Joseph Reunited with His Father
We have followed Joseph from being a child with dreams to being the ruler with Pharaoh over Egypt. Joseph was reunited with his brothers and now with his father. This is the beginning of the tribes of Israel and how they had to trust in the LORD God.
Genesis 45:1-28, Genesis 46:1-34, Genesis 47:1-31
So here stands Joseph and his court and his brothers all standing in the same room. Joseph could help himself and started to cry that all the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard him. Joseph could stop himself from telling his brothers that he was Joseph. His first question was does my father live.
The brothers were all in shock that Joseph lives and this made them afraid because they had sold him into slavery. Joseph did remind them that they sold him into slavery but they should not grieve, or be angry with themselves because God did send me before you to preserve life. It was not them that had caused this but God had made him a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of
Egypt.
Joseph told his brothers to go get his father and tell him that his son, Joseph, God has made lord of all Egypt. The message was to hurry to him. Joseph had arranged that they would life in the land of Goshen and they would all be near to him. They were to bring the children, and their children’s children, the flocks and the herds and all they he has. Joseph said that he would take care of them all.
Pharaoh heard that Joseph had been reunited with his brothers and ordered Joseph to tell his brothers to go get their father and he furnished a change of clothes and wagons to carry back their wives and little ones and bring their father to Egypt. Pharaoh was going to give them good land and the things that grow in Egypt.
The brothers did as they were told and got to the land of Canaan and told Israel that his son Joseph was alive and governor over all of the land of Egypt. It was almost too much for Israel to believe. Yet he was so happy all he could say was “I will go and see him before I die.”
It was on this journey from Canaan to Egypt at a place called Beersheba then the LORD God spoke to Israel in a dream. The LORD God told Israel He would make him a great nation and not to be afraid to go to Egypt because He would go with Israel.
Just before the tribes of Israel got to Goshen Judah was sent to tell Joseph where they were. Joseph made ready his chariot and went to meet his father. What a reunion that must have been. There probably was not a dry eye between them. Remember that Joseph was the favorite son. Joseph got his father and brothers settled and then went to Pharaoh to let him know that his family had arrived. Joseph told his brother when Pharaoh ask their occupation they were to tell him they had always dealt in trading cattle because being a shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt in the country of Goshen with his family and all his possessions. They all grew and multiplied exceedingly. Jacob, Israel, lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years and was a hundred and forty seven years old. Just before Israel died he called Joseph to him and made him promise not to bury him in Egypt but take him home to be with his fathers.
Joseph was told that his father’s health was failing. Joseph went to visit his father and took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. When Israel was told that his son Joseph was there, he rallied his strength and sat up in bed. Israel blessed the boys. Manasseh was the oldest son and Ephraim was the younger son. Israel was going to bless the younger son as the older son. Israel said that Manasseh would also become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. And he blessed them that day, saying, In you shall Israel bless, saying, God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
Do you remember that when Jacob was a young man he received the birthright over Esau because of trickery? Jacob knew that it was okay to give the birthright to Ephraim over the oldest son Manasseh. Joseph did not understand but that did not matter.
Before the death of Israel he called his sons to him and told them what was to happen to them in the days to come. He again said he wanted to be buried with his fathers in the cave that lied in the field of Ephron the Hittite. The same place as Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah and there also was Leah. Jacob dies and Joseph weeps and mourns. He had his physicians to embalm his father and with the permission of the Pharaoh Joseph brought his father back to the land of Canaan to be buried with his ancestors.
Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt after the burial of Israel. Joseph remained in Egypt with his family. Joseph was a hundred and ten years old when he died. He made his brothers promise that when the LORD God led them out of Egypt they must take his bones with them. And they did as they promised they would do.
What Can This Story Teach Us?
The LORD God told Israel not to be afraid to go to Egypt because He would be with him. When we ask the Jesus to with us in scary times then we can know that He will be there with us and should never be afraid.
Life is not always fair and bad things happen to good people. The LORD does not guarantee us that everything is going to be fair or easy in our life. We cannot give up and stop trying or begin pouting about the unfairness in our life. We need to just keep on keeping the faith and working hard to do what we know we need to do.
Many times in our lives we thing that everyone is picking on us and life is not fair. Only our LORD know what is in store for us and what it is going to take to fulfill what His plans are for us. We need to learn how to learn the lessons of life and go forward to fulfill the expectations that the LORD has for us.
Everything that happens to us is for a reason. Either it is to help us to grow toward the LORD or it is because we did not listen to our parents or the teachings of Jesus. Mistakes we make in our lives can be used as a teaching tool. We need to learn from our mistakes and move forward doing better just like Joseph did.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Joseph Reunited with His Father:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1863,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “Joseph Reunited with His Father:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1863,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “Joseph Reunited with His Father: .” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1863, (accessed).
