Full Circle

Genesis 42:1-38 
http://www.esvbible.org/Genesis+42/

Over 20 years have passed since Joseph last laid eyes upon his brothers. If you’ve ever been estranged from a family member, you know, that is a long time. People change but we are always surprised that they do. Often they change in ways we never could have imagined. Thus we find Joseph and his brothers reunited with Joseph having changed to the point where he is completely unrecognizable to his brothers. The future they saw for Joseph the day they sold him to the Ishmaelites is very far from the reality that stands before them that day in Egypt.

Let’s look a few of the details of this story, for in those details we find the beauty of God’s plan.
 ~ Naturally, the famine would strike the people of Canaan. They do not live that far from Egypt. Famines were frequent during Biblical times and often affected the entire area.
~ Jacob is still playing favorites among his boys. Benjamin has replaced Joseph as the favored son. That dysfunction still operates at full strength.
~ Joseph is in full command of the sale and distribution of the available food supply. God is clearly still with him.
~ Joseph’s dream comes true – the brothers bow down before him, just as predicted.
~ Joseph has been fully acculturated into the Egyptian lifestyle. He was clean shaven (unlike the Hebrews), he was wearing richly ornamented clothing (as one would expect of the Prime Minister), and he speaks fluent Egyptian rather than the language of his brothers although he could of course still understand and speak Hebrew.
~ Joseph isn’t completely above jerking their chain a little. I mean really – they sold him.
~ Simeon is an interesting choice as the brother to keep while the rest go back. Joseph was most likely aware that Reuben (the actual oldest), Simeon, and Levi had lost their status as “oldest” in the eyes of God due to bad decisions (see chapters 34 and 35:22). Joseph certainly knew the birth order here. For Jacob, Reuben was definitely out as the inheritor. So, Simeon would be the logical choice for Joseph to see as “oldest”.
~ Joseph’s heart is still soft toward these men who meant him harm. He could have refused them food and sent them home after revealing his true identity to them. But instead his heart breaks and he weeps over what has been lost and probably with joy at even being able to see them again.
~ For the brothers to see God’s hand at work in all of this is interesting as well, for indeed they have discerned correctly. God is in full control. When their payment has been returned to them, they again have cause for panic. They rightly see Egypt as a much stronger power than they are and have reason to fear. They knew that they did not steal the money back so give the credit to God, assuming that He has decided to take vengeance upon them for what they did to Joseph over 20 years earlier.
~ Joseph wants to see his little brother and uses their hunger and their fear to make that happen. Smart guy.

Such a fantastic drama plays out in the lives of God’s people. What a masterful God we serve who orchestrates our lives so that His will is what takes place. I marvel every single time I read this story.

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