As the journey nears its destination, Jacob sends Judah ahead to lead the way. Judah's action marks the fourth and last significant act of leadership by Judah in these chapters. Perhaps Judah precedes the family to Egypt to make the necessary arrangements for settlement in the land of Goshen. Whatever the reason, when the family arrives a few days later, Joseph goes out in his chariot to meet them. Imagine seeing your father for the first time in more than twenty years.
God has been at work in Joseph's life through the curious timing of ordinary events. Joseph spent twenty years separated from his family because he was enslaved, imprisoned, and made an imperial. He has been reunited with his brothers through famine and now an official reunion is about to take place.
The brothers must have felt as sense of relief as they made preparations for the journey home. Simeon was free, Benjamin was safe, and they had enjoyed quite the feast. Little did the brothers know that Joseph was plotting with the steward of his house. Joseph instructs the steward to fill their sacks full, replace the money as before, and to place his silver cup in Benjamin's sack. The steward covertly does what was asked of him and as soon as it was light outside the brothers set out for home.
The steward ushers the men to Joseph's house, and they are filled with fear. They are convinced that they will be mistreated and enslaved because of the money they found in their sacks. They confess to the steward what had happened during their previous visit. The steward tells the brothers to be at peace. There was no need for fear because he was aware of what had taken place and the God of their father had given them the money, and he had received it.
It's been twenty years since Joseph has seen his brothers and their last encounter was less than harmonious. There was no expectation of a reunion of sorts, but that is exactly what God provides. Joseph recognizes his brothers but they do not recognize him and why should they? Joseph was probably clean shaven, dressed as royalty, and perhaps speaking a different language. Dreams have been a regular part of God's work in Joseph's life, and now an early dream comes to partial fulfillment as ten of his brothers bow before him.
Two years have passed since the cupbearer left the prison and Joseph's situation has not changed. The hope that rose in his heart has undoubtedly waned or perhaps set. As this passage begins, Joseph is not a part of what is taking place. The God of dreams is working in ways that Joseph could not possibly comprehend.
Genesis 40
Joseph is prospering if such a word may be used for a Hebrew slave in an Egyptian prison. Some time passes, and he is joined by two of Pharaoh's former officials, the cupbearer, and the baker. God's wise providence is guiding Joseph even if time and circumstances seem to say otherwise. Scripture leaves out any details about the offense committed by these two officials, but we know that Pharaoh was angry and they were imprisoned simultaneously. They are consigned to Potiphar who places them in Joseph's custody. Scripture does not provide how long they were there sufficed to say that any amount of time in a prison is too long.
These two men had a troubling dream on the same night, and when Joseph came in the following day, he could see the stress and worry on their faces. It is worth noting the way Joseph went about his responsibilities. He was aware of the people around him. Joseph does not seem to be self-absorbed or feeling sorry for himself; this was someone who genuinely took an interest in those around him even if they were only prisoners. Joseph asks them why they were so down. They both are suffering from the same problematic situation. They disclose that they both had troubling dreams and there is no one to help them understand what they mean. Joseph's confession of faith to these two officials is admirable as he declares that interpretations belong to God and asks them to tell him about their dreams. Though unstated, Joseph has implied that God would reveal to him the meaning of these dreams.
These officials may have been suspicious, surprised, or just figured that they had nothing to lose so they tell Joseph about their dreams. The cupbearer describes how in his dream there was a grapevine with three branches that had ripe grapes on them. The cupbearer had Pharaoh's cup in his hand, so he pressed the grapes and gave the cup to Pharaoh. God gave Joseph the interpretation. The three branches were three days, and the cupbearer would be restored to his former station. The cupbearer must have been greatly encouraged by this interpretation and his burden lifted. Joseph seizes the opportunity and asks him to remember his kindness. He asks him to leverage his official position and tell Pharaoh about the injustice that he has suffered. The chief baker saw that Joseph's interpretation was favorable and he is eager to share his dream in the hopes of hearing good news. In the chief baker's dream, he saw three baskets filled with baked goods on his head and in the top basket birds were eating out of the basket. The interpretation of this dream is ominous and brought news of death. Scripture does not indicate how Joseph felt about the interpretation, but he reveals that in three days Pharaoh would hang or decapitate the chief baker and the birds would consume his flesh. Sure enough, three days later on Pharaoh's birthday, Pharaoh lifted up the heads of his former officials among his servants. The chief cupbearer was restored, and the chief baker was hanged. Joseph must have been eager to hear from the cupbearer. Did he watch the door more carefully? Did he rehearse what he would say to Pharaoh given the opportunity? Did he pray? The sad reality was that the cupbearer was so relieved that he completely forgot what Joseph had asked of him.
Everyone has their ups and downs, but this part of Joseph's life was more like a cataclysmic shift. Joseph's life was radically altered after he was ambushed by his brothers and sold to a band of Ishmaelites. No longer was he the favorite son; he was a slave. He was taken to Egypt and sold to an Egyptian man named Potiphar who held the rank of captain for Pharaoh.
Joseph has a dream, and instead of seeking wisdom and guidance about the proper time and people to disclose it to, he arrogantly announces to his brothers that he is to rule over them. His brothers are incensed by Joseph's hubris and their hatred intensified. Joseph did not learn his lesson and when he has his next dream he gives notice that not only will his brothers bow to him but his father and mother would bow before him as well. Jacob offers a mild rebuke and keeps the statement in mind, but his brothers were jealous, and things were about to take a dark turn for this egotistic teen.
God instructs Jacob to move to Bethel and build an altar in that place where God had appeared to him many years before. Faith is a journey, and before they Jacob and his family set out, he urged them to put away foreign gods, purify themselves, and change clothes. Jacob announces to his family that they will be going to Bethel to worship the faithful God that has been with him all these years and has answered his prayers time and again.
Jacob lifts his eyes and sees his brother Esau coming straight for him with four hundred men. It is possible that Esau had just completed an expedition or war with some of the people in the region or perhaps he was coming to bring a reckoning to his brother after all these years. Jacob does not appear to be in fight or flight mode. Instead, he is walking in faith with a limp. He had faced his most dangerous enemy, his own heart and God had rescued him and given him a new identity.
Jacob was all alone just as he had been when he left his father's house. There in the darkness amid all his fears and doubts, Jacob wrestled with a man. Jacob may have wondered if this man was with Esau but regardless of how the contest began, the battle was on and it was intense. They fought throughout the night until the angel touched Jacob's hip socket and it came out of joint.
Jacob gathers his wives, and they have a candid and painful family meeting. He says that he knows that things have changed between him and Laban, but God has been with him. He reminds them that he has served their father well even though their father continually changed his wages. God had protected him and his family. He recounts the ways that God had done these things through all the changes. Jacob will not rob God of the credit and his rightful glory, and he tells his wives about his dream perhaps for the first time.
After Jacob had stayed for a month, Laban suggested that they reach some sort of formal agreement. Laban asked Jacob to tell him what he believed his wages should be since he was going to be there for a while and had intentions for one of Laban's daughters. Laban had two daughters and Jacob was smitten with the younger daughter Rachel. Jacob did not bring any dowry so he proposed that he should work for seven years to have the hand of his youngest daughter in marriage.
The Bible does not hide the sinful choices that people make and it is not filled with perfect families. The family dysfunction of the patriarchs continues, and the reader is led down a trail of choices including disobedience, doubt, and deceit. Isaac has aged, his eyesight is failing him, and he decides that he must be near death even though he will live for almost another fifty years. He calls his son Esau and gives him instructions about how he would formally bless his eldest.
This family was divided, and Abraham played favorites. Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines but like Ishmael they were sent away. He did this to try and protect Isaac. Abraham breathed his last when he was full of years and had seen grandchildren. Isaac and Ismael took responsibility for burying their father with Sarah. God blessed Isaac the son of the covenant, and he settled at Beer-lahai-roi.
The servant prays and asks that he might be granted success and that God would show his steadfast love to his master Abraham. He sought a sign from the Lord. He would ask the maidens for a drink, and the maiden that would also offer to water the camels would be the chosen wife for God's servant Isaac.
A life of faith is accompanied by testing and trials. For Abraham, the journey of faith has taken him from his home, through years of waiting, and away from his surrogate wife and son. Time has passed, but surely Abraham remembers the day that he sent Hagar and Ishmael away. Perhaps there are days when his mind drifts to them, and he ponders their well-being. However, as difficult as the journey had been thus far, nothing could prepare him for the test that God was preparing.
How long is a year? For a couple that had struggled with infertility for almost a century, one cannot help but wonder if the last year seemed like all the previous years combined? The Lord visited Sarah and fulfilled his promise. Sarah conceived at the ripe old age of ninety-nine years young. Imagine the whispers of people as the body of this elderly woman began to change. Picture the embrace between Abraham and Sarah as her belly started to require a longer reach each day.
There is a thirteen-year gap between Genesis 16 and 17. Scripture does not give details concerning what had taken place or how Abram's and Sarai's scheme had affected their family. Certainly, the relationship between Sarai and Hagar would never be the same. Ishmael has become a young man. Abram is about to become a centenarian and Sarai is not getting any younger. Abram may be unintentionally seeing Ishmael as his heir as he becomes a man. Abram's faith is still being tested as hope is stretched to the breaking point.
