Summary of Genesis 45:1-15:
Joseph sent all of his attendants away, and he revealed himself to his brothers. He wept so loudly that Pharaoh’s household was informed. His brothers were scared, thinking retribution would be coming. Instead, Joseph explained to them that this was God’s plan to send Joseph ahead so that he could save lives and preserve a remnant for the future. God sent him to Egypt and has made him lord over Pharaoh’s entire household and ruler of all of Egypt.
Joseph tells his brothers to go back to return to his father, Jacob, and bring him here. Bring everything they have, and they shall live in Goshen near him. He tells them he will provide for them; otherwise, they will not make it for there is still 5 more years of the famine left. He hugged and kissed Benjamin. He kissed all his brothers, and they talked.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 27, Day 2: Genesis 45:1-15
3a) He tried to calm their fears that he would enact retribution by explaining that God had sent him to Egypt, not them. It communicated love for them and forgiveness, not evil or revenge.
b) Joseph gives God all of the credit always. He is able to see God’s plan in his circumstances. Although we don’t know the future like Joseph, we should be able to see God’s purposes in our lives.
c) At first they were terrified, and probably a little shocked. It had been over 20 years, and they thought he was dead. They probably still felt guilty for what they had done and how they had lied to Jacob. They probably all thought they deserved retribution.
4) The hurt and the pain make it hard to forgive. Prayer, God, and remembering how God forgives us when we don’t deserve it.
5) There is always hope for reconciliation for family. Look at Joseph. Odds are, our hurts from family members don’t include them trying to kill us and selling us into slavery. If Joseph can overcome all that pain and still see God’s hand in it, then so we should be able to overcome that of our family members.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 27, Day 2: Genesis 45:1-15
It must be so cool to know the future as Joseph did. This reference to the remnant reminded me of Revelation. How amazing is the Bible!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 27, Day 2: Genesis 45:1-15
This is the third time Joseph has cried with his brothers, but the first time publicly.
It is understandable that the brothers were in shock and afraid. Here is the man who is the second most powerful person in all of the ancient world at that time, so Joseph could have them all killed with one word.
Joseph is over what his brothers did to him, and he wants his brothers to know that. It was all God’s divine plan. Do note that Joseph does not dismiss their role when he says “whom you sold into slavery.” The brothers still have to repent of their evilness. However, Joseph forgave because he understood God’s plan for all of this. He had a Godly-perspective that many of us need to adopt as well.
Joseph knew that the reason he was second to Pharaoh was not to save Egyptians, but to save his family, God’s people, and those who would bring forth Jesus. God used the most powerful nation on the planet to preserve His people. Simply beautiful. God always goes ahead of us, orchestrating our lives, too.
Man acts but God overrules these actions. Man has free will; God’s plan still prevails despite man’s evils. All things work for our good.
Jacob needed to hear that his favorite son, Joseph, was still alive. Joseph loved all his brothers, even the ones most cruel to him. He must have had a great time catching up on the happenings of the last 20 years with his brothers.
