Joseph’s story continues with him testing his brothers one last time. He has his silver drinking cup placed into Benjamin’s sack. In the morning the brothers had barely gone far when Joseph sent his men after them.
When they were accused of stealing, they recount the situation they encountered with the original money in their bags and how they brought it back. They were not thieves. They agreed to allow the one who stole it to be put to death, while the rest became servants.
Joseph’s servant told them only the one who stole will become a servant. They rest could go free. When the cup was found in Benjamin’s bag they tore their clothes in anguish. Instead of going home they repacked their bag and went to see Joseph in his house.
Upon seeing Joseph, they fell down before him. Once again, we see Joseph’s dream coming to pass. No matter the time or the distance when God decrees a thing it shall be done. Finally, Judah admits in a roundabout way what they did to Joseph long ago was now being judged. God had found them guilty.
Joseph told them only Benjamin will pay the price. The rest could go home in peace. Judah asked to speak to Joseph alone, still not realizing it’s him. He recounts their earlier conversations and how they answered him honestly. He gave him the details of their conversations with their father. He poured his heart out to him.
He ended the conversation saying, “If I go back without the boy, my father will die because his life is wrapped up in the boy’s life.” He offered to switch places with the boy. He would become Joseph’s servant and the boy would go home so his father can stay alive.
The Great Reveal
Upon seeing how much his brother had changed, he became overwhelmed. Instead of trying to get rid of the brother his father loved the most (after Joseph), he was willing to become a slave in his place so Benjamin could go home.
His brothers saw the damage done to their father because of their selfish acts of long ago. And they didn’t want to cause more hurt. They were sorry for what they had done.
Joseph put everyone out of the room except his brothers. He wept hard and loud. Everyone heard it. He didn’t care. He had his brothers back. They had learned their lesson. It was now time to reveal who he was truly.
He told them he was their brother Joseph who they sold to slavery. While they didn’t actually sell him, they were the ones who got the ball started. They put him in a pit to be found by the Midianites, who sold him to the Ishmaelites, who sold him to Potiphar.
Joseph told them to not be distressed or angry. This was God’s doing, not theirs. God needed him to be in this position to save his father’s household, the future of the Israelite nation. Now they had to go and get their father, all that belongs to him, all his generations and bring them back to Goshen so they can thrive during this famine.
Pharoah was excited for Joseph and offered wagons for easier transportation and food for the journey back. Joseph was reunited with his father. Jacob’s (Israel’s) generation got to live in the lush lands of Goshen without any interferences from the Egyptians.
God’s will was done in their lives and will continue to be done in their lives. Now it’s your turn.
You are Like Joseph
Like Joseph you have a part to play in God’s plan for the earth and its people. It may not be as grand as Joseph’s part; nevertheless, you do have a part.
There are people who are attached to your life and your life only. They will never know who God is except through your life. They will never go inside of a building to hear the Gospel. They will fall at death’s door unless you reach the destination God has prepared for your life.
No matter what your occupation is or was, no matter what your income bracket is, you have something someone else needs in order to know God loves them. If you don’t speak that word God gave you, or write that book, or sing that song, someone will fall down and not be able to get back up. Someone will give up on life and end theirs. Someone will turn their back on God without never really knowing Him.
It’s your job to press forward. It’s okay if no one acknowledges you. It’s okay if everyone overlooks you. The situations you went through and are going through are meant to build you up in a specific area of your life. It’s meant to shed unwanted characteristics, to help you mature in the love of God, rightly dividing the word of truth.
You must not give up hope doing what God asked you to do. You must not give up due to small results or lack of support. God is counting on you to follow Him to the position He has waiting for you. Only then will you reach the maximum number of people assigned to you from birth.
Beloved, only you can reach certain people for God. Be encouraged today as you move forward in what God is telling you to do. Remember, no step is too small, and no dream is too large.
