Gen. 50:15-21
After the death of Jacob we thus find the brethren of Joseph in great distress. The remembrance of their past conduct might well, indeed, be overwhelming, for they understood not the grace in Joseph. They thought of their sin, but entirely lost sight of the forgiveness and grace of Joseph; and they said that Joseph would certainly requite them "all the evil which we did unto him." Surely they deserved all this. There was no excuse for their sin. It had been terrible. They had as good as killed their brother by casting him into that pit. There was no pity in their hearts when they took him out of that pit, and sold him into slavery, though they saw the anguish of his soul; he besought them and they would not hear (Gen. 40:11-21).
But had not their sin been brought to their consciences? Yes, in the very presence of Joseph, though they knew him not. He was dealing with them; he understood their thoughts and their words. Judah had said, "What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants." It is an awful moment, thus to be brought into the presence of God, and all laid bare!
"Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren." Oh, what grace! "And he wept aloud." He said, "I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence." It was not now that they prayed to be forgiven, but "Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt." Then did he make known unto their astonished ears the purpose of God, in their salvation from famine. "Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him."
What a life picture of the wondrous ways of God in grace! God the Spirit uses various means to bring sin so home to the conscience that there is no escape. But when sin is not only felt, but confessed to God, what a revelation in Christ, the true Joseph! Our sins are felt to be loathsome, and we abhor ourselves in His holy presence. It is He who is dealing with our souls. We own all to Him; and He says, Yes, it was for those very sins I sent My beloved Son to be the propitiation. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Thus the Antitype goes infinitely beyond the touching type of Joseph.
There was not, however, one thing lacking to show and prove the forgiveness of Joseph; yet, after years of kindness on his part, they feared the reality of his forgiveness. How was this? No doubt, the better they knew their relationship to Joseph, and all his righteous conduct, the baser would their own appear; but, as we have said, they could not fathom the grace in Joseph's heart. And is it not so with those who are brought to know their relationship with the risen Jesus? The more we know Him, while we abhor the flesh and all its sad fruits, the more we rest in His grace.
If they looked at their own past conduct, they might give way to gloomy unbelief, until they sank in despair. If they looked at his past conduct and love to them, how could they have a doubt? Past failure often gives Satan a great handle, and he will ever use it, if possible, to drive the child of God to despair. By this mark we may always know it is his work. The Holy Spirit may have to humble us, and deepen in us a sense of what sin is, and the need of greater watchfulness and dependence; but then He will also deepen in our souls a blessed sense of that mercy which endures forever. "Let Thy mercies come also unto me, 0 LORD, even Thy salvation, according to Thy word. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in Thy word." At such a time it is of all importance to be able to say, "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear."
With these thoughts, let us look at our deeply interesting scripture. No doubt the brethren of Joseph deserved punishment. And if God dealt with us in judgment, what do we deserve? They had thought of this, and reasoned from it, until doubt and unbelief had got a strong hold upon them; but they did not despair. There was the lingering sense of his grace; they went to Joseph, whereas despair would have led them to depart from him. It is so with God; the lingering sense of His grace draws us near to Him. Despair would drive the soul to utter darkness.
They said "unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin." It was terrible to have sinned as the brethren of Joseph. It is this that gives sin its deep aggravation-to have sinned as the brethren of the risen Jesus. And mark, it is much easier to pray for the forgiveness of sins, than to believe in the forgiveness of sins. Many there are who continue for years to pray for forgiveness of sins, just like the brethren of Joseph, who never believe their sins are eternally forgiven.
This then was their position; long ago their sin had been brought home to them; they had stood self-condemned before Joseph. He had fully revealed his grace to them, and given to each the kiss of forgiveness. But little understanding the grace in Joseph's heart, they now pray for forgiveness. Now look at Joseph; does this please him? "Joseph wept when they spake unto him." What a picture of Jesus! What a touching scene! How deeply his heart felt their unbelief! How could they doubt his love? No doubt God greatly overrules—yea, uses this humiliation for blessing to His children. "And his brethren also went and fell down before his face." They also did what the prodigal thought of doing. "And they said, Behold, we be thy servants." Thus the poor unbelieving heart is ever ready to take the place of serving, in order to be deserving.
Surely it is far better to be thus humbled and broken in the presence of our Joseph, than to be indifferent about sins. But, oh, how sweet to a crushed, broken spirit are those words, "Fear not." And again, "Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them"; or, as in the margin, "spake to their hearts." Is not this what our Jesus does? Full well does He know that even His own words would fail at such a time to comfort, unless applied by the Spirit to our hearts. Let us not, however, forget the grief it gave to Joseph for his brethren to doubt his forgiving love.
With our eyes we do not see our Jesus weep; we do not thus, as they, see the pain- if we may use such a word- it gives to doubt His love; but do we not hear Him say, "Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit bath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have." They had just heard, for the first time in resurrection, those words, "Peace be unto you." Yes, words spoken on the first day of the new creation. Now why were they troubled? What, thoughts would arise, if they looked back only for one short week? Oh, what a week!—never such events had taken place, or can take place in one short week.
They were now the brethren of the risen Jesus. He had sent them the message to assure them of this. They had never been, and never could be, in that relationship until He had died and risen again (John 12:24). They had not yet grasped or understood this marvelous grace. And as Joseph wept, so the risen Jesus could not bear to see them doubt His love.
If they thought what they had done, even in those few past days, what cause for trouble in His presence! If they thought what He had done, what cause for eternal joy! Yes, how much depends on whether we are occupied with ourselves, or with Him! What had they done? All had forsaken Him; one had denied Him in the presence of His enemies. All had loved Him, and did love Him; but, oh, how weak is the flesh in the hour of temptation! And more, they had known His love, and yet they had sadly failed to stand by Him. Had He not deeply felt all this? Yes, He says, "I looked on My right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know Me: refuge failed Me; no man cared for My soul." Psalm 142:4. Yes, if they looked at their own conduct, they could only feel troubled in His presence. But if they looked at what He had done, had He not spoken to their hearts? Yes, after warning the boldest of his fall, before it came, in infinite grace, He turned to His disciples, and said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me." He was going away, no more to be seen with them in the flesh; but He speaks to their hearts, to trust Him even as God, whom they did not see. Yes, He spoke to the heart. He said again, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
Did He not then go up to the cross, and accomplish their and our eternal redemption? Did He not bear their and our sins in His own body on that cross? Had not those words been heard, "It is finished"? Had He not risen from the dead, Head of the new creation, the first-born from among the dead? Had He not sent the joyful message, that they were now His brethren—that they stood in the same relationship to God the Father in which He stood, alive from the dead? Yes, He had said to Mary, "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." Old things had passed away, all things had become new, and all of God. As yet they understood it not, and were therefore troubled when He stood in their midst, and said, "Peace be unto you." If Joseph wept, Jesus said, "Why are ye troubled?" Did He not speak to their hearts? Yes, He says, "and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?" Had He not borne their sins, to be remembered against them no more? He showed them His hands and His feet.
It might be asked, How could they know, and how can we know, that all that would otherwise give trouble is gone forever? Surely His own word, spoken to the heart, is enough-"Peace be unto you." Satan and memory would bring up the past. Jesus says, "Peace," and He had made it by the blood of the cross. Joseph had not done this for his brethren. Jesus has for His. Peace and forgiveness is now proclaimed through Him; and, as it was with Joseph's brethren, it is much easier to pray for forgiveness of sins, than to believe the forgiveness proclaimed. "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins." "Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him all that believe are justified from all things." It does not say, Whosoever continues praying for forgiveness of sins shall at some future time be forgiven, but, all that believe are justified. And if praying for forgiveness, long after they were forgiven, made Joseph weep, may we never grieve the heart of Jesus by a single doubt! God grant that we may hear Jesus speak to our hearts in these scriptures. It was wondrous grace in Joseph, but have we less in Jesus? Far be the thought. All the types of the Old Testament were but figures, or pictures, but in Jesus we have the infinite fullness- God manifest. Ever then may these words abide in our hearts-"Peace be unto you."