joseph has this test. genesis 42.25-28 (niv), joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. after this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. at the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack. “my silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “here it is in my sack.” their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “what is this that GOD has done to us?”
that’s guilt twenty years later, unresolved guilt! if you’re feeling that way every time something goes bad, get HIS forgiveness. you don’t have to feel that, “GOD’s punishing us or what is this that GOD has done to us?”
so they go back to israel. they eat the food. they run out of food and they have to go back to egypt, the second journey. joseph meets up with them again and gives them some food again. and benjamin’s there. genesis 43.15-16 (niv), so the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and benjamin also. they hurried down to egypt and presented themselves to joseph. when joseph saw benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare a meal; they are to eat with me at noon.”
so they have this great meal together. joseph says, “let’s have the youngest served more food than anybody else – five times as much as anyone else’s. then when they leave, let’s take some silver cup and put it in benjamin’s sack and let’s see what happens.” they do that and they send them off. they leave and they find this silver cup in benjamin’s sack. genesis 44.11-34 (niv), each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. and the cup was found in benjamin’s sack. at this, they tore their clothes. then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
here’s the test: what are they going to do with the youngest? perfect opportunity to throw him into the pit. here’s the answer: joseph says, “what is this you have done? you know that a man like me can find things out by divination.” “what can we say?” judah replied. “how can we prove our innocence? we are your slaves.” joseph said, ‘i can’t do that. only the man who was found to have my cup will become my slave. the rest of you go back to your father in peace.”
then listen to what judah says, please, let your servant speak. don’t be angry, though you’re equal to pharaoh himself. we’ve told you we have an aged father. he’s going to die if we don’t bring our youngest back…. your servant, our father said, “you know that my wife bore me two sons. one of them went away from me
what do you think joseph thought when he heard that? and i said he’s surely been torn to pieces and i’ve not seen him since. if you take this one from me too, harm will come to me. … so now, if the boy is not with us when i go back to your servant, my father is going to die. your servant has guaranteed this boy’s safety… please let your servant remain as my lord’s slave in place of the boy and let the boy return with his brothers. how can i go back if the boy isn’t with me?’”
that’s a long story that would make a great hollywood movie. it’s told very quickly but it’s told for the ending. judah says, “take me instead!” years later, JESUS was going to say, “take me instead!” and HE died on the cross for us. judah said, “i’ll be the slave in his place.” JESUS released us from slavery. judah is a forerunner of JESUS.
just a thought from the front porch…
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