"# 55 - Joseph: The Judge - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein, we journey into the emotional heart of Joseph’s story, where betrayal meets reconciliation. Experience the tension as Joseph confronts his brothers, wrestling with justice, forgiveness, and the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan.
Episode 55 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.
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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Isaiah 43:18, “Don’t remember the former things, and don’t consider the things of old.”
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Show Notes:
(02:32) Intro with Yael Eckstein
(03:24) Joseph: The Judge - Cinematic Retelling
(35:20) Reflection with Yael Eckstein
Previously on the Chosen People.
Oh, I had this spectacular dream. I was surrounded by the stars, and they all bowed down to me.
Even the Sun and the moon joined in.
So are you to rule over us, Joseph?
They hated Joseph for his favor and were trapped in a prison of jealousy. Sensing the danger, Joseph stepped back, but the brothers had surrounded him.
Where are you running off to, baby brother?
Are you afraid?
Tears streamed down Joseph's face. He couldn't speak, he could barely breathe. Judah threw him against the rocks.
Tell me, Joseph, in all your dreaming, did you ever imagine this?
Joseph's cries for help were choked by the tight rope. Tears filled his eyes, his heart heavy with betrayal. The sun set, the stars taking its place as Joseph was taken towards Egypt, her slave's fate awaiting you.
Egypt will experience a time of flourishing like never before. The land will give birth to new life, and your people will be fed. However, this prosperity will come to an end. The seven Sickly Cows and the seven scorched heads of grain. They represent seven years of devastation. After seven years of plenty, seven years of famine will strike the.
Land like a wildfire.
This is the warning God has given to you. With this knowledge comes a great deal of responsibility. It will come to pass, and if Egypt is not ready, the entire world will perish.
Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one else I would desire for the position. You shall be in charge of my palace, my resources, and all my people. There shall be tools in your hands, guided by your God, so that our great nation will survive. Only with respect to the throne, will I be greater than you. I hereby declare that you are to rule my kingdom with complete authority. All shall praise you. Even the sun and moon shall know your name and bow.
Among the hunger, pains and starvation during a famine, the cries of guilt echo the loudest, shalloh my friends from here in the Holy Land. I'm l Extein with international fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. Have you ever wondered what you would do if the world round you collapsed, if every familiar security and comfort crumby how would you respond? In the days of all the famine swept across the land like a relentless force. The fertile fields of the Holy lanterned barn, and the chosen people cried out for relief. And in the midst of this desolation, starvation, and suffering, ten brothers embarked on a journey.
The harsh wind blew in from the east, a desolate breath from the heart of the wastelands, carrying with it the seeds of ruin. Crops withered under its relentless assault, leaving the land of Canaan Barn and its people hungry. The sons of Jacob toiled in the fields, their efforts as futile as trying to hold back the sea with a sieve. The wind cut at their faces and stripped their throats dry, a cruel reminder of the famine that had taken hold on a weathered stump, his knuckles white as he gripped his staff age had turned his skin to leather and his bones to brittle twigs. He surveyed the lifeless fields with eyes that had seemed too much suffering and not enough joy. His heart was a stone in his chest, heavy with the knowledge that his time was running out, and his son's lives might follow if something didn't change soon. The sky above was a cruel, unbroken expanse of blue, mocking his pleas for rain.
M is this how it all ends?
The horizon offered no answers, only the heat rising in shimmering waves. Jacob's prayer for deliverance was swallowed by the empty sky, his faith tested by the gnawing hunger that clouded his mind. He strained to hear God over the incessant rumbling of his stomach. Before he could gain focus, a voice cried.
Out from the road, Oh, there, Jacob.
Jacob turned to see Danel, a Canaanite goat herder striding towards him. Danel was a broad shouldered man, his skin darkened by the sun, with two sons trailing behind him, towing a large cart. Like Oxen, the herder carried a large pack, its weight bending his back slightly. Jacob offered him a drink from his wine skin, and he obliged with a grunt and nod. Danell sat down heavily beside him, eyes fixed on the dead fields.
There are crops for miles, Jacob. All the surrounding villages are losing children and the elderly. Ah it's a mess.
Ah, My God always provide.
Yes, Yes, you and your guard are fortunate to have it each other.
As the land turns to dust. I have a new God.
He's in Egypt, and he gave me mountains of grain to.
Bring home Egypt as the famine not reached them.
How could that be?
Oh, the famine reached them all right. Their fields are as dead as ours. Not a barley sprout for miles. It hit the livestock too, but still they eat. They have a prophet there who foresaw the coming famine and stored enough grain to feed the entire world if.
He so pleased. This prophet has allowed you, a foreigner, to have some of Egypt's grain. I was as surprised as you are.
But this prophet is letting everyone come. He's filling bellies across the world.
Ah.
That's why I've made him my new God. It's him.
I'll be praying to it.
You can be sure of that. As long as my bellies fall, I'll be blessing him.
Watch this prophet's name, eh.
Some royal Egyptian name given by Pharaoh himself. Apparently they call him Ah. How you pronounce it? A zaf laf panaia?
That's it? What do you receive?
A Hebrew?
My family has a mixed relationship with Egypt.
I think he'd received just about anyone.
I know.
You think your God will save you from the famine, Jacob, But I would consider looking to Egypt for help. Maybe your God has wandered into those parts and made a home there. You said so yourself. He works in mysterious ways. All right, that's enough rambling from this old man. I'll be on my way. Now, take care of yourself, Jacob, you as well.
Friend.
Daniel carted off with his sons. Jacob remained still for a moment. A tinge of hope coursed through his old veins. A smile twitched to the corners of his lips. His eyes peered upward, and he allowed a full grin to widen on his leathery face.
What are you up to?
He stood to his feet and made his way back to the tents. His sons were there, mending their tools and lounging in the shade. Jacob hobbled towards them with his staff with a fervor that surprised even himself, he lifted his staff and whacked issaca upside their head.
Ah, get up, you lazy sons.
You're all staring at each other as if grain's gone to start pouring out one of your ears.
The men, none of the many longer resembling boys, stood to their feet. They had not seen their father with this much vigor in a long time.
Father, we've worked the land. It's given us nothing.
What else are we supposed to do?
Well?
Dear Syrian, you can continue to fester in your seats.
Oh, you can make yourself useful and go to Egypt.
The men perked up, anxious about what Jacob knew about Egypt. Any time the nation was mentioned, a tinge of remorse jobbed at them.
What's what's in Egypt?
Grain?
Enough grain to feed the world, and they're selling it at a fair price.
Ah, the road to Egypt is risky, especially with the famine. Bandits have multiplied out of desperation.
Howard, listen to me.
You can either go to Egypt and live, or remain here and die.
The men paused, confused, more so than Jacob was so lively. He hadn't been like this since Joseph's passing worthless suns.
Get out and go. Go before your own father turns the duster.
Oh rally all the brothers well believe it. Don Simeon, go retreat. Reuben and Zebulon, Levi send word to Gadon, asher Dan, Benjamin and I will saddle the donkeys before the sunset.
No, absolutely not. Benjamin will not be joining you, father.
He's a strong boy, nearly a man. He'll be fine with us.
Don't you dare try and convince me to save my youngest boy with you.
Benjamin stays you go her canvas, losing another piece of my heart.
The words weighed heavily on Judah. Jacob had never forgiven them for letting Joseph perish in the wilderness. If only he knew the real truth.
As you wish you all hurt, father, Let's move.
Before the dawn could emerge from its hiding. The ten older sons of Jacob departed, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issuka, Zebulun, gad asher Dan, and Naftali. As the cool gravel crunched beneath their feet, they heard a shout from behind.
Judah wait for me.
His ruddy teenaged brother, Benjamin, was running after the pack. Secure to his side, Judah turned a warm smile spreading across his face.
Haha, I wish you could join us, Benji, but father forbade it.
Never lets me go anywhere with the others.
You're precious to him that to all of us, Egypt is a hostile place, especially to us Hebrews.
I'm not the child father thinks I am.
Judah paused and looked down at Benjamin. The boy was lanky, with broad shoulders and amber curls bouncing off his forehead. He was a mirror image of Joseph at that age. Seeing his earnest gaze pierced Judah's heart, he brought his baby brother in close and kissed his head.
Ah, come here, take care of the flocks and watch over my sons. You're not the child father thinks you are. You're a man, man enough to take care of things while we're gone.
You'll tell me stories of Egypt, won't you tell me about the Nile and the great towers.
Ah, I can't wait. Now run back to father before the sun rises. Be careful near the river, too, It's easy to stumble when it's.
Judah watched Benjamin drag his feet for the first few steps, dust churning up with his disappointment. His trudge soon turned to a skip and run because he made his way back home. Judah's eyes glistened with brotherly affection. Benjamin had taken Joseph's place as Jacob's favored son, but he didn't catch the same ire. Judah's jealousy had quereled with time. Life had humbled him, beaten him into submission.
You've grown softer in your old age, Judah, and.
You've grown uglier and fatter. Let's go before the sun punishes us with its heat.
To Egypt.
Salvation awaits yes, Salvation, Please step forward.
Joseph stood at the entrance of the storehouses, the massive and stone structures towering behind him like silent sentinels. The carvings on their surfaces told the tale of zapphanarth Pannia's rise to power, a story of foresight and wisdom that had saved Egypt from the grip of famine. The line of people stretched far, a river of humanity seeking sustenance. Joseph's heart ached with a blend of duty and compassion. A woman and her daughter stepped before the slave turned governor, their faces weary from travel.
Where have you come from?
Timner, just outside the plains of Canaan.
I'm very familiar with Timner. You've traveled far. You must be very tired.
Yes, my lord, but the journey will be worth it for some food. Everywhere around us has been destroyed by the famine.
Has Canaan been struck as well?
Yes, my lord, no village or farm was spared.
I se ye.
Joseph hid his reaction, but the news struck him like a blow. He looked down at the little girl beside the woman and offered her a piece of sweetbread. She took it hesitantly, then devoured it with a hunger that brought tears to Joseph's eyes. He gestured to his attendants.
Filled their bags with grain as much as they can carry.
Thank you, Zephanethpania. Tales have been told of your kindness. I'm pleased that the stories have proven true.
The little girl waved, and the two of them were on their way. Joseph watched them depart, a storm of emotions brewing within him. As the sun climbed higher, more people came, each with their own stories of hardship and need. Joseph greeted them all, his heart heavy with the weight of his role. All people from far off had traveled to Egypt in order to buy grain. There was plenty to spare, for God had made ease Egypt incredibly fruitful during the time before the famine, Joseph had planned well, and now they were enjoying the fruits of their labor. Egypt truly was a palace of plenty, and Joseph was its king. He ruled with a gentleness, tact, and wisdom that made him the most beloved man in the world. He believed God had placed him there in Egypt for this very reason. Then he saw them. Ten tall figures stood in line. They wore garments of sheep's wool over their waists and sashes of thin fabric across their shoulders. Each of them had a specific trait about them that signified they were brothers. Recognition sparked a fire in Joseph's veins. These were his brothers, the sons of Israel, who had betrayed him so long ago. Joseph's blood ran cold, and his grip on his scepter tightened. His brow turned downward, and the blood rushed to his legs. Joseph felt like fleeing, escaping for his life. It was an absurd feeling. He was the second most powerful man in Egypt, surrounded by guards and doting citizens, yet he felt in danger. Surely they wouldn't recognize Joseph. He had grown larger and stronger, was shaved and dressed as an Egyptian, adorned with a royal head dress an amulet. But still Joseph's body tensed with panic. The ten brothers stepped forward in line, with empty sacks in their hands. Joseph looked at their faces. Reuben in particular, had aged considerably. His once broad and muscular frame had diminished with time. He looked like his father. Even the younger brothers, Issuca and Zebulun were weathered by age and labor. Joseph peered at them silently as they approached. With each step they took award, Joseph could feel his heart beating faster, his mind raised with a flurry of different emotions. Hatred, contempt, agony, and fear all rushed through him like battering waves against the shore. Then Joseph saw Judah, taller than the rest, a chest turned upward, wearing a wooing smile, Joseph stealed his resolve, refusing to be fooled by anything that came from that snake's mouth. Judah stood at the front, with his head held low and arms outstretched.
Lord zap and ASPANEA, we come seeking kindness.
Joseph's heart hammered in his chest. Here they were bowing to him, as he had once dreamed, though the vision now seemed a cruel irony. He stared at their dusty faces, their expressions pleading.
They want my kindness, they want mercy. I received no such thing from them all those years ago. They ought to starve for what they did.
A torrent of negative thoughts rushed into his mind. His vision turned blurry with rage. His tormentors bowed before him and expected mercy. Their eyes lifted to see Joseph's face. However, they didn't recognize him. His face had not changed much since he was seventeen. However, the last thing they expected was Joseph to be made a king. When they sold him into slavery, Joseph was adorned with the markings of power and royalty. The last time they had seen him, he was bound and tied to the back of an Ishmaelit camel. Joseph scoffed audibly.
Where do you come.
From From the land of Canaan, my king. We have come to buy food. Our crops have been ravaged by the famine, and we're out of options. We beg you for mercy. Please allow us to buy food for our families spies.
He slammed his staff on the ground, watching them flinch and twisted. Satisfaction rose within him. He remembered how they once beat him to near death and left him in a pit. He still bore scars from that day on his side.
You have come to see if this land is open for attack. We had threats come in from the land of Canaan. You must be spies Zavnefteneia.
We assure you that our intentions are pure. We are all sons of a man named Jacob. His land is in Canaan. We are humble herders and farmers. We have no ill will towards you or Egypt. Your honest men who tell the truth always come with upright hearts before you.
Simeon's answer made Joseph's blood boil.
Honest men, the men who soothed their own brother into slavery, have the gold to stand before meath and clean. They have pure hearts.
Joseph seethed with anchor, and it showed the brothers could sense his wrath rising and feared what he may do to them. Joseph could sense their fear. He reveled in it. Not a day had gone by when he didn't think about his brothers. He remembered their scowl. He's in their spite, He remembered their backs turning as he was carted off like an animal.
We will see if they are honest men. I will make them prove they have.
Changed, Joseph composed himself.
I am convinced you've come to spy on our land. The famine has hit Egypt with the same blow as Canaan. However, we were prepared. Have you come to spy on our storehouses so you might take them for yourself? Why else would you bring so many of you.
We are a large family, my lord. Your servants are all sons above one man, and and several women. In fact, there are.
More brothers just us.
Our youngest brother is in Canaan with our father and our other brother Paris long ago by wolves.
Wolves Instead the lie they told father.
Joseph scanned his brothers up and down. He observed their faces. Had they truly changed their ways? How far would they be willing to go to prove their honesty. Joseph placed his hands behind his back and paced back and forth. He looked to the horizon, the same horizon he had gazed at many sunsets. He longed to see his father again. He longed to meet his younger brother. Joseph turned to the brothers.
My judgment delivered this land from famine, and my judgment tells me you are spies. Prove to me I'm wrong. You will be bound and imprisoned in this place while one of you leaves to retrieve the youngest brother. If he is real, then I shall know you do not lie.
Joseph stopped and leaned down at Judah. He looked at him in the eyes intently. Judah had once looked Joseph in the eyes and tossed him into a pit. Now Joseph was going to return the favor.
Send them to the pits for three days, we shall see if they feel any more motivated to tell me the truth.
The guards seized the brothers and threw them into the palace prison. It was the same prison Joseph was once held in alone. They sat in there, cold and afraid, just as he once did. Joseph stood outside the prison pacing with fury. His heart was being tossed to and fro like a ship in a storm. His hands shook and his stomach churned. Joseph was starting to lose his resolve. For three days, Joseph sat outside the prison gates. His mind was blurred by flashes from his past. On the second night, he sat outside the cell and stared up at the moon. He remembered the comforting rays of light that peeked in through the dungeon window. He closed his eyes, trying to remember the pain of prison, slavery, and betrayal. A cold breeze blew in and knocked his head dress off and into the dirt beside a well. Joseph picked it up and stared into the water. He looked into his reflection, seeing a man he did not recognize. He didn't seize zaphanath Pania, the man commissioned by Pharaoh. He saw Joseph, the man saved by God. He sighed and looked to the heavens. The cool breeze caressed his face. Joseph smiled, remembering the blessings God had adorned him with since being sold into slavery. For a brief moment, Joseph forgot his bitterness. The next morning, Joseph entered into the prison cell with his guards. The brothers all stood to their feet, sore from days of sleeping on stone. Joseph walked in with a stoic expression.
Do you deserve to live?
The ten of them nodded their heads immediately.
Very well, As surprising as it may seem to you, I fear the God of your people. I will grant you all a kindness you do not deserve. One of you will remain in custody, while the other nine leave to carry that grain to your families. Once your households are secure, you shall return here with your youngest brother. Then I will know you are honest men.
The brothers nodded, whispering in their language. They consoled each other and commiserated over their past sins.
Know why this is happening to us?
Right?
A week and Joseph to a not a slave religion, And now we had domed this fright.
This is asonishment for our guilt. Do you remember how Joseph begged us for mercy. I could still hear his screams for help in my mind.
We only watched as he was taken.
I told you I want to leave the boy alone.
Reuben was a quiet and strong man. However, this time his voice boomed, nearly shaking the entire prison.
I told you to leave him alone. You didn't listen. You sold him when my back was turned.
Now look at us. God has sent a reckoning voice, blood and we deserve it.
They didn't know Joseph could understand him. Slowly, he backed out the door and out of view. He ran down the halls and into an empty cell. He fell to his knees and removed his head dress, banging his fists against the cold, wet stone. Joseph wept, his heart ached with sadness too deep for words. He had not known Reuben tried to save him. He had not known they regretted selling him into slavery. All of this was too much for his heart to bear. For a few moments, Joseph was undone.
With emotional turmoil.
His sobs bounced off the chamber walls, reverberating back at him. It sounded as if God himself was weeping in their prison cell with him. Joseph composed himself and wiped away the tears from his eyes. He took a deep breath, put his head dress back on, and marched towards his brothers as zaphanarth pannier. Joseph raised his right hand and pointed to Simeon.
You will remain here until your brothers return.
He watched the brothers embrace Simeon before being escorted out of the prison. Joseph turned shut the door. It echoed across the halls. Simeon was left in darkness. Ned was waiting for him outside.
Nets see to it that every man's bag is filled to the brim with grain. Also, be sure to return the sacks of money in each of their bags, give them provisions for the journey home as well.
Ned nodded and saw to it that every bag was full and every coin was returned to the men. The brothers were sent away without a goodbye from the governor. They departed with their donkeys carrying several loads of grain. All of the brothers, all but Simeon, walked away from Egypt with their heads held low.
We have the grain, by what cost we'll explain to father what happened, and surely he'll let us take Benjamin back to Egypt.
I wouldn't be so sure.
Behind them, overlooking the land in the distance, stood Joseph. His eyes were fixed on the nine men as they walked away. He stood high on the hills, over looking the entire kingdom. The sun's golden rays turned into a deep red as it slid across the horizon. The burnt hues turned darker as the sun descended. Joseph closed his eyes, sighed, and returned to his family. He embraced them, reminding himself that they were his family now. The brothers reached a small lodging area in between Egypt and Canaan. Their throats were parched from a long day's journey.
We rest tonight, then leave first thing in the morning.
As Judah took some supplies off the donkey, a sack of money fell out of the bag of grain.
What's this?
The same sack of coins he used to buy the grain had been tucked away securely with the rest of his belongings.
LEVI check your bag, All of you, check your bags.
The brothers checked their belongings and their bags to their utter surprise, each sack of money had been returned to them. Judah looked down at the sack of money, twenty shekels of silver, the same amount they had gained when they sold Joseph. He threw his sack on the ground and fell to his knees. Judah clasped his hair and wept on the floor. The past was beginning to creep up on him. Shadows and flashes of his sins began to flood back into his memory. Judah and the rest of his brothers were coming face to face with their own depravity. Jacob sat beside the well, overlooking the charred landscape of Canaan. His bones ached and his heart was weary from weeks of worry. He prayed to God his sons would all return. He could not bear the loss of another. He looked behind him. Benjamin was digging up roots to be boiled. Jacob smiled. Benjamin was now around the same age Joseph was when he was killed. Not a day went by when he did not think about Joseph, his beloved son. Jacob looked away back at the horizon. Nine small figures came into view. The brothers had returned. Jacob stood and met them on the road. At first, he reveled in the fact that there were large sacks of grain carried by the donkeys. However, Jacob saw that one of his sons was missing.
Where is Simeon? What has happened?
We met the ruler of Egypt. He was a harsh man. He accused us of being Canaanite spies. But we told him that we were humble and honest men. We told him we are twelve brothers total, one being dead in the other back home with our father.
Blasted Judah. What did you say to him to make him hate you so much?
Judah didn't do anything wrong. This man was on hating us before we even spoke, so he killed Simeon. No, he's in prison until we can prove we aren't lying. H What proof will sway this man?
The brothers paused and looked at each other. Finally Judah stepped forward.
He requires Benjamin. If we can show him Benjamin, he'll know we aren't lying.
Huh.
No, he will not take my son to be in prison by this madman.
How do you know he won't just kill you all?
He gave us back our money. That's how everything we paid. He gave back to us in our sacks, along with an extra portion of brain. This man is harsh, but I feel he means what he says. His intentions were definitely not to harm us, or else he wouldn't have given us our money bag. I mean, however, it seem overly interested in our family.
You have rieved me of my children. First, Joseph dies under your watch. Now Simeon rots in an Egyptian resin. Now you desire to take my youngest son, you will not.
Jacob took Benjamin by the arm and began to storm away. Reuben stood there silently. His body began to quiver and his fists clenched. A single tear streamed down his face as he watched his father leave. He was the oldest and felt responsible for all of the misfortunes of his father.
Who your trust in me, father.
Jacob stopped and turned his head. Reuben was a quiet man who rarely raised his voice. However, a great deal of passion welled up within him.
Allow me to take Benjamin. If I do not bring him back to you, kill my two sons. Please, I must redeem myself. Put Benjamin in my hands, and I will bring him and simeon back to you.
Your word means very little to me, Reuben, do not think I've forgotten the sins that lay between us.
Jacob looked deeply into his eldest son's eyes. Reuben had betrayed his father once before, defiling the sacredness of Jacob's marriage bed. A chasm lay between them, a gap of herd, fury and mistrust.
My son shall not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is the only one I have left. If harm should happen to him on the journey you are about to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to shale. In other words, Reuben, I don't trust you, not after what happened to Joseph.
Without another word or glance, yes, Jacob retreated back to his tent. The family of Jacob would live to see another few months. However, the culture of jealousy, backbiting, and betrayal in their family was beginning to catch up to them. They were in need of redemption.
Wow, what an incredible story. Can you feel the gnawing hunger of the famine and the gnawing guilt of Joseph's brothers. Imagine the moment when they stand before him, not recognizing the sibling they'd once sold into slavery. And imagine Joseph keeping his composure, all the while torn between the bitter memories of betrayal and the heart's longing for reconciliation. The silence between them must have seemed like it lasted for centuries. The drama of this family saga is a reminder that our ancestors weren't just characters in a story. They were flesh and blood, with hearts that broke and hearts that healed, just like ours. And there in the midst of it all is God. Once again. God's word is more than a collection of tales from the past. It's a testament to his enduring faithfulness, this God of ours who turns even the darkest moments into light. God's workings in our lives might seem baffling at first, but if we look close, we can see his intricate designs. We see this in today's episode. Joseph's early misfortunes betrayal by his brother, slavery, imprisonment, seemed devoid of CeNSE or justice. Yet these trials actually positioned him to save his family in the future from famine, and with them the fledgling nation of Israel. Even from the beginning, God had a plan, a salvation story for Joseph and for his chosen people, and Genesis forty two perfectly illustrates this same truth. Joseph's brother's journeyed to Egypt, driven by famine and desperation. They bowed before the brother they had once sold into slavery, unaware of his true identity. Joseph, now a powerful figure, held their fate in his hands. Joseph's many trials and tribulations had had their purpose. Through them, God had placed Joseph in a position to preserve life, to be a vessel of salvation for his family and for all of God's chosen people. As we've seen time and again, and we'll see throughout the story of God's people. God's ways are shrouded in mystery, are limited. Vision can't always grasp his divine plan. But we are called to trust it nonetheless, to trust that God's plan for us is perfect, greater than our wildest dreams, more magnificent than our deepest imaginations. This is the essence of faith, embracing the unseen, believing in the divine orchestration of our lives. God's hand is at work, weaving a story of redemption, even in the threads that seemed tangled and frayed. We are the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and our God is ever faithful, ever true. Whenever I read this story, I always wonder why Joseph put his brothers through so much. Why didn't he just reveal himself from the beginning. While Jewish tradition explains that Joseph's aim was to frighten his brothers and make them uncomfortable, so that they would remember what they did to him, that they would reflect on it, and they would feel the sincere regret that would move them to real repentance. And it seems from what we read in the Bible that that's exactly what happened. After Joseph's brothers were released from jail, they said to each other in verse twenty one, quote, surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we didn't listen. That's why this distress has come upon us.
End quote.
Well, if you think back a few episodes, the Bible did not tell us that Joseph had pleaded for his life when he was thrown into the well. Maybe that's because the brothers blocked this painful memory from their minds, of ignoring the heartfelt cries of their flesh and blood, of hearing the screams of their brother begging to save him, and turning their backs on him. But then when they felt their own pain and feared for their own lives, they did recall Joseph's pain and how he cried to them from the pit, and how they didn't listen. It can be hard to feel someone else's pain, and sometimes we only understand that pain and we felt our own. Here in the Holy Land and all around the world, the Fellowship works very hard every day to feel the pain of others and to act to take away that pain. To hear someone crying for food and to go and provide it. To hear mothers begging for baby formula, and to go and give it to her, even if it's in the middle of a war zone, even if rockets are falling. We're there to comfort the needy. There are millions of people of faith who support us and help us in this holy and I pray that they are blessed not to have to experience the same pain in their own lives that too often are faced by those people that we help. So how does Joseph's story apply to us? First, like Joseph, let's trust in God. We all face trials, betrayals, and heartache. But like Joseph, we can trust that God is at work in the middle of it all with the perfect plan of redemption. Second, let's pursue reconciliation. Think about the people have hurt you. It's easy to hold onto anger and bitterness, but Joseph's story calls us to a higher path, to forgive, to seek reconciliation even when it's hard. I think of the righteous gentile Dietrich Bonhoeffer, murdered by the Nazis and a concentration campt just days before liberation. Pastor Bonhoeffer once said, we must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer. This perspective from a brave man of faith who truly suffered for what he believed can be applied to all of our lives, can't it. Remember, each of our stories is still being written and in God's hands. Every chapter, no matter how painful, leads to a redemptive conclusion. Trust in His sovereignty, embrace the path of reconciliation, and find hope in the unfolding story of His grace and blessings.
You can listen to The Chosen People with the Isle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the pray dot Com app today. This prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of Creative Time All. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller and the team at International Fellowship of Christians, and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.