Joseph and His Coat: Scene Seven
Our main character in this drama is now thirty years old, ruling in Egypt, started a family (Gen. 41), and the seven prosperous years are completed. God gifted him with strategies for food storage before the famine arrived, and the people were instructed to ‘Go to Joseph and do what he says’. Interestingly, Jesus was also thirty when his ministry began, when He attended a wedding and they ran out of wine Mary instructed the servants, ‘Do whatever He tells you’ (John 2:5b). Sound familiar? Joseph was betrayed, so was Jesus, Joseph was unjustly imprisoned, just like Jesus. Do you see it? Joseph is a Christlike figure pointing us to the Savior.
In Chapter 42 the plot thickens when Jacob hears about grain in Egypt, sends his ten sons (without Benjamin) to purchase, unknowingly setting them up to meet the brother they’d betrayed. After bowing to his authority Joseph alone recognized not only his brothers, but also his teenage dreams that made them so angry and jealous, were now fulfilled.
Joseph’s strategy of reconciliation with his family is long and involved, but in summary, they returned to Israel, and were commanded to bring Benjamin back to Egypt. Jacob is overcome with grief thinking he’ll now be without both of the sons of his beloved Rachel. These brothers recognized this entire process was due to their treatment of Joseph and admitted their guilt to each other thereby opening their hearts to repentance. God can now work with them and change their circumstances; that’s true for us today, as well.
Knowing the only way to access food is to obey Joseph, Judah speaks to his father offering to be a ‘pledge of safety’ for Benjamin (ch. 43). This Hebrew phrase means that Judah is offering himself as a guarantee or exchange for Benjamin if need be. When Jesus came to earth He offered Himself as our guarantee of eternal life; He made a ‘pledge of safety’ or exchanged His life for ours on the cross so we could live, not just through a famine, but for eternity. It isn’t coincidental that Jesus descended from the bloodline of Judah, in fact, He’s the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!
I wonder what was going through Jacob’s mind at this point. He was the final patriarch or head of the family of Israel, knew there was a God-given covenant of love, protection, and provision, and yet his circumstances looked dismal. Could God be trusted? Maybe you’ve experienced those kinds of questions when times look bleak. Could Jacob trust sending Benjamin to Egypt knowing he may never see him again, like Joseph? Can you trust obeying God when it doesn’t make sense?
This drama reaches its climax when the brothers are face-to-face with Joseph and he reveals himself to them. Yes, God can be trusted to bring good into our lives when things look really bad. It takes a hard look at ourselves, repentance when needed, and belief that He desires only good for you.
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