Genesis 44:1-34 The Final Test

In this chapter, the brothers began their return journey to Canaan, only to be stopped by Joseph's servant who wanted to check their sacks in order to find Joseph's missing silver cup. The brothers explained that they would never do such a thing and that the one in whose bag the cup was found would be a slave.

The servant agreed to that penalty, searched the sacks and found the cup in Benjamin's sack, because Joseph had earlier commanded the servant to put it there. The surprise and anguish of the brothers was great, and they tore their clothes.

What would the brothers do? Would they abandon their youngest brother just as they had abandoned Joseph. Would they also allow this brother to become a slave in Egypt? Had they learned anything from the earlier experience?

The brothers loaded their sacks on their donkeys and returned to the city (44:13)

When the brothers appeared before Joseph, Judah made a stunning admission, "God has found out the iniquity of your servants" (44:16). The cup had been found; now the iniquity of the brothers was also found.

Judah told of the great grief that would come if the youngest brother were not allowed to return. This comment raises the parallelism between the brothers' earlier mistreatment of Joseph and their dilemma concerning Benjamin. Would the brothers forsake this brother too?

Judah's statement to Joseph provides the answer to that question, "Now, therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers (44:33).

The brothers' attitude had changed. They recognized that they had sinned against Joseph and against God and that their current dilemma was related to their prior sin. They realized the grief they had caused their father. Their evil scheming had come to an end, and Judah was willing to give up his own freedom in order to gain release of his brother.

However, God had another plan, as we shall see in chapter 45.

Genesis 43:1-34 Benjamin Goes down to Egypt

This passage is filled with emotion and some wonderful statements about God's compassion and great care for the children of Israel.

When the brothers returned to the land of Canaan with the food, the continuing famine was great (43:1). As a result, their father told them to return to Egypt in order to buy more food. They told him that the man in Egypt had said they must bring their younger brother with them when they returned.

After some impassioned discussion, Jacob said, "If it must be so" then they should return. "May God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of man" (43:14).

When the men returned they were afraid on account of the money that had been returned in the sacks. However, the servant said,

"Be at ease, 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. (43:23) This act points to the divine care of God in the lives of the children of Israel. This point is important, because God was preserving them in order to bring about His plan and the eventual birth of the Messiah, a descendant of Judah.

When Joseph saw the brothers he asked about the welfare of the father. Then he saw Benjamin, "his mother's son" (43:29) Joseph then hurried out of the room, because he was overtaken with emotion.

When the dinner was about to begin, Joseph seated the brothers according to their age. When the brothers saw the seating arrangements, they looked at each other in astonishment (43:33). Finally, Joseph gave Benjamin five times as much as the other brothers. So they feasted and drank freely.

This passage is very moving on account of the deep emotions displayed: fear, guilt, bereavement, love, compassion and astonishment. In the midst of those great emotions, God displays His great care and compassion for this family.

This wonderful passage is an example for us. First, it should encourage us to be loving and compassionate to others, particularly when emotions are running high. Second, as you and I go through the wide range of emotions that accompany the human experience, we can be thankful that God is compassionate and loving toward us too. No matter how difficult the situation, we can be sure that He is with us, showering us with His grace, compassion and boundless love.

Genesis 42:1-38 The Lingering Effects of Sin

Sin has a lingering effect. It often causes problems in the lives of others, continues to plague us and creates future difficulties in our own lives.

When Joseph's brothers came to Egypt, it had been several years since they had acted sinfully against him. That sinful act not only harmed Joseph, but it harmed their father who had been put in fear, "Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, 'I am afraid that harm may befall him'" (42:4). Later Jacob said, ""You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more" (42:36) and "My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow" (42:38).

The sin not only affected Jacob, their father, but also the brothers themselves. Although they had not killed Joseph, they acted as if they had killed him rather than selling him, "Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive" (42:13). That burden had lingered with them. Although selling their brother was a merciless act, killing him would have been even worse. Their sin had apparently magnified the horror in their own minds.

Later, they said, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us" (42:21).

After all these years, the brothers were still arguing over it, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood" (42:22).

Finally, their earlier sin caused future problems, because Simeon was bound and taken to prison in a foreign land (42:24).

Sin often has horrible consequences. However, the good news is that the Lord has provided a way for us to escape the problem of sin. As the Scripture unfolds, we learn of the Messiah who died in our place, the just for the unjust. The iniquities of us all were laid on Him. It is in Him that we can have our sins forgiven by grace through faith.

Genesis 41:50-57 God May Use Difficulties in Our Lives in Order to Bring about His Greater Purposes

Joseph's ordeal from the time his brothers sold him until the time he reached a position of prominence in Egypt had extended periods of great tribulation and personal sorrow. Even so, God was with Joseph and protected him. Then, at the right moment God orchestrated Joseph's release from prison and rise to power.

As chapter 41 comes to a close, Joseph is using his God given skills and wisdom to help not only the Egyptians (41:54-56), but also people of all the earth (41:57).

Are you going through difficulty today? Do you find yourself in the midst of great difficulty?

God knows all about it. In the midst of these things, He wants you and me to trust in Him. When we take that approach, we know that we are in the right hands. Then, at some future time, we might just find that God was doing a great thing in our lives even though we were not able to see it at the time.

This is an important and very common message throughout the Bible, one that is applicable not merely for "those guys back there" but for us as well.

Genesis 41:1-49 People May Fail Us but God Never Will

People may fail us, but God never fails. He is faithful to do everything that He has promised. The account of Pharaoh's dream illustrates this point.  

Joseph had remained in prison for two full years after the cupbearer had been released.  Had God forgotten about Him?  From a human perspective, we might think that God was not aware of the situation, but God was at work.  Pharaoh had a dream that disturbed him greatly (41:8), but he could not find anyone to interpret it.  When the cupbearer learned of the situation, he remembered Joseph and made mention of him to Pharaoh.

When Joseph interpreted the dream, Pharaoh saw his wisdom and decided to appoint him as a ruler over Egypt.  Joseph not only left prison on that day, he assumed a great leadership role in Pharaoh's kingdom.

Do you ever wonder whether God has forgotten you?  Do you feel imprisoned by one thing or another, a habit, a bad relationship, a work-related matter or a health problem?  The Lord has not forgotten you.  He knows all about that situation, just as He knew about Joseph.  He is able to help you with the same power that He exhibited in the life of Joseph.

Knowing that truth is comforting, because we know that we rest in the caring hands of our heavenly Father.  He may not deliver us as He did Joseph, but He is with us through every situation.  We can trust in Him to do what's right, according to His perfect and loving plan.

Genesis 40:9-23 People May Fail Us but God is Faithful

People may fail us, but God will never fail. He is faithful to do everything that He has promised. He is with us through thick and thin. The account of the cupbearer and the baker illustrates this point.

They had each had a dream and were sad because there was no one to interpret their dreams. Noticing their sadness, Joseph asked them what was wrong and mentioned that interpretation of dreams belongs to God.

Then Joseph said, "Tell it to me please." When we read Joseph's statement we cannot help but notice the connection between God interpreting dreams and Joseph listening to these particular dreams. Will Joseph be able to interpret the dreams?

If we have been reading carefully, we will remember the statement about Joseph from Gen. 39:23, "The Lord was with him, and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper." We are about to see the Lord at work.

The cupbearer and baker both tell their dreams. The two dreams are unusual in that they were not only from the same night but the number three is prominent in each dream. The cupbearers dream had three branches, and the baker's dream had three baskets. The unusual nature of these dreams and the events that follow indicate that God has been at work in this entire situation.

Isn't that also the case with you and me? We may find ourselves in the midst of a difficult situation. There may be other people involved. From what we are experiencing, there seems to be not outward indication that God is at work, yet He is there. In fact, He is here with us right now.

After listening to the first dream, Joseph interprets the details for the cupbearer. The cupbearer will be released from prison in three days and be restored to his position of prominence with Pharaoh.

Then Joseph tells of his own predicament and how he had been placed in prison wrongly. At this point, we might ask, "Why did God restore the cupbearer so quickly and yet leave Joseph in prison for at least two more years?" If God was with Joseph causing him to prosper, why would He do such a thing?

God does not tell us the precise answer to that question. However, we know that God is faithful, loving, kind, merciful, just, gracious and good. He always does what is right. He is the alpha and the omega; He knows the end and the beginning. He is all knowing and all powerful.

On the basis of those truths about God, we know that God's plan for Joseph was a good one. It was the loving plan prepared and carried out by a loving God.

In the same way, you and I do not know all of the details of God's working in our lives; why we get turned down for a promotion, why a loved one gets cancer or why a child is hit by a car. God doesn't tell us those things. However, the message of the Bible is that God is with us. He is good. He is loving, and we should trust Him. He will never fail us. He is faithful always.

In telling his story to the cupbearer Joseph says, "Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house" Gen 40:15).

As the account continues we are told the baker's dream and Joseph's interpretation. The baker will be killed in three days, and the birds will eat his flesh.

The last four verses of this passage tell us the rest of the story, for the moment (Gen 40:20-24. Just as Joseph had said, in three days the cupbearer was restored to his position, and the baker was hanged. God was with Joseph, just as He had promised, enabling Him to interpret the dreams.

What happens next is a startling finish to this chapter, "Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him" (Gen 40:23).

How could the cupbearer do such a thing, and how could God allow this to happen? Where was God? Is God unfair?

These are the types of questions that might come to mind, when we read this passage. It is the same with other situations we face, personal heartache, sickness and even death. How can man be so unkind and unfaithful? Where is God?

The answer to this question is an important one, because human nature has not changed since Joseph's day. People today are still apt to forget us just as the cupbearer forgot Joseph. At the same time, we must also recall that God hasn't changed. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

We must learn to trust in Him always without wavering even in the face of great difficulty, persecution and affliction.

Several hundred years after Joseph, another man faced affliction. He was persecuted even to the point of death. His friends deserted him, and he suffered alone as he died. Just before he died, he reminded us, "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Joseph is a type of Christ. He prefigures the things that would happen to Jesus Himself. Could it be that God allowed Joseph to remain in prison and suffer in order that we could later better understand the message of the New Testament? Does not Joseph's experience help us to better identify and understand the sufferings of Jesus and the glory that would follow?

The account of Joseph does not end with him remaining in prison forgotten by the cupbearer in the last verse of chapter 40. Similarly, the account of Jesus does not end on a cross at Golgotha. Similarly, your life and mine do not end in whatever current predicament we might find ourselves. God is still at work accomplishing his plan and purposes through us. Even though men may fail us, He remains ever near. Let's continue to trust Him all of our days.

Genesis 40:1-8 The Lord is with Us

Almost two years ago, I made a post concerning this passage. When we left Joseph he had been thrown into jail where "the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made to prosper."

In the next verse we read, "Then it came about after these things." We are not told how long a period had passed. Was it a matter of day? Weeks? Months? Perhaps Joseph had been there even as long as two years.

Regardless of the time, we know that God was with him. In the same way, God is with you and me. He has not abandoned us. Even though we go through difficult times, he is near.

We must also not forget that the Lord had prospered Joseph. How could that have taken place? We do not read that Joseph acquired large sums of money or valuable possessions of any kind. Rather, we see that Joseph is still in jail.

Apparently God views prospering a bit differently than people of our day view it. The television preachers want us to think that we would acquire great wealth and riches if we were to trust the Lord (and send the preacher a love gift or seed offering of the largest amount possible).

God is content to be with us and prosper us in the small places of life: in prisons, hospitals, nursing homes and housing projects. He meets with kings, presidents and dignitaries too, but the riches of God are not counted merely in gold and worldly possessions obtained only by a few.

In our passage we read that God brought the cupbearer and baker to the prison and put Joseph in charge of them. As Joseph's fellow prisoners have dreams on the same night, we read that the men are sad because they have no one to interpret them.

Then Joseph, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me please."

In that sentence we see the tremendous way in which the Lord blessed Joseph. In spite of Joseph being wrongly imprisoned, he continued to trust in the Lord and did not lose heart.

We do not see Joseph complaining or making disparaging remarks about God. Instead, he freely admitted to the men that there is a God who exists in heaven and can do remarkable things.

How about you and me? What do we think about God when things don't go our way? Do we still acknowledge Him and trust Him? Do we recognize the great blessings he gives us even though our wealth may not be measured in silver and gold?

Let's be like Joseph as we face the afflictions of our day. God is still with us and wants to bless us immeasurably. Let's learn to look for Him in the difficulties of life and realize that the blessings He bestows are not confined to silver and gold or mansions of great splendor.