Transcript

Charles Swindoll tells the following story: Two brothers had enjoyed a close relationship with each other from the time that they were kids.

When they grew up, they bought an acreage of land together and decided to build their homes next to each other so that they would have a similar backyard (far enough away to stay good friends and yet close enough to raise their families together).

They farmed the same land, they were involved in the same projects, sharing the cost of them; they shared their backyard for games, holidays, birthdays, and parties together.

It was a great relationship for 40 years until one day there was a rift that came between them. Before long the rift led to an ugly silence and finally they just stopped altogether even remembering that the other one was there.

A knock came at the door of the younger brother’s home one afternoon and it was a handyman. He had his toolbox at his feet, and he said to the owner of the home, “Do you have a job or two that I could do. I need the work and this is a big place, maybe you need a hand. And the younger brother said, “I sure do. Come on in.”

He walked him through the house and he came to the kitchen and they looked out a big bay window and he looked across and he said, “Do you see that home over there?” The handyman said, “Yes.” He said, “My brother lives over there.” He said, “You see that creek running between our homes?” The handyman said, “Yeah.”

He said, “I need to tell you that that used to be a beautiful green meadow where we laughed and had fun and enjoyed life together, but we had a falling out and we don’t talk to each other anymore.

“And not too long ago, he took his bulldozer and he cut into the levy of the river and he’s let this creek flow through us and when the rain falls it is even larger. And I tell you what, I’ve decided not to take that sitting down.

“I’d like you to take that stack of lumber out there by the barn and make a fence, 8 feet tall, and I want it to be substantial and I don’t want any gates. I’ll show him who can break this relationship and make it permanent.”

He looked at the handyman and said, “I’m going to be gone for several days, so you’re on your own. Do you understand what I want?” The handyman said, “Yea, I think I understand what’s needed.”

The man left and was out of town and gone for 3 or 4 days. And by the time that he came back the job was done and the handyman was wiping his hands as the owner came into the backyard and he was amazed to see that a bridge had been built instead of a fence.

It had a nice firm handrail and it was wide enough for several people to walk across and of all things, the younger brother stared in disbelief, as looking up, he saw his older brother walking toward him across the bridge.

He had his arms out and said, “What a great idea. I had no business causing this creek to come between us and furthermore we have no business living in silence. “Come here,” he said to his younger brother and they embraced.

The younger brother didn’t have the heart to tell him that it wasn’t his idea. But the bridge was built anyway and he said, “This is wonderful.” They both turned and said to the handyman, “Stick around we’ve got a number of things we want you to do.”

And the handyman said, “No, actually I’ve got to be on my way, I’ve got other bridges that I need to build for a few folks.”

In this episode, as we continue to look at the life of Joseph, we’ll begin to see a bridge of reconciliation being built between him and his brothers.

Genesis 41:46-57: “And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by
handfuls.

“And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

“And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.

“And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

“And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

“And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

“And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

After his promotion by Pharaoh, Joseph immediately dug into his work to begin the work on the grain rationing and collection project with which he had been entrusted.

The first thing Joseph wisely did was to go “out over all the land of Egypt,” familiarizing himself with the resources, the land and the people, surveying region by region, doing a comprehensive, detailed survey of the land, its layout, cities, and agriculture.

Just as Joseph had predicted, through God’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams, Egypt began to experience prosperity greater than they had ever known. Verse 47 says that “the earth brought forth by handfuls” or it brought forth great abundance.

Joseph began to implement his plan, gathering up 20% of the grain throughout the land and placing it in storehouses that had been built for this purpose.

The crops were so abundant and vast, that as time moved along, it became impossible to keep precise records of how much that was stored. They “left numbering,” or stopped counting or calculating the number of bushels because the number failed and didn’t go that high. The grains of wheat were so numerous they were like the grains of sand in the sea.

As part of his promotion, Joseph had been given a wife by Pharaoh. And during these 7 plentiful years and before the famine, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife.

The heart of Joseph came pouring out when his two sons were born and he named them. We see by them that he remembered where he came from, naming them not with Egyptian names, but Hebrew names.

And Manasseh means “forgetting,” and the name signified to Joseph that God had made him forget all his previous toils and troubles, even those within his “father’s house.”

God helped Joseph to forget all the past pain and anguish from his many years of suffering and rejection. Not that he had no memory of his afflictions or his brothers’ betrayal, but that its pains and hurts had been removed.

Joseph’s second son he named Ephraim which means “fruitful.” And to Joseph this was a reminder how God had not forgotten him and made him fruitful in the land of his afflictions in Egypt. He was named out of thankfulness to God for the manner in which and how God had richly blessed and prospered him.

In verse 53, we learn how the years of plenty came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had predicted in the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams.

Had not Joseph prepared against this time of adversity, many would have been reduced to utter poverty, hunger, starvation and death.

Instead, there was bread in “all the land of Egypt,” and this was because of the strategic placement of those storehouses in cities throughout all the land.

The supplies of most people were quickly exhausted, and when the people were “famished” and hungry, they cried out to Pharaoh for bread.

So Pharaoh sent proclamations throughout Egypt announcing that food was available, and that they could obtain it by going to Joseph and doing whatever he said to do.

And Joseph opened up all the storehouses to allow anyone in Egypt to purchase the grain. Joseph didn’t hoard the storehouses of plenty for himself, his family, or the royal household, or even just the land of Egypt.

The famine was severe AND widespread; it was “over all the face of the earth.” Thus, he willingly and generously opened those great vaults and released the contents to anyone in the world who needed food.

Starving people from “all countries” came by droves to Egypt to buy food. And Joseph’s life was busy with overseeing the distribution of the food to any who came to him with hope for relief.

In essence, Joseph became a savior of the world. The nations of the world came to Joseph that they might not die, but find bread and live, that they might be saved through Joseph’s kindness, generosity and ability to provide for their need.

And again in this, we see how Joseph was a type of Christ. By going to Christ we find life and salvation through the Savior, the One on the throne high and lifted up, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who is the BREAD of Life.

Out of His kindness and ability, as God, to fully provide for our spiritual need, He willingly saves and gives life eternal to any who come to Him by faith.

Genesis 42:1-9: “Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

“And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

“But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

“And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

“And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

“And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.”

The scene shifts from Egypt to Hebron in the land of Canaan, back to the place of Joseph’s family. And Joseph’s family was not doing well. Canaan had been hit hard by the famine.

But Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt. And his response to hearing this was to tell his sons, “What are you doing sitting around looking at each other?” In other words, “Don’t just sit there. We need food. Get a move on.”

Jacob insisted that they go immediately and bring back food, because their situation was dire and the danger of starvation was real.

Jacob sent all his sons to Egypt, except his youngest son, Benjamin. Because he lost Joseph around 20 years earlier, Jacob lived in constant fear that he’d also lose Benjamin, the other son of his favorite wife, Rachel. So Jacob kept a close, protective eye on him.

Without Benjamin, Jacob’s sons made the long trek to Egypt.

Joseph maintained close personal supervision over the stores of grain, knowing how critical they were to the survival of Egypt during the years of famine. And everyone buying grain had to obtain direct permission from Joseph.

Thus, arriving in Egypt to buy grain, 10 of the sons of Jacob: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Dan, and Naphtali are directed to and ushered into the presence of the governor, the second-in-command over all Egypt.

They were probably in awe to stand before a man of such immense authority and wealth, who by controlling the world’s food, held the power of life and death in his hands.

This man was an intimidating and powerful official, and we see how overwhelmed they were by their response to bow down, not just on their knees, but with their faces all the way down to the ground. They had no clue that this powerful man was their brother.

But then look at it from Joseph’s perspective. Every day he faced a long parade of people, but on this day, he saw his brothers, and his heart jumped, and he instantly “knew them,” and recognized them. And he watched as all of them then bowed low before him.

However, the brothers did not recognize Joseph. The brothers had not changed in appearance as much as Joseph had. He was only seventeen when they last saw him and now he was pushing forty, as the teenager sold into slavery had become a mature adult.

They also didn’t recognize him because he was Egyptian in appearance, dress, and language. And he treated them without a hint of familiarity.

Joseph disguised himself by speaking “roughly” or harshly unto them, being sharp and severe as he spoke to them and questioned them through an interpreter (v. 23).

Joseph was patient. He spoke and acted in such a way as to test their hearts and attitudes and to get more information about the family. His motivation was love and his purpose was to bring about reconciliation as we see by the final outcome.

At first, Joseph acted as though he was suspicious of their motives in coming to Egypt, and so he asked where they were from. They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” By this, Joseph learned that they still dwelt in Canaan, and that the famine had affected the family. And then Joseph had a déjà vu moment!

It hit him suddenly and he remembered his dreams of the brothers’ sheaves of wheat bowing down before his sheaf, and the sun, moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him. His dreams had come to pass right before his eyes.

It might’ve been tempting to Joseph to reveal himself at this moment and remind them of his dreams, the dreams for which they mocked and hated him, and that they had come true! It would’ve been self-satisfying to say “I told you so!” But this wasn’t Joseph.

Instead he creatively bought some time to keep them there to learn more, and he accused them of spying on Egypt, and that they were using a food-purchasing mission as a cover.

In verses 10 and 11, the brothers insisted that they had come merely to buy food, and were his servants and not spies. And then they volunteered information about themselves. They were all brothers and “one man’s sons.” They were “true” or honest men, they said.

But Joseph denied that as being truthful, telling them they had only come to scope out the poor condition of Egypt’s land as spies for Egypt’s enemies.

In verse 13, they responded by telling him that they were 10 sons of a family of 12 sons, who lived with their father in Canaan. One brother was back home with their father and “one is not” or was dead.

Joseph being dead was what they had implied to their father with Joseph’s bloody coat they brought him, and that was the lie they repeated for years about their brother.

The reason they repeated that they were the sons of one man was to convince him that they were not spies, as no foreign king would ever send 10 brothers on a spy mission, and no one would especially send 10 sons to spy if they were his own sons.

But Joseph kept insisting that they were spies, professing to doubt their story. And I believe his next course of action was brought on because they had lied in saying Joseph was dead. Since Benjamin wasn’t there, Joseph decided to test them further, wanting to see for himself that Benjamin was alive and well.

So before he would reveal his identity and proceed with reconciling with them, he needed to prove the truth about his younger brother.

Therefore, he ordered that one of them bring the youngest brother to him, while the rest were to be kept in prison under suspicion of being spies, until their story was verified.

After commanding this, Joseph put all of them in prison for 3 days. On the third day, Joseph summoned them and revised the plan, stating that it would be sufficient for only one of them to be kept in prison in Egypt while the rest of them returned home.

The one brother kept in Egypt would be released when they returned with their youngest brother, thus verifying their words and innocence. In the meantime, they were told they could carry the food they said they had come to purchase back to their homes.

Genesis 42:21-28: “And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

“And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.

“And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

“Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

“And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack’s mouth.

“And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?”

Their crime was 20 years old, but the brothers still felt the guilt. Their current traumatic experience had stirred their consciences about conspiring to slay and then sell their brother into slavery, and they spoke of it amongst themselves.

But they had no idea that Joseph could understand what they were saying. He had been speaking in the language of the Egyptians through an interpreter, who relayed it to them in Hebrew. But Joseph listened in on their conversation as they spoke in Hebrew.

The word “we” in their conversation stands out: “WE are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that WE saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and WE would not hear.” They spoke in terms of their guilt as a whole, and all of them took responsibility.

They felt that what was currently happening to them was divine justice because of what they all had done to their brother so long ago.

Reuben reminded them of his warning at that time that they should not harm him, but they stubbornly would not hear. This was new information to Joseph about Reuben wanting to spare his life. Reuben had said this before Joseph arrived at that time.

When Joseph heard them admit their guilt and hear their remorse over what they’d done, Joseph was overcome by emotion and had to quickly leave the room, and he wept. After regaining his composure, he returned and resumed his instructions.

He then ordered his guard to take Simeon and put him in bonds. Since Reuben had tried to save Joseph back at the pit so many years ago, it seems for this reason Joseph chose the 2nd eldest brother, Simeon, to remain in Egypt.

Joseph then gave orders to his Egyptian servants that the sacks be filled with grain, that provision be given them for their journey, and to restore the money they had paid for the grain in their respective sacks.

The brothers then loaded the sacks on their donkeys and departed Egypt. The journey home was around 200-250 miles. But something happened along the way when they stopped for the night at their encampment.

When one of the brothers opened a sack to get grain for his donkey, he saw that the money he had given to pay for the grain was tucked into the bag. When he told the other brothers what he’d found, they were all greatly afraid and shook with fear.

Because now when the time came for them to go back to Egypt, the Egyptian ruler would have another charge to bring against them: theft.

They attributed this development to the God’s judgment on them again, “saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?”

In verse 29, arriving back home in Canaan, they rehearsed their experiences in Egypt with their father, telling of the reason why their brother Simeon had been kept there and that he would remain there unless they returned with their youngest brother, Benjamin.

In verse 35, we learn that shortly after returning home, they proceeded to empty all their sacks of grain into the storehouse. And then they were shocked to find in each man’s sack, the bundle of money they had paid for the grain.

So now they had come out of Egypt not only with a large supply of food, but had done so without paying for any of it. And again they were terrified and shook in fear, this time including Jacob with the nine sons.

Jacob then jumped to the conclusion that not only is Joseph dead, but now Simeon was dead also. And Jacob accused his sons of being the ones responsible for this, the loss of two of his children, and now they were going to cause the loss of Benjamin also, which was more than he could bear.

“All these things are against me,” Jacob said, but in reality the opposite was happening: everything was working for him.

So it is in the Christian life, that even when all the circumstances seem negative and everything seems against us, God is working positively on our behalf.

As Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”