The Story Of Joseph Part 24--Jacob's Promise From God

Genesis 46: 1-4

Jacob trusted the Lord God with his children when he let his sons take Benjamin with them to Egypt, and God rewarded this step of faith by encouraging him in the knowledge of Joseph's being alive, and his ascendancy to being the Egyptian king's vizier, to be lord over the whole nation of Egypt. 

So now Jacob, being more the Israel (Prince with God) than ever, he is acting on this new information, trusting that it is true. 

(1) So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 

Israel is offering worship to God, to thank Him for the good that He is doing for him in his old age, to be able to see his favorite son again, and to remove all the doubt and despair he had been feeling. Then he camps there for the night.

(2) God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here I am."  

And now Jacob is having a dream.

(3) He said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. 

God tells him that He is taking him out of Canaan, out from all the seductive cultures that surrounded his family there. Egypt will be the hot-house where God will grow Israel's family into a whole nation.

(4) "I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes." 

God promises that He will be with Israel while they are in Egypt, that Jacob will live the rest of his life there, and that Joseph, his favorite son, will be with him when he dies. He will have a peaceful going into the next plane of existence, Sheol, the place of the dead. And his body will be carried back to Canaan for burial, because Canaan is the land that God will give to the nation that he will engender. So his body will be laid to rest in their own land, not Egypt. 

Egypt will only be temporary, and God will grow and strengthen this fledgling nation to be strong and capable to take possession of their land. 

Israel entered Egypt a family; in time they will leave as a nation. 

O my Father, Your plan was to take Abraham, whose great faith in You when he was the about only one who knew You then, to make his line into a whole nation, through his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob. Now at this point in the plan, You are taking Jacob and all of his whole family into Egypt, out of all the attractions of the Canaanites around them, to grow them into the great nation Israel in the sanctuary of Goshen, the most prosperous neighborhood in Egypt. 

And Father, You are also working out Your plan for me, even the little I will be able to do for Your Kingdom, You are working out in my life. Father, keep me in Your arms, close to Your heart, that my heart will beat in sync with Yours, and I will accomplish Your will as Your hands and feet. 

O Father, send out all of Your children into all the world to tell every living person of Your love for all of us, and how they can be born into Your family, also. Let every person in every nation hear and understand. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! 

The Story Of Joseph Part 23--Jacob Becomes Israel

 Genesis 45: 16-28

Joseph was finally satisfied that his brothers had grown enough to accept their father's love for Benjamin, and to realize that Jacob did love all of his sons, but in different ways. As all parents do. 

Then when he finally came to the point of honestly revealing to them who he really was, the release of all the pent-up passion that Joseph had for his brothers came out in such a flood of emotion, that the whole neighborhood around Joseph's house could hear it. 

And now that Joseph has revealed himself, his personal servants didn't have to keep it a secret any more, and could tell Pharaoh's servants, too, who informed the king.

(16) When the news was heard in Pharaoh's house that Joseph's brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his servants.  

Since Joseph is so much loved and highly regarded by Pharaoh and his servants, they were glad for him to have his brothers come.

(17) Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Say to your brothers, 'Do this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan, (18) and take your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.' 

Now Pharaoh himself is telling Joseph to do what Joseph wanted to do with his family, to bring them all to Egypt, so they would no longer be estranged from him.

(19) "Now you are ordered, 'Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father and come. (20) Do not concern yourselves with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.'" 

So the Pharaoh is doing his thing and giving orders, telling his servants to provide these things; and telling Joseph to tell his brothers that he'll give them everything they need, so pack light. 

(21) Then the sons of Israel did so; and Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. (22) To each of them he gave changes of garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of garments. (23) To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey. (24) So he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, "Do not quarrel on the journey." 

So Joseph gave them all the proof they will need to convince their father, and, knowing his brothers, cautioned them to not quarrel on the journey! He knew that their mothers quarreled and the boys learned that from them.

(25) Then they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. (26) They told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler over all the land of Egypt." But he was stunned, for he did not believe them. 

This is quite a development after decades believing Joseph is dead, no wonder he's incredulous. This is why Joseph sent so much with them. To convince him that not only is he alive, but he is the lord of Egypt they've been dealing with.

(27) 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. 

Jacob is experiencing all the depression and doubt of decades falling away! He finally has hope again, and grows tremendously in his faith and trust in the God he's been holding on to all his life.

(28) Then Israel said, "It is enough; my son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." 

Jacob is now more Israel as he trusts God more, and decides to take action on this new information he believes is true.  

God told Jacob, the Deceiver, that he was a Prince with God, when he was on his way back from Padan-Aram to Canaan with eleven of his twelve sons, when they were still small (Genesis 32: 28). And he has been struggling for so many years to accept that concept. 

Now he is finally realizing the full impact of how God has seen him already, and is now taking action to move on this increased faith.

So it looks like they will be moving from Canaan to Egypt.

O my Father, You will move Heaven and Earth to grow Your children. You took all the time that Jacob needed, even to sustaining his life and health into extreme old age. Nothing is impossible with You. 

My Father, I know Your love for me is just as real and practical as Your love for Jacob/Israel. You know each of us individually, and You love us each as You made us. You know that we all need to grow up in our faith, and You give each of us all the time we need to grow. So, Father, help me not to waste any of the time You are giving to me, so that I will grow into the mature Woman of God You made me to be, and grant me to have a godly influence on my children and grandchildren, as my flesh has gotten in my way so often. 

O Father, grow all Your children up in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, until we all together reach the full stature of the Body of Christ, as His body parts. Complete Your heavenly Temple of which we are the living stones. 

Send out all Your children, Father, to reach every living person in the world; that they may all understand how You love us all, and have already sent Your Son to be our Savior, meeting all of our most fundamental needs, and all the peripheral needs, too. You have given us abundant life, to enjoy both here and forever. Please bring all Your babies to the birth into Your family, and grow us all up to be Your sons and daughters, to inherit all the glory and blessings of Your abundance. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! 

 

 

 

 

The Story Of Joseph Part 22--Joseph Reveals His Identity

 Genesis 45: 1-15

The sons of Israel have come from Canaan to Egypt for the second time to buy food. The famine is still ongoing, and Joseph is done testing his brothers. He has learned that they have treated his little brother differently than they treated him, and are feeling guilty for what they did to him. And he is so joyful to have his family back, that he can hardly contain himself. 

Now here's the big moment.

(1) 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. 

JOSEPH MADE HIMSELF KNOWN TO HIS BROTHERS! Now we will see how he did it.

(2) He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard of it. 

Joseph must have really been screaming-crying in finally releasing his pent-up passion for his family.

(3) 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 he just comes out with it, to the shock and surprise of his brothers, who realize that this brother they were so mean to now has the power over them to destroy them!

(4) 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. (5) Now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. (6) 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. (7) God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the Earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. (8) 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 gives his brothers his own viewpoint on what has happened and why; that God was the one who sent him to Egypt, not his brothers, so that he could save a lot of people from starving to death. So he doesn't want them to blame themselves. God is the one who made Joseph the ruler in Egypt by giving him grace in Pharaoh's eyes, so that he would be able to do this.

(9) "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 delay. 

Now he tells them to go get their father Jacob, and bring him down to Egypt, too.

(10) "'You shall live in the land of Goshen, and  you shall be near me, you and your herds and all that you have. 

Goshen is the best neighborhood in all of Egypt, the high-dollar district, as far from the slums as you could get. There they will be near Joseph, and the family can be together again.

(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 says that he will be able to take care of them, as they could otherwise starve to death in Canaan because the famine will last another five years.

(12) "Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. 

He tells them to believe their own eyes, that it really is him, their long-lost brother Joseph, telling them these things.

(13) "Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here." 

Then he tells them to hurry back to get their father, and explain to him that Joseph has all the wealth and authority to take care of them.

(14) Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. (15) He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him. 

And he hugged and kissed them all, and finally they were able to carry on a conversation with him.

If you remember, back when they first sold him to the caravan heading for Egypt, they were so blindly jealous of him that they couldn't even say a positive word to him. Now 22 years have elapsed, and they've had time to reconsider what they did, and realize what it did to their own father; and to treat his little brother who was in the same position he had been in as being Jacob's favorite, better, to accept the situation, and that Jacob loved them, too.

I wonder what Joseph would have done if his brothers had had the same attitude toward Benjamin that they'd had toward him. But, of course, God was working in their attitudes and relationships, and they all had their own families now, too, so they all had a little more wisdom with their increased age and experiences. 

And God had kept Jacob alive, too, to witness the reunification of his family, and to see his beloved, lost son again. 

O my Father, You are so good, and so wise, and so patient with us. You teach us Your patience when You let us wait on You to build in us the character qualities of Your dear Son. Sometimes it takes us a long time to learn, as You made Joseph wait so many years for his brothers to come to the point where they would be ready to reunite with him. 

My Father, You have had me waiting on You for many years, also. I wonder when You will break things loose for me, to be able to fulfill my dreams to serve You. Strengthen me to continue to serve You in the small ways I have been, as I grow in patience and longsuffering, developing Christ's character as a member of His body. 

O Father, send out Your children to witness to our neighbors and our cities and our nations, to demonstrate to the world Your love to counteract all the hatred being spewed out from our enemy. Wake up Your people, to see what is going on around them, and to understand the truth of what it means, so they will choose to respond in a righteous manner. Bring a great Awakening, and a huge revival, Father, so huge that the media cannot ignore it. 

And send out Your children as Your messengers and missionaries to tell the world of Your love in Your Son. Bring every child to the birth in Your family, and fill Your great house with all of Your uncounted progeny. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus! 

The Story Of Joseph Part 21--His Final Testing Of His Brothers

 Genesis 44: 1-34

The brothers have returned to Egypt, this time with their little brother Benjamin, and they have had dinner at Joseph's royal house as his guests. But they still don't know who he is. 

(1) Then he commanded his house steward, saying, "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. (2) Put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his money for the grain." And he did as Joseph had told him. (3) As soon as it was light, the men were sent away, they with their donkeys. (4) They had just gone out of the city, and were not far off, when Joseph said to his house steward, "Up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? (5) Is not this the one from which my lord drinks and which he indeed uses for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.'" (6) So he overtook them and spoke these words to them. 

Now Joseph is going to bring them back to him, by planting his silver cup in Benjamin's sack, to see the brothers' response to this. He is still testing them.

(7) They said to him, "Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing. (8) Behold, the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks we have brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord's house? 

Now they have to defend themselves, and they remind him that they even returned the money from before, so why would they steal anything, they're honest men!

(9) "With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves." 

Now they're so sure of themselves, they pronounce this severe sentence on themselves.

(10) So he said, "Now let it also be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and the rest of you shall be innocent." 

Then the chief manservant of the vizier pronounced the just sentence, rather than the severe results they imagined.

(11) Then they hurried, each man lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. (12) He searched, beginning with the oldest, and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 

Of course, it was in Benjamin's, as Joseph told his servant to do. 

(13) Then they tore their clothes, and when each man loaded his donkey, they returned to the city. 

So they turned around and went back.

(14) When Judah and his brothers returned to Joseph's house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. (15) Joseph said to them, "What is this deed that you have done? Do you not know that such a man as I can indeed practice divination?" 

Joseph was waiting for them. He wants to hear what they will have to say, what are their attitudes toward him and their father and Benjamin.

(16) So Judah said, What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? And how can we justify ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; behold we are my lord's slaves, both we and the one in whose possession the cup has been found." 

Judah said that they would all be willing to be his slaves.

(17) But he said, "Far be it from me to do this. The man in whose possession the cup has been found, he shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father." 

Joseph presents the "reasonable" consequence. Will they go back without Benjamin?

(18) Then Judah approached him, and said, "Oh my lord, may your servant please speak a word in my lord's ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are equal to Pharaoh. (19) My lord asked his servants, saying, 'Have you a father or a brother?' (20) We said to my lord, 'We have an old father and a little child of his old age. Now his brother is dead, so he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.' (21) Then you said to your servants, 'Bring him down to me that I may set my eyes on him.' (22) But we said to my lord, 'The lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.' (23) You said to your servants, however, 'Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.' (24) Thus it came about when we went up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. (25) Our father said, 'Go back, buy us a little food.' (26) But we said, 'We cannot go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.' (27) Your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons; (28) and the one went out from me and I said, 'Surely he is torn in pieces," and I have not seen him since. (29) If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.' (30) Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life, (31) when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. 

And Judah recounts the whole story of what happened since they got home the last time, with the whole situation with their father.

(32) "For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame before my father forever.' 

Now he finds out that Judah is defending Benjamin, his brother. This is good.

(33) "Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. (34) For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me--for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?" 

Now Joseph can understand that his brothers are not persecuting his brother as they did him, that they treasure him and respect the bond their father has with him. 

This is what he's been wanting to see. They are not wanting to get rid of Benjamin like they did him, and they are repenting of treating Joseph the way they did. 

How will he now respond to this? 

O my Father, You are so good to Joseph to show him how his brothers have grown, and You are so good to all of Your children. Even when it seems that there are years of waiting, and betrayals by those we love the most, You use it all for our benefit and our good, and You receive the glory. 

O Father, grow up all Your children, and send us all out in our own ways to share with the world how much You love us all! Let every living person hear and know that You have already met their deepest needs, and let Your Love counteract all the hatred that is spewing out all over world. 

Father, bring all Your children to the birth into Your family, and grow us up so that we all will attain to the stature of the Son of God. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! 

The Story Of Joseph Part 20--Joseph Served Like Jesus

Genesis 43: 26-34

We've followed this story along to when the brothers had to return to Egypt for more food, because the famine outlasted the grain they bought before, and they had to bring Benjamin with them so they wouldn't be arrested as spies by the stern, suspicious lord over the grain and the country. 

So Jacob relented and decided to let them bring Benjamin; and if he lost this son, too, then he would just die in grief! He put them all in God's hand, and learned to trust God more with this difficult step he had to take. 

Then when the brothers all arrived in Egypt, Joseph didn't even let them come far into the market, but had his men escort them directly to his own royal house for lunch. This scared the brothers, thinking that he wanted to pick on them and accuse them of stealing the other grain, so they approached the head manservant and asked him to explain to this ruler what had happened. 

(26) When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him. 

They still didn't realize who this Egyptian ruler was. They're confused about all the "coincidences" that are happening, but they're still doing their best to appease this suspicious lord, with the gift from Canaan their dad had them bring. And they all bow down before him again. 

(27) When he asked them about their welfare, and said, "Is your old father well, of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 

Joseph wants to know that his father is still alive, he is very old by now, he's 130 years old (see 47: 9)! 

(28) They said, "Your servant our father is well; he is still alive." They bowed down in homage. 

And they assure him that Dad is still kicking! And they again bow down to him. 

(29) As he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." 

When Joseph looked over all his brothers, and saw his little full brother among all his half-brothers, he spoke to him, welcoming him. 

(30) Joseph hurried out for he was deeply stirred over his brother, and he sought a place to weep; and he entered his chamber and wept there. 

He was so overcome with emotion he had to get out of there and find a private place where he could vent some of this overwhelming joy, so he ended up all the way into his private bedroom where he could cry his eyes out! These Middle-Easterners are a very passionate people, which shows us how passionate our God is with us! 

(31) Then he washed his face and came out; and he controlled himself and said, "Serve the meal." 

Now that he's been able to take the edge off, he cleans up and steels himself to be the Egyptian ruler, and commands the feast to begin. 

(32) So they served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with them by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for that is loathsome to the Egyptians. 

This must be a large dining room, as each group is sitting at a separate table from the rest; so Joseph is sitting by himself at his table, his brothers are all at their own table, and the other Egyptians who normally ate the midday meal with their lord are at their own table, also. Evidently the Egyptians had a problem with having that close an association with this other, Hebrew culture. 

(33) Now they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, and the men looked at one another in astonishment. 

When Joseph had his brothers seated at their table, he lined them up all in birth-order. And his brothers were even more confused at this "coincidence." How would this foreigner "just happen" to put their places at the table in the precise order? Weird! 

(34) He took portions to them from his own table, but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they feasted and drank freely with him. 

Now this lord is serving them! He doesn't tell his servants to serve them, the servants put all their food on Joseph's table, and he got up and served them their dinners. And he gave extra honor (more food) to his little brother, because he was the only one who had the same mother as Joseph. 

Joseph is a prototype of Jesus, demonstrating that our Lord Jesus came to serve us. So we are also to serve one another as He did. 

Jacob, who the Lord renamed Israel, had 12 sons, by 4 women. Two of these women were sisters, who were his wives, and the other two were the sisters' maids, servants. It is very interesting that Joseph and Benjamin are the sons of Jacob's favorite wife, Rachel, who is the girl he fell in love with, and worked for seven years to marry her. But the girls' father Laban put his other daughter, Leah, in the tent on the wedding night, instead of Rachel, and made him work another seven years. So Rachel was the only one he wanted to be his wife, and the sisters gave him their slave-girls to be his concubines and have children when they weren't having sons. (All this is recorded in Genesis 29, 30, and 35.)

So Leah ended up giving him 6 sons and a daughter, and the two maid-servants and Rachel each had two sons, making twelve sons to become the twelve Tribes of Israel. 

And it was Leah's sons, Reuben, Simeon and Judah, who spoke up in Joseph's and Benjamin's defense. None of the concubines' sons. I find this interesting. Not only the father, but the mother is also important, because she is the one who provides their children's first education. Then when they are older, they are taught by their father. 

These twelve boys all had the same father, but their mothers provided their basic moral foundation. 

O my Father, You pay attention to every detail of our lives, and You direct our steps in the paths on which You have placed our feet. You were directing Jacob, the deceiver, to grow into Israel, the Prince with God. And You were directing Laban to provide to Jacob his wives and their maids to be the mothers and first teachers of each of his sons, to become the nation of Israel. 

Father, It was this blood-line that You used to bring Your only begotten Son into the world to be our Savior. Now You are calling to Yourself those from every nation, every tribe, every family, every place; to be Your own children. You have made us all to be one race of Mankind, and You offer Your wonderful gift of Salvation to every living person. 

O Father, please send out all of Your children as Your messengers and missionaries to tell everyone how much You love us all. And draw all of those seeking You into Your own family, to fill Your great house with all of Your uncountable children. 

Because every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus! 

The Story Of Joseph Part 19--Joseph's Consistent Witness

 Genesis 43: 16-25

Jacob is becoming Israel (from the "Deceiver" who couldn't trust, to the "Prince with God"), and he let the brothers bring Benjamin with them back to Egypt to buy more food, despite the dangers, leaving them all in God's hands. 

(16) When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to his house steward, "Bring the men into the house, and slay an animal and make ready; for the men are to dine with me at noon." (17) So the man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph's house.

Joseph didn't even talk to them out in the marketplace this time, he just instructed his manservant to bring them all to his house and prepare a feast. We must assume that his personal servant was fully aware of who these men were and what his master was doing, having been involved in this drama from the beginning.

(18) Now the men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "It is because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time that we are being brought in, that he may seek occasion against us and fall upon us, and take us for slaves with our donkeys." 

The brothers still didn't know what was going on, though, and being ushered into the royal house of this stern and suspicious Egyptian ruler was very scary. They assumed that they would be accused of stealing the former grain, just so this foreigner could take advantage of them.

(19) So they came near to Joseph's house steward, and spoke to him at the entrance of the house, (20) and said, "Oh my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food, (21) and it came about when we came to the lodging place, that we opened our sacks, and behold, each man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full. So we have brought it back in our hand. (22) We have also brought down other money in our hand to buy food; we do not know who put our money in our sacks." 

As soon as they got there, they approached this servant who was in charge and tried to explain their predicament to him, hoping he'll put in a good word for them, before anything else happened to them.

(23) He said, "Be at ease, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them. 

Now they are probably surprised at what this head servant said to them. I am sure that Joseph, who initially witnessed to Pharaoh himself, also told all his household servants who his God is, and they all saw how he lived his life before them. I'm sure some of them even believed in God instead of all their Egyptian idols. 

Now his head manservant is telling Joseph's brothers that he is the one who facilitated the return of their money the first time, and he credits their God who is also the God of their father. And he also reunited them with Simeon, too.

I think this unnamed servant also worshiped the Lord God Almighty, through Joseph's witness.

(24) So they prepared the present for Joseph's coming at noon; for they had heard that they were to eat a meal there. 

The brothers are still going to give him the present their dad told them to bring, of all the balm and honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, and the pistachio nuts and almonds, to soften his stern attitude toward them.

(25) When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present which was in their hand and bowed to the ground before him. 

Then when Joseph came home for lunch, they lost no time in presenting this gift to him, and they further fulfilled Joseph's dream by bowing down to him. 

I wonder what they thought of these Egyptians talking about their God. They knew that there was a whole pantheon of Egyptian gods that they all worshiped, how would this head steward even know about their God, and especially, why would he give Him credit for putting their money back? They must have been very confused at this point of the story. 

I am impressed with Joseph even more, seeing how he has maintained his faith in God and his witness for Him among this pagan nation he is helping to govern under Pharaoh. It looks to me that he talks of his God every time he has an appropriate opening, and his words and lifestyle are supporting what he says about this God. 

If anyone had "reason" (an excuse) to turn from God, Joseph would be the one. At every turn in his life, when he did "the right thing," it turned out bad for him, three times, and God seemed to be so distant for so many years. Yet Joseph never waned in his trust in God. We never see in any of his story that he made a wrong decision, or lost his way on the path he was following, even when it seemed darkest for a long time. 

If Joseph could maintain his dedication to God and his witness to others in his surroundings, then what could ever happen in my life to cause me to lose my faith, either. 

No matter what happens, no matter how long I must "wait on God" to fulfill my dreams to serve Him, I know that He is trustworthy, and that He wants His love to be broadcast over the whole world. And if He wants to use me in a little part of that, then I am available, and will endeavor to be faithful with the small tasks He lays before me each day. 

O my Father, please send out all of Your children, to share in all the ways You enable each of us to share, how much You love everyone You made; and that You are not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to the repentance of realizing we all deserve death; and that You sent Your own, only begotten Son to fulfill that Personal Sacrifice (Leviticus 1), as the Lamb of God, for each of us.

O Father, bring all of Your children to the birth into Your family, and fill Your great house with all of Your uncountable progeny. And no one else will have any excuse. 

For every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign, soon-coming King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus! 

The Story Of Joseph Part 18--Israel Learns To Trust God More

 Genesis 43: 1-15

We have seen that Joseph is selling Egypt's grain to everyone in the world who can come to buy it, as well as the locals, and his brothers have come also for food. He recognized them, but they didn't realize that this Egyptian ruler was their long-lost brother. So Joseph put them to the test, and let them go home with the grain to feed their families. 

Joseph told his brothers not to come back without his little brother Benjamin, under pain of accusation as spies, a very serious charge. But Jacob is still finding it hard to trust, to let Benjamin go. 

It's most likely a year later, and Joseph is still waiting on God to reunite his family.

(1) Now the famine was severe in the land. (2) So it came about when they had finished eating the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food." 

This famine is lasting longer than one or two years, and they've eaten all the bread they were able to make from the grain they bought, and they're out of food again. So Jacob tells them to go buy some more. 

(3) Judah spoke to him, however, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.' (4) If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. (5) But if you do not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.'" 

Judah is speaking for the brothers, and reminds his dad that if they go without Benjamin, then the Egyptian ruler will accuse them of spying and probably execute them all. So they have to bring Benjamin.

(6) Then Israel said, "Why did you treat me so badly by telling the man whether you still had another brother?" 

Now Jacob is taking this personally, as though his sons are conspiring against him!

(7) But they said, "The man questioned particularly about us and our relatives, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' So we answered his questions. Could we possibly know that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?" 

They are reminding him that this Egyptian was questioning them closely, asking for detailed personal information that could be verified. As though he would investigate them to see if they're spies. If they lied, they would be found out, and they had no reason to lie anyway, they're honest men. They had no idea that he would ask them to bring their little brother. 

(8) Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the lad with me and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, as well as you and our little ones. (9) I myself will be surety for him; you may hold me responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame before you forever. (10) For if we had not delayed, surely by now we could have returned twice." 

Judah is appealing to his father Israel, the "Prince with God," rather than Jacob, the "Deceiver" who can't trust anyone else. He's saying to trust him to protect Benjamin, and to make sure he's safe the whole trip; and that he will take responsibility for him, so that if anything happens to him at all, then Judah will take the blame. And they've already been debating the issue for so long now that they could have made the trip twice.

(11) Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: take some of the best products of the land in your bags, and carry down to the man as a present, a little balm and a little honey, aromatic gum and myrrh, Pistachio nuts and almonds. (12) Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was a mistake. 

So Israel (not Jacob) rises to the occasion and advises them to bring a gift to this stern Egyptian ruler to soften his heart toward them, and to bring twice the price for the grain they want to buy, as well as the money that was returned last time. He didn't want to take any chances.

(13) "Take your brother also, and arise, return to the man; 

And he even relents and lets them take Benjamin with them. This is huge for him.

(14) "and may God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, so that he will release to you your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved." 

And he decides to trust his children to God Almighty, the only One who ultimately can protect all of them and bring a positive result. This is a big step of faith for Israel, in all his years of knowing God, he's learning to trust Him more in his own circumstances. But is he leaving to God the disposition of his children, or is still not trusting Hm enough to bring them home safe?

(15) So the men took this present, and they took double the money in their hand, and Benjamin; then they arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 

So they journeyed again to Egypt to face this stern Egyptian lord, hoping that the present and the money and Benjamin will convince him to be lenient and not think they're spies. 

When we're between a rock and a hard place, what will we do? Jacob found himself and his family between the hard place of starvation and the rock of the Egyptian ruler who seems so suspicious of them. So he's trying to soften the rock. He's relying more on God than before, but he's still not taking any chances, which is probably wise. We are to do what we can, and leave the rest to God. 

O my Father, You are so good to us! You are teaching Jacob to be Israel, to trust You with his children, where a parent's deepest fears lie. You are teaching him that You are not only trustworthy, but will grant him blessings beyond his imagination, right here in this life. 

My Father, You will also grant me blessings, the color and flavor of which I don't know, but I'm sure I will be surprised and satisfied beyond what this world can give. So I want to trust You, too. 

O Father, teach all of Your children to love You back and trust You with their greatest fears and insecurities. We all have different cares, and You are sufficient for all of us, each with our own particular need. 

Father, send out all Your children, to share with all the world how much You love us all, and have already met all of our various and sundry necessities. We all do have some common needs, being broken humans, and these are the deepest most fundamental issues that You have taken care of first, through Your Son. 

Give Your children the words to tell and write and communicate with those who are looking for You, to bring every developing embryo to the birth into Your family. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 

Even so, come with haste, Lord Jesus!