Genesis 45:24

New International Version

Then he sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”

For Meditation

Look at you, Joseph! Now you can laugh at the situation. You have given yourself the opportunity to heal. Your heart is free from all bitterness, anger, hurt, pain, and impure imagination—no more to haunt you. Whenever you thought about how your brothers treated you, your heart skipped a beat. The recollection of you in the slave market, Mrs. Potiphar’s shenanigans, your incarceration for honesty sent you into the pit of despondency again—this time, in a prison. Nobody saw your misery or felt your pain. You were bleeding on the inside, but no mind perceived it.

Memories of your tragedies played up repeatedly, but you comforted yourself in the Lord, propped yourself up, and put on a good shine. Not that you set out to deceive anyone. You simply dealt with yourself the best way you could in order to survive and make life bearable. The good thing is that you never let go of your faith in the God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And He has been faithful. You may not have known the path he had charted for the actualization of your dreams. He was working it all together for your good and His purpose in the lives of your people and others. We got a glimpse into your bleeding heart in your parting words to the cupbearer of Pharaoh (Genesis 40:14-15).

But now, you are the prince of Egypt. All of Egypt submit to your orders. You sit on mounds of grains while the entire world starves. Like a dragnet, you bring your brothers to buy food from you. They prostrate before you, just as the Lord said in your dreams. You have seen their misery—the tortured soul of a sinner.

Your game of spies played extremely well. You rubbed their noses in their own stench on their two visits. I am sure you chuckled when they said they were honest men and not spies (42:11). You craftily got them to talk about their family history—your family story—well, not exactly an honest account (13). Your test of nerves forced them to search their souls about what they did to you as they argued and apportioned blame among themselves (21-22). What a scene and drama to behold! It broke your heart. You turned away from them and wept. What therapy that was!

Now they are back the second time. This time, with your little brother Benjamin (.43:16). You carry your emotions well, Joseph. I confess I would have jumped and embraced the brother I had missed so much. But you restrained yourself and did not give it away. Your plan was playing out excellently.

Now, let the celebration begin! You get your brothers around your table in your palace. Maybe they guessed something by the way you seated them—according to their ages. But how could they? In their minds you were long dead. Isn’t that so human?

See them bow so low to pay you honor. The scene comes back to you. Your dreams! O, my God! It is happening. The cobwebs are clearing. God’s promise is breaking out into the realm of reality. But Joseph, how could you ask if Benjamin was the brother they talked about? Why wouldn’t that send you weeping in your private room? Compose yourself, man. You are almost there.

At this moment, you have seen enough. Surprise! Your brothers care about your father and themselves in a way they never did before. They even care about Benjamin more than their own lives. (27-34). They have changed, Joseph, and that has become healing for you. So, how can you hold back anymore? And what a shock when you revealed yourself to them (45:1-3)?

Dinner has gone well. Everybody relaxes as you talk with them. But you cannot rest until you see your father. As you send them to bring Jacob and their families to Egypt, you know how things would play out on the road to Canaan. So, you call after them:

“Don’t quarrel on the way!”

You know your brothers very well, Joseph, but wisdom has taught you well too. The entire episode has washed away all your pain, and now you have empathy for them. You can have a laugh over their pithy frames.

God bless you, Joseph, for teaching us so well. You have showed us how to live like Christ and be a blessing to others through your pain and suffering.

See you in heaven sometime!