Our final lesson on the life of Joseph ties up all the loose ends of the story.  After 22 years, the brothers are reunited with Joseph in an amazingly tearful scene.  What a reunion!  The Man, the Lord of the Land—Prime Minister of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh—is Joseph, the Grain Master! 

 Joseph’s first command is for them to return to Canaan and bring their father Jacob and all of his family to Egypt.  There, they would be sustained throughout the remaining five years of the famine.  Pharaoh was happy about the news.  His response was to command that Jacob’s family come find food and shelter in Egypt.  He would provide the land of Goshen for them as their dwelling place in Egypt.  “Goshen” means “rained upon.”  This was lush land with plenty of room and plenty of grass for their flocks to graze.  Pharaoh referred to Goshen as “the best of all of the land in Egypt.”

 Joseph sent the brothers homeward with gifts along with the invitation, actually the order, for them to come to live in Egypt.  Joseph made sure Pharaoh knew that his family members were shepherds by trade so that they could live away from the people of Egypt.  Egyptians do not like shepherds.  This arrangement would provide Jacob with space away from the mainline Egyptian population. 

 Jacob was with Joseph in Canaan for the first 17 years of Joseph’s life and lived in Egypt for the last 17 years of his own life.  Jacob arrived in Egypt at the age of 130 and lived to the age of 147.  Just prior to his death, Jacob would spend time giving blessings to his children and grandchildren.  Jacob’s first plea to Joseph was that he be buried NOT in Egypt but back home in the family burial place with Abraham. 

 One of the most tender moments of exchange between Jacob and Joseph is recorded in Genesis 48:11.  Jacob says to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face and behold, God has let me see your children as well.”  The next scene records Jacob (the old trickster!) blessing the two sons of Joseph.  He blesses the younger (Ephraim) over the elder (Manasseh). 

 Jacob promises Joseph that he will also one day be returned to Canaan just as Jacob now requested to be buried there with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah.  Joseph would indeed be buried in Canaan; however, 400+ years of bondage in Egypt would intervene.  God would raise up a descendant of Ephraim named Joshua who would accompany Moses and the children of Israel through the wilderness.  Joshua would fulfill the request that the bones of Joseph be buried in Canaan. 

 Jacob blesses each of his sons in Genesis 49.  A study of those blessings and their subsequent fulfillment throughout scripture is quite eye opening.  God knew their future and he allowed Jacob to reveal some of that to his own sons just prior to his death. Looks like everyone except Pharaoh went to Canaan for the burial of Joseph.  What an entourage! 

 Immediately after the death and burial of Jacob, the brothers realized that Joseph might have just been biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to exact his personal revenge on them for selling him into slavery so many years ago.  By this time, the years of famine were completed.  Twelve additional years had elapsed by the time of the death of Jacob.  The brothers were certain that Joseph had something up his sleeve.  I’m sure his royal Egyptian robe made that coat of many colors look like a dishrag. 

 They asked Joseph for forgiveness. Joseph wept over that response.  The brothers who said they would NEVER bow before Joseph were on their faces at his feet.  Genesis 50:20-21 records his answer:  “…as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.  Do not be afraid, I will provide for you and your little ones.”  No grudge apparent there.  Joseph lived 54 more years and died, completely reconciled to his brothers.