| “So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way” (Genesis 45:24). |
| We do not use the term “fall out” any more in normal conversation, but it simply means to quarrel. Joseph was warning his brothers not to quarrel on the way home from Egypt! Isn’t it sad that he felt that he had to say that to them? |
| More than twenty years before, those same brothers had sold Joseph into Egypt as a slave, thinking that would be the end of him. They hated him so much that they did not care if he died. But the Lord was with Joseph, and as we know, he ended up being the governor over all the land of Egypt. Because Joseph had carefully stored up wheat during the years in Egypt when the harvests were good, there was plenty of wheat there when the Lord allowed a famine to come upon the whole area. Eventually his brothers were compelled to go to Egypt and buy food. If you have maps in the back of your Bible, perhaps you can trace out this journey. |
| Then Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and at first they were afraid of him, thinking that he would take revenge on them for selling him as a slave. But he treated them well, and freely forgave them for what they had done to him. You would think that they would have gone home very happy, knowing that they were not going to get into trouble with Joseph. But Joseph knew them well. He knew how easily they could get to quarreling among themselves, perhaps each one blaming the other for what had happened many years before. But they were all guilty, in one way or another, except for their youngest brother Benjamin. |
| It is often the same with Christians. We were no better than those who hated the Lord Jesus, and who wanted to crucify Him. Had we been there at the time, we too would have wanted to get rid of Him, for our hearts are all the same naturally. But now He has freely forgiven us, washed away our sins, and given us a home in heaven. You would think that Christians would always be happy, and enjoying the love of God. Yet how easily we can find fault with one another, and get into quarrels over small things that are not that important. Of course, we must not pass over things that dishonor the Lord, but many of the difficulties among believers are really just little things that annoy us. They are not really connected with the Lord at all. What Joseph said to his brothers is a good lesson for all of us — not to quarrel on the way home to heaven! Rather, we should all be enjoying what the Lord has done for us, and having happy fellowship together. |
