Genesis 45 Lesson: Joseph revealed-Blessings of a risen Lord

Bible Study Series: Joseph, Jesus and You

Genesis 45 Lesson: Joseph revealed - Blessings of a risen Lord!

by I Gordon

Well we left the last study at a critical point. Joseph had tested his brothers. Would they protect and stand by Benjamin when he was falsely accused of stealing Joseph's cup? Or would they abandon him like they did Joseph all those years ago? And we saw that Judah, from whom would come the Messiah, stood up, and spoke up, placing his own life on the line for the sake of his brother. In terms of the test, that is a definite pass... with distinction! So this chapter is about a risen Joseph. It will be revealed to Joseph's brothers and father that Joseph is alive! What difference will that make? And what does it mean for us? So we'll look at the blessings of a risen Lord:

• We'll see how we too, like Joseph, can move past our hurts because of the cross
• We'll look at the good things Joseph had for his family and how this applies to Jesus and believers
• We'll sneak in some prophetic pointers from this chapter looking at when the Jews finally acknowledge their sin and need of Jesus
• We'll close with the importance of following what Jacob did, when he realized the Joseph was alive, in our everyday life

The mouth-dropping revelation

Gen 45:1-4 Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, "Have everyone leave my presence!" So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. (2) And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh's household heard about it. (3) Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. (4) Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!

Up until now Joseph had been incredibly composed, keeping his identity and emotions in check. Not now. Joseph is triggered, so what made him so emotional? Judah's speech, no doubt backed up by all the brothers, showed that they were repentant. They had changed. They admitted their guilt and would not abandon Benjamin. Judah would put his own life on the line to protect Benjamin and save his father the heartache of losing another favored son. Like I mentioned, the brothers scored an 'A' and officially passed the tests. And this touched Joseph to the extent that he could no longer hold back his feelings. Or his identity! So Joseph asked all his Egyptian attendants to leave the room. This was a very personal, intimate moment between Joseph and his brothers. So what does this picture?

1. Firstly it pictures Jesus with the soul of man. This is one on one. The world (Egypt) is shut out as it knows nothing about the work of the Lord in the heart of man. 
2. Secondly it pictures what is to come with Jesus and His Jewish brothers at the end of the age. Only Joseph and his brothers knew what had happened over two decades ago. And only the Jews, once they recognize Jesus, Yeshua, as their Messiah, will grasp the enormity of what they did, as a nation, two millennia ago.

Now as Joseph reveals his identity he is met with a 'argh, what?' Not only could his brothers not answer his question about their father's wellbeing, they couldn't even really speak! They were not only astonished, they were terrified! This was definitely a plot twist they did not see coming! The Hebrew word used to describe their reaction is 'bāhal' - 'A verb meaning to be dismayed or terrified. It is sometimes used when a sudden threat conveys great fear (Exo 15:15; 1Sa 28:21)." They were essentially paralyzed with fear.¹ 

So Joseph asked them to come close. He always wanted to be close to them. It was never his will that he would be separated from his family. In like manner, the Lord asks us to come close but what sometimes prevents this from happening? Like Joseph's brothers it is sometimes guilt. Sometimes fear. And yet, as scripture says, perfect love casts out all fear, and if a person is ever to find perfect love in this world, it is from God. The work of the cross was specifically designed to deal with sin so that we could draw close to the Lord. That is what He wants. As scripture says "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." (Eph 2:13)

And thus, Joseph tells them again saying "I am Joseph, the one you sold into slavery." When the sinner has their eyes opened they receive a similar revelation - 'I am Jesus, who died on the cross for your sin!' And one day Jesus, in love, will say to His Jewish brothers, 'I am Yeshua, the One you hated, rejected and killed on a cross.' Let's look a little more at this day...

The Prophetic Application

We've spoke about this before but this scene points to the day of reconciliation between Jesus and His Jewish brothers as shown by the prophet Zechariah:

Zec 12:10-14 I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. (11) "In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 

The grief that the Israelites will feel, after Yeshua is finally revealed to them as their Messiah, is described in two ways:

1. Like the loss of an only son.
2. Like the 'mourning of Hadadrimmon in the plain of Megiddo' - which is a reference to the national mourning of Judah when their godly King Josiah, the nation's last hope, fell in battle to the Egyptian Pharaoh Neco.

So firstly there is a personal aspect like when one loses their only son. You can imagine the grief that is involved in such an event. And secondly there is a national aspect as when a nation loses its godly leader and king. Jesus was, and is, both of these. He is the Son that was given (Isa 9:6) and the King that died for his people so that they could live. And Zechariah gives another prophecy of that day saying:

Zec 13:6-9 And one will say to him, 'What are these wounds between your arms?'* Then he will answer, 'Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.' (7) "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the Lord of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones. (8) And it shall come to pass in all the land," Says the Lord, "That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third shall be left in it: (9) I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.' "

But just as Joseph only revealed himself following their confession of guilt (Gen 42:21-24, 44:16), so the Lord has temporarily hidden Himself until they admit their guilt (Hos 5:15)

Moving past hurts into grace

Gen 45:5-9 And now, 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. (6) For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. (7) But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (8) 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. (9) Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don't delay.

Now Joseph had a lot of 'dirt' on these brothers of his. He could have spoken for hours on what they did. But he didn't. So what made the difference? What allowed him to look past his hurt and see the bigger picture, even a blessing, in this whole terrible ordeal? In a word, God. The thought of God working right in the midst of this terrible situation for GOOD, made all the difference. Joseph didn't deny what happened. He wasn't blind to what they did to him. He just had something far bigger and better to hold onto that made his experience beneficial. This is similar to the message Peter had for the Jews on the day of Pentecost. Peter didn't hide the fault of his fellow Jews but also held to the bigger picture of what God was doing at the cross:

Act 2:22-33 Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. (23) This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. (24) But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him... God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. (33) Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

And in case these brothers of Joseph's were a little slow and don't see the bigger picture, Joseph repeats it three times:

1. 'Do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you'. 
2. 'So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God.' 
3. 'Now hurry back to my father and say to him, 'This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt.' 

It is God, and knowing that He has a purpose in difficult times, that makes the difference². Let's dive a little deeper into this as Joseph, in the natural, could have been very hurt and bitter.

Treating hurts correctly

Joseph is able to forgive, forget and move on. But what is the opposite of this? Bitterness and unforgiveness. The Bible says:

Heb 12:15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Did you note that? Missing the grace of God is linked to a bitter root growing up. And what is the result? Many are defiled. You see, bitterness is infectious. It never stays just with the one who is bitter. It spreads. And yet Joseph, despite all the unfair treatment that he received, was able to 'forget' and be 'fruitful' (which he named his two sons). How? Because he trusted God in all things. As would later be prophesied over Joseph by his father Jacob:

Gen 49:22-25 Joseph is a fruitful vine... (23) With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. (24) But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, (25) because of your father's God, who helps you...

Did you note that the 'archers' who shot at Joseph did so with bitterness. These were his own brothers. They weren't able to forgive and forget. They initially missed the grace of God by not looking to the Creator, and instead stewed in their jealousy and envy until it was all stirred up and thoroughly bitter. Proverbs tells us:

Pro 17:9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

If we have been hurt, who can we repeat the matter to? 

1. Firstly, ourselves. This always comes first. We can keep playing it over and over in our mind. 
2. Secondly, the person who hurt us. It is fine to let someone know that they have hurt you so you both can work through it but to keep repeating it shows that it is growing into a bitter root. 
3. Thirdly, we can repeat it to others. This is the worst of all. This is when the bitter root spreads and 'defiles many'. We want others to join into our bitterness. So what is the answer?

The cross is the cure for bitterness. How? You see that you deserved to be there on that cross and that there is only One who is good. And He was willing to take your place and take all the bitterness of humanity so you could go free. That is why God instructed the Passover to be eaten with “bitter herbs” (Exo 12:8) signifying the sufferings of Christ. And you also see that like on the cross, God can turn things around so that this experience becomes a blessing. In the language of the Old Testament, the cross is also seen in the tree that Moses was instructed to throw into the bitter waters to make them sweet. 

Exo 15:22-25 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. (23) When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah. (24) So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" (25) Then he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.

And in the language on the New Testament, it it the work of the cross in our lives that enables us to rid ourselves of bitterness, being compassionate to others, because of how God treats us in Christ: 

Eph 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

And do you remember how Naomi called herself 'bitter'?
Ruth 1:19-22 ...When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?" (20) Don't call me Naomi, she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. (21) I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me." (22) So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

And that is the normal reaction... without God. But when Boaz (a picture of Jesus) came into the lives of Ruth and Naomi, the bitterness turned to blessing!  

Goshen & the Blessing of Reconciliation

Gen 45:10-20 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me--you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have. (11) I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.' (12) You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you. (13) Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly." (14) Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping. (15) And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him. (16) When the news reached Pharaoh's palace that Joseph's brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. (17) Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Tell your brothers, 'Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan, (18) and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.' (19) You are also directed to tell them, 'Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. (20) Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.' "

Let's look now at the position given to these brothers after reconciliation for it is a picture of the believers position in Christ. 

• Having admitted their guilt, they are reconciled to their brother - and this is the position of believers today
• Joseph pardoned and forgave their sin, not holding anything against them - as Jesus did for believers
• Not only were they forgiven but they were given provision, protection and a new home - and so are we!
• They were instructed to go and tell others that 'Joseph is alive' - and that too is our responsibility

So with five years left of the famine, Joseph tells his brothers that they will live in Goshen. Hitchcock's Bible names says that Goshen means 'approaching; drawing near' and that is the place God has for us. Near! This was the ideal place for the family of Joseph:

"It contained the treasure-cities of Rameses and Pittim. It was a pasture land, especially suited to a shepherd people, and sufficient for the Israelites, who there prospered, and were separate from the main body of the Egyptians."
Smith Bible Dictionary
"It lay on the east of the Nile, and apparently not far from the royal residence. It was “the best of the land” (Gen 47:6, Gen 47:11)"
Easton's Bible Dictionary

How good was this place for Israel? Well the Bible tells us that at the time of the Exodus, some 400 years later, the Jews were still living there (Exo 8:22; Exo 9:26). So why was the land of Goshen perfect for the sons of Israel? God had chosen them to be a distinct and specific nation unto Himself. They had to be kept separate. They were not to intermarry with the nations. Goshen allowed them to have their own place. Goshen was the most fertile soil and where livestock grazed. But shepherds, like Joseph's family. were detestable to the Egyptians so they were left alone. It is perfect. But that is not surprising for it is God's plan! So you can say that Goshen was in Egypt, but was not of Egypt, just as we are in the world but not of the world.³ 

The best things from the hand of Joseph/Jesus

Gen 45:21-24 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. (22) To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes. (23) And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey. (24) Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, "Don't quarrel on the way!" 

So Joseph sends them on their way, with extra blessings for Benjamin once again! Joseph really loved him. And what do the brothers get? They get some timely advice... "don't quarrel on the way!" Ha! Clearly Joseph still knows his brothers well after all these years! And what could they possibly quarrel about? Oh you can just see them arguing over who was responsible for what they did to Joseph all those years ago. "I told you that guy looked like Joseph" "Yeah well I told you not to sell him all those years ago!" "No you didn't! You suggested it!" "Rubbish, I never wanted to do it in the first place." "Yeah right... it was I who said not to!" "No you were the one who said we'll have to lie to Dad..." And human nature being what it is, on and on it goes... or could have! But note that Joseph gave them something else. He supplied them with 20 donkey's loaded with food and 'the best things of Egypt'. What would you say are the 'best things from Heaven' that the believers are given? 

What are our 20 donkey's loaded with?

The believer has been, past tense, blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:3). A short list, a very short list⁴, would be:

• Peace with God and the peace of God (Rom 5:1, Phil 4:6-9) 
• Presence of God in all things that we go through (Rom 8:39-29)
• Provision of the Father (Matt 6:8,31-32)
• God's ongoing grace and incredible kindness (Rom 5:2, Eph 2:6-7)
• Incredible hope that the world cannot take away (Rom 15:13, Col 1:5)
• Amazing, out of this world plans for the future! (1 Pet 1:13, 1 Cor 2:9)

While I am than thankful for all of these, as this world continues on its downward spiral, more and more I look forward to what is to come. I look forward to my heavenly home and being with Him. God will not disappoint!

First-hand testimony

Gen 45:25-28 So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. (26) They told him, "Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. (27) But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. (28) And Israel said, "I'm convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."

So the boys come back home to their father with an incredible, almost unbelievable message... Joseph is alive! Needless to say, Jacob was stunned! Gobsmacked! Initially he didn't believe them. It had never entered his mind. "Joseph? Alive from the dead? How can that be?" But his unbelief eased and faith rose as he heard their testimony. In like manner, when we share, people initially do not believe. But our own personal testimony of what Jesus has done for us is powerful. You will note that the brothers didn't say 'well, someone said that Joseph is still alive so we think he is'. No... they told their Father of what he had said to them personally! They had met him! They had experienced him. And so we read:

"But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived."

Faith is always in what we cannot see, but that doesn't mean that there is nothing to see. As with this story, there should be something to see in the ones bringing the message. The brothers had evidence of a living Joseph and there should be evidence of a risen Lord in our life. So what can people see? They can't see God but they can see the effects of God. You can't see the wind but you can see its effect. What people look for and should see is a changed life. That is why Jesus said "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Mat 5:16). We shouldn't get the glory for a changed life. God should.

Conclusion

So the chapter began with a mouth dropping revelation for Joseph's brothers and ends with a mouth dropping revelation for Joseph's dad. Joseph. Is. Alive! And that revelation makes all the difference. We have seen that there are strong prophetic pictures in this chapter, but the most important point we should take for our own personal everyday life, is this: Jesus is alive and we need to learn to take our risen Lord into account. When health issues arise, when financial pressures mount, when fears flood in, when life throws unexpected curve-balls in whatever form they take... we need to learn to respond in faith based on a risen Lord. There is a great little example of this in the final couple of verses with Jacob's response to learning that Joseph is alive.

First we read that 'Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.' Yet, as he looks at the evidence we also read 'Israel said, 'I'm convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.' Here again we see this picture of the old and the new. The old natural man, Jacob, that responds in doubt and the new renewed man, Israel, that responds in faith. We need to make this transition daily. As mentioned, we often respond to new challenges in doubt and unbelief. But thinking must be turned so that we can say with Israel, 'It is enough! My Savior is alive! I will go to Him!' How much better things would be if we learned to do this quickly. And note also that the brother's message to Jacob was that not only is Joseph alive, but he is the ruler of all Egypt! What a message! Again this is a pointer to our Savior who said 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me' (Matt 28:18). If we truly grasped that in our heart, how much greater our experience of His peace would be! And how much more courage we would have.

So we need to learn to say, with Israel 'It is enough!' He is enough!  

God Bless.

FOOTNOTES