Joseph’s dealings with his brothers are brought to a head by the finding of his cup in Benjamin’s sack, 44. 12. Judah, the prime mover in selling Joseph, 37. 26, takes the lead now in their repentance, 44. 14, 16. His words reflect again those of the sinner, ‘… how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants’. The last test of their sincerity in repentance is whether they abandon Benjamin, 44. 17, as they had done with Joseph so long before? In Judah’s appeal he not only shows care for Benjamin but also for the welfare of his father, 44. 30. A changed man!
In the face of such clear evidence of their repentance and change, Joseph can no longer refrain from revealing himself to them. It represents a beautiful picture of Christ and His heart’s desire that the sinner should turn to Him.
So, now reconciled, the brethren will come into the good of his resources. They will not need now to be troubled any further by their former sins; they will be near to him, will be nourished by him and will hear his voice, see his glory and have communion with him, 45. 44-15. When Jacob eventually dies, Joseph remains steadfast in his kindness towards them, 50. 21, reminding us of the promise of the Lord ‘… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee’, Heb. 13. 5.
In Jacob’s pronouncement and blessing of his sons Joseph is accorded the greatest place, 49. 22-26. Again, he so beautifully typifies Christ in verse 22, ‘Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall’. This was later to be fulfilled by the Lord in John 4, for He sat on the well of Jacob, the most fruitful bow for God who has ever walked this earth and His branches, as it were, ran over the wall of the nation to the woman of Samaria and her friends.
Of all the Old Testament types of the Lord Jesus, Joseph must rank amongst the highest; what a privilege was his to be so like Him. Surely even now he receives his reward. May the Lord give us the strength to be emulators of Christ as well.
