Joseph is Reconciled to His Brothers

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Joseph is Reconciled to His Brothers

• Genesis 431- 455

Presented by Bob DeWaay May 21, 2006
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Genesis 431-10

• The famine forces Jacob to send for more food.
• Judah reminds Jacob that what Jacob refused to do
  earlier (send Benjamin) will be necessary.
• Jacob is unreasonable and blames his sons.
• Judah takes action to save his family.

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Jacob Decides to Send Them

• Genesis 4311, 12
• 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. And 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.

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Jacob Puts his Sons in Gods Hands

• Genesis 4313, 14
• Take your brother also, and arise, return to
  the man and may God Almighty grant you
  compassion in the sight of the man, that he may
  release to you your other brother and Benjamin.
  And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I
  am bereaved.

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Back to Egypt with Benjamin

• Genesis 4315
• 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.

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Genesis 4316 - 25

• Joseph orders that his brothers be brought to his
  house.
• The brothers imagine the worst.
• They tell their story to Josephs steward.
• The steward reassures them and brings them to
  Josephs house and extends courtesy to them.

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Genesis 4326 - 34

• Again they bow before Joseph.
• They still do not know it is Joseph as he
  enquires about the familys welfare.
• Joseph is moved to tears, but weeps privately so
  as not to reveal his identity yet.
• The brothers are served separately by Egyptian
  custom.
• Joseph shows favor to Benjamin

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Genesis 441 - 13

• Joseph has his silver cup planted in Benjamins
  sack.
• Joseph had his brothers set up.
• The steward confronts them.
• The brothers assure him of their innocence.
• They offer slavery and death if they are guilty.
• To their horror, the cup is in Benjamins sack.

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Genesis 4414 - 17

• The brothers still feel their guilt God has
  found out the iniquity of your servants.
• Joseph expresses willingness to let them go and
  keep Benjamin as a slave.

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Judahs Impassioned Speech

• Genesis 4418 31
• He explains Jacobs deep love for Benjamin.
• Joseph finds out that his father thinks he has
  been torn to pieces.
• Judah says that if they do not bring back
  Benjamin, Jacob will die in horrible sorrow.

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Judah Offers to be a Substitute

• Genesis 4432, 33
• 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, therefore, please let your servant
  remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and
  let the lad go up with his brothers.

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This Family Has Been Changed

• Genesis 4434
• For how shall I go up to my father if the lad
  is not with me, lest I see the evil that would
  overtake my father?

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Joseph Reveals His Identity

• Genesis 451, 2
• 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. And he wept so loudly that the
  Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh
  heard of it.

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Joseph Reveals His Identity

• Genesis 453, 4
• 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 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.

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Joseph Holds no Anger Toward His Brothers

• Genesis 455
• And now do not be grieved or angry with
  yourselves, because you sold me here for God
  sent me before you to preserve life.

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Applications

• We must trust God because the future is unknown.
• If we trust God, He will change us through His
  providential dealings.
• We see the meaning of Gods providence after the
  fact, not before.

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We Must Trust God Because the Future is Unknown.

• James 413, 14
• Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow, we
  shall go to such and such a city, and spend a
  year there and engage in business and make a
  profit. Yet you do not know what your life will
  be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that
  appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

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Gods Providential Will is Unknown Until Revealed
Through History

• James 415
• Instead, you ought to say, If the Lord wills,
  we shall live and also do this or that.

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Gods Providential Dealings are Designed to
Change Us

• James 511
• Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You
  have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen
  the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord
  is full of compassion and is merciful.

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Seeing the Meaning of Providence After the Fact

• Genesis 5020
• And as for you, you meant evil against me, but
  God meant it for good in order to bring about
  this present result, to preserve many people
  alive.

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