Genesis 45
Genesis 45:1-28 (NLT)
1 Joseph could stand it no longer. There were many people in the room, and he said to his attendants, “Out, all of you!” So he was alone with his brothers when he told them who he was.
2 Then he broke down and wept. He wept so loudly the Egyptians could hear him, and word of it quickly carried to Pharaoh’s palace.
3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them.
4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt.
5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.
6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.
7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.
8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.
9 “Now hurry back to my father and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me master over all the land of Egypt. So come down to me immediately!
10 You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me with all your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and everything you own.
11 I will take care of you there, for there are still five years of famine ahead of us. Otherwise you, your household, and all your animals will starve.’”
12 Then Joseph added, “Look! You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that I really am Joseph!
13 Go tell my father of my honored position here in Egypt. Describe for him everything you have seen, and then bring my father here quickly.”
14 Weeping with joy, he embraced Benjamin, and Benjamin did the same.
15 Then Joseph kissed each of his brothers and wept over them, and after that they began talking freely with him.
16 The news soon reached Pharaoh’s palace: “Joseph’s brothers have arrived!” Pharaoh and his officials were all delighted to hear this.
17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘This is what you must do: Load your pack animals, and hurry back to the land of Canaan.
18 Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces.’”
19 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt to carry your little children and your wives, and bring your father here.
20 Don’t worry about your personal belongings, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”
21 So the sons of Jacob did as they were told. Joseph provided them with wagons, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he gave them supplies for the journey.
22 And he gave each of them new clothes—but to Benjamin he gave five changes of clothes and 300 pieces of silver.
23 He also sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the finest products of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies he would need on his journey.
24 So Joseph sent his brothers off, and as they left, he called after them, “Don’t quarrel about all this along the way!”
25 And they left Egypt and returned to their father, Jacob, in the land of Canaan.
26 “Joseph is still alive!” they told him. “And he is governor of all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned at the news—he couldn’t believe it.
27 But when they repeated to Jacob everything Joseph had told them, and when he saw the wagons Joseph had sent to carry him, their father’s spirits revived.
28 Then Jacob exclaimed, “It must be true! My son Joseph is alive! I must go and see him before I die.”
The circumstances that looked so much like trials and tribulations to Joseph and Jacob were actually God’s work of salvation for many more than those in endurance. The degree of suffering they encountered was far outweighed by the abundance of blessings that overwhelmed them in the provision of God. How critical it was, though, in the middle of the season of God’s maturing plan for Joseph to remain free from bitterness and hatred towards his brothers. His maintained position of worship unto God throughout this time allowed his perspective of their actions not to be their own, but directly orchestrated by God. Because of this, his heart remained overwhelmed with passion and love for them that was finally released in a wave of tearful joy rather than closed and vengeful.
The forming nation of Israel would encounter a similar opportunity on a much larger scale as the nation that looked to be their benefactor initially turned into a malicious slavemaster. Rather than becoming embittered toward God and unwilling to follow His salvation, His movements through Moses helped their hearts progress to a blessing that had been in preparation all along throughout this apparent curse.
There will be seasons of obvious injustice when there is no apparent reason to be encouraged in the circumstances of life. Those involved in acting out rejections and denials that cause great heart anguish and trial of the flesh are the very ones a heart of love for God will be most affected by, with great purpose in His forming plan. Nearness to His mercy and reception of His great and undeserved love will transform rightful passion for retribution and revenge into a reciprocating heart of mercy and forgiveness that reflects His. His greater purpose and plan of overwhelming blessing is contingent upon this work of love. Actions and choices essential to His working will only be possible from this heart He can work with. There may be extended periods when this heart condition is yet in development, as those feelings of hurt and rejection seem to merit any holding to bitterness and revenge. They help for the necessary forming of the heart will not be in personal efforts from information alone. It will only be fully corrected in the presence of the Comforter in the revelation of His great love and our inability to be separated from it. Our melting heart in this place near His will be adequately reformed to become useful in His plan for overwhelming provision and salvation. It’s always near His heart that we become participants in a plan so much bigger than just for us.