I Am Your Savior

Genesis 45 

Joseph, lesson 30 

If you have access to Google, then you can find many stories of siblings reunited. Some are more compelling and emotional than others, but all are remarkable. But none compare to the story of Jacob’s sons. 

• Joseph’s brothers intend to kill him. At the last minute, they instead sell him into slavery and guarantee him a life of misery. Most likely, he will die an early death. 
• Through a series of unlikely events, Joseph gains favor with the Pharaoh of Egypt and rises to the top ranks of leadership of a foreign nation. The likelihood of such a chain of events is a trillion to one. 
• The brothers of Joseph end up bowed down in front of Joseph in desperate need of food, just like Joseph predicted twenty years earlier. The odds of this are a hundred trillion to one. 
• Through a series of moral tests, the brothers exhibited transformed hearts, led by the blood-line heir to the Messiah, Judah. Joseph forgives his brothers and with uncontrolled tears, reveals the truth: I AM YOUR BROTHER! This level of forgiveness is unfathomable. It is a picture of the forgiveness of Christ toward me and you.

Then Joseph says to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 45.3 

Joseph said to his brothers, You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have…’Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.’  

Then he fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked with him. 45:10-15 

Real men don’t cry? Joseph begs to differ. 

This is a story of God’s providence. This is a story of transformation. This is a story of redemption. This is a story of forgiveness. This is a story that foreshadows the grace and forgiveness of the Messiah. 

• The brothers represent the mob that cries, ‘Crucify Him.’ 
• Judah represents us and the nation of Israel; the despicable sinner who runs away from responsibility and lives a life of sinfulness and selfishness. See Genesis 38 for Judah’s story. See the story of the prodigal son to read the story that represents all of us. 
• Judah represents us and a remnant of Israel; the sinner who is transformed from the heart, through the new covenant, to repent and be forgiven. 
• Joseph represents the Messiah; hated, rejected, condemned to die. Joseph represents the Messiah; miraculously resurrected to majesty. Joseph represents the Messiah; once scorned and rejected, now worshiped. Ultimately, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. 

Father, this amazing story brings us face-to-face with Your amazing grace and forgiveness. Undeserved, we embrace all that You have given and sacrificed for us. Joseph declared the unfathomable words, ‘I am your brother.’ Lord Jesus, You declare to us the unfathomable words, ‘I am Your Savior.’ We love and cherish the name of Jesus. Amen.