Restoring Relationships
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Key Verse: “Be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life.” Selected Scripture: |
IN TODAY’S LESSON WE learn of the reconciliation of Joseph and his brothers, and of their remorse over having sold him into slavery. In addition, we find it was God’s will that Joseph eventually would provide food for his brethren as well as for all Egypt and the surrounding countries. He presented the opportunity for his brothers to restore a proper family relationship with him, and they took advantage of it to reunite their family, and to find relief for their family from the famine. We read in the account of Judah’s pledge to Jacob guaranteeing the safety of Benjamin. Later, in Egypt, in the presence of Joseph, he offered himself as a slave to Joseph in return for Benjamin’s freedom.
Judah went to Joseph and eloquently pleaded for his brother: “Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. … We have a father, an old man, … and his father loveth him. And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for … his father would die.”—Gen. 44:18-22
After Judah concluded his recitation of facts as stated in this passage, Joseph could stand no more. He was convinced now that each of his brothers had experienced a change of heart since they had sold him into slavery. He ordered all with him, except his brothers, to leave, then weeping aloud he revealed himself to them saying, “I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?
“And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”—Gen. 45:1-7
The ‘posterity to be saved’ was the promised “seed” of Abraham (Gen. 13:15)—that seed through which all the families of the earth were to be blessed. Through fulfillment of this promise will come the great deliverance of mankind from the bondage of sin and death. The spirit of forgiveness shown by Joseph is an example for us to follow. We should seek to attain such a character. Like Joseph, we are in the Lord’s hands, and he does not permit experiences except as they are for our good. If the injuries inflicted upon us by others are preparing us for joint-heirship with Christ in the kingdom, we should not have difficulty dealing mercifully with those who bring these trials upon us.
It is interesting to note that in this respect we share experiences with both Joseph and Jesus, who endured long periods of trial, finally attaining positions of rulership. And so it will be with us, if we are faithful, that “if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.”—II Tim. 2:12