Genesis chapter 50 is the close of a long journey for Joseph and his brothers. By the time Joseph’s brothers find him in Egypt, they have come a long way, not just geographically, but emotionally and spiritually also.
Joseph’s brothers started off by denying his right to rule over them. (Gen. 37:8) Next, they wanted Joseph out-of-sight-out-of-mind. (Gen. 37:28) Then Joseph’s brothers lived their lives as if he didn’t exist. But eventually, something brought them to the point of needing and depending on him.
They discovered that the one they shunned and mistreated, was the ruler and possessor of all they needed. (Gen. 45:3) They had great reason to fear him in light of how selfish and callous they had been, but the one who had every reason and resource to inflict a just and horrific punishment opened his arms to welcome them instead.
Joseph assured his brothers that the pain they had cause him had been turned around for their salvation, and he invited them to a banquet, rather than a dungeon.
Jesus is our Joseph. We start off denying His rule over us and wanting Him to be out-of-sight and out-of-mind. We live like He doesn’t really exist, until something happens in our life to bring us to the realization of our need and dependence on Him.
We come to realize that the One we have shunned and mistreated is actually the Ruler and Possessor of all we need. Jesus turns the pain we caused him toward our salvation rather than our sentence (Isa. 53:5) and He invites us to a banquet, rather than a dungeon. (Isa. 55:1-2) Like Joseph, Jesus offers forgiveness in the face of our faults…and we are amazed! (Luke 23:34)
Bret Legg is the Teaching and Counseling Pastor at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.