Genesis 45
“I am Joseph!” (vs
3). Weeping “so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's
household heard about it” (vs. 2), Joseph makes his identity known
to his brothers. They are speechless because they are terrified.
But Joseph reassures them, “do not be distressed and do not be
angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save
lives that God sent me ahead of you.” (vs 5) He goes on to explain
the continuation of the famine and a plan to bring the whole family
to Egypt. To read the entirety of Joseph's speech, Pharoah's offer,
and Jacob's response, see Genesis 45.
For me, I'm caught up in the reunion.
Twenty-two years after they sold their brother to get rid of him, he
appears before them as the man able to save their family (vs. 7). Not only that, he approaches them with a gracious spirit and
confidence in God's work through their act of hatred!
The Bible doesn't give us access to Joseph's inner processing of the betrayal and trauma he went through, of the difficult and unfair circumstances he faced, of the rise to power he experienced, and of the surprising encounters with his brothers. But we do know his response once he “could no longer control himself before all his attendants” (vs 1) so he sent everyone out of the room “when he made himself known to his brothers.” (vs 2). Joseph wept.
“Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping, And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.” (vs 14-15)
What was Joseph's weeping about? Many things possibly: tears of sorrow over the lost years, tears of joy in being reunited with his brothers, tears of gratitude that his brothers had changed, and tears of happy anticipation that he would see his father alive. Grief and joy mixed together with such a strong faith in God! Joseph says, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” (vs 8).
How does this part of the story impact you? For me, questions of God's sovereignty and our freedom to act/choose come up. But somehow my stress over the theological debate diminishes in beholding the weeping brothers embracing. God has done a marvelous thing! And although I may not be able to figure out exactly how or why things happened, I can accept that He is able to do this... even in our lives today.
The Bible doesn't give us access to Joseph's inner processing of the betrayal and trauma he went through, of the difficult and unfair circumstances he faced, of the rise to power he experienced, and of the surprising encounters with his brothers. But we do know his response once he “could no longer control himself before all his attendants” (vs 1) so he sent everyone out of the room “when he made himself known to his brothers.” (vs 2). Joseph wept.
“Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping, And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.” (vs 14-15)
What was Joseph's weeping about? Many things possibly: tears of sorrow over the lost years, tears of joy in being reunited with his brothers, tears of gratitude that his brothers had changed, and tears of happy anticipation that he would see his father alive. Grief and joy mixed together with such a strong faith in God! Joseph says, “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.” (vs 8).
How does this part of the story impact you? For me, questions of God's sovereignty and our freedom to act/choose come up. But somehow my stress over the theological debate diminishes in beholding the weeping brothers embracing. God has done a marvelous thing! And although I may not be able to figure out exactly how or why things happened, I can accept that He is able to do this... even in our lives today.
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