Two things happened when pharaoh dreamt;
1. God created an
opportunity for Joseph to be freed from slavery
2. God paved the way for Joseph to rule.
We sometimes have the tendency of thinking that success God's
way happens in an instant. But that is
not the case at all; Joseph had about 17 years of preparation. He had to learn to put off his ‘daddy’s
little boy’ attitude because leadership is for the matured and independent
minded.
God had to fortify him and make him strong. He had to learn that favour comes with responsibility and so does leadership. People will seek to hurt you simply because you are favoured. Joseph had to learn to be wise in all his ways. I bet after the accusation he learnt to measure his steps and always had a witness with him.
God had to fortify him and make him strong. He had to learn that favour comes with responsibility and so does leadership. People will seek to hurt you simply because you are favoured. Joseph had to learn to be wise in all his ways. I bet after the accusation he learnt to measure his steps and always had a witness with him.
Now it came the time of the fulfilment of prophesy, for his
family to come and bow to him. News of
Egypt having food had spread far and wide and the news got to Jacob who was
running out on food supplies, so he sent his sons to go buy food from
Egypt.
Upon appearing in Egypt, Joseph immediately recognised his
brothers but they didn’t recognise him.
I keep wondering if Joseph had changed so drastically facially or the
brothers had really forgotten about him.
I believe when Joseph left to go cry by himself, it was not just because
of the pain he felt or the joy thereof, but also because of the fact that his
brothers did not think of him, and had forgotten him.
If I was Joseph, I’d probably be convinced there and then that my brothers really hated me that much, and I was not wanted. If you miss someone and think of them, you remember them. Joseph was 17 when they sold him. He was practically a man; he was in his mid thirties when his brothers met him again, how much could he have changed that they did not recognise him?
When his father went to meet him in Goshen, he must have gone with his aids and servants to meet his Father. Remember, Joseph was an important man and he would not have travelled alone. Yet Jacob recognised his son when he saw him, Jacob was old and his eyes were failing but he recognised Joseph, yet the brothers did not recognise him. How much pain Joseph would have suffered that day, I can’t begin to imagine.
If I was Joseph, I’d probably be convinced there and then that my brothers really hated me that much, and I was not wanted. If you miss someone and think of them, you remember them. Joseph was 17 when they sold him. He was practically a man; he was in his mid thirties when his brothers met him again, how much could he have changed that they did not recognise him?
When his father went to meet him in Goshen, he must have gone with his aids and servants to meet his Father. Remember, Joseph was an important man and he would not have travelled alone. Yet Jacob recognised his son when he saw him, Jacob was old and his eyes were failing but he recognised Joseph, yet the brothers did not recognise him. How much pain Joseph would have suffered that day, I can’t begin to imagine.
I wonder how Joseph must have felt when he finally revealed
himself to his brothers. In Genesis 45,
we see Joseph weeping so loudly that the Egyptians heard him. Joseph finally couldn’t contain the rejection
anymore. He wanted his brothers to
recognise him, he deliberately created opportunities for them to come face to
face with him on several occasions just so they could have a really good look
at him and recognise him.
He ate with them and favoured Benjamin his blood brother yet they did not recognise him. He sat the brothers according to their age and yet still they did not recognise him! Eventually Joseph couldn’t take it anymore and he had to break down and cry. I believe the weeping he wept that day was out of hurt, he was hurting that still he was of little significance to his brothers.
He ate with them and favoured Benjamin his blood brother yet they did not recognise him. He sat the brothers according to their age and yet still they did not recognise him! Eventually Joseph couldn’t take it anymore and he had to break down and cry. I believe the weeping he wept that day was out of hurt, he was hurting that still he was of little significance to his brothers.
After they kissed and made up and all was forgiven, the
brothers went and brought their father to Joseph. The family was reunited again, and prophesy
had been fulfilled and it was time for Jacob to die. Jacob pronounces blessings on his children
and then calls Joseph again and blesses his sons specially. It was not enough that Jacob favoured Joseph, now he is favouring his sons too! I bet
his brothers watched and bile rose in their throats again. To be continued....
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