Joseph’s brothers visit to Egypt #1…

The famine is in full swing when Jacob hears that Egypt has grain for sale.

Here’s a link to an episode of Tasting History about ancient Egyptian bread. You can watch it now or later. (Or not at all. I’ll never know. ) It will give you a better idea of what the chief baker might’ve had in the 3 baskets on his head and what the Egyptians would’ve done with all that grain stored up by Joseph. Enjoy!

It has been about 13 years since Joseph has seen his brothers. They don’t recognize him at all.

Have you ever bumped into someone you haven’t seen in over a decade? Unless you’re one of those people who never forget names and faces you probably react like I did on Sunday when I looked out in the congregation and saw a visiting couple. And boy did they look familiar. Now mind you, I’m busily playing keys and singing but my brain is over on the side having a conference with itself:

I know those people.

Yeah. They do look familiar. Who are they?

Hmm. I dunno. But I know them.

Why is the name Julie floating to the top of the cerebral pool?

Umm. Oh wait… from the mists of time… something is beginning to take shape. Keep thinking.

I think they like the hymns.

Well, we’re about to do a contemporary song. Let’s see what they do….

(And yes- all this is going on while I’m not missing a beat over the course of 4 songs. Hmm. No wonder I’m so tired after church.)

🤔

I did finally connect with that couple after service. I don’t think I’d seen them in at least 20 years. We had a lovely short visit. They did indeed like both the hymns and the contemporary song.

I wonder if Joseph had a brief conversation in his head.

Wait- I know these people…

O.M.G. It’s my brothers…

Scoundrels.

Ha! They have no idea who I am.

Uh, where’s Benjamin? He’d be the youngest. I sure hope he’s still alive. He looked like mom. I miss mom. And dad.

Scoundrels.

Well. This is about to get interesting…

Joseph was only 17 years old when they sold him. He’s about 30 now. That’s the same age as Jesus when His ministry began.

Not only has Joseph physically matured and changed since they last saw him, he’d be clean-shaven, dressed like and Egyptian and maybe even have some kohl eye liner going on. And he speaks to them in the Egyptian’s language. The brothers have no idea who this man is.

Joseph seems to be concocting a plan on the fly.

Joseph: You’re all spies!

Joseph’s mind: Spies? Really? That’s what we’re going with?

Also Joseph’s mind: It’s the best I can do on short notice. You got any better ideas?

He makes a deal. He wont jail all of them IF they go home and bring Benjamin back. He’s probably fishing for information about his father and Benjamin but in a way that doesn’t reveal his identity.

Interesting that Jesus did not immediately reveal His identity to His brethren either. His own people had no idea who He was or that their very lives were in His hands. They had no idea that the Savior of the world was their own kinsman.

“Then each said to his brother, ‘Surely we are guilty on account of our brother when we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded for mercy to us and we would not listen. Therefore this trouble has come to us.’” Genesis‬ ‭42‬:‭21‬ ‭LEB‬‬

What’s this? Remorse? Well, knock me down with a feather!

But it reminds me of this:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of pleading, so that they will look at Me whom they pierced; and they will mourn for Him, like one mourning for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” Zechariah‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

The family of Messiah will one day realize their guilt and will weep in remorse and repentance.

Reuben responds to their realization by basically saying “I told ya so.” And this affects Joseph deeply. Remember that Reuben stopped the brothers from straight up murdering Joseph. And he was not involved in selling Joseph into slavery.

“And Reuben said to them, “You must not shed blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the desert, but do not lay a hand on him”—so that he might rescue him from their hand to return him to his father.

Then Reuben returned to the pit and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit. And he tore his clothes. And he returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is gone! Now I, what can I do?” Genesis‬ ‭37‬:‭22‬, ‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭LEB‬‬

This was a huge revelation to Joseph. To know that at least one of his brothers cared must’ve completely been reorienting. All these years he believed they were all in on it.

Notice that instead of jailing Reuben, Joseph chooses the next oldest, Simeon, to stay behind while he sends the rest home. It was actually Judah’s idea to sell Joseph. Like I said yesterday, Judah was a piece of work.

The Veggie Tales version of this story, The Ballad of Little Joe highlights Judah’s part. If you haven’t seen it in a while, it’s well worth a rewatch. So funny.

“Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to return their money to each sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭42‬:‭25‬ ‭LEB‬‬

This is yet another instance where we Joseph’s character in action. And it’s another picture of the ministry and message of Christ Who returned good for evil.

Joseph wields tremendous power. He could’ve had them all executed on the spot and no one would’ve batted an eye. Same for Jesus. But He is compassionate, “…not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Joseph is doing the gospel. Love thine enemies. Forgive your brother from your heart. Do good to those who abuse you. Turn the other cheek.

If someone has ever done you dog-dirty wrong, now would be a good time to forgive them. Of course they don’t deserve it. That’s beside the point. And don’t worry about them getting off Scot free. Leave that to God. If they need a whoopin’ God can do things to them that you can’t do without winding up in prison. Leave it to Him. Release them. Cancel the debt. Maybe even think of a way you can do something good for them or their family.

I’ll just leave ya with that right there. See you tomorrow.