Final Testings
Gen 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.
( Oh no, once again he returns the money sacks!)
Gen 44:2 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.
Would the younger brother be accused by the Lord of Egypt and be abandoned by his half brothers? Joseph sets up another test of the older brothers' character. This was all of God. Have the brothers truly repented of their behavior, or will they repeat their ways of bad treatment to their younger brother who was favored?
Let It Be
The brothers had left the company of the Lord of Egypt (Joseph) feeling well fed and blessed. They had a good supply of corn and Benjamin had been honoured. Such a beautiful day, surely all is well. Their father will be so happy to see them. Each of us have had times of great contentment, and then suddenly as if by Satan's darts, we have been afflicted with a great problem. We are in a battle, expect attacks, yes and even trials to prove our faith.
Gen 44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. [donkeys]
Gen 44:4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
Gen 44:5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
Joseph once again is setting a trap to see the true character of his brothers. The cup? It was a very special cup Joseph's servant said it was a cup used in divining. Joseph had proven that he could interpret dreams but that was by Gods revelation. The cup story was to put fear in the brothers. It is doubtful that Joseph resorted to the occult practices of the Egyptians, like divination (foreseeing the future by omens, such as reading tea leaves and reading something from what is seen.) . But the brothers didn't know that. Joseph was playing the role of an Egyptian. Up to the time of the testing of the brothers, there was no known sin in Joseph. Now he is putting his brothers through much stress. Joseph is gracious, but first he must see if his brothers have repented. We are not to get even under the grace of Jesus. We are to forgive.
Gen 44:6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
Gen 44:7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
Gen 44:8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold?
Gen 44:9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
So quickly we seek to justify ourselves. Now the spokesmen for the brothers had sworn an oath, not knowing what lies ahead. King Herod swore an oath to his pretty stepdaughter to give her anything, for a dance. It cost John the Baptist his head. Be very careful in making oaths. You will be held accountable.
Gen 44:10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
The oath was received and modified. Whoever had the cup would be the Kings servant.
Gen 44:11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
Gen 44:12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
With fear each man saw their money in the sacks, and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
Gen 44:13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
In olden days when in great distress they would tear their clothing. To show repentance they wore sackcloth and covered themselves with ashes, humbling them.
Gen 44:14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
Lord have mercy! Jesus has mercy on all who call on him in a humble spirit. He will give you a new spirit, first he will forgive your sins, cleanse your heart and then come into your life. Repent of the old life and receive Gods grace. Will Joseph give grace to his brothers? Will they ever realize that the Lord of Egypt is the little brother they so treacherously sold into slavery? Lord forgive us our past sins and help us to forgive those who sinned against us. In Jesus name, Amen
Judah's Intercession
Gen 44:15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
You cannot escape my eyes if you sin. Though he said it, he was not into divining. The LORD sees all.
Gen 44:16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
Judah as spokesmen for the brothers offers no defense but humbly offers to be a servant with the accused brother. Sometimes we suffer innocently, but we have all had other sins that would be greater if known. Judah was the one who sold Joseph. But this is a new Judah in his sacrificial love.
Gen 44:17 And he 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 unto your father.
Gen 44:18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
Judah bravely intercedes for his brother; he has changed, he might have only cared for his own skin. Now he shows godly character. Here begins Judah's earnest plea. Barnhouse said it was "the most moving address in all the Word of God." As Christians we are not to be afraid to speak the truth in love. The Holy Spirit will help us speak, as we should.
Luke 12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
Luke 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Gen 44:19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother?
Gen 44:20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
Gen 44:21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
Gen 44:22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
Gen 44:23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
Gen 44:24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
Gen 44:25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
Gen 44:26 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.
Gen 44:27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:
Gen 44:28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:
Gen 44:29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
Gen 44:30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
Gen 44:31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
Gen 44:32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
Gen 44:33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
Gen 44:34 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.
Twenty years have passed since Judah sold his other brother to slavery. He now is willing to give his own life for the life of Joseph's younger brother Benjamin. Jesus' blood line through Mary would be from the tribe of Judah. Judah already is showing some of the character of Jesus, Gods son born of a virgin, who would follow. Jesus would be the greatest intercessor of all. He gave his life for all of us who have sinned. By his death and resurrection we can believe in him for the forgiveness of sins. After we are born anew of the spirit Jesus continues to intercede for us in defending us against Satan's accusations. We are not guilty in Gods eyes for all past present and future sins because of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You Jesus. Will Joseph have pity on his repentant brothers? Repentance comes before salvation. We must be sorry for our sins.
Genesis 45
Genesis 1 Table of Contents
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