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25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, "Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt." And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. 28 Then Israel said, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die." ~ Genesis 45:25-28
Today, we close out our study of Genesis 45 where Joseph has revealed his true identity to his brothers who were blown away by the fact that he was still alive. Then Joseph informed the Pharaoh of his brothers visit and the Pharaoh then showered Joseph's brothers with his favor by giving them more than they needed to go back to Canaan where there dad was at that time. Then the Pharaoh told the brothers that they could live in Egypt and enjoy all that his empire had to offer them. Today, we pick up the narrative as the brothers arrive back home in Canaan.
In v.25-26 of today's passage we read, "25 Then they went up out of Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to Jacob their father. 26 And they told him, saying, 'Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.' And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them."
And so the brothers went up, out of Egypt and headed home to Jacob their father. Imagine the suspense in them as they anticipated every possible thing that they could say to their father about their brother. Imagine their conversation regarding how he would react. In similar fashion to what Jacob's sons were going to tell him about his son Joseph, someday, the people of Israel will understand the extraordinary story of their long-awaited Messiah. It will be something beyond imagination to them. Imagine what Jacob felt when he learned that his son was alive. Perhaps that gives us insight into how Israel will respond. Jacob wrestled with the thought that God had abandoned him when he lost Joseph. Israel for sure has thought the same through their many trials down through time. Jacob thought his son was dead and Israel was sure the Lord Jesus was dead too. They considered Him a mere myth. But Joseph was alive and he was lord over Egypt. Similarly, the Lord Jesus has been alive all along and He is Lord of heaven and earth.
When Jacob heard the news about Joseph, his heart stood still which meant he simply couldn’t believe it was so. Jacob's reaction was normal and it also gives us a picture of what it will be like for the people of Israel during the seven year Tribulation. Jacob grew cold temporarily, but he didn't remain cold. During the Tribulation, those who are truly of faith in the God of the Bible will warm up once again to God because they will be given all the necessary evidence to believe that their Messiah is the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Zechariah 14:4 at His second coming the Lord Jesus' feet will stand on the Mount of Olives. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from east to west, making a very large valley. For those who will be humble enough to choose to believe their eyes, they will be saved in that moment.
In v.27 of today's passage we read, "But when they told him all the words which Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived."
Some need only to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and they are soon born again. Some need more. Some need to read the Word, think upon the evidences in the Word and in lives of others before they believe. Some, like me and Jacob, need to feel deep pain and then he needed to see the evidence. He saw the royal Egyptian carts which Joseph had sent, then he believed. The moment Jacob saw the carts, he knew the truth. Here, Jacob pictured Israel of the future, they will be given all of the evidence to believe and they will bow their knees before the Lord Jesus.
According to Zechariah 13:9 one third of Israel will believe at the end of the Tribulation. The number 1/3 is big in the book of the Revelation. In fact, a unique repetition of one third is found in Revelation 8. In this prophetic chapter, within only six verses, v.7-12, the word "third" is recorded eight times. It is utilized two additional times in Revelation 9 with its final appearance in Revelation 12. One third is used thirteen times, from Revelation 8:7 to 9:18, to delineate the false from the real. According to Revelation 12, one third corresponds to the amount of angels that Lucifer deceived into following him out of heaven. The deceptions he used to deceive one third of the angels brought chaos and spiritual misery to all who identified him as their leader. He will repeat those deceptions during the Tribulation and one third of the Jews on the earth at that time will see through his deceptions and they will believe on the Lord Jesus as their Messiah.
Jacob’s revival was carefully worded by Moses in Genesis 45:27. It had to be carefully described because it points us to the spiritual truth that man without the Lord Jesus Christ is dead. And, the opposite of this is true, man with the Lord Jesus Christ is made alive. As the Apostle Paul told us so long ago, "For me to live is Christ."
In v.28 of today's passage we read, "Then Israel said, 'It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.'"
Sin is a desperate disease. We were born with it and we currently live in it. Only one remedy can take it away. And it came at a very high cost for our Savior. Our proper response to His sacrifice is to give up on the self-life and to call on the Lord Jesus as our God and Savior. This truth is needed for everyone who has not entered into a personal relationship with Him. God has offered and we must be humble enough to receive that free offer or we will spend our eternity with the deceiver.
Here, Jacob is called Israel. Three times in this chapter he has been called Jacob. Up until now, he was Jacob the deceiver who was still deceived into believing that the self-life is the answer. Satan never tries to get us to follow him directly. No, he tries to get us to follow him indirectly by getting us to follow ourselves. Once Jacob saw that his son Joseph was still alive, he believed! The Lord Jesus will one day soon reveal Himself as the Messiah to the people of Israel, to those who once were His enemies. Like Jacob, when they see the glory of the Lord, they will say with Jacob, "It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die."
