Genesis 45:9-28
READING
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. 10 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.’”
21 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[b] 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!”
25 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.”
BOARD – Life, Lordship, Life
Request
Restate
Restoration
Ruler
Remember
Recite
9-11 – Request
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. 10 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.’
Second part of the speech to the brothers Joseph
makes plans to bring is father to Egypt.
Just as Christ talks to us and says come to us –
do not delay – come now – otherwise you will become destitute – sounds familiar
12-13- Restate
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.”
He had already said this. This should not be new news.
14 – 15 Restoration
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.
Notice the items of reconciliation and
restoration here:
· Physical
Embrace
· Weeping
· Talking
16-20 – Ruler
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.
Creation, even the ruler, was along for the ride
– what Joseph had done delivered clear evidence and had even the Pharaoh happy
that they were coming.
Clearly Joseph had done well by the Pharaoh – do
we do well by our bosses?
20-24 – Requiring Remember
20 Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will
be yours.’” 21 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[b] 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!”
Notice vs 20 – God has brought Joseph this whole
way to survive all of this to save the brothers and Father from the famine (as
he had promised years earlier to Jacob).
What are they to take? We will
revisit in the next Chapter
7.5lbs of silver = ~$2900
Why does he not want them to quarrel?
Matthew 5:22 – Note what we are to do
25-28 – Recite and Rejoice
25 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.”
How exciting it must have
been to tell Jacob! They no longer had
to be upset by what they had done and could recit and rejoice at the
reconciliation.
Who had provided the
reconcilitation. Did they do anything to
deserve it? Or had Joseph had to
manipulate the situation to the state it was in.
Final Questions –
Notice again the pattern so evident here in regards to
reconciliation :
1. What is
God’s request (to come to Him)?
2. How many
times must we be retold who Christ is?
3. What is the
restoration process? How do we
continually restore ourselves?
4. What do the
rulers around you say about this?
5. What should we remember (what we have been
given and what we should do with each other)?
6. What should we be telling others? Do you feel like rejoicing in the news
about your reconcilitation? Do you
believe that Jesus had to go through all that and then rose again? Do you believe that He will send for us?
