January 25 – I Am Joseph

Genesis 44-46

When Joseph sent them on their way again filling their grain sacks with their money, he also had his servants put his silver cup in Benjamin’s grain sack.  After they had left, Joseph gave the order to his house steward that whoever had his silver cup would become his slave.  When the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, the brothers tore their clothes in anguish and returned to Joseph’s city.  They explained how leaving Benjamin in Egypt would devastate their father and begged to let him go home with them.  Joseph had enough---he sent his servants out of the room.

He told his brothers that he was their brother Joseph.  He wept.  He told them not to be angry with themselves because it was God who sent him to Egypt to preserve life.

Since there would be another five years of famine ahead of them, Joseph sent for his father, Israel, to come down to Egypt and they would all live together in Goshen where Joseph would provide for them all.  The Pharaoh even commanded that wagons be sent for Jacob and all the wives and children of the brothers so that they could travel easily down to Egypt.  Joseph provides new change of clothes for his brothers, and five new outfits for Benjamin along with three hundred pieces of silver.  He sent grain and donkeys to his father along with provisions for his trip down to Egypt.  Joseph said to his brothers as they left, “Do not quarrel on the journey.”

Jacob was revived upon hearing that Joseph was still alive and saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to take him to Egypt. God gave Israel a vision that he did not need to be afraid to go to Egypt and that He would make them a great nation there---and bring them up again to Canaan.  So they took all their livestock and belongings and set off for the land of Egypt—the land of Goshen.  As they had been in Canaan, they were shepherds in Goshen—a loathsome occupation in Egypt. Including Joseph and his family, there were seventy people in the house of Jacob.    

Do not quarrel on your journey!  These brothers had a quarrelsome reputation.  Their brother Joseph had been restored to their family.  They should have been rejoicing with every step along the way back to Canaan.  They should have been so thankful to God for providing for them!  Did they not see the big picture?  God had provided them with food---and now a new home!  What did they have to quarrel about?  They probably wanted to blame each other once again for almost killing Joseph and then for selling him into slavery---for only twenty pieces of silver.  Now Joseph was rich beyond them---and gave Benjamin 300 pieces of silver---more than ten times what they had sold Joseph for. 

Do you ever want to quarrel with those near you over some past action?  Jesus tells us in Luke 9:62 that no one after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.  Don’t look back---let the past be that---the past!  Look forward to what the Lord has prepared for you---a heavenly home and a feast with Him.  That new home will be better than the one that Jacob and his household went to in Goshen.  The whole family of Israel moved to Egypt.  Who do you want to take with you to God’s promised land?  Family, friends, neighbors.  With whom will you share this good news?  Purposely share with them the bountiful feast of Jesus.  His word and His way.

Lord, show us if we have any quarrlsome ways, but more importantly help us to share your good news with those we know so that they too may join us at your banquet table one day.