This Week's Story
click here to play audioJoseph's brothers discover Pharaoh's second-in-command is their brother!
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
God is greater than my
family history! part ten
I am not proud of our recent family history. I wanted nothing to do with Joseph, even though he was my little brother. He got too much attention from Father! When he shared dreams that suggested our family would bow to him, he irritated all of us!
But, when you are Reuben, the oldest in a big family, you take responsibility for your younger brothers and sisters. I was ashamed when my brothers got rid of Joseph; I should have protected him. After my brothers sold him when he was seventeen and we lied about it, I never knew what happened to him. I felt guilty as I saw Father longing for him.
Years passed and famine struck our country and others. It forced us to go to Egypt twice to buy grain for food. Today my brothers and I stand before Zaphanath-paneah of Egypt, a powerful government official in charge of grain distribution. We have had strange dealings with him. Today is the worst! I think we will be forced to give my littlest brother Benjamin to him.
Judah, my brother, explained to the official why our father will die if anything keeps Benjamin from returning home. He shared Father’s grief when Joseph disappeared. To our astonishment, the official began to cry loudly and said, “I am Joseph!” How could the brother we had sold to be a slave have become the leader of Egypt under Pharaoh?
He asked, “Is my father still alive?”
I wondered: Why is he asking? We have told him we have a father who is alive. Does he want to see Father? I know Father loved him, and I can feel that this Zaphanath-paneah, this Joseph my brother, loves Father.
What will he do with us? The only innocent one among us is Benjamin, our little brother. He was too young to share in selling Joseph into Egypt.
Joseph asked, “Come closer to me. I am Joseph. Do not be angry for what you did to me. God allowed it to happen so that I can save your lives from the famine.
“God sent me here to keep you alive so that you and your families will become a nation. I know now that it was God who sent me here, not you. It is God who made me a counsellor to Pharaoh, manager of his entire palace staff, and ruler under him. You, nor I, could make this happen.
“Hurry! Go home! Tell Father, ‘Joseph is alive and in Egypt. This is his message for you.’
“God has given me great authority in Egypt. Come to me. Bring your children and grandchildren, your herds of animals, everything you have. I will care for you and you will live in Goshen, Egypt.
“If you do not move, you will become as poor as beggars. The famine has already gone two years and will continue for five more years.
“My brothers, look at me. My clothes and hair are not like yours; and we have aged. You are in your forties and fifties, except for Benjamin, our youngest, but he and you can recognize me. Tell Father everything that you have seen here and how I am honored. Bring him to me quickly.”
Joseph cried with joy and hugged Benjamin and each of his brothers. They began talking together freely.
This is Barbara Steiner with a family that God brought together. Their story is found in Genesis of the Bible. Check out the website: www.thisweeksstory.com.
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