Joseph is reconciled with his brothers. Genesis 45

In my reading of the Joseph story, I see it being a story not just about the Jacob family, but about God’s family with God as our father, we as his children, and therefore each other as brothers and sisters. It is as if whoever gathered that story and included it in their writing of Genesis, did so with the aim of making the point that, just as Joseph desired reconciliation with his brothers, so God desires reconciliation with us. And furthermore, the way Joseph went about that is not dissimilar to the way God goes about it with us. Why? Because just as Joseph’s brothers were estranged from him through their sinful actions toward him and their father Jacob, so we, in our unredeemed state, are estranged from our heavenly brother Jesus and our Father God.

So how does it work?

Before I go any further, let me make it clear that the only way the penalty of our sins before God is removed, is through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ at Calvery. His death is sufficient and acceptable to God the Father, once and for all, so that we do not have to suffer eternal separation from him. And there is nothing we can do about that of our own making. God does it for us. Just as there was nothing the brothers could do to remove the penalty of their sin against Joseph. He had to do it for them.

Joseph had every right to cut them down. His power over them as prime minister of Egypt was absolute. But he didn’t. He loved his brothers and forgave them the moment he set eyes on them. Now while Joseph had already forgiven his brothers, they still had to learn who he was, and the art of re-conciliation and re-communion, if they were all to enjoy that close brotherly fellowship that once was. It is the same with us. True that the penalty of our sins is removed once and for all at Calvery, but we still need to learn the art of re-communion with our heavenly brother and our father God. And that is a process; it does not come naturally to us.

So how does it work?

 First of all, the initiative was Joseph’s. The brothers did not recognize him, and he purposefully kept it that way. Their primary interest, to begin with, was material need of food. Joseph’s primary interest was different. In Genesis 43.27, we read how Joseph asks after his brothers’ shalom, a Jewish word that means a person’s state of wellbeing, prosperity, relations with family and neighbour, and is the outcome of a wise and thoughtful life as God designed it. Shalom is the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Joseph loves his brothers and seeks that quality of relationship that shalom brings. But to get there with him, they must endure testing to see what is really in their hearts and minds. Are they truly and earnestly repentant? Do they desire shalom with their long-lost brother?

Joseph’s actions, his testing of his brothers, his desire for shalom with them, eventually unlocked their own love for him, which for so long had been incarcerated by jealously and envy. They had to be transformed before their brother could show himself fully for who he was. That is why Joseph did not disclose to them who he was until they were ready. It is the same with ourselves and God. We must be transformed by the metamorphosis of our minds, souls, and hearts before we can be completely restored to God’s shalom. Yes, the penalty of our sins is taken away once and for all by the atoning death of Jesus and his resurrection, but we are not there yet. And if that means we must endure a time of trial, a time of going through the refiner’s fire – as it were – then so be it. God will permit that, even though at the time we doubt it being his will. We must pray about it, submit, and persevere.

It is a bit like two people getting married. Yes, the once and for all ceremony declares them married, but that is just the beginning, isn’t it. The journey towards marital shalom begins and continues until husband and wife are able to stand fully and selflessly disclosed in the peace of each other’s presence.

The psalms, such as 17 and 139, contain invitations for God to search hearts and see if there is any wickedness there. The psalmist is willing to become vulnerable to God’s scrutiny and the time of testing that often goes with that. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and he will bring us exactly to where he wants us, though we may not recognize what is happening during the process.

Joseph severely tests his brothers, not out of revenge or malice, but out of love for them. They had to confront their past and deal with it before their hearts could be transformed. Joseph is proceeding along the principle that real connectedness between people lies not in the mind, but in the felt experience of the heart. Psalm 139 is seminal here, and I encourage you to read it slowly and carefully. So Joseph searches and tests his brothers by examining their reaction to a situation in which he places them, not dissimilar to the one in which they placed him all those years ago, only this time they are in his power. They are forced to confront the question of what they are about. Are they truly repentant about what they did to Joseph? How transformed have they become over the years? And do they truly honour their father Jacob, whereas before they lied to him and covered up their sin?

It is the same with us and God. Sin alienates us from God, and we cannot enjoy full fellowship with him because of it. And even though the atoning death of Jesus removes its penalty and declares us forgiven, there is still work to do before our heavenly brother steps out into his wonderful light that fully illuminates our lives. Until then, he might remain hidden or even silent. This is God’s loving way to bring us about, to bring us back into fellowship with him. And Jesus used it a number of times during his ministry on earth.

For example, the Syrian woman who cried after Jesus and yet he remained silent, at first, until she came round with that wonderful surrendering statement, yes Lord yet even this little dog is happy with your crumbs. Only then was he fully disclosed to her and her daughter’s illness. And again, on the road to Emmaus with two disciples. Jesus’s identity remained hidden until after they were at table fellowship with him and he broke bread with them. Only then were their eyes opened and they recognized him.

And so Joseph, after searching his brothers’ hearts to see if there was any remining evil towards him or their father Jacob, and how they were with each other, finally discerns the moment to disclose himself to them. I am Joseph whom you sold into slavery. These are not words of comeuppance, but words bathed in the heart of brotherly love. The estranged men once again become Joseph’s brothers. Their shalom with him is restored. Then he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. And afterward his brothers talked with him.

What then did the brothers leave behind?

The brothers leave behind the enduring impact and consequences of their trauma of having sold Joseph into slavery and then lying to their father about it. Now, new meaningful attachments arise. Life can begin again. But that meaning can only be realized by the brothers participating in the whole story. It cannot have happened if they had simply returned to Jacob after their first encounter with Joseph in Egypt and not gone back with Benjamin. Then their sin of abandoning a brother to fate would have been repeated by them leaving Simeon behind in an Egyptian jail.

That is why the grace of Joseph shown towards his brothers (and of God shown towards us sinners) is a transforming power that shines most brightly in the context of restored relationship, and one that can deal with brokenness and sinfulness. And it is transformative love that achieves this; Joseph’s love for his brothers and God’s love for us.

Philip Starks
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