Most of us have experienced a family reunion of sorts when all who are related to you by birth will gather in one place over a meal.  This is not practiced as much as it used to be because many are too busy to pause their work schedules saving precious days off for vacations with their immediate family which is understandable. Over the years, the traditional family reunion only happens briefly at weddings or funerals. We see those who are related to us for a couple of minutes. We have catch phrases we utter when nervously anxious about seeing someone you haven’t conversed with in many years.  “My, how your kids have grown.”  “Wow, you look just like your mom (or dad, uncle, aunt, etc.)”

Jacob (Israel to God) is the patriarch of a rather large, growing family.  The twelve sons of Jacob, (along with daughter, Dinah), has produced many sons and daughters.  But, despite all the sons and daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters, all around him, Jacob’s heart grieve over the one son he lost over twenty years earlier—Joseph.

While Jacob grieved; God watched over Joseph. God had his hand on the one who would ultimately save the entire household of Israel! It is in this chapter that we read of the beautiful moment when Joseph hurriedly goes to his father as soon as his father arrives in Goshen, the land Joseph’s “boss” gave to the family. 

God is indeed sovereign. God was with Jacob and was with Joseph. God protected both men and provided this moment in time as a gift of restoration and reconciliation of their relationship.  Father and son, thought to be dead, reunite. (I’m not crying, you’re crying!)

Genesis 46

Jacob Goes to Egypt

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

² And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

³ “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. ⁴ I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

⁵ Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. ⁶ So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. ⁷ Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

⁸ These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.⁹ The sons of Reuben: Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

¹⁰ The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

¹¹ The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

¹² The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).

The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.

¹³ The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.

¹⁴ The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

¹⁵ These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

¹⁶ The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

¹⁷ The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.

The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.¹⁸ These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.

¹⁹ The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁰ In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

²¹ The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.  ²² These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

²³ The son of Dan: Hushim.

²⁴ The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem. ²⁵ These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.

²⁶ All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. ²⁷ With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

²⁸ Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, ²⁹ Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.

³⁰ Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”

³¹ Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. ³² The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ ³³ When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ ³⁴ you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Interesting to note.  Joseph who grew from a young servant to a ruler in the land of Egypt knows the culture!  He informs his family on the ways of the Egyptian. (“Walk like an Egyptian,” maybe?)  Joseph advises them; Tell them you tend sheep and they will leave you alone!  Egyptians cringe at the site of shepherds. 

But God’s comforting advice to Jacob at Beersheba was welcomed most of all!  Jacob stopped there on the way to Egypt to take time to worship God and listen to Him—as was his habit.  Jacob was reassured that God would not abandon him in Egypt. Yes, he was going to a foreign land with people who did not understand or know God. But God’s reassuring words reminded Jacob that no matter where he went, God remained with him. The same is true for us. No matter what difficulty we face, God remains a faithful friend and Counselor!  “Our present help in times of need.” Psalm 46

Forgiveness, God’s way, was the main ingredient behind this sweet moment of reunion of Jacob’s entire family.  This form of forgiveness, provided and demonstrated by God through Joseph…then later through Jesus, His Son makes all the difference in our growing spiritual lives! 

We’ve all been treated poorly and have been hurt at some point in our lives. Our work, as God sees it, is to simply and completely forgive.  Don’t take matters into our own hands.  Our human eyes never see the whole story or can look into a person’s heart like God can!  Paul reminds us; “Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. ‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it’” (Romans 12:19 MSG).

Forgive like Jesus.  No one had a clearer sense of right and wrong than the perfect Son of God. Yet, “when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1Peter 2:23). That “One” is God.  Only God assesses accurate judgments. We might impose punishments too slight or too severe. God dispenses perfect justice. Vengeance is his job. Leave your enemies in God’s hands. You’re not endorsing their misbehavior when you do. You can hate what someone did without letting hatred consume you. Forgiveness is not excusing. 

From the cross, the words of Jesus echo in my mind, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”  Even when those you love dearly hate you back with awful words meant to hurt you—pray to God on their behalf for if your love is sincere, you want the best, not the worst for them!  Your prayer is for their hearts to be emptied of hate and filled with the unchanging, relentless love of God!  Not so much for you, but for those you love!

So, let us take a page from Joseph’s story and let God take care of it. He is with you; his presence will care for you. You can let it go.  In Jesus Name, for our good and His glory.

Lord,

Hallowed be your Name.  May your Kingdom come and reign supremely in our thoughts.  May your will be done in every detail of our lives and in our responses to others.  Give us this day all you know we will need to be more like you and less like our sin nature.  Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  Lead us not into temptations to get even but to let go and let you handle the situations that arise that are meant to harm us.  Deliver us from the evil one.  For you have all power—to you be all glory, honor, and praise forever!  Thank you for your complete forgiveness!

In Jesus Name, Amen