Genesis 45

Genesis 45

The big twist of this story occurs in Genesis 45, except the readers already know what is about to happen. This whole time, we have known that Joseph’s brothers have been unknowingly coming to him for help. Joseph has chosen not to reveal who he is to test them and see where they stand now, later in life. But when Judah, at the end of Genesis 44, revealed how heartbroken their father would be if anything happened to Benjamin (due to what he was told happened to Joseph), Joseph cannot hold it in any longer. He has seen a great change in his brothers, and he now wants them to know who he is. They were obviously shocked, and I think that they might have felt some guilt over what they had done to him. But before they can say anything, Joseph assures them that he is not angry for he sees how God used this situation for His good. Joseph realizes that if he had not been sold into slavery, his family would not have made it through the famine. Obviously, God would have chosen different means to protect His people, but Joseph recognizes here that these were those means that God chose to use. God always has a plan, and we have to learn to go along with it by faith.

Joseph then explains all that happened to him in Egypt and that the famine is not yet over. He wants them to go get his father and for them all to come back to live in Egypt. He knows that if they move to Egypt, they will be protected, he can provide for them throughout the rest of the famine. This is God’s way of preserving a great nation. His brothers obeyed and agreed to head back to Canaan to get Jacob. But Pharaoh also heard of Joseph’s plans, and although he could have dismissed Joseph immediately (possibly in fear of Joseph taking over), he too agreed to this plan. Pharaoh gave them supplies to travel home with and promised that when they returned that they would receive the best of the land and the best of supplies.

When his brothers arrived back in Canaan they told their father the good news. But Jacob did not believe them at first, and why should he? He was told, by them, that Joseph had been killed years before. They had never come clean about what they had done to Joseph. Now all of a sudden they were changing their story, telling him that Joseph was ruler over Egypt. Now although the text does not say if they told the truth of what they had done or not, but it does say that they told him all that Joseph had said. Since Joseph mentioned their selling him into slavery in showing how God had used that for His good, they may have explained that part of the story to their father.

Whether they told Jacob or not, we do not know, but we can learn something from this encounter. There may be things that we are hiding from people in our lives whom we have wronged. These people may have no clue that they have been tricked or hurt. Of course the right thing to do is to come clean, but that is not always easy. But remember that secrets and deceit among family or friends will only lead to more problems. On countless occasions in Scripture we see how one sin can lead to so many problems, and we have seen this most recently with Joseph and his brothers. Do not let that one thing in your life separate you from those whom you love, or anybody for that matter. Set things right, and move past it all. You may find that it is easier than you expect.

Matt