God cares for families, though sometimes relationships can be very involved.
Genesis chapter 42 opens with a brief glimpse of Jacob, the Patriarch, still head of the family.
42 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why do you just keep looking at each other?’ 2 He continued, ‘I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.’ Genesis 42
The situation for this family and no doubt many others had become serious. The difference was that these alone were God’s people on earth. IN HARD TIMES GOD IS A REFUGE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.
3 Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.
All the brothers who’d sold Joseph into slavery went down to Egypt to buy grain, but also to meet their estranged brother. It would have been at least twenty years since Joseph had seen them, now God had arranged for their meeting again.
6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, THEY BOWED DOWN TO HIM WITH THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND.
The younger Joseph, a teenager, had dreamt of this exact moment, even to the fact that their sheaves of corn had bowed down to his. Genesis 37:7 Prophecy fulfilled!
7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognised them, ..
8 Although Joseph recognised his brothers, they did not recognise him. 9 Then he remembered his dreams about them
Joseph had changed but his brothers were probably quite similar to the way he remembered them. Joseph’s whole IDENTITY was different and he was a ruler in Egypt. It’s sad in the Body that so many believers refuse to recognise or speak to our own brethren. God may be about to change a lot of the divisions established by man. (Robin Bullock says every denomination exists from a further revelation to the Body) Christ died for one unified Body and that’s all there’ll be in Heaven, One people united with Him.
Joseph harangued his brothers, calling them spies and even had them put in prison for three days, a lot less time than he spent there.
21 They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.’
Joseph’s brothers immediately thought that they were being punished because of him, their consciences must have pricked them. We may have to take wicked things from the past to the Lord to be totally free from them.
It’s also very easy when things don’t go well to assume it’s something we’re being punished for a past wrong. This may not be the case, but Joseph’s brothers obviously felt guilty.
Joseph insisted that they return to their father Jacob and bring back his full brother Benjamin, the one thing Jacob resisted. Sometimes God wants one thing in our lives and we can’t go further with Him until we’ve surrendered that exact thing to Him!
God bless and keep you today.