So when they came into Joseph's home they had a meal. They departed, then came back because a silver cup had been placed into Benjamin's bag. When Joseph said that he was going to take Benjamin as a slave Judah spoke up and said take me. He told him that he had pledged to his father to be surety for his brother.
It was then that Joseph could not withhold his emotion any longer and told his brothers who he was. Joseph told his bothers not to be grieved or angry with themselves because they sold him into slavery. God allowed this to preserve life. God made Joseph like a father to Pharaoh and lord of his household and ruler over all Egypt for the purpose of preserving life. "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance." (45:7)
What an incredible type and picture of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ this is. Jesus came to save, to preserve life, that there might be a remnant in the earth, to keep men alive by a great deliverance. All the known world at the time was blessed by what Joseph had done in Egypt. All the world is blessed by what Jesus did on the cross. Joseph's bothers meant it for evil, the Jews also meant it for evil with Jesus, but God meant it for good.
To go to the bible text use this link: http://www.olivetree.com/read/NASB/Genesis/43
