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Genesis 43:26-34-44:1-34 “The Big Turn; The Brother’s Second Journey to Egypt” (Con’t)

Drew Boswell Ministries

Genesis 43:26-34-44:1-34 “The Big Turn; The Brother’s Second Journey to Egypt” (Con’t)

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“Wilderness” The Life of Joseph Sermon Series Genesis 43:26-34-44:1-34 “The Big Turn; The Brother’s Second Journey to Egypt” (Con’t)

“Wilderness” The Life of Joseph Sermon Series

Genesis 43:26-34-44:1-34

“The Big Turn;

The Brother’s Second Journey to Egypt” (Con’t)

Introduction

In The Last Crusade, Indiana Jones must pass three tests to reach the Holy Grail (with the stakes raised as his father, played by Sean Connery dying from a bullet wound and in need of the healing waters from the grail to survive).

The first test, called “the Breath of God” is the one worthy of our focus today. Indiana hasn’t figured out the puzzle, but as he approaches with what could be his last steps, he whispers over and over again the one clue: “Only the Penitent Man Shall Pass.” As the wind (breath) begins to blow through the chamber, Indy has only a few moments to pass the test. At the very moment he needs to figure it out (cue high drama) he gets it. Here’s the actual words from the film:

The penitent man is humble before God. The penitent man… The penitent man is humble. Penitent man is humble… [kneels before God] KNEEL!!

The second he kneels, two massive circular saws emerge from the wall, just missing Indy’s head and his famous fedora. As I said earlier, the theology would not pass muster in any seminary, but it does get one thing right: the journey of faith, even for the hero, begins with repentance.[1]

Prayer

Being Loved and Known (Genesis 43:26-34)

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground. 27 And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. 29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” 30 Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

What does God do to draw the heart of men to Himself? For the brothers, “he had used a pinch of material want, the pain of harsh treatment, the press of an enforced solitude, the proof of his presence in small things, and last of all, the pattern of an ordained necessity.”[2] At these things, the brothers admitted their sin, at least to one another. In this passage, we see that God adds another step, genuine affection.

Then he invites them to Joseph’s house for a special meal (prepared in the middle of the day). Then they are “given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder.” They are invited into the home of the most important man in all of Egypt, for a specially prepared meal. They are shown kindness.

(v. 33) “And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.” – The (Egyptian) man had the brothers seated by their birth order (oldest to youngest). But how did they know? “There are no less than 39,917,000 different orders in which eleven individuals could have been seated.”[3] The odds are 40 million to one that the stewards would place the brothers in this orde They don’t know how, but they are known. God knows everything about us, sometimes He reveals that knowledge as a way to draw someone to Him.

Being known by God. Luke 12:6 says “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God knows all about you; He knows your thoughts, your concerns, your desires, your temptations, your physical ability, everything – but in spite of our sinful and depraved hearts he wants a relationship with us. The story of Joseph and his brothers is a picture of restoration. It is a picture of men who are far from God being drawn to the Lord.

What God wants is a relationship with you – which involves our relating to Him in obedience. God as Creator determines the terms of the relationship. Matthew 7: 23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Then there was another test, “Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.” Joseph sends portions from his table to the brothers, but Benjamin receives five times more than the rest of the brothers. He had the seat of honor at the table, and he received much more than the others. Joseph is trying to figure out if this special treatment would manifest resentment toward Benjamin. They hated Joseph because of his father’s favoritism and giving him the coat of many colors. It doesn’t seem to bother them, “And they drank and were merry with him.”

Genesis chapters 42 and 43 gives us an example of where God sets things into motion actions that draws the brothers toward him and shows us the love He has for His creation. Romans 5:6-8 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God again and again shows us, displays to us the love He has for us. These signs of grace should draw us to Him.

Repentance is Required (Genesis 44:1-34)

The Trap is Set (vv. 1-12)

Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, 2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. 3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. 4 They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? 5 Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’” 6 When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. 7 They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! 8 Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? 9 Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.” 10 He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” 11 Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. 12 And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.”

Sorrow Over Guilt (vv. 13-17)

13 Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city. 14 When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. 15 Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?” 16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” 17 But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

The brothers did not steal the cup, Joseph had put it there in Benjamin’s sack, but they still say, “God has found out the guilt of your servants.” Why would the brothers confess guilt to something they knew they did not do. They had a guilty conscience.

We see here with the brothers, men who were full of hatred, violence, and deception are capable of repentance. No one is too far gone, no one has done any actions for which God is not ready to forgive him, “and cleanse him from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)” But he has to repent of his sin.

Repentance is defined as, to be filled with remorse, as it leads to a change of mind, specifically dealing with sin.[4] Joseph knows the brothers have sorrow over how they treated him, but is it a godly sorrow or a worldly sorrow. Let’s look at the difference.

Godly Sorrow v. Worldly Sorrow

On the night before the Cross, one of Jesus’ disciples betrayed Him, and one denied Him. All sins are acts of selfishness and are grievous offenses to a holy God. Both of these sins were against the person of Jesus Himself. The Bible records how Judas and Peter responded later. Judas “repented himself” (Matthew 27:3), and the very word that Matthew used (metamelomai) to describe Judas indicates that his regret and remorse were completely self-centered. He was sorrowful, but not even for the plight of Jesus.

He was only sorry for himself. Matthew did not choose the more common word for repentance (metanoeo) used throughout the New Testament that means to change one’s mind and behavior for the better because of hatred for one’s sins.

The Gospels tell us that Peter went out and wept bitterly. The word means to wail in great agony and grief. Was his sorrow godly or worldly? We can only tell from the results. Judas immediately went out and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5). When next we see Peter, he has returned to his brothers. When he heard word of the Resurrection, he ran in search of the Lord against whom he had sinned. Later that same day, Peter was completely restored.

One man’s sorrow led to death. The other’s led to salvation and life. That is the difference between worldly and godly sorrow.[5] 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

Repentance is not just a feeling guilty for bad behavior – It involves three things:

Intellect – “Repentance is that change of a sinner’s mind that leads him or her to turn from evil ways and live. Intellectually, human beings must apprehend sin as utterably heinous, the divine law as perfect and binding, and themselves as falling short of the requirements of a holy God.”[6] If you are genuinely repentant of a sin, they cannot be emotionally indifferent to sin.
Emotions – “It is possible to have a knowledge of sin without abhorring it as something that dishonors God and ruins humanity: the change of view may lead only to a dread of punishment and not to the hatred and abandonment of sin.”[7] True repentance involves not only a conviction of personal sinfulness but an earnest appeal to God to forgive according to His mercy. (Ps. 51:1ff, 10-14).
Will – The original language words for repentance “emphasize the will, the change of mind. Several places in Scripture shows that putting on sackcloth, putting ashes on your body – outward actions to show repentance do you no good if your heart, your will is not changed.

Matthew 5:3-6 helps us to see the process a person goes through from being lost to being saved. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 1) There is consciousness of spiritual poverty dethroning pride, 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 2) A sense of personal unworthiness producing grief, 3) 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 4) A willingness to surrender to God in genuine humility, 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 5) A strong desire developing into spiritual hunger and thirst, are all part of the experience of one who abandons sin and fully turns to God who then gives eternal life.

Throughout this study of Joseph’s brothers we are asking, are they any different than when they sold him into slavery and hated him twenty years before? So yes they have changed, they are genuinely bothered by their sin, and they understand that they are dealing with God as a consequence of that sin – but is the sorrow they are expressing a worldly sorrow or a godly sorry?

In vv. 18-29 Judah gives an overview of everything for “the (Egyptian) man.”

Taking Steps To Stop the Pain (vv. 30-34)

30 “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, 31 as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. 32 For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. 34 For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

Judah said to the (Egyptian) man, “I told my father “‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.

Judah is appealing to “the (Egyptian) man” by stating how a father loves his son, and to be separated from his son would cause so much anguish and sorrow that it would crush him. Judah takes actions pleading to take the place of his brother, so that his father would not die. The same father who doesn’t love him, like he loves Benjamin – he’s ok with that, he doesn’t want to hurt his father any further. He is convicted of his sin.

Judah has seen what his previous sin had caused to his father, he will do anything to not cause that pain again – that is a godly sorrow, he has repented of his sin, his mind is changed, he does not want to do that again. “This is the point in the story at which the brothers are actually born again. Before, this they were unregenerate. From this point on they are transformed individuals.”[8]

Joseph put the cup in Benjamin’s sack to see where the blame would fall. Would the brothers try to save their own worthless skins, or would they stand there and watch Benjamin go off into slavery? Would they tell dad that wild animals had devoured him too? There was not one of them that didn’t wish the cup was in their bag instead of Benjamin’s. They all returned to Egypt. Judah says, “I fear to see the evil that would find my father.” – He intellectually, emotionally, and in his will – doesn’t want to see any harm come to his youngest brother, or his father. This is a powerful change in his heart.

The call to repentance is not a call to just feel the remorse of your sins.

It’s a call to turn around so that God can do something about them. It is an action.

If you are trying to run from God and have pushed away his gracious intervention in your life, you need to know two things:

God will always uncover your iniquity. Usually, he discloses iniquity in this life. But even if He does not do so here, he will certainly do it in the life to come. The Bible says, “Your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). All things hidden will be brought into the light from darkness. There is no way for you to escape except in the scared arms of Jesus.

It is not what you achieve in this life that matters, but what God in righteousness chooses to do through you. Does God have your heart? Repent this morning from your sin, and give Him your life.

_______________________

[1] https://thepastorsworkshop.com/sermon-illustrations-2/sermon-illustrations-repentance/

[2] Boice, 150.

[3] Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record, A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Book House, 1977) 610.

[4] It is an onomatopoetic term that implies difficulty in breathing, hence “pant,” “sigh,” “groan.” Naturally it came to signify “lament” or grieve;” when the emotion was produced by the desire of good for others it merged into compassion and sympathy, and when incited by a consideration of one’s own character and deeds it came to mean “rue,” “repent.”

[5] https://www.purelifeministries.org/blog/recognizing-godly-sorrow-vs-worldly-sorrow#:~:text=He%20writes%3A%20%E2%80%9CGodly%20sorrow%20brings,it%20will%20lead%20to%20real

[6] Geoffrey W. Bromiley, General Editor, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Four, Q-Z (Grand Rapids, Michigan; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988) 136.

[7] Bromiley, 136.

[8] James Montgomery Boice, Genesis, An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing; 1987) 159.

“God’s Tactics to Draw Men to Himself; The Brother’s Second Journey to Egypt” Genesis 43

“Wilderness” The Life of Joseph

Sermon Series

Genesis 43

“God’s Tactics to Draw Men to Himself;

The Brother’s Second Journey to Egypt”

Introduction

This morning we will be looking at tactics that God uses to draw us closer to Him. One of those tactics is to place in situations where we have to turn our lives over to Him, to give him control.

Prayer

Three Things You Cannot Control (vv. 1-7)

Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And when they had eaten the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” 3 But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will 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 Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” 7 They replied, “The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

There are some situations in life that no matter how hard you fight, no matter how much you want something to change, no matter what you do – there is no changing it. For Joseph’s family they are facing three things that they cannot change.

The Power of Nature, “Now the famine was severe in the land” – Jacob and brothers had no control over the fact that a famine was upon them. They could sit around and pretend it wasn’t there and they would starve; or they could recognize the dire situation, take appropriate steps and live.

In 2010 a flood struck Bellevue and many people lost their homes, precious material possessions, and some even their lives. Who could stop the flood? Who because they wanted the water to stop rising could cause it to stop? Only one man can stop the storm, and calm the sea (Jesus). The rest of us can only react to the darkening clouds on the horizon and react to it.

Every year there are natural disasters where local emergency services and municipalities will tell people they have to evacuate – but there are always people who says, “I’m just going to ride out the storm.” Sometimes they live, but often times they are killed in the disaster because they wouldn’t give up control.

The Will of Man, “The man solemnly warned us” – In the brother’s mind, “the (Egyptian) man” was not going to change his mind, or his instructions no matter how much Jacob wanted him to. The brothers told him again, and again, “Benjamin has to go with us when we return to Egypt.” You cannot change someone else’s mind, their opinions, their beliefs – you can try to persuade them, but when it’s said and done, you cannot change another person. Women marry men, and there are things about them they don’t like, so then they spend years trying to change them into another person.

The Circumstances of Life, “Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” The brother’s told “the (Egyptian) man” that they had a father and a younger brother. They had no way of knowing what would happen next’ Judah even says, “Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” There are circumstances and situations that you find yourself in to where it does you no good, to go back and rehash and dissect past events – your life situation is what it is, and dwelling on the past, and past decisions does you no good – it won’t help solve the problem you are in now. You say, “if only I had said this, or done that, then things would be different now.” But when you finish saying those things, your life is still in the situation.

There is a quote by writer and philosopher George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” So, yes in the future, you may can make decisions differently, but now (in the present), in your current situation – you can change it; you can only react to it.

“Miss Havisham is a character in the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations (1861). She is a wealthy spinster, once jilted at the altar, who insists on wearing her wedding dress for the rest of her life. She lives in a ruined mansion with her adopted daughter, Estella. Dickens describes her as looking like “the witch of the place”. . . “Humiliated and heartbroken, Miss Havisham suffered a mental breakdown and remained alone in her decaying mansion Satis House – never removing her wedding dress, wearing only one shoe, leaving the wedding breakfast and cake uneaten on the table, and allowing only a few people to see her. She also had the clocks in her mansion stopped at twenty minutes to nine: the exact time when she had received Compeyson’s letter.”[2] You cannot control the circumstances you find yourself in – but you can take steps to deal with the situation.

Salvation Requires a Heart Change (vv. 8-13)

8 And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy 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 will be a pledge of his safety. 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 If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.” 11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry a present down to the man, a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds. 12 Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. 14 May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

Throughout the story of Joseph encountering his brothers, we are asking the question, “Are the brothers the same as when they hated Joseph, threw him in the pit, and sold him as a slave, or has their heart changed?” In chapter 42 we saw that God has orchestrated a famine, which drove them to Egypt, they have been treated roughly, thrown into prison, seen their brother bound and thrown into prison.

All of this was designed to force them to face the sin they had committed. Joseph saw that it was working, they said, Genesis 42:21 “Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

We do see a change, (In chapter 43) first in Judah (one of Joseph’s brothers), and then in Jacob (his father).[3] We have seen a similar change in Reuben already in chapter 42. Rueben had pledged his own sons as security for Benjamin, Genesis 42:37 “Then Reuben said to his father, “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.” Now Judah, says, “If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.” Judah is putting others needs and welfare above his own.

Remember, Judah was one of the brothers that hated Joseph, mistreated him, threw him in a pit, and sold him as a slave. In between that event and today’s passage, Judah’s daughter-in-law had been accused of getting pregnant outside of marriage, so Judah orders for her to be burned to death, Genesis 38:25 (Judah and Tamar) “As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, “By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.” And she said, “Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.” 26 Then Judah identified them and said, “She is more righteous than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.” Judah will go on to become a great tribe as a part of the nation of Israel, but he has to have a heart change first.

Then there is Jacob, the dad. He has been called Jacob throughout the story, but now suddenly, he is called Israel. This was his new or covenant name, and it linked to his using the phrase, “God Almighty.” Genesis 32:27-28 “And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,6 for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”

When Abraham’ s name was changed from Abram to Abraham, his old name was not used again, because in that moment there was a significant character change. “The new name represented a profound and permanent growth in his character.”[4] This is not true for Jacob; he had wrestled with God (was given a new name Israel), but as time went on Jacob went back to being the same trickster and deceiver he had always been. Now, there seems to be a heart change, where he says, “And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”

“Jacob is now in extreme old age, and he is about to be left alone so far as the companionship of his sons is concerned.” All of his sons are away. Up to this point at least one of his children had been by his side, but now, he is all alone. He has trusted God before, now he has to trust God again, so he calls upon “God Almighty.” Jacob has returned to being a man of faith, so he is called Israel once again. But that drawing back to God for Jacob meant solitude, loneliness, and a being separated from loved ones.

This is a similar test that Abraham faced, when God told him, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Both of these men would lose the child they deeply loved, leaving them only with their relationship with God.

God’s Tactics to Draw Men to Himself (vv. 15-34)

15 So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.” 17 The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house. 18 And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” 19 So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house, 20 and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food. 21 And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, 22 and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” 23 He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, 25 they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

Provision, Reuniting, and Fellowship (vv. 15-25) (v. 18) “And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house,” – This is the second time that we see the brother’s afraid. Before, when they discovered that their money had been returned to them after they had left to go back home on their first journey to Egypt. Joseph’s only intention was good, but here they are afraid, “he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” They knew what they would do if they had the power, so they assumed others would act as they would.

The servant of Joseph does a series of things that puts the brother’s minds at ease. He tells them not to worry about the money, (v. 23) “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” Then they release Simeon from prison and brings him to the other brothers. Which would have shown them that “the (Egyptian) man” was a person of his word.

Then he invites them to Joseph’s house for a special meal (prepared in the middle of the day). Then they are “given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder.” All these blessings, upon hospitality, upon provision – never knowing that it was Joseph all the time. God is using these things to draw the brothers closer to Him.

There is a theological term called “common grace” – “When we walk down the street and see houses and gardens and families dwelling in security, or when we do business in the marketplace and see the abundant results of technological progress, or when we walk through the woods and see the beauty of nature, or when we are protected by government, or when we are educated from the vast storehouse of human knowledge, we should realize not only that God in his sovereignty is ultimately responsible for all of these blessings, but also that God has granted them to all sinners who are totally undeserving of any of them! These blessings in the world are not only evidence of God’s power and wisdom, they are also continually a manifestation of his abundant grace.”[5] Matthew 5:45 “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Romans 2:4 “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” points us to ask the question, “Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience (God’s common grace)?” Yes, you do, we all do.

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Another Test – Portions given to Benjamin (vv. 26-34)

26 When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground. 27 And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” 28 They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads and prostrated themselves. 29 And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” 30 Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. 31 Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” 32 They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. 33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. 34 Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

What does God do to draw the heart of men to Himself? For the brothers, “he had used a pinch of material want, the pain of harsh treatment, the press of an enforced solitude, the proof of his presence in small things, and last of all, the pattern of an ordained necessity.”[6] At these things, the brothers admitted their sin, at least to one another. In this passage, we see that God adds another step, genuine affection.

(v. 33) “And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement.” – The (Egyptian) man had the brothers seated by their birth order (oldest to youngest). But how did they know? “There are no less than 39,917,000 different orders in which eleven individuals could have been seated.”[7] The odds are 40 million to one that the stewards would place the brothers in this orde They don’t know how, but they are known. God knows everything about us, sometimes He reveals that knowledge as a way to draw someone to Him.

Then there was one final test, “Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.” Joseph sends portions form his table to the brothers, but Benjamin receives five times as much as the rest of the brothers. He had the seat of honor at the table, and he received much more than the others. Joseph is trying to figure out it this special treatment would manifest resentment toward Benjamin. It doesn’t seem to bother them, “And they drank and were merry with him.”

Genesis chapters 42 and 43 gives us an example of where God sets things into motion actions that draws the brother toward him and shows us the love He has for His creation. Romans 5:6-8 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God again and again shows us, displays to us the love He has for us. These signs of grace should draw us to Him. Do you know Him today? Have you given your life to the merciful and gracious God?

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[1] https://thepastorsworkshop.com/sermon-illustrations-2/sermon-illustrations-control-2/

[2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Havisham#:~:text=Miss%20Havisham%20is%20a%20character,the%20rest%20of%20her%20life.

[3] James Montgomery Boice, Genesis, An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1987) 146.

[4] Boice, 147.

[5] Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine, Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1999) 279.

[6] Boice, 150.

[7] Henry M. Morris, The Genesis Record, A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Book House, 1977) 610.

Genesis 42 “There Comes a Reckoning; The Brothers First Journey to Egypt”

Drew Boswell Ministries

Genesis 42 “There Comes a Reckoning; The Brothers First Journey to Egypt”

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Genesis 42 “There Comes a Reckoning; The Brothers First Journey to Egypt”

“Wilderness” The Life of Joseph

Sermon Series

Genesis 42

“There Comes a Reckoning; The Brothers First Journey to Egypt”

Introduction

Our growth as Christians does not take place primarily in comfortable situations. Many characters in the Bible find themselves in the wilderness right before God uses them to make a huge impact. God knows that we grow most through tough trials, serious testing and difficult circumstances. It is in these places we find out God is always with us and he is working in us off the grid. This study of the life of Joseph is a perfect series to empower you to face hard times and to grow.

Circumstances and Providence force Joseph’s brothers to face their past. Each leg of the journey makes them deal with decisions and moral failures of their lives. Their journey leads us to ask the question, “is it possible to get out from under the weight and shame of a moral failing from our past?” Does God want us to be miserable because of our sinful decisions? Does God punish us because of our past?

In order to understand what is going on in today’s passage, we have to understand Joseph’s family.

Isaac and Rebekah

Jacob and Esau (Laban)

Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29:31ff.)

Prayer

The Obvious Step (vv. 1-5)

When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. 5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

The famine had reached a point in the life of Jacob’s family that they were close to being in a critical position, “for the famine was in the land of Canaan.” There was food to purchase in Egypt, and there were dwindling supplies of food in Canaan. But there were also, people who needed to have a relationship with God (the sons of Jacob), so the famine forced them to take a step they never would have otherwise.

Why do we so often struggle with the obvious answer to, “that we may live and not die” – the answer to continuing to live is to go the Egypt and buy grain, but the brothers stare at each other (or “why do you delay”), each waiting for the other to take some kind of action (or “what are you waiting for?”), all while the family begins to struggle. We have the answer to eternal life, and Jesus as the “bread of life,” yet we look around as if there may be some other answer. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” yet when hard times comes, we look around and stare, as if there is some other way to live this life.

But there may have been another reason of why the brothers react to Jacob’s suggestions, as “Why do you look at one another?” – It was to Egyptian slave traders that they had sold their brother (Joseph) many years before (Gen. 37ff.). They had intended to kill Joseph, but just as they were about to, slave traders came by, on their to Egypt. So every time Egypt came, up, or Joseph’s name came up, Reuben would look at Simeon, and Simeon would turn and look at Zebulen, and on and on as they would have been reminded of Joseph’s pleas “don’t sell me please, . . .”[1]

This is not God’s plan for mankind – that we live our lives in guilt and shame. The second thing God uses to get the brother’s attention, is their own conscience. They have to go to the place where their guilt resides. They have to face their sin. God loves these brothers enough to drive them to face their sin, and deal with their shame and guilt.

We are not sure why all ten brothers needed to go. The food may have been rationed where an individual was only allowed to purchase a set amount. Or perhaps there was safety in a larger number. Jacob did not allow Benjamin, who would have been around twenty, to go, “for he feared that harm might happen to him.” – there was another time when all the brothers had gone off with one his favored sons, and bad things happened.

The Observant Satrap (vv. 6-11)

6 Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” 8 And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.”[2] 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”

“Joseph was governor over the land” – governor is a strong Hebrew word for complete mastery. The emphasis is on the absolute power Joseph held (over his brothers).[3] When Joseph was younger the older brothers had power (physically stronger) over him and they used it to take out their anger and frustration by throwing him in a pit and selling Joseph off as a slave – to get rid of him. Now the situation is reversed. Joseph now has absolute power over the brothers. So, this is a question of once a person has power (everyone wants to rule the world), how will they use that power? How will Joseph use his new found power with his estranged brothers?

The brothers appear to be the same, just older. Joseph easily recognizes them. But Joseph is very different than when they last saw him, “the intervening years have left no outward sign of his origin. He is thoroughly Egyptian in rank, name, and speech; he is communicating with the petitioners through an interpreter (v. 23).”[4] We see that Joseph seems to want to be reconciled with his brothers, but there has to be a heart change on the brother’s part, “the path to reconciliation must pass through this deep valley.”[5]

(v.9) As his brothers are bowing down before him, Joseph “remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them.” It was the dreams that drove his brothers to hate him when he was a kid. Joseph, many years before, told his brothers, Genesis 37:7-8 “Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” 8 His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.”

For Joseph, the dream was a promise from God – this is going to happen. The fulfillment of the dream was incomplete because it included all the brothers, and his father. The dream from God guided Joseph on what to do next. Joseph also, wanted to see how his brothers treated the new favored child.

The Observation of Sin (vv. 12-17, 18-21)

12 He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” 13 And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers,[6] the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.” 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. 15 By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.

Joseph does not wish to punish the brothers, because he is second only to pharaoh and could have them killed with a motion of his hand, or a nod of his head. Instead, he wants to test Were they the same brothers who threw him in a pit, and sold him as a slave or have they changed; are they different? All the brothers are there except Benjamin (the only other son of Rachel) – have they done the same thing to him, that they did to Joseph? He needs to have them all together – including his father.

Let’s look back at Genesis 37:12ff. Joseph seems to be reenacting the day he was sold into slavery. It was the last time he saw his brothers. Are they the same men? Has their heart changed? Look at how they describe themselves, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers,” In Gen. 37:19 they called him the dreamer, “They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.” But now they call him brother, later in v. 22 he “the boy.” There is a tenderness now, that was not there before.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, 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,

“In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” 22 And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”

The brothers talk in their Hebrew tongue, they don’t think Joseph can understand what they are saying. They admit they are guilty of how they treated their brother, “In truth we are guilty” and they fear God is now judging them. Twenty years has passed and they are carrying the weight of their sin. So they finally admit it, 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Joseph doesn’t know the condition of his father, his other brother, and all the wives and children of his other brothers – they may be starving. So, he changes the plan, so that all the grain can get back safely home.

The Ongoing of Severity (vv. 23-25)

23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

Why did Joseph weep? His brothers were showing signs that their hearts were changed. When our loved ones, whose eyes are blind and hearts are hardened toward the Lord, begin to show signs that God is at work in their souls – we weep. There is hope for the lost, no matter how many years it has been.

26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

The money is replaced into the sacks and when they discover it, they are terrified. “Joseph’s replacement of his brother’s money in their sacks is to show that they were his guests; it is a sign of his deeply veiled love which makes them so great a gift.”[7]

Throughout the passage, God is mentioned. Joseph says, “for I fear God,” and here the brothers say, “What is this that God has done to us?”— We are asking the question, are the brothers different, are their hearts any different now, than when they mistreated their brother the years before? There is a deep sense of guilt, and admission that they were wrong, and here a fear of a holy God and His judgment against sin.

However, “This is the first time in the entire story, beginning with the birth of the first of the sons of Jacob in chapter 29, that any of Joseph’s brothers is said to have mentioned God.”[8] Joseph talked about God regularly, but not the brothers. The brothers are acknowledging that God is controlling a specific, important circumstance of their lives. God has seen the sin, God is not forgetting their sin, God is intervening, God remembers.

They are feeling the thumb of the Lord being pressed against their hearts. These brothers grew up in the home of a man of God – they were the sons of Jacob. God had brought Abraham, their great grandfather, out of Ur. God appeared to their father at Bethel and had wrestled with him at Jabbok. They knew all about God – but they did not know God personally.

(v. 28) It wasn’t the famine, nor the being thrown into prison, nor the harsh treatment, or seeing Simeon bound up and carried to prison that deeply affected them; it was not these things that caused “their hearts (to) fail(ed) them,” or for them to tremble; What got the guys messed up was a sign of grace and love.

These men knew and understood harshness and cruelty, but what caused them to collapse in fear was gentleness, love, and compassion – they didn’t understand it. All they had known their entire lives was favoritism, hatred, family drama, anger, guilt, and shame. But here, God does something good for them, for the Lord is good. Romans 2:4 “. . . God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

“The reason was that they knew they did not deserve generosity and so they could not believe it. . .Their record had its foundation in rottenness, and therefore they were fearful that any accident might bring the structure of life tumbling down.” Earlier (v. 18) Joseph said, “for I fear God,” but the brothers did not have a holy and saving fear of God – they have a shameful fear. The foundation of their lives were rotten, and they feared could collapse at any moment (a guilty conscience).[9]

The Obligation of Sons (vv. 29-38)

29 When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. 34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’” 35 As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid.

36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” 37 Then Reuben said to his father, “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 the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”

Jacob has a total of 12 sons, one he thinks is lost (Joseph), one is being held captive as a guarantor (Simeon), but Jacob says, “he is the only one left.” Even though Jacob is old, he still needs a heart change – God has blessed him with 12 sons (not two).

35 says, “they were (all) afraid,” Why was Jacob afraid? There had been a time before, when the brothers had lost a brother, and returned with money – now here again, a brother was gone, there is a wild story, and they have grain and new found money. Does Jacob see through the brother’s story, is he doubting they are saying the truth? The family is still a mess and needs God to intervene.

But it is a family who had been given a promise by God. Earlier in Genesis 28:14-15 God promised Jacob and his, “Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

There is only one answer to their problem – A loving father has to give up his only son, that he loves dearly so that those that sinned can be saved. There is a reckoning coming to all “who have sinned and fall short” of God’s requirement for entrance into heaven. Before we stand before our creator as sinners, there must be a heart change.

We have to give God our messed up lives, our messed up families, our messed up marriages, and receive His promise for our lives. Give God your fear and failures, and receive His promise of eternal life, forgiveness, purpose, and calling.

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[1] James Montgomery Boice, Genesis, An Expositional Commentary, Volume 3 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1987) 115.

[2] “to see the nakedness of the land,” was a forceful way of saying ‘to pry into all our private affairs.’” Derek Kidner, Genesis, An Introduction and Commentary (Downers Grove, Illinois; Intervarsity Press, 1967) 199.

[3] As being “the one who sold to all the people of the land” probably involved fixing the price at which the grain should be sold, determining the quantities to be allowed to purchasers, and examining the companies of foreigners who came to buy. Thomas Whitelaw, The Pulpit Commentary, Genesis (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdsman Publishing Company, 1978) 474.

[4] E. A. Speiser, The Anchor Bible, Genesis (Garden City, New York; Doubleday & Company, 1986) 324.

[5] Claus Westermann, Genesis 37-50, A Commentary (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1986) 106.

[6] https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/52298/we-are-seven William Wordsworth, “We Are Seven.”

[7] Gerhard Von Rad, Genesis A Commentary (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; The Westminster Press, 1952) 379.

[8] Boice, 133.

[9] George Arthur Buttrick, Commentary Editor, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 1 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1952) 787.