兄弟和好
創世記四十二章1至13節
1雅各見埃及有糧，就對兒子們說：“你們為甚麼彼此觀望呢？
2我聽見埃及有糧，你們可以下去，從那裡為我們糴些來，使我們可以存活，不至於死。”
3於是，約瑟的十個哥哥都下埃及糴糧去了。
4但約瑟的兄弟便雅憫，雅各沒有打發他和哥哥們同去，因為雅各說：“恐怕他遭害。”
5來糴糧的人中有以色列的兒子們，因為迦南地也有饑荒。
6當時治理埃及地的是約瑟，糶糧給那地眾民的就是他。約瑟的哥哥們來了，臉伏於地，向他下拜。
7約瑟看見他哥哥們，就認得他們，卻裝作生人，向他們說些嚴厲話，問他們說：“你們從哪裡來？”他們說：“我們從迦南地來糴糧。”
8約瑟認得他哥哥們，他們卻不認得他。
9約瑟想起從前所做的那兩個夢，就對他們說：“你們是奸細，來窺探這地的虛實。”
10他們對他說：“我主啊，不是的，僕人們是糴糧來的。
11我們都是一個人的兒子，是誠實人；僕人們並不是奸細。”
12約瑟說：“不然，你們必是窺探這地的虛實來的。”
13他們說：“僕人們本是弟兄十二人，是迦南地一個人的兒子，頂小的現今在我們的父親那裡，有一個沒有了。”
信息分享
約瑟與兄長之間的情節十分有趣，佔了幾章篇幅。但核心要旨是要指出，約瑟仍然善待他的兄長；在他們第二次到訪時，他甚至在家中款待他們。
約瑟與弟弟便雅憫闊別了至少二十二年。當約瑟最終對他們表白「我就是你們的兄弟約瑟」時，你可以想像眾兄弟是何等驚愕嗎？
我們略過故事的細節，跳到創世記的最後一章；當中有兩件事值得我們注意。當父親雅各死後，兄長們擔心約瑟會報復他們。請翻到第五十章19至21節。約瑟對神的無上主權表達了充分的尊重：「你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全許多人的性命，成就今日的光景。」
然後，在約瑟臨死之前，他提醒他的後人記念神給亞伯拉罕的應許，終有一天他們要舉家回到迦南。約瑟要他的子孫承諾，當神帶領他們出埃及的時候，記得要把他的骸骨運回迦南，安葬在那裡。到了出埃及的時候，摩西便謹遵約瑟的遺命，將約瑟的骸骨帶走，最後再由約書亞把骸骨埋葬在迦南。
約瑟是一個飽經試煉的人；但他那顆願意寬恕別人的心，以及對神的信心，實在值得我們效法。
緊記：神的旨意絕不會帶你到一個地方，是祂的恩典不能保護你的。
JOSEPH - RECONCILED AT LAST
Genesis 42:1-13
1 When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”
2 And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”
3 So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt.
4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.”
5 And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.
7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?”
And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.”
8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.
9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!”
10 And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food.
11 We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.”
12 But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”
13 And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.”
Message
The inter-play between Joseph the Prime Minister and his ten older brothers is fascinating. It occupies several chapters. But the main point is his goodness to them. On their second visit he even accommodated them in his own home.
It must have been over 22 years since Joseph had seen his younger brother Benjamin. And can you imagine the real astonishment and consternation when Joseph finally said to them all: 'I am your brother Joseph'.
Skipping over the details of the story to the last chapter of Genesis, two incidents are worth noting. After the death of their father Jacob, the ten brothers were fearful that Joseph would take revenge on them. Turn to chapter 50:19-21. Read again Joseph's great words on the over-ruling sovereignty of God. 'You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.'
Then before Joseph died he reminded his family of God's promise to Abraham that one day the whole nation would return to Canaan. Joseph made the Israelites promise that when God delivered them from Egypt, his remains would be carried to Canaan and buried there. At the time of the Exodus Moses did this and Joshua finally buried them in that land.
Joseph stands out as a man tested over and over again. But his forgiving spirit and faith in God are a wonderful lesson for us today. Can we remember those lessons?
REMEMBER: THE WILL OF GOD WILL NEVER LEAD YOU WHERE THE GRACE OF GOD CANNOT KEEP YOU.