God saves us in His own perfect timing, through His amazing ways!

Having received hatred and jealousy from his brothers (Genesis 37:4-5, 8, 11),

Joseph, who was sold into Egypt by his brothers, said,

"God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth

and to save your lives by a great deliverance" (45:4-5).

So, he attributed his being sent to Egypt not to his brothers, but to God.

Reflecting on this:

• Even though his brothers hated and envied him,
• Even though they sold him to the Ishmaelite traders for money (37:28),
• God sent Joseph to Egypt ahead of them by about 22 years

[becoming prime minister of Egypt at 30 years old (41:46) + 7 years of plenty (29)

+ 2 years of famine (45:6) = 39 years - 17 years (37:2) = 22 years],

• God did so to save them and their descendants, saying,

"to preserve a remnant for you and to save your lives" (45:5).

It's not only God's amazing ways but also His timing that is intriguing.

Why did God prompt Joseph to reveal himself to his brothers after about 22 years

and to explain the purpose for which God had sent him ahead of them to Egypt?

Perhaps the reason was not only because the famine in the land of Canaan

had become even more severe, and their food supply from Egypt had run out (43:1-2),

so unless they went back to Egypt to buy grain,

Jacob and his sons and their descendants would all starve to death (v. 8; 45:11),

but also because there were still five more years of severe famine remaining.

Somehow, at a dramatic moment (timing),

I think God prompted Joseph to save

his brothers, their descendants, his father Jacob, and all his family.

Indeed, God saves us in His own perfect time and in His astonishing way!