Devotional Short Note on Genesis 45

 

Joseph’s house was very near the Pharaoh’s house so that Sesostris I’s palace members could hear Joseph weeping. What a happy weeping. There are days in one’s life when weeping for joy is such a wonderful experience. It is letting go of all those built-up nonsense in the brain and knowing that God, my relatives, my enemies and I are all standing united. The fight is over, the separation came to an end and a new page is turned. 

It is the second time Joseph asked them this question whether his father is still alive and the reason is that their answer before may not have been the truth. Now the truth was important because it is Joseph and not just a pharaoh standing in front of them.

“And his brethren could not answer him; for they were affrighted at his presence.” Genesis 45:3. The reality has not sunk into their brains yet.

They were standing distant from Joseph because he asked them to come closer (Genesis 45:4).

The shock was astounding and Moses knew that this moment will bring regret and pain to them but Joseph calmed them down saying that they should not blame themselves. What was wrong, God turned into an opportunity for the right.

The year this happened was in year 22 of Sesostris I in 1950/1949 BCE. He know that this famine will continue until 1945/1944 BCE for five years in a row.

The prophet Joseph speaks for God that He has sent him before them for the sake of preservation of the remnant “to give you a remnant on the earth” = לָשׂוּם לָכֶם שְׁאֵרִית בָּאָרֶץ. (Genesis 45:7). The remnant motif scholar in Adventism was Gerhard Hasel with his dissertation on this. The purpose here, he said, was preservation of danger[s] and not just the danger of drought. Hasel correctly saw that Joseph saw prophetically all dangers of the remnant in future (Hasel 157). A certain Sellin said that this was the starting of the bell of the remnant ringing so frontal in the prophets.

H. Gross came to Genesis 45:8 and said that it is showing how God’s Election works in that He preserved a nucleus for survival (Hasel 157ff)..

Genesis 45:11 “and there will I sustain thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.”

Joseph fed his brothers R. Landgráfová, (2007): 73 related how in texts from the 12th dynasty similar phrases appeared as on can find here in Genesis 45:10-11.

“75. jw sanx.n(=j) sn.w(j) sn.wt(=j), “I fed my brothers and sisters.” (Cracow MNK-XI-999, 8) This sentence appears in the section of Merer’s text where he lists the positive activities he performed during his life in a series of jw-sentences. The other example similar to Genesis 45:10-11:

Joseph furnished his father house with riches

“74. jw grg.n=j pr jt(=j) mH.n(=j) sw m [Spss], “I furnished the house of my father and filled it with riches.” (Djemi, 8). After his successes in the military, he describes his virtuous life at home.

Genesis 45:13 “and you shall hasten and bring down my father here.”

One can be sure that there will be no delay by Jacob coming to Egypt. He will walk as fast as his Arthritis legs can carry him. He will crawl if it is needed. Quick it will be. When Thutmosis III who was in Gaza heard that Hatsheptsut had died, he jumped on a horse and race down to Karnak with probable fear that the Karnak priests my install Moses? who was the favorite of Hathsepsut? Any way it took him five days to get there my teacher Charles Fensham, a student of Albright, said.

“And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them; and after that his brethren talked with him.” (Genesis 45:15).

There were no words at first. Only crying. Years of guilt had to be washed away. Happiness of reconciliation had to make space for some words to be expressed but it took time. Hanging, crying, kissing full of unbelief and yet reality. Grace and mercy floated in the air for a long time.

Sesostris I heard that the brothers of Joseph had come and he was very pleased with it (Genesis 45:16).

What Joseph decided already was confirmed by Sesostris I as well. Joseph was his “older brother” like a father to him. Now he will help Joseph to take care of his father also. His own father died 12 years earlier (Genesis 45:18).

The Egyptian limousines were provided by the Pharaoh for the children and wives (Genesis 45:21).

Joseph gave Benjamin five times more because he had to make five times sure that he will come again.

“And his heart fainted, for he believed them not” (Genesis 45:26).

Jacob’s heart fainted. One can expect that. It was a shock.

When reality hit Jacob and he woke up from fainting with the reality still there, he head for the wagon. They have to go. I can imagine how he ordered everybody to hurry up that they can go sitting on the wagon’s while others are loading. They could not get him off the wagon. “What are you standing around there, hurry up. We have to go. Joseph is waiting.”

 

Dear Father in Heaven

We are also longing to come home and wish You would come soon to fetch us to live with You. In Jesus Name. Amen.