BOOSTING AND BONDING

•    battery failure sparks family togetherness
•    problems provide occasions to love one another, see God’s deliverance

THE GREAT PRETENDER

•    3 chapters could have been avoided had Joseph revealed his identity immediately
•    spoke harshly; used interpreter; Egyptian appearance; separate seating
•    ironic clues: seated in order of age; Benjamin’s portion

LESSONS LEARNED

•    Joseph sees dreams realized; processes emotions
•    Jacob at first refuses to send Benjamin, but relents: humble resignation and submission

RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY, SOLIDARITY, SACRIFICE

•    brothers to be tested: honest, words verified
•    NT: testing of faith develops perseverance, maturity, character
•    Respect - take Joseph’s word seriously, bow low to honour
•    Responsibility - accountable for earlier actions; offer to bear blame
•    Solidarity - don’t abandon a brother but willing to be slaves together
•    Sacrifice - Judah willing to become slave in place of Benjamin

THE MAIN POINT: GOD’S PREVAILING, POSITIVE PURPOSE

•    Joseph not bitter but detects God’s hand at work through it all
•    not brothers, but “God sent me ahead of you”
•    saving purpose: preserve a remnant
•    God glorified by scale of “a great deliverance”
•    great deeds means of showing marvelous reviving grace

ANDREW MURRAY’S ANALYSIS

•    God makes trial a blessing, teaches lessons
•    I am here: By God’s appointment, In His keeping, Under His training, For His time