CHNAGED BUT NOT CHANGED!
At Joseph’s first encounter with his brother, he spoke to them through an interpreter. While Joseph could recognize his brothers vividly, his brothers could not recognize him again. It’s been a very long year of separation between them. Joseph had changed in stature; he was not the lad they used to know. He had become a grown up man. Joseph also had changed in station, they did not expect to meet him where they met him, since they did not sell him directly to Egypt as a slave boy. Joseph’s brethren sold him to the Ishmaelite merchant who in turn brought him down to Egypt and sold him to an officer of Pharaoh. And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither Gen 39:1 KJV . Joseph had not only changed in stature and station, he also had changed in status. The dreamer boy had become his dream. The long awaited vision had become a reality. The hated, unsung, uncelebrated Joseph of Israel had become the Prime Minister of Egypt. Joseph had become the man unto whom everyone (including those who had sold him into slavery) now bowed. Joseph now called the shot in the land of Egypt! Yes, weeping might have endured for a night, but the morning of joy eventually came for Joseph!
Also added to the change in stature, station and status was the change in speech. Joseph, as expected had learned the language of the Egyptians. And that was just necessary as there was no way he could communicate in the foreign land without learning the foreign language and its accent. In fact, I strongly believe it was the change in the speech that made it more difficult for his brethren to recognize him. If he had spoken in the Aramaic of the Hebrews, they would have been curious to ask questions about his identity. But now they were the more confused when he spoke to them by the way of an interpreter. In fact, by every outward judgment, Joseph was an Egyptian just like Moses later would be called an Egyptian because of his outward appearance.
And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food…And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. Gen 42:5-7. 23 KJV.
CHANGED BUT NOT CHANGED!
Joseph eventually made himself known to his brethren on his third encounter with them. And when he would declare his identity to his brethren, he did so in his NATIVE LANGUAGE!
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Genesis 45:1-4
Wow! If there was any doubt before, there could be no longer! The Prime Minister had instructed by an order that everyone (including the interpreters) of the Egyptians to go out as he got ready to reveal his real identity to his brothers. When Joseph was left alone with his brethren, Joseph spoke the language of the Hebrews! Joseph made himself known to his brethren in their NATIVE LANGUAGE. That, to me is a serious matter to consider! It’s about 22 years of separation from his native land. How come he still had the language of Hebrew? His slave land was Egypt, his master was an Egyptian, his prison was an Egyptian prison, his throne was the throne of Egypt, his attendants were Egyptians… Twenty two years had passed but Joseph retained his native language. Joseph had experienced change in station, stature and status, yet he retained his native language. While it was necessary for Joseph to learn the language of the Egyptian in order for him to relate with them, yet he retained his native language. That is just very instructive for me! And if you are wondering how that could have been possible, I’ll tell you, JOSEPH’S NATIVE LANGUAGE MUST HAVE BEEN HIS LANGUAGE OF COMMUNION WITH THE GOD OF THE HEBREWS! THEREFORE, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN SPEAKING IT EVERYDAY!
I have discovered severally that when people experience change in status and possibly station, their language change! You see a brother or sister who suddenly gets new job with six figure salary and his or her language suddenly change from simple to complex; humble brother suddenly becomes arrogant in speech in relating with others. There are preachers that once they come into the limelight of public glare, their language change from good to worse; they address people anyway and anyhow, forgetting the words of Jesus Christ which says “ye all are brethren.” I have seen people who after few months of travelling out, “forget” their native language completely. You hardly hear what they are saying on phone again. Even if you are trying to speak to them in your common native language, they pretend as if they no longer understand what you are talking about. When people change, their language also change.
Hope you also have not changed following the change in status? Do you still have the language of love, respect and humility even though you are now promoted in physical things? Hope your sudden rise to power has not deleted sane language from your tongue. Do you still have the language of communication with fellow brethren? The expressions, “We are trusting in God” “Let me pray about it”, “Is it the will of God?” “It’s by grace”… are they still found in your mouth even though it appears there is nothing to pray and trust God for again? Hope you have not lost your native language (Kingdom Language) just because you have to communicate in Egypt (a type of the world system). There is the language of the redeemed different from the language of the world!
Hope you will not change your language when your own change come! You can’t be too sure except you make it a prayer and PERSONAL COMMITMENT to retain your “native language.” Despite series of great changes that happened to Joseph, Joseph still retain his native language!
May the Lord help me and you!
JESUS, THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW!