#118 Set Free Genesis 45

Then Joseph could not restrain himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "make everyone go out from me!" So no one stood with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept aloud, and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard it. Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; does my father still live?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence. And Joseph said to his brothers, "please come near to me." So they came near. Then he said: "I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father, and say to him, 'thus says your son Joseph: "God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not tarry. you shall dwell in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near to me, you and your children, your children's children, your flocks and your herds, and all that you have. There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine." '"And behold, your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that speaks to you. So you shall tell my father all of my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here." Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him. Genesis 45: 1-15 NKJV

The emotions become to great for Joseph to conceal, and he can no longer hide who he is, for the ruler is still the boy, and the boy would like to see his father. They are only 2 years into this tribulation, and so he instructs them to bring their families down. It says that the brothers were dismayed in his presence. That is one of the many horrible aspects of sin; we, who have sinned, expect the same from others. While it is true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, not all wish to remain in sin, and some recognize the hand of God operating despite the intentions of men. Joseph is one such man, he has led his brothers toward repentance and will now demonstrate the doctrine of God's sovereignty.He will show them forgiveness that they could not before conceive. Judah has been on this road somewhat, with Tamar, knowing his own guilt, and from this changing his verdict. But they are dismayed, for if each places himself in Joseph's shoes, then they may only see revenge. I would rather not know the visions of Simeon and Levi, but Joseph assures them all, that what they meant for evil, God meant for good. He will, in this, save His remnant from extinction, both that of starvation and also that which comes from cultural assimilation. Before the complex cathedrals of Christianity, comes the story of one teaching its greatest and most simple principles. Men are sinners, nothing is hidden from God, God is sovereign and therefore nothing we do comes as a surprise to Him, nor thwarts his plan. We should forgive, as we have been forgiven. 

Romans 8:28&29

28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;…