Joseph & His HeartSession 5

Genesis 41-47

Joseph was:

• Rejected by his brothers

• Sold into slavery by the Midianites

• Unjustly imprisoned by Potiphar

• Forgotten by the chief cupbearer

• Falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife

The Dilemma

And now at last, Joseph is the one with all the power and authority. Finally he is the one in control.

How will he react?

• Joseph’s heart has been deeply wounded over and over.

What condition is it in now?

The Life of Joseph

Dream Revealed

Dream Fulfilled

Why would God allow all these detours?

Because God cares more about the development of the dreamer than He cares about the fulfillment of the dream.

The Famine

Genesis 41:57-42:557 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?

2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. 3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. 4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him. 5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

• Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, and sent his sons there to buy some.

• Jacob sent ten sons to Egypt, but insisted that Benjamin stay home.

The famine was severe all over the world, including Canaan.

Genesis 42:6-13

6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spakeroughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.

11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. 12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. 13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.

• When they arrived in Egypt, they bowed down to Joseph, fulfilling the dream God had revealed years ago.

• Joseph recognized his brothers right away but pretended to be a stranger.

• Joseph spoke to them harshly and accused them of being spies.

• The brothers tried to convince Joseph they were honest men.

• Joseph tested their character by keeping one of the brothers in prison while the rest returned to Canaan to deliver food and bring Benjamin to Egypt.

• The brothers believed they were being punished by God because of how they had treated Joseph.

The Test

• Reuben said they were guilty and would have to give an account for Joseph’s blood.

• The brothers did not realize Joseph understood their whole conversation because he used an interpreter.

• Joseph turned away from them and began to weep.

Chapters 42-47 record a lot of detail as the brothers travel home and back to Egypt.

• Joseph is testing their character.

• Is he also giving himself time to decide what to do?

The Reunions

Genesis 43:26-31

26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth. 27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?

28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there. 31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.

• When the brothers returned to Egypt with Benjamin, they bowed down to Joseph two more times.

• Joseph was deeply moved when he saw Benjamin and left the room to weep in private.

Genesis 45:1-5

Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 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.

5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

• The brothers were terrified because of their guilt.

• Joseph finally revealed his true identityto his brothers and wept loudly.

• Joseph asked about his father, and found out Jacob was still alive.

• Joseph sent his brothers to go get their father and bring him back to Egypt, and promised to provide everything they needed.

• Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them.

• Joseph told them not to be distressed, and told them it was really God who had sent him to Egypt.

Genesis 45:25-28

25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.

27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

• The brothers returned to Canaan and told their father that Joseph was aliveand was the ruler of all Egypt.

• Jacob was stunned and struggled to believe them.

• After seeing all the provisions Joseph had sent, Jacob was convinced and eager to see his son.

Genesis 46:28-30

28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

• When the family arrived in Egypt, Joseph hugged his father and wept for a long time.

• Jacob said he could now die in peace since he knew Joseph was alive.

Genesis 47:11-12

11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.

Joseph settled his family in the richestpart of Egypt and provided them with food during the famine.

Joseph often made the right choice, but the Bible makes it clear that his decision to forgive was a deep struggle.

Our Response

1. Joseph had the ultimate opportunity for revenge, but chose reconciliation instead. Why do you think he made this unexpected choice?

2. We have all been mistreated at different times in our lives. Who is the person that has hurt you the most? What would it look like for you to choose reconciliation over revenge?

3. Sometimes it seems like Joseph automatically did the right thing without ever having to think about it. But the Bible makes it clear that he had very raw emotions and struggleddeeply with all he had to process. Why do you think we so often refuse to acknowledge and deal with our emotions?