The conclusion of Joseph's story
When I left Cuba at the age of seven, my father and two brothers stayed behind. Little did I know that I would not see them again for 25 years. That is why this part of Joseph's story touches me so deeply. I know what he was feeling because I experienced it in my own skin.
Twenty years have passed since Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. The famine has reached Jacob and his family. Jacob sends his ten oldest sons to Egypt, where he has heard there is
plenty of food. Benjamin, the youngest, stays behind. Imagine Joseph's reaction when he sees and recognizes his brothers. I remember my own reaction when I found out that one of my brothers was on his way to Miami in a raft. The combination of nerves, fear and excitement at seeing him again was too much for me to contain within my heart. I was ready to burst.
The same thing happened to Joseph. He had all this conflicting emotions swirling within. On one hand he had the unpleasant memories of the day his brothers betrayed him and on the other hand he had the love and nostalgia that he felt for his homeland and his family. A storm is raging inside Joseph's heart. But blood is thicker than water. Family bonds are strong and enduring. Even though Joseph was betrayed, he is still deeply moved by the sight of his brothers. And he weeps.
The brothers do not recognize Joseph. They bow in front of him with their faces to the ground, just like Joseph had seen in his dreams so many years earlier. Joseph restraints himself and controls his impulse to tell his brothers who he is. He treats them like strangers and accuses them of being spies. Joseph then throws all ten brothers into prison. Joseph keeps them imprisoned for three days and then releases nine of the brothers. He wants to see his younger brother, Benjamin. His only "full" brother through their beautiful mother, Rachel. He holds Simeon hostage as a guarantee that the brothers will return with Benjamin.
It takes a while to convince Jacob, but the horrendous famine forces him to relent and he allows Benjamin to go to Egypt. When Joseph sees Benjamin he is deeply moved. I completely understand his emotions. When I saw my brother Eddy, that I had last seen when he was 19 months old, and all of a sudden I had him in front of me, a grown man at 26, I had a very hard time holding my emotions inside. I was not surprised that Joseph had to leave the room to weep in his chamber.
The time arrives for the brothers to return home. Joseph still has not revealed his identity and he's still struggling with his emotions. Bitterness is fighting with love and he sets a trap. The worst possible thing that could happen to the brothers and to their father would be for some disaster to fall upon young Benjamin. And that is precisely what Joseph does. He lays a trap to see if his brothers have changed. He hides his silver goblet, a symbol of his rank and position, in Benjamin's sack of grain. Joseph then proceeds to accuse the younger brother of theft. And Judah pleads for his little brother. He even offers his own life in exchange for Benjamin. The rest of the brothers also appear to be genuinely concerned. It's good to know that they do have a conscience after all.
Joseph weeps for the third time. He can no longer control himself. Through his sobbing and tears, he announces, "I am Joseph." Can you imagine the brothers' reaction? They must have been frozen in disbelief and utter shock. Never in their wildest dreams could they have imagined that their brother Joseph was the Vizier of Egypt.
What a family reunion this must have been. After the initial shock, hugs, kisses, apologies... All the pain of the past twenty years dissolved in a hug. Joseph tells them that all that happened was part of God's plan and therefore they don't need to apologize.
But now comes the hardest part. They have to tell Jacob the truth of what they did twenty years ago. When they tell Jacob that his beloved son, Joseph, is alive and that he's the Vizier of Egypt, Jacob doesn't believe them. When they confess their sin, Jacob struggles between being angry at them and rejoicing at the news that the son he thought was dead is very much alive. He forgives them, they all go to Egypt and live happily ever after. Not quite, but that's a story for another day.
God used Joseph in His plan of salvation. Just like he uses each one of us. We all have a part. Maybe not as big as Joseph's but each small part plays a major role in the big story. I had a role in my family history and so did my brother Eddy. By choosing to jump in a raft and escape from Cuba, he eventually brought the rest of our family to Miami. My husband always says that when he married me, I was an only child and one day, in the blink of an eye, I had this huge family: brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. God surely works in magnificent ways.
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