Joseph's Redemption 

On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so.  Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”  And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”  They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.  Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.  And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them. (Genesis 42: 18 to 25) 

Joseph was sold to Egypt when he was seventeen. He became the Prime Minister of Egypt at the age of thirty. After seven years of plenty and two years of famine, he met with his brothers at the age of thirty-nine. As before, when he pleaded for his life, his brother had no mercy for him. Now, after twenty-two years when they faced the same dilemma to plead for their own lives, they realized what Joseph must have felt. The predator now became the prey. Only then they realized what they had done. By looking at his brothers' confession for their guilt, Joseph could not help but weep because he finally received his redemption. However, he still didn't tell them who he was. Instead, he took Simeon from them and told them to bring their youngest brother to him to prove that they didn't lie and they were not spies. He gave them the grain but replaced everyone's money in his sack. When they found out what had happened, they were so afraid. Not only that, when they went back to Canaan and told Jacob what had happened, Jacob was also so upset toward them as described below.  

And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.”  Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” (Genesis 42: 36 37) 

Indeed, Joseph put his brothers in misery for what they had done. In the meantime, this brought redemption to his brothers too. They realized what they had done and regretted it.  However, they felt that there was nothing they could do to make up for their atrocity. So, Joseph gave them the chance to make it right. Not only that Reuben pledged the lives of his two sons for the safe return of Benjamin, but also Judah made the pledge as described below when Jacob told them to return to Egypt to get more food again as the food was running out. 

And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.  I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. (Genesis 43: 8 9) 

Now, not only that they valued each other's life, they were also willing to pledge themselves or their families for their sibling Benjamin. So, Joseph brought the family together for what he did. In other words, he gave his brothers the chance to redeem themselves from the guilt for what they had done. 

It's true that we all made mistakes. Yet even though we regret it, we couldn't make it right. So, we lived under the guilt of our conscience, or even the condemnation of Satan, the accuser constantly. Now, there is a way to be redeemed if we are willing to confess and repent as the Bible described below. 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (First John 1: 8 9) 

Jesus has already sacrificed himself to redeem us from our sins. However, we could still commit sins in our life. If we confess and repent for our sins and claim the redemption through the holy blood of Jesus Christ, then God will honor the redemption and forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Not because we are worthy but because of what Jesus Christ has done. If we have faith in Christ Jesus, then nobody can deprive this redemption from us. Emmanuel. 

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