In the midst of Israel’s
woes, Joseph sired two sons by Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, Priest of
On. It is sad that he had to take a Pagan wife.
His sons, Ephraim,
meaning “fruitful or abundant”, and Manasseh or “causes me to forget”,
were his greatest consolation in the loneliest years of his life. They defined
an end and a beginning, a cutting off of his past and the blessedness of his future.
That is a pattern with
God. He resolves our past before moving us on, as happened at the cross where a
death preceded a new beginning.
The sons of Israel left for Egypt
Israel sent all his
sons, bar Benjamin his last-born, who was a proxy for Joseph. Seth also substituted for Abel. Israel was protective of Rachel’s last son, his only consolation.
Hence two poles of
tension tore at the periphery of the story. Joseph’s consolation lay in his sons, and
Israel’s in his last born. Yet in truth, the path to consolation lay in each
other.
That alludes to an
important spiritual idea. We will all find our consolations, be it in marriage,
family, work or whatever else we use to make up for the aches of our hearts. I
suppose we have no real choice but to do so. Only God can heal the root cause.
Well the brothers got
short shift from the Governor of Egypt, arguably one of the loftiest positions
in the known world of his day. He spoke through an interpreter, but understood
what they said and sensed the regret that haunted them over what they had done.
A picture of the
Redeemer emerges
Jesus knows our regrets and the holes that lurk in our hearts and minds. Nothing else can compensate for that. He also knows our “language”: who we are and how we
think.
Joseph was brusque
with them and had them held in ward for 3 days. That too has echoes of the 3
days that turned the tide of God’s wrath through the cross.
Then Joseph sent them
back, with all their grain and their money restored, but he held back Simeon as
a ransom for Benjamin, who he demanded to see as proof of their veracity.
Benjamin becomes the key
Benjamin, his
substitute, was the price they would have to pay for reconciliation. Abraham
paid a similar price by laying down the priceless consolation of the son of his
old age, to be reconciled to the great God above.
It was tough,
but necessary. Israel would never find closure as long as the truth about his
past remained hidden behind his apparent consolation. Joseph had taken the
steps needed for honest reconciliation and closure on their shared pains.
Reuben, who had spared
Joseph, offered the life of his sons as surety for bringing back
Simeon and Benjamin, but Israel was unmoved until
Judah, the heir-apparent, intervened.
Joseph’s ordeal had
primarily been a divine intervention to protect Judah and his seed, but Tamar’s
intervention made his seed safe, so he took full
responsibility for Benjamin. Israel then let go and resigned himself to the loss of his last
hope.
They returned to Egypt
Joseph
restored Simeon, accepted the gifts that they brought from their father, saw
his younger and only true brother, and dined with the sons of Israel. He
battled to compose himself and wept, as a lifetime of pains washed away.
The parallel to Jesus
washing the disciples’ feet is revealed in Joseph providing water for the weary
feet and sagging souls of his brothers. Reconciliation was inevitable.
In contrast to that, Jesus
had no true brother in his darkest hour. He was the only son of Mary, but His siblings were of Mary and Joseph.
At the cross, He entrusted His only
true family, Mary, to John. He died alone to make us
His brethren and fellow heirs (Romans
8:17).
Then Joseph sent them
back, once again with all their corn and all their money, but with one addition –
his silver cup was hidden in Benjamin’s baggage.
The key is turned
When that was revealed, Benjamin was threatened with being detained in Egypt as a slave, Judah
invoked the surety he had formerly pledged to his father. He
asked to stay in his brother’s stead and also confessed their past follies.
True reconciliation to
God demands true repentance. Laying down
our own lives and yielding that to God as the only fitting response to the life once
laid down for us.
Thus, as Joseph had
once paid for them, Judah offered his life in compensation. There is no
other way we can make up for what Jesus did when He bought us with a price, not to
be His slaves, but to embrace Him and His love out of our free will.
It is finally too much for Joseph
I doubt if it is any
less moving for Jesus, when the cycle of reconciliation is
fulfilled in us. It all hinges on our choices and responses.
Joseph wept on their
shoulders and they were fully reconciled. Even Pharaoh heard of his weeping and
commanded Joseph to bring his family into Egypt. They would not have survived
much longer as the drought still had 5 years to run.
As I write, my own
land is in the severest drought on record, yet God’s hand is in it. The real
issues for our land, are not about bread or bread alone, but truth. Our
constitution is under threat and our freedom is at risk. The drought has helped
to bring that to a head.
Thus, Joseph’s
brethren returned with wagons, loads of gifts and Pharaoh’s assurance of a
parcel of land, which would be their endowment for as long as they remained in
Egypt. The land of Goshen, included the richest lands of Pithim and
Ramses.
God always reserves
space for His own, an island in the tides of life that will keep us until He
becomes our only possession and our greatest inheritance.
What a powerful story
of reconciliation. Yet, for all its romance it cannot compare to
the greater love story that reconciled you and I to the Great God above us all.
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
