The Life of Joseph - Lesson 31, Continuing the Life of Joseph in Egypt.

 

Genesis 45:19-20,  Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

This word stuff is from the Hebrew word keliy, kel-ee'; something prepared, any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon):--armour ([-bearer]), artillery, bag, carriage, + furnish, furniture, instrument, jewel, sack, stuff, thing, tool, vessel, ware, weapon, + whatsoever.

Regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.

Regard not your stuff, don't attempt to take your stuff with you.

All the land of Egypt is yours.

Your stuff is not needed here.

Oh, how we think we need our stuff.

But do we really need our stuff?

How much of our stuff is really that important?

How much does stuff get in the way of doing God's will?

The New Testament Equivalent:

Philippians 3:13,  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before

But the Pharaoh pinpoints that which is important.

Make sure you bring your little ones and your wives and your father but forget about your stuff!

Your stuff will simply hinder you, it will be an impediment, a hindrance, an obstruction to you in getting to Egypt.

Egypt has all the stuff you'll ever need.

That says something to those of us whom God has saved and will take us to heaven without any of our stuff.

Genesis 45:21-23,  And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way. To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

As the norm is with repentant sinners, in that God showers them with spiritual gifts, so we see here Joseph showering his repentant brothers with gifts.

As commanded by the Pharaoh the brothers leave with Egyptian wagons in which to bring their wives and children and Jacob.

Wagons to these nomadic people were a treasure in themselves.

The Egyptian wagons will also help convince Jacob that Joseph is indeed in Egypt for how would his sons get wagons?

Joseph leaves nothing out of their provision.

He gives them changes of raiment which refers to festal garments.

A reminder of the fine white linen which will clothe the saints of Revelation as they prepare for the marriage of the Lamb.

He continues to favor Benjamin with extra shares of raiment and 300 pieces of silver.

This was to honor Benjamin as his full brother, the only brother to share the same mother.

Joseph had full right to favor Benjamin and to expect his brothers to accept this.

We are not to envy our brother but we are to rejoice in our brother's blessings.

Nothing is mentioned that they looked poorly on Benjamin for having been favored.

And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.

Oh! How he loved to be able to give gifts to his father.

How many years he had longed for this day.

His father had sent gifts to an unknown prince, a prince to be feared, hoping to soften his hand on his sons but Joseph sent gifts to his father because he loved him.

Note the possibility that Joseph added ten asses to the caravan that the brothers brought.

He sent ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt along with the ten asses laden with what they came to Egypt for, corn and bread and meat.

And at no cost!

How much more God gives us than what we expect.

We hold our hand out for ten and he gives us twenty.

Genesis 45:24,  So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

So with this admonition Joseph releases his brothers to return to Jacob in Canaan.

See that ye fall not out by the way.

Paul said it this way in Ephesians 5:2,  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

See that you do not become agitated at each other.

He knew that there might be accusations and recriminations among them.

On the journey they would have time to think and they might begin to blame one another and to try to minimize their responsibility in the sale of Joseph.

They would realize that the dreams of long ago had come true.

They would be thinking of the confessions that each would have to make to their father.

And even envying their brother Benjamin for the bountiful gifts he had received.

But Joseph's admonition is heeded for nothing is reported in the scriptures of any discord among the brothers.

They had been properly humbled and repentance had done her work.

Genesis 45:25-28,  And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

Imagine the sight that Jacob saw when his sons returned to Canaan!

At last he was rewarded with the sight of Benjamin, his son of Rachel.

All his fears were unfounded, God had taken care of his son.

But not only Benjamin but Simeon had returned from the prison in Egypt.

But along with his sons he was to hear a story that was quite impossible to believe.

Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.

Did Jacob hear right? Were his old ears hearing things?

What fanciful story did his sons come home with this time!

Joseph alive after all these years!

Emotion welled up in Jacob and even affected his heart for his heart fainted.

His heart was numb or cold from this shocking news.

It simply dropped at such news.

In no way would Jacob believe such an account.

I don't believe it! I simply don't believe it!

And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:

It was not the word of Joseph as reported by his sons that convinced Jacob but it was the wagons of Joseph that brought Jacob about.

Jacob was the father and therefore the pattern of the Jews for the Jews seeketh after a sign.

He had to have a sign before he would believe and the Egyptian wagons filled with food were that sign.

But Jacob now becomes Israel as he finally believes.

Jacob is the unbeliever and Israel is the believer.

Each one of us has a Jacob nature which is enmity against God and is not subject to the law of God.

Thank God that He gives us a new nature, an Israel nature.