Can you imagine being in Joseph’s brothers’ shoes when he revealed who he was to them? What thoughts do you think crossed their minds? Do you think they remembered his dreams? I bet they remembered tossing him in the well and selling him into slavery. The text says that they were dismayed at his presence. They were so scared they couldn’t answer Joseph’s question.
But Joseph comforted his brothers. He made a statement displaying such remarkable faith: “God sent me before you to preserve life . . . to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (Gen 45:5b & 7-8 ESV) He saw God’s plan – or at least a glimpse of purpose in being sold into slavery – and embraced God’s will. He promised to provide for them and urged them to get their family and bring their Father, their mothers (although his and Benjamin’s mother was dead), his nieces and nephews, and everyone to Egypt. He would take care of them and give them the food and shelter they needed in the famine.
In some ways this is a heartwarming account of the restoration of a family. But in another way it reflects some great theological points.
First, Joseph’s brothers knew that they had wronged their brother, and that choice brought both guilt and fear into their lives. Sin separates people and brings many negative consequences into our lives. Guilt is one of them. We know they felt guilt because back in Genesis 42:21 they said, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” And we know they feel fear because we just read that they were dismayed by Joseph’s presence (literally in Hebrew, “they were terrified from his face.”)
Second, it was out of his love that Joseph comforted his brothers. And they were comforted. They hugged him. He kissed them. He gave them gifts. They went to get their father. There is even an intimate exchange where Joseph tells them, “Do not quarrel on the way.” (Like Mom saying, “Now, no fighting while I’m gone!) He knows them and loves them.
This makes me think of how God deals with us. In Luther’s Catechism he explained each of the Commandments starting with, “We should fear and love God so that . . . ,” we should keep the Commandment. Both of those emotions are part of our relationship with God; fear and love.
There is something good and right as we recognize our sins to be struck with fear. God’s wrath is great and He is holy and just. We often categorize sin as “not-so-bad,” but it is an abomination to the Lord, and he cannot turn a blind eye to it. The wage must be paid, and the wages of sin is death!
On the other hand, God has loved us so much that he gave Jesus to sacrifice his life, to endure God’s wrath at sin, to receive our wage and die in our place; which he did on the cross. That’s his display of love for us. And perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18 ESV) In his love for us, Jesus has himself taken the pain of our punishment so that we can indeed know God’s love in our lives and be truly forgiven.
Father, you love all people and desire our salvation. In your love you gave Jesus to rescue me from my sin. Help me fear my sin, and constantly return to your love and forgiveness. Amen.
But Joseph comforted his brothers. He made a statement displaying such remarkable faith: “God sent me before you to preserve life . . . to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (Gen 45:5b & 7-8 ESV) He saw God’s plan – or at least a glimpse of purpose in being sold into slavery – and embraced God’s will. He promised to provide for them and urged them to get their family and bring their Father, their mothers (although his and Benjamin’s mother was dead), his nieces and nephews, and everyone to Egypt. He would take care of them and give them the food and shelter they needed in the famine.
In some ways this is a heartwarming account of the restoration of a family. But in another way it reflects some great theological points.
First, Joseph’s brothers knew that they had wronged their brother, and that choice brought both guilt and fear into their lives. Sin separates people and brings many negative consequences into our lives. Guilt is one of them. We know they felt guilt because back in Genesis 42:21 they said, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” And we know they feel fear because we just read that they were dismayed by Joseph’s presence (literally in Hebrew, “they were terrified from his face.”)
Second, it was out of his love that Joseph comforted his brothers. And they were comforted. They hugged him. He kissed them. He gave them gifts. They went to get their father. There is even an intimate exchange where Joseph tells them, “Do not quarrel on the way.” (Like Mom saying, “Now, no fighting while I’m gone!) He knows them and loves them.
This makes me think of how God deals with us. In Luther’s Catechism he explained each of the Commandments starting with, “We should fear and love God so that . . . ,” we should keep the Commandment. Both of those emotions are part of our relationship with God; fear and love.
There is something good and right as we recognize our sins to be struck with fear. God’s wrath is great and He is holy and just. We often categorize sin as “not-so-bad,” but it is an abomination to the Lord, and he cannot turn a blind eye to it. The wage must be paid, and the wages of sin is death!
On the other hand, God has loved us so much that he gave Jesus to sacrifice his life, to endure God’s wrath at sin, to receive our wage and die in our place; which he did on the cross. That’s his display of love for us. And perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18 ESV) In his love for us, Jesus has himself taken the pain of our punishment so that we can indeed know God’s love in our lives and be truly forgiven.
Father, you love all people and desire our salvation. In your love you gave Jesus to rescue me from my sin. Help me fear my sin, and constantly return to your love and forgiveness. Amen.
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