Genesis 43:24-31

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24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. 25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there. 26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. 27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, "Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" 28 And they answered, "Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive." And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves. 29 Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, "Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, "Serve the bread." ~ Genesis 43:24-31

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 43 where we find the brothers who had sold Joseph into slavery standing before his servant who did a series of things that put the brother’s minds at ease. Since Joseph was a picture of the Lord Jesus, his steward was a picture of the Holy Spirit. The grace demonstrated here is reminiscent of the grace of God who invites poor, vile and rebellious man into a personal relationship with Himself through the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary.

In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. 25 Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there."

With the matter of the money and their brother Simeon resolved, the steward led the brothers of Joseph into the house of Joseph. Once again, Joseph's brothers are referred to as "the men." By doing this, God was continuing to make an impersonal evaluation of the brothers as He desired to reveal the motivation of their heart. What the men had only a moment ago feared and tried to stave off is now a welcomed gesture as they stopped to wash their feet while the steward fed their donkeys. Water was brought to them to prepare them for a relaxing and enjoyable meal in Joseph’s house. The object lessons of bread and water are used throughout the Bible pointing all to the Lord Jesus who remedied man's sin problem and who is our sustenance.

It was at that point that the brothers presented gifts that their father had put together before they left Canaan. This included balm, honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. These six gifts were the best of the fruits of the land and would be a worthy gift even to the king. The only gift that satisfies the righteous demands of our Heavenly Father is His gift given to us from the foundation of the world.

In v.26-28 of today's passage we read, "26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. 27 Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, 'Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?' 28 And they answered, 'Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.' And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves."

This was the fulfillment of the dream that Joseph had more than 20 years earlier. In that dream Joseph's brothers knelt before him. When Joseph told them of the dream, his brothers were so angered that they wanted to kill him. But, this wasn’t just a dream fulfilled in Joseph, it is a dream which is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no knee, Jew or Gentile, that won’t bow before Him at the end of time as the Bible tells us. The story of Joseph and his brothers looks forward to that time when 1/3 of Israel's people will bow their knee before the Lord Jesus in faith. Oh, everyone will bow the knee but only 1/3 of those Jews on the earth at that time will bow the knee in belief. The others sadly will bow the knee in unbelief. Only after they all bow the knee will they understand that the Lord they have bowed to will be the very one they sold off to the gentiles.

According to v.27 of today's passage Joseph inquired about their father Jacob. Jacob was born in the year 2169 BC and today's passage was set in the year 2299 BC, making Jacob right at 130 years old. At such an advanced age, every day is precious and Joseph wondered about Jacob's well being. Jacob delayed in allowing the brothers to return to Egypt and in that amount of time, Joseph was uncertain if his father was still alive. 

In v.29 of today's passage we read, "Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, 'Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?' And he said, 'God be gracious to you, my son.'"

To lift one’s eyes from a biblical standpoint didn’t just mean to see something or someone, it meant that Joseph noticed his brother. Joseph had already seen Benjamin with his eyes, but now there was the mental acknowledgement of him. Joseph saw Benjamin in a way that he hadn’t before. He acknowledged who he was and how he was related to him as he then explained by saying "his mother’s son." All eleven of his brother’s were there, but only Benjamin was the son of Joseph's mother. He knew it was Benjamin, but to feign a lack of knowledge, he asked if this was the one they had told him about before. And then, without giving them a chance to answer his question, Joseph said to Benjamin "God be gracious to you, my son." It is only the grace of God that enables Him to have a heart for sinful man.

In v.30-31 of today's passage we read, "30 Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, 'Serve the bread.'"

After seeing his brother, Joseph was deeply moved. He was so moved that he had to go away from them into his office to weep. This reminds me of the time when the Lord Jesus wept. When He returned to the news that Lazarus was dead and had been in the tomb for 4 days. He was told by both Mary & Martha that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died. The Lord Jesus knew Lazarus had died and that He would raise him from the dead, but He chose to feel Mary and Martha’s pain with them. The Lord Jesus cried even though He knew Lazarus was dead before He got the news. He cried even though He knew that Lazarus would be alive in just a few moments. He cried even though He knew death would not win forever. The Lord Jesus wept because this world is full of pain, regret, loss, depression, and devastation. He wept because knowing the end of the story doesn’t mean we can’t cry at the sad parts. This allowed Him to enter in that hard place with Mary and Martha. He chose to bear it with them to help them through it.

After weeping a bit, Joseph washed his face and returned to his brothers. Joseph wanted to cry out, "I am your brother" but he knew his time had not yet come. He knew his brothers had to be tested and proven true before He revealed Himself to them. At that point, Joseph ordered the bread to be served. Throughout the Bible "bread" is used to point us yet again to the Lord Jesus Christ. Mentioned some 492 times in the Bible beginning in Genesis and continuing right through Revelation, bread reminds us that our Maker is our sustenance. 

The Lord Jesus was born in Bethlehem which means "House of Bread." Alphanumerically, it means nativity. The place of the nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ was in the House of Bread who is the place of life. When we go to the House of Bread to accept God’s forgiveness of our sins, we see again how God feeds our souls with something we must have in order to spiritually survive. His bread is the only kind that leads to eternal life. His bread is His very life which yields the sustenance for us  to exist. Without Him we can do nothing of lasting value.

Genesis 43:18-23

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18 Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.” 19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; 21 but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. ~ Genesis 43:18-23

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 43 where the sons of Jacob have returned to Egypt with their youngest brother Benjamin per the requisition of the man in Egypt. The man in Egypt was their brother but they had yet to discover who his identity. They just thought that he was a powerful Egyptian in Egypt.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, 'It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.'"

Due to their guilty conscience Joseph's brothers needed not to be accused. The judgment of God weighed on their conscience. God gave all of mankind a conscience which serves us as a compass especially when we are lost, but only if we allow it. The sons of Israel were facing the consequences of bad decisions and their conscience was eating away at them. The conscience that we were created with is among the first two missionaries that God gave us.

Joseph's brothers had considered what they did to Joseph the last time they were in Egypt and now they have the added burden that they didn’t turn back when they originally found the money in their sacks as they headed home. These events made them frightened because of the importance of the place they had been brought. The wisest course of action when they left the last time, though obviously a difficult one, would have been to return and mention the money immediately. But with Simeon in prison, they would have been scared to even do that. 

In v.18 we read, "... that he may make a case against us." When translated literally these words mean, "that he may roll upon us." This statement was a metaphor which was borrowed from the sport of wrestling. When one overturns another, he "rolls on top of him to pin him down." The brothers were afraid because the man of Egypt could have accused them and left the blame on them. In fact, as the ruler, he could have turn them into slaves.

In v.19-22 of today's passage we read, "19 When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, 'O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; 21 but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. 22 And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.'"

Joseph's brothers' conscience bothered them so much that they wanted to convince Joseph's steward they had done nothing wrong. They knew that if they could resolve the apparent problem before entering the house, they could avoid what they feared when lunchtime arrived. They were convinced that the door of the house was the last spot that they could resolve their problems with the man before they were to be consigned to their fate.

So now, they were given the chance to explain how they ended up with the money they originally paid. Each time they used the word "sack" it was a different word than what was originally used to describe the sack. The word used here is only used 15 times in the Bible and all in this story between Genesis 42 and Genesis 44. The word comes from a root which means to spread out. Just as the sack was spread out to reveal the money, the story was spread out to reveal the hearts and motives of the brothers.

Joseph used the unfolding events to discern the condition of his brothers’ hearts. And, according to v.22, the brothers brought the original money back and their explanation was that they had no idea how they got their original money back. They had done everything they could do to convince the steward that they did nothing wrong. They did this long before Joseph returned and could hold a trial against them. All they could do at this point was to hope that their story would be believed. 

In v.23 of today's passage we read, "But he said, 'Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.' Then he brought Simeon out to them."

It is obvious that Joseph had taught his steward about the God of grace because God's culture had been passed along to him. The treasure, as the steward said, was given to them by their "God." This was a picture of God's grace, something no one can earn or purchase. The grace of God is revolutionary. He is the only author of grace because no one else is in the position to impact our eternity like Him. Therefore, it is His grace and only His grace that screams, "You are loved." Grace declares that God is no longer angry with us. Grace states that we are under no obligation to please God with religious activity. Grace invites us to receive the free gift of forgiveness and once we have, grace declares us as loved and liked by God just as we are. We need not change to impress God or others because He has received us as sons and daughters through His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The final activity in today's passage is that Simeon was returned to his brothers. This had to be to them a big relief because if it were the intention of the man of Egypt to arrest them, then they would have left Simeon in his prison. Instead, Simeon was brought out to join them. Simeon means "He who hears." The brothers were about to hear the truth of their story and they were about to be presented with the biggest decision of their lives. Stay tuned to our next study of Genesis 43 to see how it will turn out. In Proverbs 8:34 the Lord says to us, “Happy are those who listen to me.”

Genesis 43:11-17

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11 And their father Israel said to them, "If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. 14 And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!" 15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon." 17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. ~ Genesis 43:11-17

Today, we continue of study of Genesis 43 where Jacob has just agreed to allow his sons to go back to Egypt with the youngest son Benjamin. Jacob had resisted this for quite some time because Benjamin was the only living son of his wife Rachel, so he thought. Joseph's brothers also thought that their brother was dead and with his death their sin was safely hidden, so they thought.

In v.11-14 of today's passage we read, "11 And their father Israel said to them, 'If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. 14 And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!'"

Using gifts to help smooth a difficult situation was a familiar approach that Jacob has used in the past with his brother Esau. In addition to the gifts, Jacob told his sons to take double the money and then he finally agreed to allow them to take Benjamin with them to Egypt. Then, Jacob used the name "El Shaddai" translated God Almighty. This unique name of God had been four times so far in the Genesis narrative. The first was when He spoke to Abraham in Genesis 17 at the time of the covenant of circumcision. Then in Genesis 28 when Isaac blessed Jacob before he went away. After that in Genesis 35, "El Shaddai" appeared to Jacob at Bethel. In each of those accounts, a blessing for fruitfulness and a multitude of descendants was promised. Now, out of the hope that those blessings would include Simeon and Benjamin, Jacob invoked the name once again.

El Shaddai, The Almighty God sits on heaven’s throne and superintends over the billions of galaxies that He made. El Shaddai  also watches over the souls of all living on planet Earth at this moment. This is the God who cared enough for all He has ever created to send His Son to restore us to harmony with Him. He doesn't force His will upon anyone and quite frankly there is no excuse for anyone to spend their eternity in Hell.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph."

Twenty two years earlier the brothers of Joseph sold him into slavery and now they found themselves standing before him without knowing his identity. They had long concluded that he had been dead since then. Here they stood before him and they were about to discover his true identity. Joseph longed to be reconciled with his brothers but they had some more soul searching to do before that would happen.

Joseph's story points us to the greatest love story ever told, the story wherein God chose to remove our sin from us by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus to be our Savior. Like Joseph's brothers we must search our souls before we make the decision to believe that His death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin. Whereas Joseph had been at the mercy of his brothers in Genesis 37, the brothers now find themselves at the mercy of Joseph.

In v.16-17 of today's passage we read, "16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon." 17 Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house."

When Joseph saw his younger brother Benjamin he ordered his steward to take the men from Canaan to his house. He also ordered his steward to slaughter an animal and to subsequently prepare a meal for them. For the third time in three verses, Joseph's brothers were called "the men." The brothers were granted access to Joseph's home because of the presence of Benjamin there with them. This is characteristic of how God has worked in every persons life from the moment we were all born. Everyone has the opportunity to respond to the wooing of God to believe in Him. Since the Bible teaches that man does not seek God on his own, God had to take the initiative to draw man to Himself. He was faithfully careful to reveal Himself to all man through His creation, and those who choose to believe in Him will be given further revelation of His existence. Those who continue to respond positively to the revelation that God gives will be saved. Eternal life is a gift that is received by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. God does not force the truth upon anyone, especially if they are not willing to respond to Him in faith. God's will does not preclude man's will and freedom to respond. 

People often ask, "How can God send someone to hell since they have never heard and thus never had a chance to respond to the Gospel?" To this question I say that unbelievers are not condemned for rejecting the gospel message, they are condemned because of their sin. Our sin is an offense against an eternally holy God, thus the only just punishment must likewise be eternal, which the Bible describes as a place called hell. Justice demands hell for all who cannot solve for themselves their sin problem. And, since sinful man resists the wooing of God to come to Him, they remain dead in their sins and trespasses. They do this because they have chosen to believe the lies of the evil one. 

"God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it."

Genesis 43:1-10

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1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little food." 3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'" 6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?" 7 But they said, "The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'" 8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time." ~ Genesis 43:1-10

Today, we transition into Genesis 43 where Jacob is meeting with his sons regarding the return of their brother Simeon from prison in Egypt. Since Israel's twelve sons were to be used of God to establish the nation of Israel, God had to do some kind of work within them before He would work through them. God is always desirous to do a deep work in us so that He might work powerfully through us. God was preparing them to be the leaders that Israel needed them to be, so, God tested them. 

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, 'Go back, buy us a little food.'"

With the increase of severity of the famine came more desperation. Desperation is quite uncomfortable but there is good to be found therein because desperate people do desperate things. Like the woman with an issue of blood for twelve years. It was a huge risk for her to squeeze her way through the crowd to get to the Lord Jesus, but she was desperate for deliverance. The good news behind desperation  is that it brings us to the end of ourselves. It brings us to the place of honesty and of faith, which is the place of true freedom.

Up to this point Jacob would not consider sending his sons back to Egypt with Benjamin as Joseph had requested in the previous chapter. But, if desperation in God’s people is what it takes for God to move us into His will, then desperation is what He will send. All of his life Jacob strived with and resisted God and he was a picture of modern day Israel, a whole nation of people who do the same with God today. For Israel, there has been exile and punishment for their unbelief, but the future says they will be restored to a personal relationship with their Creator. In order to bring about the anticipated meeting between Jacob and Joseph, the famine had to intensify. It was Chuck Swindoll who once said, "The swift wind of compromise is a lot more devastating than the sudden jolt of misfortune."

As we read in the Scriptures, in order to bring about a meeting between the Lord Jesus and Israel, God will send the time Jeremiah refers to as the time of Jacob’s trouble. Daniel refers to this seven year period of time as the seventieth seven. Jacob is Israel in unbelief and Israel is Jacob as a believer. The New Testament calls this time a time of great tribulation. During this seven year period of time the people of Israel will be ushered into the place of desperation and out of their utter desperation they will cry out to God and He will respond to their cry with grace and mercy. The story of Jacob here follows that same path, foreshadowing the events of the coming seven year Tribulation.

In v.3-5 of today's passage we read, "3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, 'The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.'"

Earlier, in Genesis 42, Reuben tried to convince Jacob that Benjamin needed to return to Egypt with his brothers to retrieve Simeon who was in prison but Jacob had refused. Judah then stepped forward to convince Jacob to allow Benjamin to go. Judah was in line for the birthright because his three older brothers had all committed offenses which disqualified them from that right. Judah reminded Jacob that they had been given by the man in Egypt a solemn warning to return with Benjamin or else. If the brothers had returned to Egypt without Benjamin, the story would not have turned out in the way they desired.

In this narrative, Joseph pictured the Lord Jesus Christ while the brothers pictured all the tribes of Israel. Like Joseph, Benjamin was a picture of the Lord Jesus. If the brothers had returned to Egypt without Benjamin they would have no standing to expect acceptance and favor from Joseph. Pictured here for us is the ardent truth of the Bible that without having believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot have a right standing before the Lord or enter into His heaven. It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can save us from the damning result of our sin. It is only the Lord Jesus who can wash our sins away and it is only He who our burdens can relieve.

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "And Israel said, 'Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?'"

Here, Jacob is referred to as Israel by Moses who wrote the book of Genesis. Five times in the previous chapter, the name Jacob was used. The name Israel was used only when speaking of the sons, not the man. In this chapter, Jacob is never used and Israel is used three times. The last time the name Israel was used for Jacob the man was back in Genesis 37 when he sent Joseph up to look for his brothers. In that chapter, Joseph was thought to have died and now Jacob was thinking that he may lose Benjamin as well. There is Jacob and there is Israel. There is reliance on self and there is reliance on God. This is a picture of the option we have every day, that of walking in the Spirit or that of walking in the flesh. We do well to look at this man and decide how we will conduct our own lives. 

Judah’s change is one example among many in Scripture of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. His heart had been softened to the point that he was convinced of his sin. His mind had been enlightened in the knowledge of God and his will had been yielded and renewed. He was truly establishing himself as a leader among the sons of Israel, which is characteristic of his kingly tribe.

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "But they said, 'The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down?'"

The man in Egypt was the second most powerful man in the world and he had asked them specifically about their youngest brother and the sons of Jacob had answered truthfully. It never would have dawned on them that one thing would lead to another. There was no evil intent in their answers, just the facts. The man, Joseph, also asked about their father and they answered accordingly. This was when Joseph specifically asked for their youngest brother to brought down to Egypt.

In v.8-10 of today's passage we read, "8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, 'Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.'"

Interestingly, at that point in time Benjamin was about 30 years old. He was no longer a little boy. Judah expressed his desire to be a sacrifice. Back in Genesis 37, Judah was the one who recommended selling Joseph when he was in the pit. In Genesis 38, Judah was the one who traded his signet ring, cord, and staff for a tryst with a prostitute who turned out to be his daughter-in-law. In both of those incidents, Judah pictured the Jewish people being defined by the flesh. It was that same Judah who offered himself as the pledge for Benjamin. God was clearly at work in the heart of Judah.

The return of the brothers back to Egypt was delayed by an unspecified amount of time. It had to be quite a long period of time because as we are told in v.2 it was enough time for their grain from Egypt to have been eaten. Returning with Benjamin in tow was the key to have a hearing with the Old Testament figure who pictures more than any other the Son of God's right hand, the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. At the end of time as we know it, we will all discover that if we had made the decision to believe on the Lord Jesus, the Son of God's Right Hand, then we will learn that we had averted eternal damnation. The judgement wasn't averted for the Lord Jesus because the punishment that He endured on the cross was rightfully ours. As a result of believing on the Lord Jesus as our Savior we will spend eternity in heaven and not in hell. 

Genesis 42:35-38

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35 Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me.” 37 Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.” ~ Genesis 42:35-38

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 42 where the primary lesson from the life of Joseph is being fleshed out. That primary lesson is forgiveness. It was Lewis Smedes who once said, "To forgive is to set a prisoner free and to discover that the prisoner was you." As we mentioned earlier in our study of Genesis, forgiveness involves three parts: the injury, the debt created by the injury and the choice to cancel that debt. Joseph's brother injured him by stripping him of his robe that his dad had given him, by shoving him into a pit that he could not get out of, and by selling him to Ishmaelite traders from Midian who were on their way to Egypt.

In v.35 of today's passage we read, "Then it happened as they emptied their sacks, that surprisingly each man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid."

The brothers already knew that the man in Egypt had their money returned to their sacks. Just after departing from Egypt one of them found the money in his sack and later, when they got back home, they all discovered their money in their own sacks. They had traveled at least a day before finding the money. Once again their fear factored into their lives. With reference to fear, there is quite the dichotomy being given here between Joseph and his brothers. We all fear. It is what we do with our fears that is most important. I love the words of Tolkien when he said, "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." Most say farewell thinking they have averted their fear. Not so fast my friend! Ultimately that which we fear the most defines us most. And, that which we believe in the most determines how we react to our fears. This was the great difference between Joseph and his brothers. Joseph consistently turned to God through his fears.

In v.36 of today's passage we read, "And Jacob their father said to them, 'You have bereaved me: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and you want to take Benjamin. All these things are against me."

Jacob believed his son Joseph was dead and he believed it was the brother’s fault. Whatever his state, he demonstrated here a continued lack of faith in the God of the Bible. When we are in the habit of feeding the flesh, we lose sight of God's power and sovereignty, but when we are consistent at feeding the Spirit of God in us, we will see God more clearly. As a result, we will see that God is bigger than whatever we fear.

Jacob cried out, "all these things are against me." No wonder his sons were defined by a victim's mentality with him as their example. Jacob, not his brother Esau, was the covenant son. Regardless of what happened, God was in control of his past, present, and future. The Lord had appeared to Jacob personally several times and had made unconditional assurances to him. But, Jacob had his eyes fixed on himself and his circumstances far more than he did on the Lord.

The last time God had spoken to Jacob directly was when he had returned to Bethel from his father-in-law's house after many long years. At that time, God made certain promises to Jacob about his descendants and the land of promise. About twenty years after that, God gave to Joseph two dreams which showed that God was with Joseph like he was with Jacob. Since then, as far as the Bible records, the Lord remained silent, although he revealed truth to Joseph right on. Jacob had taken the silence of God as abandonment. But, the very things that Jacob felt were against him, every one of them that he mentioned here, actually worked out for his good. Joseph’s removal from Jacob's life seemed to him to be an evil which weighed him down. Instead, God used it all to bring Joseph into the land that could save them all during the time of famine. God always has a plan behind all of the trials that come into our lives, we must be determined to trust Him no matter what comes.

In v.37 of today's passage we read, "Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, 'Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you."

Reuben was the firstborn son of Jacob and Simeon was the second. Reuben was also the full brother of Simeon. Reuben was the son who tried to save Joseph from being killed by his brothers, hoping to eventually get him back to Jacob. Here, Reuben was most concerned about getting Simeon released from prison in Egypt. In his desire to get him back, he knew that he had to take Benjamin with him to Egypt. And in order to do that, he made a crazy offer.

In v.38 of today's passage we read, "But he said, 'My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.'"

Jacob was not ready to let Benjamin go to Egypt with his brothers. The famine hadn’t taken its full toll on him quite yet. This meant that the time hadn’t reached its fullness. Jacob was worried about losing the only other son whom Rachel had borne to him. Here, in troubled Jacob, we are given a picture of you and me at any given moment of weakness, when we lose sight of God’s promises and His faithfulness to us. When in our lives we have seen God’s hand at work in an evident way, it is then that we are quick to praise the Lord and to allow Him to have His way with us. But when things do not go the way we think they should go, we start to question God's goodness. It is in these moments that God wants to do His deepest work in us. The question is always, "Will we let Him have His way?" True faith, growing faith trusts Him through these times. Of course, this is a lot easier said than done, but it is a must if we are to truly grow deeply in the Lord.

It is the nature of biblical faith to hold onto God's faithfulness when we have no clue how things will turn out. The blindness involved in the development of our faith in God is of an utter necessity because without it our faith will not grow. The tearing of the muscle of our dependency upon the Lord is always painful. This development of our heart's ability to trust God causes us to act on what we haven't experienced yet and to believe the promises that God has given us in His Word that haven't been fulfilled yet. This is a must scenario because there is no development of intimacy with Him without it. There is no intimacy to any relationship without simply trusting.

CS Lewis once said, "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable."

Genesis 42:29-34

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29 Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying: 30 “The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.’ 33 Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone. 34 And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’" ~ Genesis 42:29-34

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 42. Today's verses are a restatement of the story that we have already heard. One principle to remember when we are studying the Bible is the principle of repetition which is a key part of our spiritual formation. God repeats Himself for many reasons, one of which to verify the truthfulness of the story. In the court of law, we conclude something to be true when we find the narrative to be consistent each time it is recounted. With the Bible, there is no difference and this is the case in today's passage. 

In today's narrative it is made obvious that Joseph's brothers had adopted the "victim's mentality." A victim's mentality is when we see our lives as having been victimized by others. Victimization is seeing things in life as negative, as something we should be given sympathy for having experienced. This way of living causes us to believe that we "deserve" better than what we received. At its heart, a victim's mentality is actually a way to avoid taking any responsibility for oneself. It also is one of the biggest signs that we have a very small view of God and that we have been feeding the flesh quite a bit. People with a victim's mentality never succeed on their own and their dignity has been destroyed.

In v.29-30 of today's passage we read, "29 Then they went to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan and told him all that had happened to them, saying: 30 'The man who is lord of the land spoke roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.'"

The name "Jacob" is mentioned five times in this chapter. Jacob means deceiver. Even though God had changed his name, he was still Jacob to his sons. When they returned to Canaan and addressed Jacob this was the way they viewed him. For the majority of his life Jacob struggled at being defined by God which is evidenced by our obedience to Him. This is why it is so important for us to be defined by God. As in the case of Joseph, people looked up to him because he was the recipient of the culture of God. 

Once Joseph's brothers returned to their father Jacob, they took the time to explain the details of their long trek south to the land of Egypt. In recounting their story, Jacob's sons emphasized their feelings concerning the harsh treatment they received from the man who was lord in Egypt. In their minds they were victims. This was caused by their habit of feeding the flesh. The victim's mentality distorts our view of reality and ourselves. When we adopt this expression of the flesh, we develop the bad habit of viewing life through a negative lens. We magnify the bad things that happen to us, and attribute them exclusively to others and forces outside of our control. It is then that we lose our perspective on reality and our faith in God is exposed to be very little thus our God is found to be quite little. There is no such thing as big faith when we have a puny view of God.

In v.31-32 of today's passage we read, "31 But we said to him, 'We are honest men; we are not spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is with our father this day in the land of Canaan.'"

The significance of Joseph's brothers' inability to satisfy the man of Egypt pictures the way many think they are able to please God through their good behavior. When I ask most people if they are going to heaven, the majority of them reveal to me that they are hoping that they had been good enough. But, this belief is not acceptable to God because perfection is His standard. As a group, the brothers were unable to satisfy Joseph. Once we stand with and acknowledge Christ as our Savior, it is then that we can be pleasing and therefore acceptable to God. Thus, there was the need for Joseph's brothers to return with their brother Benjamin, the Son of God's Right Hand. Without the One who died in our place whom Benjamin pictured here in today's passage, we cannot measure up before God on our own.

In v.33-34 of today's passage we read, "33 Then the man, the lord of the country, said to us, 'By this I will know that you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, take food for the famine of your households, and be gone. 34 And bring your youngest brother to me; so I shall know that you are not spies, but that you are honest men. I will grant your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.'"

In these two verse Joseph's brothers failed to tell the whole story. They left out what originally happened. When they first arrived in Egypt all of them were to be imprisoned and one was to be allowed to return to Canaan. After three days in prison, only one was left and the rest were allowed to go back to their father in Canaan. And they only said that the brother was left in Egypt, not that he was bound in prison. Instead of giving all of the bad details, they told their dad the truth without giving him all of the information.

Joseph's brothers' story teaches us that we must be careful to not try to bury our sin. Joseph’s brothers buried their sin for 21-22 years but they did not get away with it. They could not run from their sin forever because God knew what they had done. God always works through a number of situations and circumstances in our lives to bring our sin to the fore of our thinking. He uses tests and trials to put pressure on our souls, to bring our sin to the surface. Due to this it is impossible for us to bury our sin especially when God wants to bring it to the surface so that we can deal with it. Unconfessed sin eats away at our souls reducing our ability to relate to others properly.

That is the bad news but the good news is that God Himself has accomplished for us what we could never do for ourselves. God sent His only Beloved Son into the world to pay the penalty created between us and Him by our sin. God loved us so much that He sent His Son to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This means we mustn’t bury our sin. The gospel says that in fact we must bring our sin into the light. We do this by confessing it and choosing to believe that Christ’s shed blood on the cross was and is efficacious enough for us to be forgiven.

Having said all of that, we must not live our lives in captivity to our fear. God knows and is aware of our fears. More than that God knows why we are afraid even if we don’t know why we are afraid. The one who knitted together the intricacies of our souls knows how to heal our fears. This is why He puts pressure on points of fear in our lives at various times. He knows that this will bring about a remedy for our healing only if we look to be defined by Him. When He does this, He is not tormenting us, rather He is teaching us to trust Him and to see Him with our hearts as our Heavenly Father.

Genesis 42:24-28

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24 And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. 26 So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there. 27 But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. 28 So he said to his brothers, "My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!" Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, "What is this that God has done to us?" ~ Genesis 42:24-28

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 42 where the brothers of Joseph are standing before him and they did not know even who he is their brother. They just thought he was an Egyptian with whom they must deal to get food for their families back in Canaan. Joseph dealt with his brothers decisively and justly in hopes that God would have His way in their hearts. Joseph had gone through many trials that prepared and equipped him with how to best deal with his brothers. Not lost in Joseph's story is the great principle: The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom.

In v.24 of today's passage we read, "And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes."

Despite the fact that Joseph's brothers had treated him so badly some 21 years earlier, Joseph’s heart never hardened toward them. Yet again, Joseph had the wisdom to see the lies behind feeding the flesh which always takes us down the road to our destruction. Now that Joseph had heard the remorseful words of Reuben as well as the other brothers, Joseph could no longer stand the emotions which arose in his soul. And so he had to turn himself away from them so that he could shed some tears. Six times in this story in Genesis, Joseph wept. 

We are trichotomous beings having a body, a soul and a spirit. Our emotions reveal the deepest part of who we are at the core of our being. Joseph’s longing for his family never ended and in the moment that God clearly was working in his brothers' hearts, Joseph was moved deeply. In Matthew 5:4 the Lord Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." In that passage is described the process involved in the changing of a heart. While it was obvious that Joseph held onto no bitterness toward his brothers, his heart still needed the impact of the Holy Spirit while dealing with them.

Joseph's brother Simeon was the one who was bound and kept behind due to the fact that he was the oldest son of those who had agreed to sell Joseph. Reuben was the oldest, but he didn’t consent to the transaction. And Joseph heard Reuben’s words which had cleared him. I find it most interesting that "Simeon" means "He who hears." This provides for us a picture of the utter necessity of hearing the Lord more deeply than just with our ears. Over and over in the New Testament we hear the words "He who has an ear, let him hear." God always highlights in His word the utter necessity of us hearing His voice. Our ears, unlike our eyes, do not have lids, they weren't made to close. They are intended to remain open! In Romans 10:17 the Lord makes it abundantly clear that our faith grows as a result of hearing His voice. We hear Him best when we hear Him with our hearts.

In v.25 of today's passage we read, "Then Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them."

Joseph not only had mercy on his brothers but he lavished grace upon them when he completely supplied their needs for every step of their journey. Even though he had been very harsh toward them, Joseph's care for his brothers was top notch. Joseph pictured the mercy and grace of our God that day. Without the grace of the Lord Jesus we all would have an hopeless end. With the grace of the Lord Jesus we all share an endless hope.

In v.26-28 of today's passage we read, "26 So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there. 27 But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. 28 So he said to his brothers, 'My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!' Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, 'What is this that God has done to us?'" 

In Romans 11 we are commanded to consider the goodness and the severity of God. Joseph was good to his brothers. He gave them grain and he gave them their money back. He was also severe to his brothers when he made them consider the idea that they could be put to death. The result of Joseph's goodness and severity resulted in reconciliation and restoration. We must be quick to remember this the next time God allows something to come in our lives that we particularly don't like. We must be quick to consider the severity and the goodness of the Lord and why He causes or allows such things. His design is always to deepen our walk with Him.

The guilt within the souls of Joseph's brothers turned the blessings from Joseph into distress. They couldn't enjoy the blessings. They were given a blessing by Pharaoh's second-hand man and they could not enjoy it because that's what guilt does to us. Guilt robs us of joy. It turns joy into misery. It was at that point that Joseph's brothers mentioned God. This is, by the way, the very first time in this whole narrative that these brothers are found referencing God. And due to the fact that they had so long been defined by their flesh, their view of God was warped. They saw God like themselves as vengeful and retributive. They viewed God through their view of themselves. That's idolatry. They concocted a god in their own image and they worshipped accordingly. What an unfortunate god they had imagined.

In Jeremiah 29:13, the Lord says, "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." One of the greatest gifts that God has granted me was the death of my mom when I was five years old and the death of my dad when I was seventeen. Those two events made me deal with reality. Those two events were necessary for me to turn to God. In Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things you do not know." After I cried out to the Lord He welcomed me into a never ending journey whereby He has been revealing His heart to me. And, do you know what I have discovered? That He is totally good!

Genesis 42:14-23

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14 But Joseph said to them, "It is as I spoke to you, saying, 'You are spies!' 15 In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!" 17 So he put them all together in prison three days. 18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, "Do this and live, for I fear God: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses. 20 And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us." 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy;' and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us." 23 But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter. ~ Genesis 42:14-23

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 42 where we are witnessing the unfolding of the two dreams that Joseph had when he was a teenager back in Canaan. In those two dreams God made it clear to Joseph that his brothers would serve him even though he was the youngest among them at that time. These brothers who had shoved him into a pit to die and who had sold him into slavery now stood before their brother and they didn't even know it. It had been at least 21-22 years since they had last seen Joseph and even though he recognized them, they did not recognize him. 

In v.14-15 of today's passage we read, "14 But Joseph said to them, 'It is as I spoke to you, saying, 'You are spies!' 15 In this manner you shall be tested: By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.'"

The fact that his brothers did not recognize Joseph gave him the opportunity to test them. I'm sure Joseph wondered in his heart if his brothers had changed since they sold him as a slave. Joseph accused his brothers of being spies, and he told them that they needed to bring their youngest brother as proof that they had spoken the truth about their background. Having been falsely accused himself, Joseph knew how to navigate this situation with his brothers. This is one of those small moments in the Bible where it is underscored that "All things work together for our good!"

In v.16-17 of today's passage we read, "'16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother; and you shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you; or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies!' 17 So he put them all together in prison three days."

The requirement that Joseph placed upon his brothers was demanding. For them, time was of the essence because back in Canaan there was a dire need for food. The amount of time that it would have taken for one of the brothers to travel back to Canaan and retrieve the youngest brother would have been quite a bit. And, if Benjamin didn't come to collaborate the brothers' story, they would have been sent to prison and possibly to death. But more so, without Benjamin being sent, there would be no more food to sustain the family. Everything was against them at this point. Without Benjamin, "the son of my right hand," they had no hope at all. They were as good as dead. Yet again, we see another hint at the coming Messiah. There is no other name by which we may be saved than that of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The irony of it all! The very same brothers who threw Joseph into a pit to be sold off in a foreign land, now found themselves in prison. The Scriptures are clear, whatever we sow we reap. When we are selfish, proud, unjust, vengeful, and bitter, we are "sowing to the flesh," and destruction awaits. But when we are selfless, humble, generous, kind, and forgiving, we are "sowing to the Spirit" and will reap life of the eternal kind. Faith in the Lord Jesus and the pursuit of godliness is "sowing to the Spirit." Sowing to the flesh, depending on ourselves and our ability to find our own way without God’s help, will reap nothing but a dead end. But when we place our trust in Christ, we reap life with the touch of eternity on it. 

In v.18-20 of today's passage we read, "18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, 'Do this and live, for I fear God: 19 If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain for the famine of your houses. 20 And bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.' And they did so."

It had now been three days since Joseph had left his brothers bound in prison. By now Joseph's brothers had time to reflect while confined. Through retrospection they gained a proper perspective. It was at that moment that Joseph highlighted the fact that he not only believed in God, he also feared Him. That which we fear will define us most. Of course, there is a fear that drives us away from God that is obviously not good. But there is a fear that drives us to God causing us to grow in intimacy with Him. This type of fear germinates in the heart of the humble and sensitive of heart toward God. And, of course that which softens our heart is the grace of God which is most often discovered best in the dungeons of life.

In Proverbs 28:14 we read, "Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity."

Joseph said to his brothers, "If you are honest men..." He knew they weren't and he also knew their lives would go no where with such discard to the truth tucked deeply away in their souls. It was at that point, on the third day they had been in prison that Joseph said nine of them could go back home and one would stay in prison. Then he told them they could carry grain to their families because of the famine. There’s no doubt he intended to let them go all along because he knew his family would need food, but by keeping them in jail for three days, Joseph knew it would impress on them that they were completely at his disposal.

We are told in the Scriptures that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Joseph had garnered all of the wisdom that he exercised through his fear of God. This is the type of fear that leads to awe and worship of God. And, that which we worship is that which defines us best.

In v.21-23 of today's passage we read, "21 Then they said to one another, "We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us." 22 And Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not speak to you, saying, 'Do not sin against the boy;' and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us." 23 But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter." 

In the entire book of Genesis which covers 2500 years of history, this is the only time that sin is personally acknowledged. This underscores that personal acknowledgement of sin before God is rare. The brothers of Joseph short time in prison had served them well for it led to one of the most prominent examples of the power of the conscience in the entire Bible. At that point in time, it had been between 21 to 22 years since the day they had sold Joseph into slavery. The conscience God gave us is a powerful force. 

Throughout the Bible, there are examples of people who are conscience-stricken over guilt. Then there are people whose consciences are seared to the point where nothing, no matter how wicked it is, bothers them at all. In them the conscience will have all eternity to sort out the actions left unattended in this life.

When we are put into the same position as those we have harmed, it can lead to an understanding of what they went through and a remorse in the conscience. The brothers of Joseph threw him into the pit and then abandoned him to his fate. They have now been thrown into prison themselves and one of them will be abandoned to a sad fate if they don’t act rightly. The tables have been turned and now they see the error of their ways.

Interestingly, Reuben never agreed to the deed of harming Joseph. While the others sold Joseph off to the Midianites, Reuben was in the fields tending to the flocks. He specifically told them not to harm Joseph because he knew that the justice of God would be measured out upon them. All the while Joseph understood every word his brothers spoke to one another in that prison that day. The grace of God shows up on the doorstep of our lives in some of the most unusual ways. May we be sensitive enough to be defined by God best in those moments.

Genesis 42:6-13

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6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, “Where do you come from?" And they said, “From the land of Canaan to buy food.” 8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!” 10 And they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.” 12 But he said to them, “No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 13 And they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.” ~ Genesis 42:6-13

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 42 where the day has arrived for the dreams of Joseph to be realized in their fullest. Joseph's life proves that pain when properly used can be the very means by which we are exalted. The key for Joseph was that he decided to be defined by God rather than his pain or his flesh. At every turn Joseph chose to give in to the leading of the Holy Spirit. This meant that he was quick to forgive and he was quick to resist revenge. Since Joseph feared God, he had the wisdom of God to recognize that even the ill-treatment that he received from others was a tool in the hand of God for his good.

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth."

By this point in time Joseph had been given the title of governor. The Hebrew word translated "governor" is the word from which we get our English word "sultan." Joseph was given this title because he had submitted to the Lord and he had chosen to be defined by Him who exalted him to the second most powerful position in the world. To "bow down before him" would have been the customary greeting of anyone who was coming to him for food at that time. This posture was a sign of the people's submission to Joseph and without Joseph's favor and the sale of the grain, they would not have had food to eat. And so Jospeh's brothers came like all others; humbly submitting for their sake and for the sake of their families.

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, 'Where do you come from?' And they said, 'From the land of Canaan to buy food.'"

It had been at least 20 years since his brothers last saw Joseph. He was 17 when they sold him to the Ishmaelite traders who brought him to Egypt. He was 30 when he stood before Pharaoh. This accounts for Joseph's first 13 years in Egypt. Then there were seven years of abundance before the famine started. That accounts for 20 years. And, then even more than a year had elapsed since then. By the time Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, it would have been two full years into the famine. So, it had been some 21-22 years since Joseph's brothers had last seen him. 

When Joseph addressed his brothers he spoke roughly to them. He wasn’t being vindictive because of what they had done, but to see if they were repentant or not. He used a harsh demeanor towards them to find out what was happening in their hearts. It was then that he asked them from where they had come. Their response included from where they had come but also why they had come. It is obvious Joseph's brothers did not recognize him, they did not expect him to be the second most powerful man in the world. 

In v.8-9 of today's passage we read, "8 So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them, and said to them, 'You are spies! You have come to see the nakedness of the land!'"

It was in that moment that Jospeh remembered the dreams that he had shared with his brothers. Joseph then accused them of being "spies" who came "to see the nakedness of the land." As spies do, Joseph suggested that they were looking for vulnerabilities in Egypt that would aid them at going into battle against them. Joseph knew this not to be the case, but by making his brothers squirm for the moment, he knew that it would serve them in the end. As we will see, Joseph was reeling his brothers in to see if they would pass his series of three tests that were yet to come. 

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 And they said to him, 'No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men; your servants are not spies.'"

In their defense, they made an impossible claim because it would have been unheard of for ten brothers from the same family to spy like this. If one son got caught then all ten would get caught and there would be no one left to execute their supposed plan. It would have been beyond logic for 10 brothers to all be spies working together to undermine Egypt at the same time all together, even if they had other servants who came along with them.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "But he said to them, 'No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land.'"

On display in this response was the wisdom of Joseph. Rather than accepting their explanation, he continued to accuse them. The brothers were 10 born of 3 different mothers. And, in order to get them to offer more information, which he knew would be forthcoming, he once again said they had come to search out the land and its weaknesses.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "And they said, 'Your servants are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more.'"

In an attempt to explain their situation, Joseph's brothers claimed that the youngest was with their father. In so doing, they muddied the waters because there were only 10 of them before Joseph. With an inability to state that Joseph was dead, they simply said, "And one is no more." In that moment, unbeknown to his brothers, Joseph pictured the Lord Jesus yet again. It was the Lord Jesus who was believed to be dead, but in fact, He lived. 

Only He who created life can resurrect it after death. Only God can reverse the results of sin which is death itself, and only He can remove the sting of death and gain the victory over the grave. In resurrecting, the Lord Jesus rose from the grave to pay the penalty that man's rebellion created in the first place. The Lord Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life," and in that statement He claimed to be the source of both. There is no resurrection apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore there is no eternal life. As history tells us, when the Lord Jesus came out of the tomb in a physical body, it was God’s definitive stamp of approval on Him and His work on the cross to conquer sin and death on our behalf.

Genesis 42:1-5

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1 When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?" 2 And he said, "Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die." 3 So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "Lest some calamity befall him." 5 And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. ~ Genesis 42:1-5

Today, we transition into Genesis 42 where God is yet again showing Himself faithful to His promises. If it were not for the faithfulness of God, no one would have substantive faith. Someone who is unfaithful is unknowable. The unfaithful are deceitful, thus we innately know that we cannot trust them. God's faithfulness makes it possible for us to know and to trust Him. He has opened the door to a personal relationship with Himself through His Son's work on the cross of Calvary. It is and has always been His faithfulness that makes it possible for us to grow in an intimate personal relationship with Him.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, 'Why do you look at one another?' 2 And he said, 'Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.'"

Back in the promised land Jacob and his family found themselves in great discomfort due to the famine which had swept throughout the entire world. This famine provided a subtle opportunity for all alive on the earth at that time to evaluate what is truly real and substantive. This led to the ultimate point that God makes through the yielded life of Joseph: the need for forgiveness of sin. Jacob saw that there was food in Egypt and so he sent his sons there to provide for the family. What they didn't know was they had to experience the fulfillment of their brother Joseph's dreams to receive the food they desired.

Moses used an unusual word here translated "grain." It comes from a word meaning "to break." Once broken, the kernel of  grain was acceptable. The context in today's passage was one of misery caused by famine. The existence of Jacob and his family was a life lacking hope or direction. When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he was given a glimmer of hope and the prospect of eating a full meal again. And so in that hope, he directed his sons to head to Egypt so that they would not die. He was about to learn that the son that he had thought had died was alive and he would become the savior of his family.

In v.3-4 of today's passage we read, "3 So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, 'Lest some calamity befall him.'"

In v.3 Moses used a different word for "grain" than he did in the previous two verses. The Hebrew word used here comes from a word which means "to purify," "to select," or "to test." This grain was threshed and winnowed grain as opposed to the grain that would have been in the shell. Threshing and winnowing is a process of separating grain from the chaff that surrounds it. 

Threshing or winnowing are mentioned in at least forty different Bible passages. In the ancient world, before harvesters and combines and other heavy machinery, farmers cut the fields of grain with sickles. Then, they bound the grain into sheaves for transportation to the threshing floor. A "threshing floor" was a level circular space in the countryside, usually about fifty feet in diameter which had been pounded solid. There, the sheaves of grain were spread out for threshing. A special sled was often used, about three feet wide and six feet long, with rows of stone or metal studding the bottom. Oxen were used to pull the threshing sled over the sheaves, with the driver standing on the sled for additional weight. As the sled was dragged over the sheaves, it separated the grains from the husk.

Once the threshing was complete, there was still the matter of separating the nourishing grains from the worthless chaff. A large "winnowing fork" was used to scoop up a mass of grain from the threshing floor so that it could be tossed it into the air. This was usually done in the evening when there was a substantial and reliable wind. The heavy grains would fall right back down to the ground but the wind would carry the light chaff off to the side. The chaff was then quickly burned. 

Since threshing and winnowing is a grinding, pulverizing and separating process, it serves as a picture of the discipline God provides for man. If we allow Him, His threshing removes the needless chaff and reveals His blessing in our lives. 

In Matthew 3:11-12 John the Baptist said of the Lord Jesus, "He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove his sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. And his winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Jesus Christ is both Savior and Judge of all! He has come to provide salvation for all who would believe on Him. His word divides mankind into two groups, the grain and the chaff. So, here we have a contrast symbolically illustrating the hardness of one man's heart toward God and the softness of another man's heart toward God. All the while, Joseph continued to be a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who was sold off to the Gentiles. Joseph's brothers pictured Israel and now they were going down to get grain from Egypt where they will meet their brother. There is coming another day when Israel will again meet the Lord Jesus when He returns to the Mount of Olives at the end of the Tribulation. 

Many years before today's passage Jacob lost his favorite son Joseph. So, he kept Benjamin the only son left from Rachel back at home. Benjamin also pictures the Lord Jesus Christ in an unique way. His name means, "Son of my Right Hand." You will remember that before Jacob named him Benjamin, Rachel had named him "Ben-Oni" which means "son of my sorrow." Yet again, God provided a clue about the work of redemption that He would provide us of the Messiah long before He came to this earth. The Lord Jesus came into the world to be a man of sorrows, to whom God gave the Name above all names. He is the Son of Authority who is now at the right hand of God on high. 

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan."

The famine was so widespread other travelers from all over the world headed to Egypt along with Jacob's sons. The famine echoed mankind's need for a Savior for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Unlike other recorded famines which were at times localized, this one covered the whole land. 

Just as they had to go to Joseph for physical sustenance, all of mankind must go to the Lord Jesus for spiritual sustenance for He is the only way into heaven. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the winnowing fork of God, separating people into two piles. What we do with the Lord Jesus' invitation to believe on Him will determine our eternity. When we place our trust in Him alone for our salvation we will endure His threshing and winnowing. If we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to Him we will not endure His threshing and winnowing. The choice is ours.