We will begin this lesson in chapter 45 of Genesis. Judah made
his plea in chapter 44, and now, we see Joseph’s answer in chapter 45
verse 1.
Genesis 45:1 “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all
them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from
me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known
unto his brethren.”
Joseph could stand this no more. He broke down and began to cry
in front of everyone. The Egyptians, who were with Joseph, were asked
to leave the room. Joseph told his brothers who he was.
Genesis 45:2 “And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house
of Pharaoh heard.”
He was not just sobbing, this was a wrenching cry to wash away
the hurt of twenty years. The Pharaoh’s house and the Egyptians were
not in the room with Joseph, but this loud crying could be heard
throughout the dwelling. It, possibly, could be heard in adjoining
buildings.
Genesis 45:3 “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I [am] Joseph;
doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for
they were troubled at his presence.”
When Joseph revealed who he was, panic rose up in them, and they
were speechless.
They had thought before that they might lose their lives, but now
they knew that they deserved to die. What would they do? We need to look
at the next few lines and see a type of Jesus. We deserved to die the cruel death of the cross but Jesus, the beloved Son of the Father, took our place to give us eternal life. Joseph the beloved son of Jacob, made a way for his family to live.
Genesis 45:4 “And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me,
I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I [am] Joseph your
brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.”
Genesis 45:5 “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with
yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to
preserve life.”
There are symbolisms in this. We are Jesus’ brethren. Jesus has forgiven us. We do not deserve it, but it is part of God’s plan to save us.
Joseph forgave his brethren. They did not deserve it. He tried to
explain that they were doing what God wanted them to do in order to
save them.
Genesis 45:6 “For these two years [hath] the famine [been] in the
land: and yet [there are] five years, in the which [there shall]
neither [be] earing nor harvest.”
Genesis 45:7 “And God sent me before you to preserve you a
posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great
deliverance.”
Sometimes, when God sends us out to do a job for Him, we are not
aware, at first, what the mission is for. Often is seems so futile, as
it did when Joseph was in jail. If we are God’s, nothing happens to us
accidentally, it is part of God’s plan
Joseph was telling them of five more years of famine. He was trying
to make them understand that he was sent ahead to prepare a place,
where his family can be saved. Joseph was not holding a grudge. He
realized that his time here was part of a great plan. God had, to get
the children of Isreal into Egypt. God told Abraham they would spend
400 years in Egypt. This was fulfillment of that prophecy.
Genesis 45:8 “So now [it was] not you [that] sent me hither, but
God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his
house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”
God had worked out the selling of Joseph to Potiphar. Potiphar’s
wife had been used, as well, to get Joseph in jail. There he met the
butler who told the Pharaoh about Joseph’s interpretation of dreams.
God can use ungodly people to accomplish His goals. Joseph had to be
ruler in Egypt, so that he wood be allowed to bring his family to
safety. Thus began Israel’s stay in Egypt.
Genesis 45:9 “Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him,
Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come
down unto me, tarry not:”
Genesis 45:10 “And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and
thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s
children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast:”
Genesis 45:11 “And there will I nourish thee; for yet [there are]
five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou
hast, come to poverty.”
Joseph had shared, with his brothers, the dream God had revealed
to him. There would be seven years of famine. If Jacob’ family was already
needing food after two years, then they would starve to death in five
more years. Joseph sent his father word that he would take care of
them through this terrible time.
Here is another symbolism.
This seven years of famine is like the seven years of tribulation
about to come to the earth.
Jesus, I believe, will take his brethren out of tribulation
somewhere around the middle of the seven years.
Joseph brought his family to safety somewhere around the middle
of the seven years famine.
Woe be unto those who are left during the seven years of
tribulation. We, like Joseph, must be prepared.
Genesis 45:12 “And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my
brother Benjamin, that [it is] my mouth that speaketh unto you.”
Genesis 45:13 “And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in
Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down
my father hither.”
The urgency of the hour was what Joseph was trying to get over to
his brothers. He was, also, telling them, it was not second-hand
information.
When the Trumpet blows to call us out of tribulation, it will be
Jesus, Himself blowing the trumpet.
Genesis 45:14 “And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and
wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.”
Genesis 45:15 “Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon
them: and after that his brethren talked with him.”
Here too, the symbolism cries out. Benjamin represented the
original (physical) Isreal. We Christians are represented by the other
brothers. Benjamin was a whole brother. The others were half-brothers.
The Jew is the natural branch. We have been adopted and grafted into
the tree. They were no longer afraid, when he hugged and kissed them.
All was forgiven, never to be remembered again.
Genesis 45:16 “And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s
house, saying, Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh
well, and his servants.”
Pharaoh was delighted because Joseph’s brothers had come, and it
had made Joseph so happy. All this time, Joseph was highly respected by
the Pharaoh and his servants. All Egypt was grateful to Joseph for his
plan to keep them alive. Whatever it takes to made Joseph happy made
everyone happy.
We will pick up in Genesis chapter 45 verse 17, in the next
lesson.