Thursday 14 January, 2016

16 The news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come. Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased. 17 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Here’s what I want you to tell your brothers. Say to them, ‘Load your animals. Return to the land of Canaan. 18 Bring your father and your families back to me. I’ll give you the best land in Egypt. You can enjoy all the good things in the land.’ 19 “And here’s something else I want you to tell them. Say to them, ‘Take some carts from Egypt. Your children and your wives can use them. Get your father and come back. 20 Don’t worry about the things you have back there. The best of everything in Egypt will belong to you.’ ” 21 Then the sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded. He also gave them supplies for their journey. 22 He gave new clothes to each of them. But he gave Benjamin more than seven pounds of silver. He also gave him five sets of clothes. 23 He sent his father ten male donkeys loaded with the best things from Egypt. He also sent ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other supplies for his journey. 24 Then Joseph sent his brothers away. As they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t argue on the way!” 25 So they went up out of Egypt. They came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. 26 They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of the whole land of Egypt.” Jacob was shocked. He didn’t believe them. 27 So they told him everything Joseph had said to them. Jacob saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back. That gave new life to their father Jacob. 28 Israel said, “I believe it now! My son Joseph is still alive. I’ll go and see him before I die.”

The news of Josephs’ brother’s gets to Pharaoh – Pharaoh then more or less plans the all expenses paid, family reunion and relocation to Egypt and not just some backwater area on the outskirts of town but to “the best of all the land of Egypt.”v20.

Two things in this passage grab me. 1. Jacobs family are told in verse 20 to “give no thought to your possessions” or “don’t worry about the things you have back there” … there are times in our lives when we are told to do this to enable us to follow God’s plan … I have had to leave possessions in the past but could I do it again in the future? Here Jacob had to choose to do this, though this choice was made a lot easier due to new hope. 2. Hope. The news that Joseph is alive has injected hope back into Jacobs’s life & given him purpose, “I must go and see him before I die” v28. In later chapters we read that Jacob lives in Egypt a further 17 years before he dies!

Joseph and Jacob’s lives have taken many twists, just like ours do, I am encouraged not to hold possessions again to tightly so that I don’t miss a better purpose that God may have for me and above all I must have something to hope in, as it gives life. Jesus.

Written by Suzie Hodgson