The Story of Joseph (9)

Joseph was overjoyed to see his brothers again. When the brothers realized that it really was their brother Joseph, they could not wait to travel back home to give their father the good news. When they left, Joseph gave them many things to take with them, and he also sent chariots so that they could bring their father back to see him. When they arrived home, they told their father, “Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all of the land of Egypt.” Jacob could not believe this shocking news even

Jacob could not believe this shocking news even though the brothers told him everything that had happened to them. Then they showed Jacob the wagons which Joseph had sent. Finally, Jacob could believe it. He then offered a sacrifice of an animal without blemish upon the altar to show his gratitude to the Lord. God promised him that He would be with him when he went to Egypt and said, “I will make of thee and thy seed a great nation.” Jacob said to his sons, “I will go to see Joseph before I die.”

Jacob knew that the Lord would be with him as he travelled to Egypt. He took his entire family with him, all his children, and even all his grandchildren. Joseph could not wait for his father to come to him, so he went out in his chariot to meet him. Their meeting was a very happy one, and they both cried tears of joy. Joseph took his father to see Pharaoh who offered to let him live with his family in the best part of Egypt, in the land of Goshen.

After some time Joseph heard that his father was going to die. When he went to see his father, he brought his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim with him because he wanted his father to bless his sons. When Joseph brought his sons to his father, Jacob said, “I did not think that I would ever see you again, but now God had given me to see your sons also.” Jacob put his hands on the heads of the two boys to bless them. As he did so, he crossed his arms so that his right hand rested on the head of Ephraim and the left on the head of Manasseh. Joseph tried to make his father change his hands so that his right hand would be on the head of Manasseh who was the oldest. Jacob said, “I know, my son, Manasseh will be great, but Ephraim will be greater.”

Is that not similar to another story you have read? Do you remember when blind Isaac blessed the two sons of Jacob? Also, at that time, the younger received the greater blessing.

Jacob then blessed all of his sons. We will not repeat all of the blessings, but there was a special one which we should repeat. When Jacob came to Judah, he cried out, “Judah thou art the one!” The Lord Jesus would be born as a descendant of Judah. Judah had promised to take Benjamin’s place if anything happened to him. This is what the Lord Jesus would do when He came to earth; He would suffer for the sins of His people so that they could be saved.

Jacob wanted to be buried in his own country, so Joseph and his brothers brought him back to the land of Canaan where he was buried in the cave of Machpela where Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Rebecca were buried. When Joseph’s brothers returned to Egypt after the funeral, they were afraid that Joseph would deal harshly with them for what they had done to him. Joseph, however, told his brothers not to worry. He told them that it was God’s plan that he would come to Egypt to keep many people alive.

Joseph asked his family for one special favor. He told them that God would have them return to Canaan at His time. He made them promise when they returned to take his casket, containing his bones so that he, too, might be buried in the land of Canaan.

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