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  The Great Bible Story #26
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Joseph reveals himself

Jacob Ninan
When Joseph's brothers were accused of stealing his silver cup, they pleaded innocence, saying that if any one of them was caught with it that one could be killed. But when they opened their sacks the cup was found in Benjamin's sack! They broke down and went back to Joseph in despair. His verdict was that they could all go, leaving Benjamin as his slave.

These brothers now felt that God was returning to them for what they had done earlier to Joseph their brother. They did not know that Joseph could understand what they were saying (because he used to speak to them through an interpreter). Judah called Joseph aside and told him how their father Jacob had lost one of his sons many years ago, and how he would be unable to take it if he lost Benjamin too.

At this point Joseph could not control himself any more, and after sending out all the others from the room he told his brothers that he was Joseph. They were dumbfounded. He told them not to take it too badly because God had sent him ahead of them to Egypt to be able to take care of them during the famine. He told them to go and bring Jacob and the others to Egypt because the famine was going to be there for three more years.

When Pharaoh heard that Joseph's brothers had come, he called for them and asked them to bring everyone from back home and to settle down in Goshen, a very fertile part of Egypt.

When the brothers came back and Jacob heard that Joseph was alive and was a great ruler in Egypt, he felt as if he had got another life. Joseph had sent wagons for everyone to travel to Egypt. Seeing them Jacob could not doubt any more. As they came to Goshen, Joseph went to meet his father. Jacob's delight knew no bounds as he saw Joseph. Joseph introduced Jacob to Pharaoh who made some of the brothers in charge of his livestock. Afterwards, when it was time for Jacob to die, he called all of his sons together and blessed each of them, leaning on his staff for support.

After Jacob died, Joseph's brothers were afraid that Joseph would now take revenge on them. But he told them not to be afraid. He explained to them that even though they had planned evil against him, God had turned it around for good, for him and for everyone else.

Joseph is now a picture of Jesus who came to save His people, and was misunderstood and put to death by them. But it was His death that became the source of salvation not only for His people, the Jews, but also for everyone else on earth.


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