WHEN Pharaoh heard that Joseph’s brothers had come, he and his servants were much pleased, and Pharaoh showed great kindness to Joseph. He told him to tell his brothers to load up their beasts and go to the land of Canaan, and bring their father and their households and come back and live there and he would give them of the good of the land of Egypt. They were to take wagons along to bring their wives and children, and they were not to mind bringing their goods as the best of the land of Egypt was put at their disposal. Now this was exceedingly kind on the part of Pharaoh, but I think it shows how highly he prized Joseph and his work.
And does it not, dear young reader, give us a faint conception of the delights of the glorious land to which we who love Jesus are going! Chariots will be provided for us and on the wings of the wind we will ascend; what is necessary to us here will all be left behind, for the good of the land to which we are going will be opened up to our wondering eyes. Ah! the things that God bath prepared for them that love Him are beyond what eye can see, or ear has heard, or thoughts that have entered the heart of man. But God, by His spirit, gives His own, a blessed foretaste of these things.
So Joseph got wagons ready as Pharaoh had directed, and gave his brothers provision for the way, and he gave all of them presents of clothing, but to Benjamin five times as much as to the others; and he, loaded, ten donkeys with the good things of the land of Egypt for his father, and ten other donkeys with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way. Then he sent them away, telling them not to quarrel on the road.
When they reached their father they told him that Joseph was yet alive, and that he was governor over all the land of Egypt. Jacob could not at first believe this wonderful news, and his heart fainted. But when they told him of Joseph’s kindness, and his loving message to him, and he saw all the wagons and fine things they had brought him, his spirit began to revive; and he said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive; I will go and see him before I die.
So Jacob, or Israel, got. his sons and his daughters and his grandchildren and their cattle and all their possessions together and took their journey toward Egypt. When they reached Beer-sheba, where Isaac had lived, Jacob stopped to offer offerings to the God of his father Isaac. In the night God spoke to him telling him that He was the God of his father. He told him also not to be afraid but go down to Egypt and He would go with him and would surely bring him back; and He would make of him a great nation. He also told Jacob that Joseph should put his hands on his eyes.
Thus assured, Jacob rose up and went on his journey, knowing that God was with him, and knowing, too, that he would see his son Joseph again. He sent Judah on before to let Joseph know that he was coming When Joseph got the joyful word, he made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father. And what a meeting it was! Joseph fell on his neck and wept a long time. And Jacob’s heart was full. He said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.”
When this touching and affectionate greeting was over, Joseph said he would go and tell Pharaoh that they had come, and he would ask for them to come to see him, and they were to tell him that their occupation was about cattle, for shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians.
And Joseph took some of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. Pharaoh spoke very kindly to them and asked them what their occupation was; they told him they were shepherds and took care of the flocks. He then told Joseph to put them in the best part of the land and if there were good men among them let them take care of his cattle too. So Joseph did according as Pharaoh had said. He placed his father and brothers in the best of the land, and he nourished his father and cared for all his household.
Thus Jacob was surrounded with love and plenty, and his lost one was restored to him again. I wonder if his thoughts ever turned back to the dark days when he said, All these things are against me, and if he traced God’s hand in the working of power and love at that very time!
ML 04/13/1902