January 25, 2025
It must have been quite a shock to see Joseph after all those years. He certainly wasn’t where the brothers thought he would be. He was the greatest man in Egypt and they were in his power – a rather uncomfortable place to be.
It was Joseph who reached out to them offering forgiveness and reconciliation. He had thrown his arms around them and kissed them and wept over them. But, had he really forgiven them? Did he really want a restored relationship? They had built their entire lives on lies and deception…… Could Joseph be trusted?
Just like consequences, guilt has long legs. For the next 17 years the brothers lived under a question mark. Is Joseph’s forgiveness real?
Meanwhile, life had to go on and home was 300 miles away. Soon they were on the road back to Canaan and they were not a small party. In addition to the grain, there were carts for the family’s comfort on the return trip. There were donkeys loaded with the finest Egypt had to offer. The brother’s themselves were wearing new clothes and Benjamin was carrying an extra 300 shekels of silver and 5 sets of clothing.
What do you say to a father you have lied to for 22 years? “Hey dad, funny story………”
Interestingly, the Bible gives us no specifics as to the confession and forgiveness that occurred between Jacob and his boys, only that – Genesis 45:25-28:
They told him, "Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt." …. That Jacob was stunned and he did not believe them. …. But after hearing their story and seeing the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back to Egypt, his spirit was revived and he said, "I'm convinced! Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."
Off to Egypt they went. When Jacob reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to God and in a night vision God spoke to him:
Genesis 46:3-4 – "I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes."
What follows is a genealogy of those who accompanied Jacob to Egypt - Genesis 46:8-27
The descendants of Jacob and Leah (+ Dinah):
• The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
• The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul.
• The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
• The sons of Judah: Shelah, Perez and Zerah (Er and Onan had died).
o “The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.” ---- Truth be told, in all the times I have read Genesis, this verse never registered. While writing this sermon, the lightbulb did go on and it brought up all sorts of time-line problems. Based on my understanding of the phrase “At that time” in Genesis 38:1, the events surrounding the birth of Perez and Zerah occurred after Joseph went to Egypt, and yet, the sons of Perez are listed as being among the descendants of Jacob who went to Egypt 22/23 years later. It was mathematically impossible for Judah to marry, have 3 sons - 2 to get to marriable age then die, a “considerable” amount of time to go by after Judah’s wife’s death, the incident with Tamar, Perez and Zerah being born and Perez being old enough to marry and have sons of his own…. All in the space of 22/23 years. Had I mis-understood “At that time.”? I went on a little investigative journey:
? The Hebrew word used, “hayah” means “to be, become, come to pass, exist, or happen.”
? Bible Commentators don’t agree: some suggest that the phrase indicates a long period of time that predates and overlaps Joseph’s slavery and that Moses placed it in the context of Joseph’s slavery for reasons known only to himself. Others suggest that the 22/23 year time frame is correct and the Perez’s sons were actually born in Egypt but are counted as going into Egypt because they were “in the loins” of their father, Perez. But that doesn’t work either considering the total number of “direct descendants” going to Egypt was 66 and would have had to include them to arrive at that number. Some Commentaries don’t address the apparent time discrepancy between Gensis 38:1 and 46:12 at all and my girl, Ellen White, is silent as well.
After careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I did mis-understand “At that time.” Here is the option that I now believe to be most correct: The story of Judah predates and overlaps Joseph’s slavery. Above and beyond that I am comfortable with the unknown….. LAP QUESTION!!!
Continuing with the descendants of Jacob and Leah:
• The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
• The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
The descendants of Jacob and Zilpah:
• The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
• The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.
o The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.
The descendants of Jacob and Rachel:
• In Egypt, the sons of Joseph: Manasseh and Ephraim
• The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
The descendants of Jacob and Bilhah:
• The son of Dan: Hushim.
• The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
All those who went to Egypt with Jacob – those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons' wives-- numbered 66 persons. The total number in Egypt including Jacob, Joseph and his sons is 70.
God had promised Abraham a great nation, but after 250 years there were just 70 people who were direct descendants of Abraham.
Ellen White (PP 232.3) – … The land of Canaan now offered no field for the development of such a nation as had been foretold. It was in the possession of powerful heathen tribes… If the descendants of Israel were to become a numerous people, they must either drive out the inhabitants of the land or disperse themselves among them…. Egypt, however, offered the conditions necessary to the fulfillment of the divine purpose. A section of country well-watered and fertile was open to them there, affording every advantage for their speedy increase. And the antipathy they must encounter in Egypt on account of their occupation--for every shepherd was "an abomination unto the Egyptians"--would enable them to remain a distinct and separate people and would thus serve to shut them out from participation in the idolatry of Egypt.
The family finally arrived at Goshen. Joseph presented 5 of his brothers to Pharaoh and they confirmed that they were shepherds. Joseph also presented Jacob to Pharaoh. Jacob confirmed that he was 130 years of age and then he blessed Pharaoh.
Joseph provided food for his family, but the rest of Egypt and Canaan remained under severe famine – 5 years to go.
The people paid for grain in cash. After the cash ran out, they sold their livestock for grain. After all the livestock had been sold, they sold themselves and their land for grain. Joseph reduced the people of Egypt (except for the priests) to servitude.
So, Jacob’s family lived in the region of Goshen. They began to buy property and they greatly increased in number.
Jacob lived in Egypt 17 years – he was 147. Before he died, he had some unfinished business:
• He made Joseph swear that he would not be buried in Egypt.
• He blessed Joseph’s sons but gave the important blessing to Ephraim the younger son instead of Manasseh, the older son.
• He called all his sons together to bless them.
Jacob’s last words are in the form of a testament – which often accompanies a persons will. Most of the testaments regarding each of the sons are 1 or 2 sentences long, with the exception of Judah and Joseph.
Judah was the 4th son. As the 4th son, he would have no significant role within the family. However, because Reuben had defiled his father’s bed and Simeon and Levi had “used their swords as weapons of violence” they had disqualified themselves from the role as head of the family – that left Judah as next in line:
Judah: Your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness-- who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.
Joseph was the 11th son, but he was Jacob’s favorite. The testament concerning Joseph is one of success and prosperity:
Joseph: Is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father's God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings of the deep that lies below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father's blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
What is important to note is that despite Joseph’s promised prosperity, it was to Judah – the lying and scheming 4th son – that the crowning blessings were given: Thru Judah a future king and lawgiver would come – one who would rule the nations – pointing us beyond David to the eternal reign of Jesus:
Revelation 5:4-5 - I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
Jacob now gave instructions for his burial and then he died. The boys took Jacob back to Canaan to be buried in the cave of Machpelah – where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah were buried.
After Jacob died, the brothers became concerned that Joseph still held a grudge and had only put off his retaliation until after Jacob was gone. Like I said, guilt has long legs and even though Joseph had shown his brothers and their families nothing but kindness, they were still worried, so, they sent him a note: "Your father left these instructions before he died: 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father."
When Joseph received their message, he wept.
His brothers went even further, declaring that they would be his slaves.
Genesis 50:19-21 – But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph knew what his brothers had yet to learn – the sovereignty of God. Because he had placed himself in the hands of God, Joseph could look beyond the hurt his brothers had caused and see the purposes of God – the past had no power over him. The story of Joseph teaches us that our deepest wounds can be transformed – if we leave them in the hands of God.
Joseph lived to 110 years old. He died in the hope that one day his bones would be carried back to Canaan.
Until Next Time……..
