Last week we left Joseph emerging from prison into the first rays of God’s revealing light, about to learn of His merciful provision for Egypt, and, shockingly, for his enemy brothers—the men responsible for his captivity.
God’s far-reaching provision would be a blessing on the nation of Israel, as the twelve tribes would be established through Joseph’s two sons and his brothers.
Let’s catch up with the story.
As Joseph revealed, through the Spirit of God by interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams, there was a great famine that brought disaster to Israel, but Egypt was spared. Now the famine had begun to greatly disaffect Jacob, Joseph’s elderly father and Jacob’s sons.
When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons… “Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.
Genesis 42:1 & 2 (ESV)
Imagine Joseph’s shock on the day that he came face-to-face with his brothers.
Just in time & Face to face
The Spirit moved us into place
Our footsteps ordered on this day
And there we meet to keep His way.1
Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land.
And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them.
“Where do you come from?” he said.
They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them.
And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”
Why do you believe that Joseph is pressing his brothers in this way? Do you believe that this may be a little vindictive pay back?
The scripture tells us exactly what Joseph’s plan was, even if he didn’t realize it in the moment. His plan was still to follow the leadership of God. Later on, in verse 18 he reassures his brothers, “…Do this and you will live. I fear God.”
This is a wonderfully rich story. Joseph was trying to discover if Jacob and Benjamin were still alive without revealing his own identity before he was ready.
But there was more to this story than people on the outside would know.
God was offering the brothers a chance to repent from their wicked behavior toward Joseph and making a way to save the lives of His people, Israel, not just from the famine but through the promised Messiah. Genesis 45:7 & 49: 10
He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.”
They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is with our father, and one is no more.”
Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” And he put them all together in custody for three days.
Genesis 42:1-17 (ESV)
Let’s deconstruct the rest of the story.
- if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined
- and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,
- and bring your youngest brother to me.
- your words will be verified, and you shall not die.”
- And they did so.
They begin to realize the need to repent.
Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
Do you remember Joseph’s brother Reuben? Though not completely innocent of his own sin toward Joseph, the brothers acted deceitfully against Reuben, too.
Now Reuben gets a chance to speak.
And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”
Joseph could hear his brothers talking among themselves as the hard memories could not have been far from his heart.
They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them.
And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey.
This was done for them.
Here is the link that will help you resolve this story. I hope you will read it, because next week we will celebrate the life of Jesus in a very unique way through Joseph’s own story.
Share the Gospel in your world every day!
English Standard Version (ESV)
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
How beautiful are the feet of those
who share the Good News!
Isaiah 52:7
- Encounters
From Stories About Every Day Christians
Joy Lee ↩︎
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 