Egypt that Joseph would close his eyes. God fulfilled His promise to Jacob.

One of the hardest parts of serving at long distances from your family is the inability to be with parents when they are dying. To be able to tell your loved ones how much you care for them one last time is an incredible blessing, one that many people do not have. One veteran missionary of our acquaintance expressed it well when she said that as long as she was unable to attend her mother’s funeral, she never really had closure in that situation. One year after my father died while we were in Africa, we spent time in the U.S. Returning to my home area at Christmastime was wonderful, but it was bittersweet knowing that Dad was no longer there.

As a leader in Egypt, Joseph was able to give his father a royal funeral.

Genesis 50:1 – 14 “Then Joseph fell upon his father’s face, wept over him, and kissed him. And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him, taking the forty days required to complete the embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, please tell Pharaoh that my father made me swear an oath when he said, ‘I am about to die. You must bury me in the tomb that I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.’ Now let me go and bury my father, and then return.” Pharaoh replied, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.” Then Joseph went to bury his father, and all the servants of Pharaoh accompanied him—the elders of Pharaoh’s household and all the elders of the land of Egypt— along with all of Joseph’s household, and his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children and flocks and herds were left in Goshen.

Chariots and horsemen alike went up with him, and it was an exceedingly large procession. When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wailed loudly, and Joseph mourned for his father seven days. When the Canaanites of the land saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a solemn ceremony of mourning by the Egyptians.” Thus the place across the Jordan is called Abel-mizraim. So Jacob’s sons did as he had charged them. They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. After Joseph had buried his father, he returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone with him to bury his father.” The Egyptians honored Joseph; however, they also honored Jacob as well. And God arranged everything so that Jacob would have a fitting burial and a memorial.

APPLICATION: This story is one of divine rewards for both Jacob and for Joseph. When God chooses to bless someone, He can bless beyond our wildest dreams and imaginations. But remember that none of this would have come about had Joseph remained sulking in prison and had he not forgiven his brothers and even his father.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to forgive from the heart. Thank you that when we forgive others, it frees You to bless us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 49:1 – 2 “Then Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather around so that I can tell you what will happen to you in the days to come: Come together and listen, O sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel.”

Jacob is on his death bed. As tradition demands, Jacob is laying hands on his sons. While the sons are hoping for blessings, Jacob is speaking prophetically. By this point, Jacob’s family has been settled in Egypt for seventeen years, and things appear to be going well. Presumably, Jacob has forgiven his older sons for selling Joseph into slavery and there is peace in the family. But now God’s Holy Spirit is resting on Jacob and Jacob is predicting what will happen to his sons and their families. If you are a student of Bible history, you will realize that these predictions eventually came true.

What is surprising is the harshness of the assessments Jacob makes of some of his sons. Obviously, Jacob clearly understands the personalities of his various sons.

v. 3 – 7 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.  Simeon and Levi are brothers; their swords are weapons of violence. May I never enter their council; may I never join their assembly. For they kill men in their anger, and hamstring oxen on a whim. Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.”

v. 8 – 12 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you. Judah is a young lion— my son, you return from the prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. He ties his donkey to the vine, his colt to the choicest branch. He washes his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk.” This passage is not only pronouncing blessings on Judah and his descendants, but it is also one of the earliest prophecies of the Messiah, here referred to as “Shiloh.”

v. 13 – 21 “Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore and become a harbor for ships; his border shall extend to Sidon. Issachar is a strong donkey, lying down between the sheepfolds. He saw that his resting place was good and that his land was pleasant, so he bent his shoulder to the burden and submitted to labor as a servant. Dan shall provide justice for his people as one of the tribes of Israel. He will be a snake by the road, a viper in the path, that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider tumbles backward. I await Your salvation, O LORD. Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will attack their heels. Asher’s food will be rich; he shall provide royal delicacies. Naphtali is a doe set free that bears beautiful fawns.

Then Jacob comes to Joseph and Benjamin. v.22 – 27 “Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine by a spring, whose branches scale the wall. The archers attacked him with bitterness, and aimed in hostility. Yet he steadied his bow, and his strong arms were tempered by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, in the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, by the God of your father who helps you, and by the Almighty who blesses you, with blessings of the heavens above, with blessings of the depths below, with blessings of the breasts and womb. The blessings of your father have surpassed the blessings of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills. May they rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince of his brothers. Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”

APPLICATION: Some people have a mistaken idea that to forgive someone means that you must overlook their shortcomings, but this is far from true. If people had no shortcomings, there would be no need for forgiveness. Some people also feel that once you have forgiven someone, you must trust them; this also is wrong. You can acknowledge the hurt someone has caused and forgive it, but that does not obligate you to trust that person again when he or she has shown no evidence of a changed heart.

The old saying “Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on me!” still holds true. As Jacob was blessing his sons, he was also telling some of them why he wouldn’t trust them and why they would fail unless they had a change of behavior. Jesus ministered to all kinds of people; however, John 2:23-25 tells us, “While He (Jesus) was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men. He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.”

PRAYER: Father God, help us to forgive those who have hurt us, but also help us to know when to trust and when to distance ourselves. Help us to know when it is time to be vulnerable, even if that means hurt or loss for us. But above all else, help us to forgive as you have forgiven us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 47:1 – 12 “So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” And he chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh. “What is your occupation?” Pharaoh asked Joseph’s brothers. “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied, “both we and our fathers.” Then they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live in the land for a time, because there is no pasture for the flocks of your servants, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please allow your servants to settle in the land of Goshen.” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you, the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They may dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know of any talented men among them, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. “How many years have you lived?” Pharaoh asked. “My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.” Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from his presence.

So Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Joseph also provided his father and brothers and all his father’s household with food for their families.”

The story of Jacob and his sons is a story about many people who just couldn’t stop making problems for themselves! Jacob spent years away from his family because he twisted and manipulated. During those years, Jacob suffered a great deal, all because of his own actions. Jacob’s sons were no better! Having sold a bratty younger brother into slavery, the rest of the sons spent years watching their father behave as though he had lost everything and as though they counted for nothing. And at night their consciences might have kept them awake, tormenting them as to the evil of their actions. All of this suffering took place due to a cycle of manipulations, unforgiveness, a desire for revenge, more evil, and more unforgiveness.

Joseph broke that cycle by forgiving his brothers. Those long nights in prison had given Joseph plenty of time to think about what a mouthy youngster he had been and how he had hurt his older brothers. In the stillness, God was speaking to Joseph’s heart, changing Joseph and making him into a man He, God, could use.

When we forgive, wonderful things can happen. Just as holding grudges can be contagious, so gratitude and forgiveness can also be contagious as well. And here we see a graphic demonstration of the results.

Jacob and all his family have made it safely to Egypt and Pharaoh has given them the best part of the grazing land for their livestock. Pharaoh also is offering to employ Joseph’s brothers to supervise his livestock as well. The family has been saved and now has the opportunity to grow and expand.

APPLICATION: Have there been times in your life when you knew that God was blessing you in an unusual way? Have there been other times when you have looked back to realize that God tried to bless you but that you blocked the blessings? So many times we think we know best; meanwhile, we are just making more messes for ourselves!

Many times we want to blame God for our problems when we are the source of the trouble in the first place. Ask God to show you if there are any attitudes that you have picked up from your family, your friends, or perhaps from associates at work that have warped your thinking, leaving you unwilling to forgive others or to be thankful for the blessings God has already given you.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to search our hearts. Open our eyes to see the many blessings you have already given us and the ways we have blocked other blessings. Show us if there is anyone whom we need to forgive or anyone from whom we need to seek forgiveness. In the mighty name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 46:1 – 6 “So Israel set out with all that he had, and when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And that night God spoke to Israel in a vision: “Jacob, Jacob!” He said.

“Here I am,” replied Jacob.

“I am God, ” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back. And Joseph’s own hands will close your eyes.”

Then Jacob departed from Beersheba, and the sons of Israel took their father Jacob in the wagons Pharaoh had sent to carry him, along with their children and wives. They also took their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt….”

v.28 – 30 “Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen, Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely. Then Israel said to Joseph, “Finally I can die, now that I have seen your face and know that you are still alive!”

Joseph has forgiven his brothers. Joseph’s brothers have made their peace with one another and with Benjamin and Joseph and their father. Now the way is open for the entire family to be blessed and to be preserved.

When Jacob/Israel and his family stop at Beersheba overnight, God speaks to him in a vision. The last recorded time God spoke to Jacob was many years ago at the Jabbok Ford when he was on his way back to Canaan from Haran. At that point, Jacob wasn’t sure that his brother Esau would not wipe out Jacob’s entire family and seize everything he owned. And it was at that time that God gave Jacob the name “Israel,” meaning “He who struggles with God.” The following day, Jacob reconciled with Esau, healing a twenty year old dispute.

Now God is reassuring Jacob that He is caring for Jacob’s entire family and will make them into a great nation. Jacob is reaping the results of his reconciliation with Esau. Jacob’s sons and their families are reaping the results of their reconciliation with Joseph. The Land of Goshen in Egypt was evidently excellent grazing land, perfect for Joseph’s brothers who were shepherds and herdsmen. The Egyptians considered caring for livestock to be an occupation for slaves. By gaining permission for his family to settle in Goshen, Joseph was making it possible for the family to live separately from the Egyptians. God was using Joseph in this fashion so that the Israelites would not intermarry with the Egyptians.

God is also giving Joseph the desires of his heart. All these years, Joseph has yearned to see his father Jacob. Now Jacob spends his last days with Joseph, Joseph’s sons receive a special blessing from their grandfather, and Joseph gets to be with Jacob when he dies.

APPLICATION: As you have forgiven others, how has God blessed you? Sometimes we take God’s blessings for granted, forgetting that there are no guarantees and that God is not obligated to bless us. Stop now and ask God to show you how He has blessed you and is blessing you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us so much that you forgive our sins when we confess them and trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Lord, help us to never forget all the ways in which you have blessed us. Let us be truly mindful of those blessings and thankful. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 45:16 – 24 “When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do as follows: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan. Then bring your father and your families and return to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat from the fat of the land.’ You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back. But pay no regard to your belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. He gave new garments to each of them, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. And he sent to his father the following: ten donkeys loaded with the best of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and provisions for his father’s journey. Then Joseph sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way!”

By this time, Pharaoh realizes that God has used Joseph to save Egypt. Nothing is too good for Joseph’s family, and Pharaoh and his servants are pleased. This statement is highly significant because Joseph was not an Egyptian and could easily have been a target of court intrigue. But evidently Joseph has handled himself wisely. Pharaoh orders royal arrangements for moving Joseph’s family to Egypt. The one jarring note is Joseph’s warning to his brothers that they not quarrel on the way. Joseph may have forgiven his brothers, but he knows that they may not have forgiven one another!

v. 25 – 28 “So the brothers went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. “Joseph is still alive,” they said, “and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” But Jacob was stunned, for he did not believe them. However, when they relayed all that Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob was revived. “Enough!” declared Israel. “My son Joseph is still alive! I will go to see him before I die.”

God is blessing Joseph and his entire family. Joseph gets to see his aged father. Jacob will be reunited with Joseph. The family will be saved and will prosper in Egypt for many years. Sometimes there really are happy endings.

APPLICATION: Forgiveness frees us up for the good things God wants to do for us. In Jeremiah 29:11 – 13 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

We can only seek God and find him when we are no longer holding grudges against someone else. As long as we are refusing to forgive someone else, we are the biggest hindrance to God blessing us. Joseph’s willingness to forgive his family opened the way for magnificent blessings.

PRAYER: Father God, please show us anyone whom we need to forgive and anyone from whom we need to seek forgiveness. Thank you for your great and mighty promises! Thank you that you are faithful and true and that you honor your Word. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 45:1 – 8 “Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians and Pharaoh’s household heard him. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so.

“I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Twenty – two years! That’s how long it had been since Joseph’s brothers had seen him. When Joseph was sold into slavery, he was seventeen years old. Joseph began working for Pharaoh at age thirty, and now it’s nine years later. (Seven years of plenty plus two years of famine) Frankly, Joseph’s brothers had long since concluded that he must have died in captivity, and their consciences had given them no peace ever since the day they had sold him. Now the brothers weren’t sure if this was a dream or their worst nightmare. Obviously Joseph had become the number two man in all of Egypt with unlimited power. What would happen to them? How was he going to take revenge?

But listen to what Joseph was saying! “And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. For the famine has covered the land these two years, and there will be five more years without plowing or harvesting. God sent me before you to preserve you as a remnant on the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God, who has made me a father to Pharaoh—lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.” Joseph was not blaming his brothers, even though he had the best reason in the world to do so. Joseph had seen the hand of God working in his situation and he knew that God was now using him to preserve his entire family. Had Joseph not forgiven his brothers long before that day, he could not have said this.

v. 9 – 15 “Now return quickly to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me without delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen and be near me—you and your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own. And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’

Behold! You and my brother Benjamin can see that I, Joseph, am the one speaking with you. Tell my father about all my splendor in Egypt and everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.” Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept as they embraced. Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.”

Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, weeping so loudly that all the Egyptians could hear him! Joseph had truly forgiven his brothers and they had to recognize that fact.

APPLICATION: Joseph and his brothers were blessed because they were able to reconcile and forgive before it was too late. Sadly, there are many families in which this is not the case. In one family of our acquaintance, two siblings had quarreled five years previously and had only begun to speak over the phone. But just as the one brother was about to visit his sister for the first time in five years, he died.

If COVID has not accomplished anything else, it has made us aware that life is fragile and time is short. Nobody has tomorrow guaranteed to them. Perhaps you have a friend, a neighbor, or a relative with whom you have been at odds. Think about Joseph; he was able to forgive the brothers who sold him into slavery. Now think about the person with whom you have the grievance; is their sin as bad as that of Joseph’s brothers? It’s hard to reconcile with a grave.

PRAYER: Father God, help us to search our hearts and to see those people whom we need to forgive and those from whom we need to seek forgiveness. Help us to clear this backlog of hurt and to keep short accounts going forward. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 44:1 – 9 “Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.

At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’” When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.

“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”

So far, Joseph has rated pretty high on the forgiveness scale, but what is he up to now? Joseph has deliberately set a trap for his brothers, particularly for Benjamin. Why?

Remember that Joseph and Benjamin are the only two sons of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife. And remember that fifteen years ago, most of the other brothers were willing to sell Joseph into slavery. Perhaps Joseph is testing his brothers to see if they will really defend Benjamin and if they have developed more compassion over the years.

The brothers hurry and open their sacks for inspection. Naturally, Joseph’s silver cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. And now the real test begins. The steward tells the brothers that Benjamin must become a slave while the rest of them will go free. The brothers are dismayed and rush back to Joseph’s house, where they fall on the ground before him.

Still playing the role of the haughty Egyptian, Joseph interrogates his brothers. The brothers agree to be slaves but beg Joseph to allow Benjamin to return to their aged father. Judah was the brother who suggested selling Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37:26-28). Now Judah speaks to Joseph personally, begging Joseph to release Benjamin, even going so far as to offer to remain as Joseph’s slave in place of Benjamin!

v. 27 – 33 “And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. So if you take this one from me as well and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, my father—his life is wrapped up in the boy’s life— when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’ Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”

WOW! What a change of heart for these brothers, particularly for Judah! And how stunned Joseph must be to hear this statement. While Joseph has been enduring slavery and false accusations in Egypt, God has been working on his brothers’ hearts. They really do care about their father; in fact, they care far more than they did when they sold Joseph into slavery.

APPLICATION: What can we learn from this passage? Joseph has been able to move forward because he has refused to hate his brothers or those who have hurt him in Egypt. Now Joseph learns that his brothers have also had a much – needed change of heart. Many times, we may forgive people but we still have a very poor opinion of them. We want everybody to acknowledge us when we change our behavior for the better; however, we frequently write others off, assuming that they will never change. When we truly forgive people, that frees them from our misconceptions. Never forget that God is working in the hearts of others just as He is working in yours. Allow God plenty of wiggle room.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are always working in our hearts and in the hearts of others. Help us never to cling to negative beliefs about people when you are actually changing them in ways we cannot see. Help us to realize that forgiving others also means giving them a brand new start. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Genesis 43:16 – 34 “When Joseph saw Benjamin with his brothers, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for they shall dine with me at noon.” The man did as Joseph had commanded and took the brothers to Joseph’s house. But the brothers were frightened that they had been taken to Joseph’s house. “We have been brought here because of the silver that was returned in our bags the first time,” they said. “They intend to overpower us and take us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”

So they approached Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. “Please, sir,” they said, “we really did come down here the first time to buy food. But when we came to the place we lodged for the night, we opened our sacks and, behold, each of us found his silver in the mouth of his sack! It was the full amount of our silver, and we have brought it back with us. We have brought additional silver with us to buy food. We do not know who put our silver in our sacks.”

“It is fine,” said the steward. “Do not be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, gave you the treasure that was in your sacks. I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. And the steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet, and provided food for their donkeys.

Since the brothers had been told that they were going to eat a meal there, they prepared their gift for Joseph’s arrival at noon. When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought, and they bowed to the ground before him.

He asked if they were well, and then he asked, “How is your elderly father you told me about? Is he still alive?”

“Your servant our father is well,” they answered. “He is still alive.” And they bowed down to honor him.

When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he asked, “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Then he declared, “May God be gracious to you, my son.”

Joseph hurried out because he was moved to tears for his brother, and he went to a private room to weep. Then he washed his face and came back out. Regaining his composure, he said, “Serve the meal.”

They served Joseph’s brothers separately from him and the Egyptians who ate with him, because Egyptians would not eat with Hebrews, since that was detestable to them. They were seated before him in order by age, from the firstborn to the youngest, and the men looked at each other in astonishment. When the portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times larger than any of the others. So they feasted and drank freely with Joseph.

(This is a long passage, but the Bible tells the story so well that it’s useless to paraphrase it.) Talk about feeling guilty! While Joseph is preparing a royal welcome for his brothers, his brothers are terrified that they will be taken as slaves. Evidently Joseph paid for the grain his brothers collected last time himself because the steward knows nothing about their money being returned to them. And the steward receives them into Joseph’s house as honored guests, giving them water to wash their feet and food for their donkeys. Everything that can be done for the brothers is complete. Joseph makes sure that his brothers are well fed but he can’t help surprising them a bit by sitting them in order of their birth and then giving Benjamin a portion that is 5 times as big as anyone else’s. All this time Joseph maintains his haughty Egyptian persona, a necessity in a society in which intrigue is rife. Joseph weeps tears of joy. After all these years he is getting to see Benjamin and he hears that Isaac is still healthy.

APPLICATION: What would you do if you had the chance to get back at someone who had blighted your career, perhaps causing your family to lose your house and wind up in a homeless shelter? If God allowed you to make a complete financial recovery and then made someone you had considered your enemy vulnerable to you, what would you do?

Jesus tackled this question with his disciples. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:32-36) Joseph could easily have made things terrible for his brothers, throwing them all in prison, but he didn’t. Somewhere along the line, Joseph managed to forgive his brothers. Whom do you need to forgive?

PRAYER: Father God, thank your for your forgiveness of our sins and for sending Jesus to die on our behalf. Help us to see those whom we need to forgive and to keep choosing to forgive them as many times as we have to until we are free of all resentment. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.