Genesis 45:14-28 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Genesis 45:14-28. Let’s go!
Genesis 45:14-21 (NIV)
14 Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping.
15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.
16 When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased.
17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan,
18 and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’
19 “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come.
20 Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.'”
21 So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.
On verses 14-21: Because Joseph served faithfully in Pharaoh’s court, all of Egypt was opened up to Joseph’s family and, in a way, the kingdom of God, represented by Joseph’s entire family, was given room to grow in Egypt. I believe that is the way God wants us His church to be in this world: that we would serve so well and so faithfully in the world that the people of the world welcome us with their best and are open to the God that we worship. In your workplace, in your school, in your community, may you serve so faithfully and in such outstanding ways that the people where you serve become open to God’s kingdom and offer their best to bless God’s people.
Genesis 45:22-23 (NIV)
22 To each of them he gave new clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five sets of clothes.
23 And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.
On verses 22-23: To his half brothers, Joseph gave generously but to his brother Joseph and his father Jacob, Joseph gave even more. Notice Joseph didn’t just send a note saying, “It’s me, Dad!” He sent his father gifts, giving him “ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt” (v23). What can we learn from this? You can give without loving but you can’t love without giving. By nature, love gives generously.
Genesis 45:24 (NIV)
24 Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”
On verse 24: That may have been a touch of humour from Joseph, who knew his brothers’ penchant for quarreling. Joseph may have also said that because: one, he did not want his brothers to be distracted from their mission to bring his father back to Egypt; and two, Joseph knew how easy it was when things are going well for strife and conflict to come up if we are not careful and deliberate to keep the peace. When things are going well, don’t take your closest relationships for granted but be intentional and careful all the more to keep the peace and go out of your way to love one another. As Paul writes to the Ephesians, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).
Genesis 45:25-28 (NIV)
25 So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.
26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.
27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.
28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
On verses 25-28: Notice that when verses 25-27 describe him receiving news about Joseph being alive, he is called Jacob. But when he answers in faith, believing that Joseph is indeed alive, verse 28 calls him Israel. It’s as if the faith-filled, faith-empowered version of Jacob was Israel. This version of Jacob was the best version, the God-pleasing version, the courageous version. Similarly, there is a version of you that is fueled by fear and there is a version of you that is fueled by faith. God loves you unconditionally but He especially loves the faith-fueled version of you. May you live out that version of you every day for that is where you will see God work the most powerfully and be used by God most significantly.
Heavenly Father, today I pray that I would live out the faithful, faith-fueled, peace-keeping, generous version of me that You made me to be. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
