And Joseph died, all his brothers
Exodus 1.6
On reading this verse, i asked myself what is significant about this verse? On the surface it does not seem to say anything much aside from the fact Joseph and all his brothers died. One might take it as a sad state of affairs. Others might say well that is the way life is. Death to some is the happiness of having done all they could whilst they were alive. For Joseph and his brothers, though not the opposite, it was a rather different thing.
Joseph lived up to the age of 110 years of age. How long his brothers lived we do not know. But at least we know that they managed to spend at least seventeen years together before he was sold to the Ishmaelites (Gen37.2, 28). It was only in Jacob's last seventeen years of his life did they manage to set eyes on each other (Gen 47.9, 28). At the point when Joseph was 39 it was the second year of famine, the year when he would see his brothers again (Gen 45.11). So Joseph must have had around 71 years with his brothers.
When Joseph had finally revealed himself to them, he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talk with him (Gen 45.15). They had a lot to catch up with. Joseph had already explained to them that though they went out their way to harm him, but it was God's way to send him ahead to preserve life. Joseph even had the generosity to look after them and think for their welfare. Such tokens of kindness was not enough to unravel the guilt inside the hearts of his brethren.
For seventeen years, they talked like brothers, but there was something that they held back from Joseph. They were still afraid of Joseph. They could see each other. They could talk. But the brothers were afraid of Joseph. Strange. Though Joseph had already explained that he had no hatred or grudge, yet his brothers were close but distant. At the death of their father, their fear increased, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him" (Gen 50.15).
Human nature has it that when we have done something wrong, we feel rightly deserve what's coming. And when the bad does not happen immediately, we dread of that day. The longer that day is, the uncertainty of the certainty puts us to the edge of life, at the point of despairing of even of life. For the brothers it was the same.
The brothers were afraid that Joseph, having so much power, the only thing that held him back they thought was their father whilst he was alive. And now the father whom they saw as their protector from revenge had died. There remains little or no hope. The only way was to ask Joseph to forgive.
The brothers were so afraid that they sent messengers and did not go themselves. They brought to Joseph's mind their father had commanded him to forgive. But they did do something that they had not done before. They personally asked Joseph to forgive them, saying, "Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father" (Gen 50.17).
Although it was not what Joseph needed at all to hear, it was necessary for the guilty party to say and to be assured of. It was how they felt that was unbearable. The way Joseph had treated them back despite what they had done to him was not enough to assure them of his heart towards them. They had never confessed. They had never said sorry. They had never made sure that he was alright with them.
In the end, his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants" (Gen 50.18). Such words were in fulfilment of the prophesy through the first dream Joseph had to which his brothers had formerly understood the implication of it, for they had said, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" (Gen 37.8a). Humility before Joseph guaranteed they had done their part.
Joseph being moved by the words and such gesture of remorse for what they had done, reiterated what he had said before, and comforted them and spoken kindly to them (Gen 50.21). From those words onward the bible is silent to what happens in their days together which lasted for around 70 odd years. At least what you can see is that there is no fear, there is no regret, there is no revenge. You can image the days they had together, "Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation" (Gen 50.23). Big family gatherings were really big and a joyous occasion!
Question to ponder:
1. Can you see that someone may need you to say sorry?
2. Can you see that someone may need to hear you have forgiven them?
3. Not every one can live through seventeen years and have a chance to say what they really want to say; not everyone has the opportunity to hear it as well.
On reading this verse, i asked myself what is significant about this verse? On the surface it does not seem to say anything much aside from the fact Joseph and all his brothers died. One might take it as a sad state of affairs. Others might say well that is the way life is. Death to some is the happiness of having done all they could whilst they were alive. For Joseph and his brothers, though not the opposite, it was a rather different thing.
Joseph lived up to the age of 110 years of age. How long his brothers lived we do not know. But at least we know that they managed to spend at least seventeen years together before he was sold to the Ishmaelites (Gen37.2, 28). It was only in Jacob's last seventeen years of his life did they manage to set eyes on each other (Gen 47.9, 28). At the point when Joseph was 39 it was the second year of famine, the year when he would see his brothers again (Gen 45.11). So Joseph must have had around 71 years with his brothers.
When Joseph had finally revealed himself to them, he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talk with him (Gen 45.15). They had a lot to catch up with. Joseph had already explained to them that though they went out their way to harm him, but it was God's way to send him ahead to preserve life. Joseph even had the generosity to look after them and think for their welfare. Such tokens of kindness was not enough to unravel the guilt inside the hearts of his brethren.
For seventeen years, they talked like brothers, but there was something that they held back from Joseph. They were still afraid of Joseph. They could see each other. They could talk. But the brothers were afraid of Joseph. Strange. Though Joseph had already explained that he had no hatred or grudge, yet his brothers were close but distant. At the death of their father, their fear increased, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him" (Gen 50.15).
Human nature has it that when we have done something wrong, we feel rightly deserve what's coming. And when the bad does not happen immediately, we dread of that day. The longer that day is, the uncertainty of the certainty puts us to the edge of life, at the point of despairing of even of life. For the brothers it was the same.
The brothers were afraid that Joseph, having so much power, the only thing that held him back they thought was their father whilst he was alive. And now the father whom they saw as their protector from revenge had died. There remains little or no hope. The only way was to ask Joseph to forgive.
The brothers were so afraid that they sent messengers and did not go themselves. They brought to Joseph's mind their father had commanded him to forgive. But they did do something that they had not done before. They personally asked Joseph to forgive them, saying, "Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father" (Gen 50.17).
Although it was not what Joseph needed at all to hear, it was necessary for the guilty party to say and to be assured of. It was how they felt that was unbearable. The way Joseph had treated them back despite what they had done to him was not enough to assure them of his heart towards them. They had never confessed. They had never said sorry. They had never made sure that he was alright with them.
In the end, his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, "Behold, we are your servants" (Gen 50.18). Such words were in fulfilment of the prophesy through the first dream Joseph had to which his brothers had formerly understood the implication of it, for they had said, "Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?" (Gen 37.8a). Humility before Joseph guaranteed they had done their part.
Joseph being moved by the words and such gesture of remorse for what they had done, reiterated what he had said before, and comforted them and spoken kindly to them (Gen 50.21). From those words onward the bible is silent to what happens in their days together which lasted for around 70 odd years. At least what you can see is that there is no fear, there is no regret, there is no revenge. You can image the days they had together, "Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation" (Gen 50.23). Big family gatherings were really big and a joyous occasion!
Question to ponder:
1. Can you see that someone may need you to say sorry?
2. Can you see that someone may need to hear you have forgiven them?
3. Not every one can live through seventeen years and have a chance to say what they really want to say; not everyone has the opportunity to hear it as well.
posted by preacherswpshek at 6:43 PM
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