Genesis 45:1-11

READING

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! 5 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 be no 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.[a]

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. 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.’

BOARD – Life, Lordship, Life

Tell

Terrified

Truth

Timing

Testimony

Together

1-2 – Tell

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.

·    Joseph finally cannot contain himself.  He obviously did not enjoy what he put the other brothers through.  His weeping is so loud that those outside the room heard him.  Ultimately this was told to Pharaoh’s household – remember that Pharaoh liked Joseph so hearing about loud weeping would have been unsettling. 

·    We don’t know exactly how he ‘revealed himself’ to the brothers but that he did.

·    The Book of Ephesians tells us that we must work together as a body and that we must ‘put off all falsehood’ (4:25) –

·    Please note that this was very personal however – He wanted all the Egyptians gone – this is a personal telling – not a public proclamation

Just like when we share FAITH we do it generally one on one

3- Terrified

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.

They know who they are talking to now.    

They know he is:

·    The right hand in Egypt and full of power

·    The brother they left for dead and then sold

·    Was emotional

They were terrified.

What will be our thoughts when we are confronted by or in the presence of God?

·    David’s thoughts against a Holy God

·    Who will see him from last week

·    We will be in such awe that we will not speak

What are we concerned with when we talk to others?  Joseph was concerned with the personal and close relationship he had with his father. 

What were the brothers concerned with? 

·    Is there a focus difference between someone that has come to know Christ and someone that hasn’t? 

o  Those who know Christ are secure and can think of others

o  Those who do not know Christ may think of others but generally it is about themselves first.

·    Are you secure in your relationship with Christ or are you fearful of a relationship with him?  1 John 5:13 and John 3:16

·    May times I have witnessed to people who have ultimately become very scared as they had Him revealed and their actions (sinned against Him and Him only as David says in the Psalms)

·    Matthew 28:1-4 records a similar fear as the guards are fearful of Christ

4 – 5 – Truth

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! 5 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.

What is God’s theme here?

That you may live and not die.

Is that how you see what God did for us?

42:2 - Jacob

43:8 - Judah

42:18 – Joseph’s words

Acts 7:9-10 tells us of what happened and why

·    Notice position – close to tell them something important

·    Are we distressed or Angry with what we have done?  - Joseph acted like God in Psalm 103:8-13

o  Somber vs worried – Romans 8:1

o  Know that you have life eternal and that your sins are taken far away – Psalm 103:12

·    God sent Joseph – credit here always given – Paul’s credit in where credit should go

·    If God had not done this or sent ahead they would have died surely.  So God is sovereign?

·    Note that in 1 Peter 3:18 we find the same – A God that came after us specifically to save us – Same as John 3:17 or Romans 4:25

6-7 – Timing

6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no 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.

God chose when to save us and Joseph said there was a time – why did he wait until then? 

What was Joseph to do?  He was to save a ‘great band’ or ‘save your lives’ but he was to do this for those that had tried to kill and profit off of him. 

Is that what we do?

Are we sent here to help reconcile those that are lost?  Or do we despise them back?

Notice that Now was the time for him to give testimony to the brothers – when is it time for you to give testimony?

8 – Testimony

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.

Joseph reminds them of what they asked all the way back in 37:8 about who would rule who

The earth is told and then reminded who rules over them – All will bow and every tongue confess

What have you been made Lord over?

9-11 Together

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.’

·     What are they supposed to go do now?

o  Are they supposed to go live a good life?

o  Are they supposed to tell strangers along the way?

o  They are supposed to tell family that

1.        Joseph was alive

2.        Prophecy has been fulfilled

3.        Where you should live

4.        That you will be provided for

5.        If you don’t you will not make it

Does this sound at all like what we are to do and say?

A.                 Jesus is alive

B.                 Prophecy has been fulfilled

C.                 You should be near him (including church, family, assets, all that you have)

D.                You will be provided for

E.                 If you do not you will not make it

Final Questions –

This final revealing by Joseph to the brothers parallels how God reveals Himself to us.  It is not because He is not in control – just as Joseph was in control – and, like Joseph, doesn’t want to reveal Himself – He has a plan and then, at the correct timing, reveals himself.

1.  Who decided to Tell?  They didn’t find out ‘on their own’ – God decides who and when He will tell (open there eyes) – 2 Kings 6:17 Elisha prayed that their eyes would be opened – John 20:14 Jesus was not recognized, John 21:4, and Luke 24:15-16

2.  The brothers were Terrified – as anyone that really get’s who God is would be – Beginning of wisdom – psalm 111:10 and Prov 9:10 – As well we must be terrified to know who we sin against –

o  Jeremiah 30:23-24 23 Behold the storm of the LORD! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.  24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this. 

o  Psalm 30:4-5 4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.  5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

3.  Truth is that God loves us and is working His plan so that we don’t have to be distressed, worried, anxious, or fearful – John 6:38 – Jesus was doing the will of the Father – Joseph is doing the will of God – We don’t have a spirit of Fear – 2 Tim 1:7 – Once we know the truth we can release fear

4.  He tells truth when he wants to – His timing verse – Galatians 4:4 Jesus came at the perfect time,

5.  We are simply to tell and then gather with Him – His plans are to – we are then to walk with Him – 1 John 1:6 – Psalm 18:30 we are to take refuge – Psalm 32:10 – 1 Peter 4:2