FEARS AND TEARS

GENESIS 42:29 - 43:34

The story of Joseph’s treatment of his brothers and their ultimate reconciliation is the most detailed story in the entire book of Genesis. Indeed, it is one of the most detailed stories in the entire Bible. When we look at this simple fact in the light of the law of proportion, then this story takes on great significance.

This is a story of divine discipline, but it teaches us that such discipline often comes through the agency of God’s people. Joseph has been a witness to the sinful actions of his older brothers. They have been unrepentant throughout all of these intervening years. He now begins to take disciplinary action.

This discipline is not meant as a punishment, but to bring about a restoration. That is always the object of divine discipline. It is meant to bring us back into a right relationship with God.

Joseph’s brothers have broken their relationship with Joseph. Years have passed and now he is going to restore that relationship. But to do so, he will first have to bring them to the point where they are ready for relationship.

To this end, he is maneuvering the situation so that they will be forced to make a decision whether to hold to the unity and relationship of their family or to seek their own interests.

Known to his brothers only as the royal representative of the Pharaoh, Joseph has accused the sons of Jacob of being spies. To prove their innocence, they must return to Egypt with their youngest brother. But before they can do this, they must first gain permission from their father.

As the plot begins to thicken, we come to a section of Genesis that is fraught with emotion. There is the fear of the brothers of Joseph who know they have left one of their own in an Egyptian prison. There is the fear of Jacob who has already lost two sons and who can only get one back by risking a third. There will also be a time of weeping as Joseph confronts the unresolved hurts he has experienced.

When the brothers arrive back in Canaan, are faced with the duty of explaining to their father why they have left one of their number behind. This is the second time they have had to come up with such an explanation. The first time was to cover up their sinful treatment of Joseph.

The first instance had been an attempt to cover up their dishonesty. Notice that in this second report there are numerous references to the accusation against their honesty.

Jacob is made to understand that the only way he can regain his lost son Simeon is to put his youngest son Benjamin at risk. Instead of pondering the situation, we are given to understand that Jacob resolves to write off Simeon and permanently lost to him. He is treating Simeon as though he were already dead.

Reuben responds with a solemn oath. He will stake the lives of his own two sons upon the life of Benjamin. He is swearing an oath upon the heads of his own sons. He is saying, "If my oath does not come to pass and if Benjamin does not return, then may the lives of my own two sons be forfeit.

While such a promise was socially acceptable in that day and age, it is a rather pointless promise. Was such an action supposed to be an encouragement to Jacob? Would he feel any better if, learning that he has lost still another son, he had permission to put two of his grandchildren to death?

Jacob refuses the offer and he refuses to be comforted on the loss of his two sons. His resolve is that he shall not lose Benjamin, no matter what the cost.

It is striking to note that, what Jacob refused to do in risking His beloved son, God willingly did for us, not only sending His Son to earth, but allowing Him to go to the cross on our behalf.

Jacob responds with blame. He blames his sons for not having lied to the Egyptians. He is, in effect, blaming them for not having been as deceptive as he has been.

Judah does not respond to the charge. Instead, he points out the need for Jacob to give way and to allow Benjamin to go on the journey. Furthermore, Judah resolves to take personal responsibility for the young man. He says in effect, "If you need to blame someone, then I will allow you to blame me if I do not make good on my promise to bring back Benjamin."

Judah’s response is striking. He does not try to defend himself. He does not share the blame. He instead takes responsibility. He is following in the way of the One who will be from the tribe of Judah.

Jacob finally submits to the inevitable as he realizes that the alternative to risking the life of Benjamin is that they all die of starvation, including Benjamin. Having come to this difficult decision, he set out to offer instructions that are designed to gain the favor of the Egyptians.

• They are to take some of the best products of the land (43:11).
• They are to take double the money so that, if need be, they can pay back the silver that was returned to them (43:12).

Is this merely wisdom in dealing with the unknown? Or is this a picture of the old Jacob trying to manipulate others into doing what he wants? I’m not really certain. That is the problem with manipulation -- even when you begin to do things for the right reason, how can anyone tell there is a difference?

On the other hand, Jacob also recognizes the need for the Lord’s protection: May God Almighty grant you compassion in the sight of the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin (43:14). Jacob’s words remind us that the Lord is Master of men’s hearts.

The brothers make the long trip back to Egypt. They have the silver for the needed grain; they have Benjamin; and before they know it, they are once again standing before Joseph. The meeting is fraught with expectancy. They are fearing the worst. Will they be met with more suspicion and accusations? Will the receive the necessary provisions? They do not know what to expect, but one thing I am certain they did not expect was an invitation to dinner.

Eating a meal with someone in that culture meant that you at peace with the person with whom you were eating. It was a guarantee of safety. That is why the messianic prophecy that "my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" is so striking (Psalm 41:9).

As we look at this meal, we are reminded how the Father has spread out a meal for us. Like the brothers of Joseph, we are also undeserving. We come only because of the grace of the Giver of the meal.

This is a picture of grace. Yet grace given does not necessarily mean that grace is understood or accepted. Joseph had graciously invited them to a dinner that they did not earn and which they did not deserve. But the brothers are waiting for something bad to happen. They are certain this is merely a ruse and that there are sinister motives behind this offer.

I have noticed that this is often the way of sin. Deceptive people always think that someone is out to deceive them. Judgmental people always think that others are judging them. People with evil motives always suspect the worst in others. Shakespeare said it this way: "Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind" (Henry IV).

I am not saying that we ought to be gullible, but the Bible warns us against judging the motives of people. By contrast, Paul reminds us that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (13:7).

The brothers seek to explain the circumstances to the steward of Joseph’s house. But we shall see in verse 23 that no explanation is required. Have you ever done that? Have you ever tried to give the reasons or the mitigating circumstances for a particular situation, only to find that no explanation was needed?

When we come to the Lord and confess our sins before Him, we find that no further explanation is needed. We don’t have to try to make excuses or offer mitigating circumstances. He knows the truth. When we admit our sinfulness and our helplessness, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In the case of the brothers, they are told that no explanation is needed because their silver was deliberately returned to them. Who returned it? They are told that it was God who returned it.

We are tempted to think that the steward is stretching the truth. After all, he is the one who returned the money and he did so at Joseph’s orders. On the other hand, we know that every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow (James 1:17).

The brothers have come to Joseph’s house fearing the worst. Would they again be accused of being spies? Would they be charged with theft over the silver that had been returned to them? Were they all to be imprisoned or worse?

Instead, they are treated as honored guests. Their feet are washed. Their donkeys are fed. They are invited to a meal. The scene is similar to that described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son. Where they looked for hostility, there is a homecoming.

It is a dramatic moment. Joseph arrives at his home and the brothers come into his presence and they bow down to the ground before him. Joseph must have felt a sense of deja vu, for he had already experienced this before in a dream. Now the dream is being fulfilled, though the brothers are unaware of this.

He questions them about the welfare of their father and they report that Jacob is in good health. Then they bow down again before Joseph. Twice in the space of two verses we see the fulfillment of Joseph’s dream of his brothers bowing before him.

Then his attention focuses upon Benjamin. This is his younger brother. This is the son of Joseph’s mother, Rachel. It was at his birth that their mother died. He has become the new favored son.

The emotion becomes too much for Joseph. He can no longer contain himself and he leaves the table so that his brothers will not be able to see his weeping.

Once he is composed, Joseph returns to the presence of his brothers and the meal is served. The seating arrangements strike us as unusual, but that is because we are unfamiliar with the culture and customs of ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were the ultimate segregationalists. Egyptians did not eat at the same table with Hebrews or with any sort of Semitic peoples any more than you would sit at a table with your dog. To do so would be considered unsanitary and the Egyptians had a high regard for sanitation sensibilities.

There were apparently three tables set up.

• There was a table for Joseph.
• There was a table for Joseph’s other Egyptian guests.
• There was a table to the sons of Jacob.

As the brothers were seated, they noticed something about the seating arrangement. They had been seated in accordance to their age. Reuben was seated at one end of the table and Benjamin was seated at the other end and the intervening brothers were all seated in the exact order of their ages. What made it unusual is that they had not told Joseph or anyone else their ages.

Neither was this the only unusual aspect to this dinner.

We are told that Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs (43:34). He was given the favored portions. His plate was bigger and the portions on his plate were piled higher.

This was evidently not by chance. It was deliberate. Why? Why did Joseph order Benjamin to be favored in such a way? I think there are three reasons.

1. This was a measure of Joseph’s love for his youngest brother. This was the only brother who had not been involved in the plot to sell him into slavery. This was the son of his departed mother. This was his baby brother and Joseph delighted in giving him the multiplied portion.
2. This was test for the older brothers. Joseph had already seen how they had responded to their father’s favoritism so many years earlier. They had responded with jealousy and hatred. Had they changed or would they demonstrate the same sort of jealousy toward Benjamin?
3. They are going to be brought to repentance and to redemption. They will be placed into a situation in which history will repeat itself. Once again, they will be presented with a favored younger brother. Once again, they will have the opportunity to determine his fate. Only this time, there will be a difference. This time they will be presented with the opportunity, not merely for neutrality, but to actually take positive action in the defense of their younger brother.

We have been invited to dine with the One who knows us intimately. It is a measure of His gracious love toward us. But it also calls for a response on our part that goes beyond the mere partaking of a meal. It calls us to extend that same love and grace and mercy to others; even to those whom we might be inclined to see through the eyes of jealousy; even to a favored younger sibling.

How can we accomplish this? How can we set aside those feelings of dislike for someone who rubs us the wrong way? It is only by remembering what our older brother has done for us. We have an older brother who set aside His glory to serve us and even to die on our behalf. And then He calls us to do the same for others.