If Joseph's brothers were concerned when the cup was found in Benjamin's things, I can only imagine their feelings of dismay when Joseph revealed himself to them: Joseph, alive? How could it be? How could he be the one in charge? How will he respond to us? We sold him into slavery; surely he resents us!
Thankfully Joseph was more wise than his brothers because he saw God's greater scheme in his enslavement: he saw God's hand at work. Caedmon's Call, the band I mentioned in my previous post, wrote a song several years back, and the lyrics read, "Had to walk the rock to see the mountain view; Looking back I see the lead of love." How true is this in Joseph's life! He saw God's hand, and he realized that God had some greater purposes in saving his people and caring for them in the midst of the famine.
Joseph must have thought that his brothers wouldn't accept his forgiveness because he instructed them not to quarrel on their journey home (45:24). They weren't quite ready to accept his forgiveness; they were holding onto their sins. How often do we do the same?
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