See It To Believe It

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!” Genesis 45:4, NIV

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“And Israel [Jacob] said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.” Genesis 45:28

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The story of Joseph in Genesis is my favorite story in the Bible. So after I see our Triune God in Glory and have my cup of coffee with Nehemiah, my next person to chat with will be Joseph- haha! In reading Genesis 45 this week the 2 above verses caught my eye. And more specifically the theme of “seeing it to believe it” is what I saw in these verses.

As we approach 2017, if we ask God for a sensitivity to see His work in our lives, we will experience some “see it to believe it” moments. We will see Him work in such a way in our lives and the lives of others, where He will remind us of the truth of His presence, His awesomeness and His love.

Really quickly! Joseph had been sold into slavery by 10 of his brothers because they were jealous that he was their father’s favorite. So after many years of imprisonment, marriage, dream deciphering and being elevated to the second in command in Egypt, Joseph was reunited with his brothers who journeyed to Egypt to get grain during 7 years of famine. After some back and forth of mentally messing with his brothers, Joseph came clean and revealed his identity to them. What a scene! I can only imagine how those 10 brothers’ hearts stood still, their shame, their regret, but also their relief to see Joseph was alive.

Now here’s the thing. The 10 brothers and Joseph had been conversing for some days on a formal level, as Israelite men who were in need of food before a high Egyptian government official- Joseph. Their meetings had been formal and stressful for the brothers. But, after Joseph takes off his Egyptian eyeliner, his headdress, and switches from Egyptian- by way of his interpreter- to Hebrew he says to them in Genesis 45:4 “please come near to me.” They had been near him and had even eaten with him, so why a “come near to me?” You gotta read this raw emotional scene! This “come near to me” was not with formality, but with family love and openness. It’s the same kind of “come near to me" that Jesus says to us when we finally see Him for who He really is. When we come near to Him, He’s not some guy that people claim died 2,000 years ago. He’s family, standing there with open arms of forgiveness the way Joseph did. You see- Joseph in Genesis is "another type of Jesus." They were both sold for silver- Jesus for 30 pieces, Joseph for 20 pieces, both were misunderstood by their families, both had earthly brothers who didn’t see their value till years later- Jesus’ brother James not till after Jesus died and was resurrected.

And in verse 28 of chapter 45, Jacob, upon hearing from his 10 sons that Joseph was alive said, “I will go see him.” It was another “see it to believe it” moment, a miracle after all those years of thinking his son was dead.

As we have 16 days left in 2016 pray for some “see it to believe it” moments in 2017. Moments to see His hand, feel His presence, receive some Ephesians 3:20 blessings, and to know His awesomeness. 

Happy Friday!