August 3
Scripture Reading: Genesis 45:1-28
“...Jospeh made himself known unto his brethren.”
The last time his brothers had seen him, Joseph was seventeen years old. Now, as they stood before him, second in command of all Egypt, Joseph was probably around thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. They had not recognized the “Egyptian” before whom they had bowed. Their lives and the lives of their families back home were literally in his hands. Joseph had kept his true identity from them, but he could not longer hide the truth. He cried, “Cause every man to go out from me.” The brothers were no doubt filled with fear. But then, they heard something that seemed an impossibility; “I am Joseph....” The name, Joseph, had not been spoken by them before the Egyptian dignitary. They had only referred to him as the brother that was not.
Look carefully at Jospeh’s gracious words, words of comfort and not anger. “...be not greived, nor angry with yourselves...for God did send me before you to preserve life.” Joseph again is a type, or Scriptural illustration, of the Lord Jesus. The day will come that He will reveal Himself to Israel, and the message to them at that day will be one of hope, peace and joy. See Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 1:7.
Joseph took no credit for his position in Egypt, but gave all glory to God. “God sent me before you to preserve....” “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” Because the Lord Jesus humbled Himself to do the Father’s will, the Word declares, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above ever name....” (Philippians 2:9)
Jospeh sent his brothers back to bring their father to Egypt, providing them wagons and provisions for the way. He gave them all changes of raiment, providing Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment. When they reached home, and told Jacob of what they had learned, his “heart fainted, for he believed them not.” What a revelation for this aged patriarch! What a glorious picture of our “Jospeh,” the Lord Jesus Christ!
Pastor Steve Smith