兄弟和好
创世记四十二章1至13节
1雅各见埃及有粮，就对儿子们说：“你们为甚么彼此观望呢？
2我听见埃及有粮，你们可以下去，从那里为我们籴些来，使我们可以存活，不至于死。”
3于是，约瑟的十个哥哥都下埃及籴粮去了。
4但约瑟的兄弟便雅悯，雅各没有打发他和哥哥们同去，因为雅各说：“恐怕他遭害。”
5来籴粮的人中有以色列的儿子们，因为迦南地也有饥荒。
6当时治理埃及地的是约瑟，粜粮给那地众民的就是他。约瑟的哥哥们来了，脸伏于地，向他下拜。
7约瑟看见他哥哥们，就认得他们，却装作生人，向他们说些严厉话，问他们说：“你们从哪里来？”他们说：“我们从迦南地来籴粮。”
8约瑟认得他哥哥们，他们却不认得他。
9约瑟想起从前所做的那两个梦，就对他们说：“你们是奸细，来窥探这地的虚实。”
10他们对他说：“我主啊，不是的，仆人们是籴粮来的。
11我们都是一个人的儿子，是诚实人；仆人们并不是奸细。”
12约瑟说：“不然，你们必是窥探这地的虚实来的。”
13他们说：“仆人们本是弟兄十二人，是迦南地一个人的儿子，顶小的现今在我们的父亲那里，有一个没有了。”
信息分享
约瑟与兄长之间的情节十分有趣，占了几章篇幅。但核心要旨是要指出，约瑟仍然善待他的兄长；在他们第二次到访时，他甚至在家中款待他们。
约瑟与弟弟便雅悯阔别了至少二十二年。当约瑟最终对他们表白「我就是你们的兄弟约瑟」时，你可以想像众兄弟是何等惊愕吗？
我们略过故事的细节，跳到创世记的最后一章；当中有两件事值得我们注意。当父亲雅各死后，兄长们担心约瑟会报复他们。请翻到第五十章19至21节。约瑟对神的无上主权表达了充分的尊重：「你们的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全许多人的性命，成就今日的光景。」
然后，在约瑟临死之前，他提醒他的后人记念神给亚伯拉罕的应许，终有一天他们要举家回到迦南。约瑟要他的子孙承诺，当神带领他们出埃及的时候，记得要把他的骸骨运回迦南，安葬在那里。到了出埃及的时候，摩西便谨遵约瑟的遗命，将约瑟的骸骨带走，最后再由约书亚把骸骨埋葬在迦南。
约瑟是一个饱经试炼的人；但他那颗愿意宽恕别人的心，以及对神的信心，实在值得我们效法。
紧记：神的旨意绝不会带你到一个地方，是祂的恩典不能保护你的。
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.