© Duplication and distribution of these readings is encouraged.

Internet: http://NonConformist.MyChurch.com

Genesis 44 and 45:

Reading #151  The final test

Having been united with his full brother, Joseph now wanted to see for himself how the others treated him.  So, under the guidance of the Spirit, he devised a full and final test.

***************(Begin Quote)

Genesis 44:

1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth. 2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.” And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. 

3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. 4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, Wherefore have you rewarded evil for good? 5  Is not this it in which my lord drinks, and whereby indeed he divines?  You have done evil in so doing.”

***************(End Quote)

Still supposing that Joseph did not understand their language, the brothers had freely conversed with one another while in his presence.  Thus he had a good opportunity to learn their real feelings. Before their departure he ordered that his own special drinking cup should be concealed in the sack of the youngest.  Then he sent to stop them.

***************(Begin Quote)

Genesis 44:

6 And he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words. 7 And they said to him, “Wherefore says my lord these words? God forbid that your servants should do according to this thing. 8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again to you out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of your lord's house silver or gold?

9 With whomsoever of your servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.”

***************(End Quote)

Joyfully they had set out on their return.  Simeon and Benjamin were with them, their animals were loaded with grain, and all felt that they had safely escaped the perils that had seemed to surround them. But they had only reached the outskirts of the city when they were overtaken by the governor's steward, who asked about the cup.  This cup (like others in Egypt) was supposed to possess the power of detecting any poisonous substance placed in it and because of this was highly valued as a safeguard against murder by poisoning.  (Joseph followed the local customs as much as his position required, although, of course, he knew that his protection was in Christ rather than the cup.)

The brothers were confident in their innocence and proposed a death sentence for the offender, but the steward, knowing the facts, changed their rash oath to one of slavery.

***************(Begin Quote)

Genesis 44:

10 And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and you [others] shall be blameless.”  11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. 12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 Then they rent their clothes, and loaded every man his ass, and returned to the city. 

14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there [waiting for their return]: and they fell before him on the ground. 15 And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done?  Wot you not [don’t you know] that such a man as I can certainly divine [know what’s going on]?”

***************(End Quote)

The brothers tore their garments in token of utter wretchedness, and slowly returned to the city. By their own promise Benjamin was doomed to a life of slavery.

They followed the steward to the palace, and finding the governor yet there, they bowed low before him. "Don’t you know that such a man as I can certainly divine?" he queried.   Joseph wanted to draw from them an acknowledgment of their sin.  As a Christian he had never claimed the power of divination as the word usually signifies, but for the purpose of this test was willing to have them believe that he could read the secrets of their lives. 

***************(End Quote)

Genesis 44:

16 And Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord?  What shall we speak?  Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found [punish us all].” 17 And he [Joseph] said, “God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace to your father.” 

18 Then Judah came near to him, and said [privately], “Oh my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant: for you are even as Pharaoh.”

19 “My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’

20 And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one [he was about 36 years old!]; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loves him.’ 21 And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.’ 22 And we said to my lord, ‘The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ 23 And you said to your servants, ‘Except your youngest brother come down with you, you shall see my face no more’.” [This meant no more food] 

24 “And it came to pass when we came up to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25 And [later] our father said, ‘Go again, and buy us a little food.’ 26 And we said, ‘We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.’ 27 And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bare me two sons: 28 and the one went out from me [on a trip], and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since. 29  And if you take this also from me, and mischief befall him, you shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave’.”

30 “Now therefore when I come [return] to your servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; 31 it shall come to pass, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and your servants shall bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32 For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I bring him not to you, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.’ 33 Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me?  Lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.”

***************(End Quote)

In words of touching eloquence Judah described his father's grief at the loss of Joseph and his reluctance to let Benjamin come with them to Egypt, as he was the only son left of his mother, Rachel, whom Jacob so dearly loved.  Then he offered to take his place as a slave.  By this offer he showed that he walked in the footsteps of his Saviour, and God uses his repetition of the facts to draw our attention to this.

How is this different from Reuben’s offer?  If this suggestion had been for death (which is Satan’s prison house, Isaiah 42:7) then it could not have been accepted by God.  Christ is the only Christian who can die for sin (or needs to).  Martyrs have never been God’s choice, but He does take notice of such desires and honours them in His own way.  However, Judah’s idea was for a living substitution and showed the effects of a true repentance.  

***************(Begin Quote)

Genesis 45:

1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, “Cause every man to go out from me.” And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

***************(End Quote)

Joseph was satisfied. He had seen in his brothers the fruits of true repentance. Upon hearing Judah's noble offer he gave orders that all but these men should withdraw.

***************(Begin Quote)

Genesis 45:

3 And Joseph said to his brothers [in Hebrew], “I am Joseph; does my father yet live?” And his brothers could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4 And Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, I pray you.” And they came near. And he said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that you sold me here: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”

***************(End Quote)

His brothers stood motionless, dumb with fear and amazement. The ruler of Egypt their brother Joseph, whom they had envied and would have murdered, and finally sold as a slave! All their ill treatment of him passed before them. They remembered how they had despised his dreams and had laboured to prevent their fulfilment.

Yet they had acted their part in fulfilling these dreams; and now that they were completely in his power they thought he would, no doubt, avenge the wrong that he had suffered. 

Seeing their confusion, he said kindly, "Come near to me, I pray you." Feeling that they had already suffered enough for their cruelty toward him, he graciously sought to banish their fears and lessen the bitterness of their self-reproach by telling them of God’s hand in the matter. 

Joseph was an Old Testament type or pattern of Christ, a Christian, which means “Christlike” in character. 

***************(Begin Quote)

1 Peter 2:

21 For even hereunto were you called [this is Christianity]: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps [His life, not His death]. 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile [craftiness] found in His mouth. 23 Who, when He was reviled [despised], reviled not again [in return]; when He suffered, He threatened not [in vengeance]; but committed Himself to Him that judges righteously [left it in God’s hands] . . .

***************(End Quote)

How many of us can do that today?

Bye

RonP

On to next reading                                  Back to previous reading