Genesis 45

CHAPTER 45

Joseph Makes Himself Known (45:1–28)

1–2 When Judah, as spokesman for his brothers, had confessed the sin against Joseph (Genesis 44:16) and had demonstrated true repentance¹²⁹ by offering to take Benjamin’s punishment (Genesis 44:33), the way was opened for complete reconciliation to take place. We can tell from Joseph’s conduct that he had already forgiven his brothers, but full restoration of their relationship had to wait until the brothers confessed their sin and agreed to make amends for it.

This same sequence should hold true for all of the wrongs we endure in life. We our—selves must forgive those who wrong us—immediately and unconditionally (Matthew 6:14–15). However, that alone does not restore the relationship; for full restoration to occur, the one who did the wrong must confess it and do the work of repentance—which is to make things right.

In this chapter we see the joy that forgiveness and reconciliation can bring. How often we miss that joy by refusing to forgive and refusing to confess. Joseph wept for joy; he wept so loudly that even the Egyptians who had left the room could hear his weeping (verse 2).

3 When Joseph told his brothers who he was, they were terrified. This ruler of Egypt was now speaking to them in their own language. Were they seeing a ghost? If this was indeed Joseph, was he about to take revenge for what they had done to him so many years before?

4–7 Joseph sought to reassure his brothers. “I am . . . the one you sold into Egypt,” he said, openly confronting them with their crime (Genesis 37:28). “But don’t be distressed about it, because it was not you who sent me here, but God” (verse 8).

Here then is the deep significance of the story of Joseph and his brothers: God had a purpose in sending Joseph to Egypt, and He overruled human actions—both good and evil—to accomplish that purpose.

God’s purpose had two parts: short-range and long-range. God’s short-range purpose was to save lives (verse 5)—the lives of Jacob’s family. God’s long-range purpose was to preserve . . . a remnant (verse 7)—a “remnant” of Abraham’s descendants (Jacob’s family) who during their time in Egypt would grow into a great nation (Exodus 1:6–7).

Here in these verses God’s plan is fully revealed. He was working for the good of Jacob’s family and their descendants and ultimately—through one of those descendants, Jesus Christ—for the good of the whole world (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). Through all this, then, God’s purpose was to accomplish a truly great deliverance (verse 7).

We need to see all of history, in its every detail, as a working out of God’s great and eternal purpose. Everything that happens in the universe happens according to the set purpose of God’s will (Acts 2:22–24; Ephesians 1:4–5,11–12).

8–13 Part of God’s purpose was that Joseph should be father (chief advisor) to Pharaoh and ruler of all Egypt¹³⁰ (verse 8). God placed Joseph in a position to settle his entire family in the most fertile land of Egypt, the region of Goshen located in the delta of the Nile River (verse 10).

14–20 After many tears and embraces, the brothers returned to their father Jacob bearing numerous gifts and taking with them empty carts in which to transport their wives and children back to Egypt. Pharaoh himself was involved in the planning: he told them not to bring back any of their belongings because the best of all Egypt would be theirs (verse 20).

21–24 Joseph gave each brother new clothing and to his younger brother Benjamin he gave five sets of clothes and much silver. He sent generous gifts to his father Jacob. His parting words to his brothers were: “Don’t quarrel on the way” (verse 24). Joseph knew they might begin to blame each other for what had happened in the past, and he didn’t want anything to hinder or sour their joyful meeting with their father.

25–28 Jacob’s initial reaction to his sons arrival was one of stunned disbelief (verse 26). Only after he heard their entire story and saw the carts and gifts Joseph had sent did he become convinced (verse 28).

Throughout Scripture we are shown people responding to God’s grace with either belief (faith) or disbelief (lack of faith). Here Jacob demonstrated both—first disbelief and then belief. If Jacob had continued to disbelieve, the family would have remained in Canaan and possibly have perished; they would never have enjoyed the blessings of Egypt. Our faith unlocks for us the blessings of God; our lack of faith deprives us of those blessings. So often our faith is like Jacob s, unsteady and unsure. We are like the father described in Mark 9:24, who said to Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” Whenever we are tempted to disbelieve, let us pray that our spirit might be revived, as Jacob’s was (verse 27), and that with God’s help we might overcome our disbelief.