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24 "So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. 25 And our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.' 26 But we said, 'We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.' 27 Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one went out from me, and I said, 'Surely he is torn to pieces; and I have not seen him since. 29 But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave. 30 Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?" ~ Genesis 44:24-34
Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 44 where Judah the fourth-born son of Jacob and Leah is concluding a passionate speech designed to convince the man in Egypt to spare the life of his brother Benjamin. In this passionate appeal Judah made it obvious that he along with his brothers were becoming apt hosts for the humility that Joseph had so longed to see in them. Most believe humility is a weakness but not in the economy of God. The more we give humility its rightful place in our souls, the greater our confidence in the God of the Bible will increase. It was once said, "A humble man is not afraid of failure. In fact, he is not afraid of anything, even himself, since perfect humility implies perfect confidence in the power of God."
In v.24-29 of today's passage we read, "24 So it was, when we went up to your servant my father, that we told him the words of my lord. 25 And our father said, 'Go back and buy us a little food.' 26 But we said, 'We cannot go down; if our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down; for we may not see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.' 27 Then your servant my father said to us, 'You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 and the one went out from me, and I said, 'Surely he is torn to pieces; and I have not seen him since. 29 But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave."
Judah explained to Joseph that the brothers passed on what they were told to say to their father Jacob. They didn’t hide or try to circumvent the situation, but they made it plainly clear to Jacob that if they returned without Benjamin it would not turn out well at all. And, even though Jacob dismissed the matter at first, he eventually allowed the brothers to return to Egypt for more "grain." The actual word translated "food" is the word for "grain." The word grain throughout the Bible often represents the word of God which speaks of the Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ. The written word was given to us to point us to our Savior, the Lord Jesus without whom there is no life. Even the food that we need is an echo of our need for the Savior, and the key to life is to enter into a personal relationship with Him, allowing Him to define us.
The second wife of Jacob was Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. She pictures for us the grace of God and both of her sons pictured for us the Lord Jesus Christ and His ministry on the earth while He was here. Joseph means "God shall add." Joseph, the person and the name pictures the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross where He took away the reproach of the Law for all humble enough to receive the free gift. Joseph's name also means that God through the work of the Lord Jesus adds even the Gentiles who trust in the Lord Jesus into His family.
Jacob's description of Joseph as torn to pieces pictures yet again the Lord Jesus who was torn so that we could enjoy a mending relationship with our Father. The Lord Jesus was crucified for us but for Israel collectively, they "have not seen Him since." Biblical faith is the ability to see God with our hearts. Faith is the product of hearing the very word of God for ourselves. Israel is pictured here as those who had not heard and thus their faith in the Lord Jesus hasn't been birthed in them yet.
The word "torn" in v.28 is repetitive. It literally reads, "torn, torn." This exact same expression was used in Genesis 37:33 when Joseph’s bloodied garment was presented to Jacob. For Jacob, the heartache never diminished, the memory never faded, and the advanced picture that was given for all to see of Christ yet endures 2000 years later. Israel longs for her Son, their Messiah and yet their love of sin blinds them to Him. Judah finished his presentation to the man with the words of his father, "If I lose Benjamin, I will die." Jacob would go to the grave in death as a result of a broken heart. This was Judah’s appeal to the humanity of the man, the ruler of Egypt.
In v.30-34 of today's passage we read, "30 Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, 31 it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. 34 For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?"
The words of this passage are striking, real and authentic. It is as if we are in the room with the actors as the presentation was being made. The writing of this story came to Moses by the Holy Spirit who so carefully utilized the perfect words enabling us to be a part of the story. This is the only possible explanation for the detail and the specific wording which would actually be otherwise unnecessary to give for the overall meaning of the account. The life of Jacob was tied up in the Son of My Right Hand, Benjamin. This is true for you and me, as well. Without the work of the Lord Jesus on the cross, there would be no hope because we would be yet dead to God in our sin without it.
Judah argued that if Benjamin didn’t return to Israel, there would be no Israel. These words of Jacob clearly describe the current state of the nation of Israel today. In Christ, there is life, without Christ there is only "Sheol," the grave, the place of the dead. The word Sheol is used only four times in the book of Genesis and all four refer to Jacob and his sorrow concerning his sons, Joseph and Benjamin. The use of the word Sheol is not a coincidence. The number four in the Bible consistently speaks of God’s creative work. He is known by the things that are seen. This word reveals that without the Son, there is no revelation of God beyond natural eyesight. There is only the absence of it in death.
This narrative underscores the fact that someone must bear the blame for sin. The sentence of our sin will either be carried out by each person or it will be tackled by a substitute. In order for truth to be sustained there must be justice. Judah said that if evil befalls Benjamin, he would bear the blame. In saying these words, Judah was providing a picture of salvation. We can either stand in the Son of My Right Hand or we will face the blame on our own.
The Lord Jesus Christ descended from Judah, and He fulfilled the law as a Jew. It is Joseph and Benjamin who are the sons of Rachel and thus the sons who picture the Christ who was crucified, buried and raised from the dead. Benjamin was being made the substitute for the wrong that his brothers had done. They sold off Joseph and it was Benjamin who received the cup, not them. They, not he, were now under the test to take responsibility for their own wrong actions thus picturing the Lord Jesus on the cross.
Judah finished up this most beautiful monologue with the idea that he would far rather stay there in Egypt as a slave than face what catastrophe would come upon his father if Benjamin hadn’t returned home. This was his final plea and this was where his words came to an end. Now it will be up to the ruler of the land to decide his fate, the fate of Benjamin, and that of Israel. For two thousand years now, the Jewish people have looked to their own righteousness for their salvation. For them, there is no room for Christ because they believe righteousness comes from self before God, not from God upon undeserving sinful man.
Judah’s actions show that the Jews will someday understand the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will come to faith in the Lord Jesus the Son who is of greater affection to God than they are. Our acceptance is not about us fulfilling the Law; the Law can save no one. It is about the Christ who fulfilled the Law on our behalf. Having fulfilled the Law, He rendered a death blow on our behalf to sin and death. And now, we are free to know God for ourselves which places us in a position to make Him known to others.
