A tapestry is a beautiful creation woven over time by a skilled artist. The end product can be breathtaking, but the artist will tell of hours of labor and years of development. The backside of the tapestry is a complete jumble of colors and threads, but the frontside is the true masterpiece.
Jacob had no idea how Yahweh was weaving the story. All he knew was the emotional toll the years had taken on him and the weight of the current moment. The famine was severe. His sons left their brother in Egypt, and now they explained the demands of the leader in Egypt to receive more help. They had to take their baby brother with them. From his perspective, there was little hope. (See his lament in Genesis 42:36).
Joseph had placed high stakes on his brothers because he knew what he wanted to do for them. He wanted his family together in Egypt. He wanted to be able to provide for them, but he had to determine whether his brothers had changed and were trustworthy, and he had to know whether his father and brother were alive. What seemed hopeless to Jacob and burdensome to the brothers was a skillful weaving of a “tapestry” of hope.
As Joseph’s plan developed, Judah knelt before Joseph and said, “What can we say? How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves?” (44:16). He was learning the posture every person must take before Jesus. His grace and mercy, though mysterious, and His plan, though challenging, expose sin and inability. Judah offered himself as Joseph’s slave. Those with faith in Christ become His friends and are adopted into the family.
Praise God for the tapestry of faith He weaves and the hope and restoration He gives through Christ.
