Genesis 45:1-15

Verse 1-4, Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. {2} And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. {3} And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. {4} And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.

I.    Verse 1, Joseph reveals himself to his brethren.

A.     He could refrain himself no longer.

1.       Joseph had restrained his emotions until he could find out if his brothers had changed or not.

a.      All of us want trusted friends and brothers, but we need to be careful because everybody can't be trusted.

b.      It is very good for us to restrain our emotions until we find out if we can trust a person or not.

2.       Before all them that stood by him.

a.      I believe this is talking about the Egyptians, not his brothers.

b.      Joseph didn't want the Egyptians to see him break down.

c.      He doesn't mind if his brothers see his tears of joy.

d.      This is a family matter, and outsiders would only gawk at the exposed emotions.

B.     Joseph commanded the Egyptians in the Egyptian language to leave.

1.       The brothers didn't understand what he had said.

2.       They saw the servants leaving.

3.       There may have been a servant that asked if Joseph wanted the brothers to leave also.

a.      It is obvious that the servants didn't know what Joseph was thinking.

b.      They could see Joseph was in some kind of trouble, but didn't know what it was.

4.       The brothers must have been very fearful when they saw the servants leaving, and the emotional look on Joseph's face.

II.    Verse 2, Joseph wept aloud.

A.     Joseph finally lets go of his emotions.

1.       Genesis 42:24 - Joseph weeps alone and silently.

2.       Genesis 43:30 - Joseph again weeps alone and not quite as silently.

3.       Now he can contain his emotions no longer.

B.     The Egyptians hear.

1.       The Egyptians hadn't known that Joseph had wept for his brothers before.

2.       This is a loud weeping, being heard through closed doors.

3.       I wonder if the Egyptians thought it was Joseph weeping, or the brothers.

III.    Verse 3, I am Joseph.

A.     These words must have struck terror into the hearts of the brothers.

B.     They hadn't expected to ever see Joseph again, much less in this position.

C.     They couldn't answer him.

1.       The Bible bears out that the brothers didn't talk to him until verse 15.

2.       It took quite a while for the shock to end.

IV.    Verse 4, Come near to me.

A.     In my minds eye, I can see all of the brothers coming toward Joseph all together.

B.     They are full of fear and uncertainty, and stick together as a result.

C.     Joseph again tells them who he is.

1.       The brothers simply can't comprehend what Joseph is saying.

2.       Joseph repeats himself and still the mind of his brothers is clouded with shock.

D.     Joseph adds that he is the one they sold in bondage.

1.       This added fact should help clear up the fog in their minds.

2.       There is no doubt in my mind that the brothers remained speechless, even with this revelation.

Verse 5-8,  Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. {6} For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. {7} And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. {8} 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.

I.    Verse 5, Joseph explains why he was sold into bondage, expecting that this information would ease their shock.

A.     Be not grieved.

1.       I believe Joseph is here speaking of their grief, not his grief.

2.       It is reasonable to expect that the brothers would be grief stricken, not only for themselves and their past actions, but for Joseph, but bore the force of their actions.

B.     Nor angry with yourselves.

1.       There would be a natural anger with oneself because they had treated their brother so horribly in the past.

2.       The only way a person won't be anger with themselves for past sins is to understand how God has used our wickedness for our own preservation.

II.    Verse 6-8, God's plan must be explained.

A.     The brothers, who make up the bulk of Israel, do not know the plan of God.

1.       God has hid his plan from them because they were not willing to yield themselves to their younger brother.

2.       God still used them, in spite of their unbelief.

3.       God will still use us, even if we don't humble ourselves like we ought to.

4.       It is much better for us if we will humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.

B.     Joseph explains the plan of God to them.

1.       Joseph did not count his separation from his family as some terrible event.

2.       He explains that God only send him to prepare the way for the rest of the family.

3.       He explains the famine will last seven years, and that only two years have passed.

C.     Joseph reveals his glory to his brothers.

1.       It has happened just like God revealed in the dreams of the 17 year old boy.

2.       Father to Pharaoh.  Pharaoh seeks advice from Joseph.

3.       Lord (master) of all Pharaoh's house.  Genesis 41:40.

4.       Ruler of all the land.  Genesis 41:41.

Verse 9-13,  Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: {10} And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: {11} And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. {12} And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. {13} And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

I.    Verse 9, Go get my father!

A.     Joseph urges great haste in returning to Jacob.

1.       Joseph doesn't necessarily want his brothers to leave, but he wants his father to come.

a.      Verse 9 begins with the word "haste",

b.      And ends with the words "tarry not".

2.       All of the brothers will return to Canaan.

a.      Jacob would fear greatly if only one or two sons came home.

b.      All of the brothers share in the blame of selling Joseph into bondage, and all of the brothers should share in the burden of telling Jacob that Joseph is alive.

c.      All of the brothers would be needed for the work of moving to Egypt.

B.     Joseph gives God the glory for his rise to power.

1.       Jacob would remember Joseph's dreams and know God has brought them to pass.

2.       Joseph didn't gain his power because of his might, but by the might of God.

C.     What a lesson for us who doubt God's promises.

1.       Jacob could see no evidence that Joseph's dreams would come to pass, for he thought he was dead.

2.       There are times when we have no evidence that the promises of God will come true.

3.       Jacob lived to see the promises of God fulfilled, and we will to.

4.       If we don't see His promises fulfilled, that doesn't mean they won't.

5.       It simply means we didn't live to see them fulfilled.

II.    Verse 10,11, The plans for Israel living in Egypt.

A.     Joseph has evidently thought about where his family should live.

1.       The land of Goshen is in the heart of Egypt.

2.       It is near the Nile River, which will receive the first irrigation waters.

3.       The best of the land is in Goshen because of the overflowing Nile.

B.     You shall be near to me.

1.       All the people and the flocks will be near Joseph, so he can look out his window any time and see them.

2.       Joseph had previously seen the Egyptians, but not God has blessed him in seeing his family and their lives every day.

C.     I will nourish you.

1.       Nourish means that Joseph will carefully look after them so they won't come to poverty.

2.       Joseph knew that the famine would get worse and worse until the five years that yet remained were ended.

3.       He knew his family didn't have enough money to last that five years, so he would take care of them.

4.       Genesis 47:13-22 - Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, except the land of the priests, for they had a daily allowance from Pharaoh.

5.       I personally believe that Joseph didn't buy the land of Goshen.

a.      The Israelites didn't own any of the land, so they couldn't sell it.

b.      Joseph had given them a daily allowance, so they had no need to sell anything for food.

D.     This is God's plan, but God always uses men to fulfill his plans.

1.       Only God can save a sinner, but nobody can be saved until a man takes the message of salvation to them.

2.       God works in many circumstances in this life, but He always uses men to accomplish his end.

III.    Verse 12,13, The brothers have a need of additional comfort and consolation.

A.     Joseph confirms that the brothers see what their minds cannot comprehend.

1.       The brothers are still in shock.

2.       They can barely comprehend what they are seeing and hearing.

3.       Joseph urges them to note his physical characteristics so they will know he is indeed Joseph.

B.     The brothers must glorify Joseph to their father.

1.       They wouldn't have done this 22 years ago, but time has a way of changing us.

2.       When Jacob hears his sons glorifying the one they sold into bondage, he will also know they are sorry for their sins.

3.       The brothers will have to be rid of all their animosity toward Joseph when they praise him to their father.

C.     The brothers must tell of all they see.

1.       They are to hold back nothing, good or bad.

2.       There will be a lot to tell that is good.

D.     Joseph again reminds his brothers to bring his father in haste.

1.       Joseph is in a big hurry to see his father.

2.       After all, it has been 22 years since he has seen him.

Verse 14,15,  And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. {15} Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

I.    Joseph weeps on Benjamin's neck.

A.     It is Joseph that takes the initiative to embrace his brothers.

B.     He weeps on his own brothers neck first.

C.     Benjamin is the only brother that weeps on Joseph's neck.

II.    Joseph weeps over his other brothers.

A.     It is Joseph that takes makes the first move.

B.     The brothers are still in shock and don't know what to think.

C.     It is only after all this that the brothers been to warm up to Joseph.

1.       The brothers talk with Joseph.

2.       We don't know what they talked about, but I would assume one of the very first things that was said was, "I'm sorry for selling you into bondage."