8

In the perfect planning and purpose of the Lord the seven year famine was having some very interesting effects. One of the most significant developments was the fact that Joseph's ten older brothers had been sent to Egypt by Jacob. Their mission was to buy food for their families.

In the perfect plan and purpose of God, that journey inevitably brought them into the personal presence of Joseph.

They saw Joseph, yet they did not recognize him. They saw a man whom they identified as an extremely important and powerful person in Egypt. They automatically assumed that he was an Egyptian.

Like all others who came seeking food, they were required to humbly respect and acknowledge the position and authority of this man. They all were required to bow low before him as a mark of respect and reverence for his position and power.

They were greatly startled and distressed when he accused them of being spies. They were well aware that on the basis of his accusation he could order their execution. They had absolutely no idea of what was happening to them. Or why.

Joseph was testing them. He knew what he was doing. All his words, actions, and motives were governed by his close personal walk with the Lord. The things which Joseph did so effectively illustrate various ways in which the Holy Spirit convicts of sin. The aim of the Holy Spirit is to bring those being dealt with to repentance and confession. That was also Joseph's aim.

The ten brothers were unexpectedly thrown into this complex situation which caused great confusion for them. This included their three days in prison, which greatly increased their perplexity.

Then Simeon, one of the ten, was held in prison in Egypt while the rest of the brothers were allowed to return to their father. They went with the strict instructions to bring Benjamin back. Back to Egypt. Back to Joseph.

Joseph, and his brothers. What a contrast! What vital spiritual principles are illustrated by this relationship and by the developments which Joseph engineered.

Jacob and his sons found themselves thoroughly confused by perplexing questions. Each new development only served to greatly increase their confusion. This was certainly true for Jacob at the time when the his ten sons arrived at home.

"And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack."

This astonished them. They had filled their sacks back in Egypt. They all knew that they had paid their money over to the officials back there in Egypt. That place which had proved to have the appearance of being so ominous! So very threatening! So hostile to them! They could think of no rational explanation whatsoever for these very unsettling developments.

In their tortured frame of mind it was inevitable that they thought the very worst. "And when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid." They were terrified!

Everything that happened to them appeared to be so completely negative. So it was quite natural to see this also as just one more negative development. To automatically imagine the worst. Thus they had, without giving the matter any thought, excluded the possibility that this could in fact be positive.

That it could be, and, in fact was, an expression of God's grace never once entered their minds. Nor that it could be a demonstration of genuine concern and compassion- by someone.

It was positive. Totally positive! In every respect! But it was interpreted by their guilty minds, which were so negative, as also being negative.

There are times when this development, and their attitude to it, is so applicable to us! When the very things which are genuine demonstrations of God's grace to us, are seen from a totally negative frame of reference. We decide that those things are negative!

When we live close to the Lord, seeking only to honor and glorify Him, it makes all the difference. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. The negative is replaced by the positive, which claims, "All things work together for good with them that love God!" (Romans 8:28) .

Jacob's frame of mind was totally negative. He verbally attacks and severely criticizes his sons. He accuses them of deliberately depriving him of both Joseph and Simeon.

"Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away."

He still felt so greatly the loss of Joseph. In fact, he still deeply mourned over the loss of his favorite son. Now, he had also lost Simeon. Obviously he believed that he would never see Simeon again. And all he could see was that his other sons wanted to take Benjamin away also. It was too much for him. Too much to bear!

"All these things are against me!" He took it all so very personally. How else could he respond? There was so very much that he did not know. That he could not know! So much of it had been kept from him by his own vindictive sons!

Tragically it is also true that he had completely lost his faith in the Lord. His faith died at the same time that he thought Joseph had died. He was totally unable to provide the leadership which was so desperately needed. The positive leadership of faith which his family so urgently needed in this utterly perplexing situation.

Reuben appealed to his father to allow him to intervene. His appeal was so strong! So very intense! Even, desperate! Could it be that he saw this as an opportunity to prove himself? To vindicate himself in the eyes of his father?

"Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not back to thee: deliver him (Benjamin) into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again."

Reuben wanted to be recognized. He desperately wanted his father to trust him, again. For long years he had carried the crushing burden of the shameful reproach of his previous failure. For such a long time he had to endure the contempt of being openly scorned and rejected by his father.

If only he could do something now. Something to prove himself. To demonstrate that he did have personal worth. To at least attempt to prove that he was deserving of a second chance.

He was so sincere. His commitment was totally genuine. His appeal was as strong as he knew how to make it. Remember, he was the one who had previously tried to get Joseph back to his father. Tried, unsuccessfully. That failure was not his fault, as Joseph had been sold as a slave while he had been absent.

Now, if only his father would let him, he felt he could prove himself. Or sacrifice his all in trying to do so!

Could he produce what he promised? That question remains forever unanswered. He was not given that opportunity. He was not alone in that. So many who have begged for another chance have suffered a similar fate.

Reuben would never be allowed to forget: Jacob did not trust him. Would never trust him. Would never give him any opportunity to prove that his one failure should be the basis for the final verdict.

Reuben was rejected! Cast aside as worthless. Jacob would never let go of his animosity to Reuben. His rejection. He would take both to his deathbed, and to the grave! Reuben was contemptuously rejected in life and in death.

The door was slammed in his face. He could not be trusted! Not ever. Not by his father. And certainly not with Benjamin. Despised. Rejected.

How we need to give adequate time to evaluate these developments! It is so sadly true that so many people have had to live out their lives under the same kind of cloud which continuously hung over Reuben.

How we need to thank the Lord that His attitude to the one who makes a mistake is so very different to what we see in Jacob. We see the attitude of the Lord so wonderfully demonstrated in: Joseph! What a stark contrast his attitude was to that of his father, Jacob!

The Lord does not act in the way Jacob acted. Nor in the way that so many "Christians" today act. Our Lord is the Lord of the second chance. And the third! And, so many more beyond that!

Ask Peter! Ask Mark! Ask so many more! The second chance. And the third. And the one hundred and third! And more! Thank God for such amazing grace, for we all need it!

We deserve to be despised and rejected. Why should God trust us in any position? Even the most menial place in His service? Why? Because Jesus was “despised and rejected” for us! It is all of grace!

It is through the precious blood of Jesus! On the basis of His body being broken on the cross! It is on that basis, and that basis alone, that God calls us, and trusts us. He trusts us who are so untrustworthy. So undeserving, and so unfit!

Jacob did not act in grace. He flatly rejected Reuben's offer. "His brother is dead, and he is left alone : if mischief befall him by the way in which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave."

"His brother" Joseph"is dead!" Jacob fully believed that. Benjamin was the sole remaining son of Rachel. That is what made him so special to Jacob. He could not bear to risk him. Jacob believed that if anything happened to Benjamin the grief caused by his loss would kill him.

The decision was made. Jacob rejected Reuben's offer. He rejected Reuben. That closed that conversation.

But it merely postponed the inevitable decision. Jacob's sons all knew that, even if he himself chose to ignore it.

The Lord was in control. The flow of events was inevitable. He was using it all to accomplish His purposes.

Jacob had made his decision: They would not be taking Benjamin into Egypt. The problem with that decision was all too obvious, especially to Jacob's sons.

Jacob was trying to ignore the inescapable reality. There was a most severe famine which was having a devastating effect everywhere. "The famine was sore in the land!" No one could go on ignoring that for very long.

Jacob was also attempting to ignore another vital reality. The food which his sons had brought from Egypt would not last forever. When that food was used up, the problem he deliberately, if blindly, chose to ignore would be staring them in their faces. It would be demanding urgent attention!

"And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt.” The inevitable moment of truth arrived. What would they do, now? What could they do?

Jacob had a very simply answer. "Their father said unto them, Go again. Buy us a little food." For Jacob that was the obvious solution.

But! Had he forgotten the reality? Or was he just foolishly choosing to act as though the problems involved did not exist?

His sons were only too aware of those very severe and perplexing problems. Judah spoke to their father for all of them; "The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.''

“You are telling us to go back to Egypt, and to buy more food there! You know that for us to do that, we will have to face that man without Benjamin being with us! To do that could only mean that the trip would be totally futile. At the very least we would be risking our lives. Unless you are now willing to let Benjamin go with us!"

To Judah and his brothers their father's suggestion was far too simplistic. It was doomed to fail. They had no alternative but to take a stand by resisting their father's suggestion.

They would only go back to Egypt if Benjamin was permitted to go with them. On two separate occasions they had most forcefully reminded their father of the conditions which they must meet. The conditions which were set by the Prime Minister of Egypt himself!

It would not only be futile for them to go back into Egypt without Benjamin. It would be dangerous. They would be unable to get the food which they so desperately needed. They would also be risking their freedom. Or their lives. Or both. After all Simeon was still being held in the Egyptian prison. Jacob responded to their words with a protest of his own. "Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?"

It was a pathetic cry of protest. Jacob so desperately wanted to be able to control the situation himself, so as to be able to protect Benjamin. But the control had been taken out of his hands. He had to blame someone for this sense of his total impotence. He chose to blame his sons.

They again attempted to explain what had happened to them on their first trip to Egypt. "The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? Have ye another brother?" Did Jacob expect them to lie?

They had no choice. They could not explain why, but they had been subjected to very specific, personal questioning. They had to tell the truth. How could they have ever anticipated that things would turn out the way they did?

Earlier Reuben had offered to be responsible for Benjamin. Jacob had dismissed his offer as unworthy of any consideration. At this point it was Judah who offered to be personally and fully responsible for Benjamin.

"Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand thou shalt require him: If I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever."

Judah then added a significant observation. "For except we had lingered," having been delayed by the attitude of Jacob himself, the problem being his refusal to allow Benjamin to go with them. "Surely now we had return ed this second time."

There had been plenty of time for them to have already traveled into Egypt, where they would have presented Benjamin to the Prime Minister; and, having purchased more food and retrieved Simeon, and returned safely home. Returned home with both Benjamin and Simeon.

Jacob at last realized that he could no longer evade this extremely awesome but inevitable decision. The inescapable reality. He had no choice but to agree to let Benjamin go.

It was against his best judgment, and against the agonizing heart-cry which was so instinctive, but he agreed! He did so most grudgingly, most reluctantly. There was a very great fear gripping his heart. A fear that he would never see Benjamin ever again. That he would lose him as he had lost Joseph.

Having reached the realization that they actually did not have any other choice, he also decided that they must attempt to make the best possible impression on this "man" in Egypt.

He instructed his sons to take a gift. "Take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds."

Also, to create the right impression with this "man", they had to do something about that money which had caused them so much perplexity, the money which they had found in their sacks following their return from their first trip to Egypt.

"Take double money in your hand!" One lot of money was to repay the money which they had found in their sacks following their previous trip. "Peradventure it was an oversight''

Both of these suggestions reveal something about the state of mind of Jacob. They speak volumes about the souldestroying fear which gripped his heart in such an agonizing manner. These steps were pathetic attempts to at least try to protect Benjamin. Yet all the while he seems to be convinced, and resigned to the fact, that all his best efforts would be futile.

Remember. When Jacob thought that Joseph was dead his faith had died. The involvement of God was no longer an issue in his thinking. His heart and mind were totally overwhelmed by the dark, ominous, negative effects of the deepest despair. Yet the Lord in his grace still surrounded His servant with His presence and His love.

"Take also your brother, and arise, go again to the man. And God Almighty give you mercy before the man."

Did Jacob really believe that “El Shaddai,” God Almighty, would intervene? That He would influence the events in Egypt? Events which to Jacob were so terribly threatening? Surely there must have remained at least a slender thread of faith! It may have been a badly battered faith. An extremely fragile faith. Even, a desperate faith. But faith none the less!

"That he may send away your other brother (Simeon), and Benjamin." That was his only hope. That somehow, the Lord would intervene.

We see just how fragile Jacob's faith was in those ominous, dark moments. He added, “If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.''

There is so very much in which we can identify with Jacob in this situation. How very often our faith is so feeble, so faltering, so fragile. Often we feel as though we are hopelessly groping around under an ominously dark cloud. That we are facing problems and perplexities which we do not, cannot understand. If only we could see things more clearly. If only we knew all that was involved. If only!

Jacob did not know. God knew Jacob was not in control, even though he so desperately wanted to be in control. God was in control! Jacob felt that he was responsible for the safety of Benjamin. God Himself accepted that responsibility!

Jacob was so afraid of what might happen. God held all of the various aspects of the future within His sovereign, all-sufficient authority. Jacob was overwhelmed by the threat of impending failure. God never fails.

What a challenge this is to us. What an inspiration! Even though we are passing through the deepest darkness and great despondency. Like Jacob, we may feel that there is nothing to offer hope, to inspire, nothing to encourage. Look up! God is still on the throne!

Jacob's sons did as he suggested. "The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin."

Their uneventful trip brought them into Egypt. Brought them into the presence of the man whom they feared so much. They "stood before Joseph!" Yet, they did not see: their brother Joseph. As far as they were concerned Joseph was dead. Joseph just did not enter their thoughts at all.

They saw: an Egyptian! An Egyptian who wielded great power and awesome authority. They saw an Egyptian who held their lives, their families, their future, in his hands. The man who had the authority to deal most harshly with them. And, should he choose to do so, no one would intervene on their behalf. No one would question his authority, nor the way he exercised that authority.

Their sense of great confusion and perplexity increased as soon as they arrived. "When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready, for these men shall dine with me at noon."

As soon as they heard what was to happen, the brothers quite naturally became increasingly apprehensive in the face of this development of being brought into Joseph's house.

"The men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house." Their first thought was the money which they had found in their sacks as they returned from their first trip.

Their thoughts were being overwhelmed by ever growing, apprehensive feelings of anxiety, They fully expected that the money would be used as an excuse to act against them. "That he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen!"

Guilty, fearful apprehension was running rampant and unchecked! They fully expected the very worst. They were fully convinced that he would make them his slaves. Yet surely that would be just retribution for their earlier attitude and actions.

They had sold Joseph as a slave! Undoubtedly it was that very thing which caused them to think as they did. It is true, Joseph did have the power to do the very thing they feared most. Yet his actual intentions were quite different.

Because of their irrational fears that the very worst would inevitably be inflicted on them, the brothers desperately tried all that they could to avoid their fears becoming reality. They approached the steward of Joseph's house. They explained to him what had happened on their first trip.

"When we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand." They also stated that they had brought additional money to buy more food on this trip.

To their surprise the steward informed them that he had their money. He did so in an unexpected way. "Peace be to you, fear not: Your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money!"

They had continually left God out of all of their considerations. Now this Egyptian challenges them to believe that God was actually, personally involved. Not only involved, but that He was blessing them.

They saw the situation as being totally negative. He reminded them of the presence and participation of the Lord. This reminder of the Lord's participation threw a totally different light on everything related to all of these perplexing events.

Reminded: by an Egyptian! Were they really ready and willing to accept that? It was too much for them.

At that point Simeon was brought out and united with them. That development only added to their uncertainty Their lack of faith in the Lord and His involvement meant that they found themselves hopelessly floundering.

All that they could do now was to get ready for the meal. They also prepared their gifts. They waited with ominous foreboding of perplexity and anxiety.

They knew that this man whom they feared so much would be there at noon. They had been told that he would eat with them there. They had no idea what to expect.

That moment which they had been dreading so greatly: arrived. Joseph came to the house for the noon meal. They grasped the time of his arrival as their opportunity to demonstrate that they wanted to avoid offending him at all cost.

"When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.''

They believed that it was of the utmost importance for them to gain the good will of this man who held their lives in his hands. They wanted to avoid giving any reason for the renewal of his suspicion of them. They wanted to convince him that they honored him and his position.

It must have surprised them that his first question concerned the welfare of their father. "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?" They would be wondering why this "Egyptian" was showing such an intense level of interest in the welfare of their father. After all, their father was an old man in a far off country. A man whom this "Egyptian" had never met!

Yet to Joseph this was the most natural question to ask first. It was his own father he was asking about. He had not seen his father for twenty two years. How was his father? Above all was his father still alive?

They responded, "Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive." "Yet alive!" That at least was accurate.

"In good health!' Could they really make that claim, especially when they knew that his spirit was completely broken. That he had lived in deep grief and mourning for twenty two years! It was no thanks to them that he was still alive. It was their responsibility that their father was a broken man!

As they answered Joseph's question, "They bowed their heads, and made obeisance." Could it be that they really did not want this "man" to see a different answer in their eyes?

Joseph looked at his brothers, one by one. Until he came to Benjamin. Benjamin: "His mother's son'' He said, "Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?" He knew it was. What a moving moment this proved to be. Joseph did not wait for them to respond to his question.

The emotion of this moment in which he saw his brother was too much for Joseph. He wanted to be able to openly express his love for his brother. But, he could not do so. Not yet. He left the room to be alone. "He sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there''

Joseph's true feelings are clearly revealed here, showing all his genuine concern and deep compassion. The long years of great suffering had in no way hardened him. He wanted to be a son to his father. He wanted to show himself as a true brother to Benjamin.

What a contrast to the other ten. They had shown themselves to be so harsh, so hard, so cruel in their attitude to their father. And to their brother.

Yet, Joseph knew that he had to wait to reveal his true concern. There was something he had to accomplish first.

The Lord had laid on his heart the necessity to thoroughly test his brothers. Had they learned anything? Was there any evidence of a real change? Or would they still prove to be as hard and uncaring in their attitudes at that time as they were when they sold him as a slave?

Having regained his composure, Joseph returned to them. He instructed his servants to serve the meal. Joseph ate at a table by himself. This was due to the very high position which he held in Egypt.

His brothers were seated at a table together. The Egyptians present sat at another table. They would not sit at the same table as the Hebrews. To be asked to do so would be an insult to Egyptians.

Joseph's brothers were confronted by another unexpected development. Their places at the table were allocated according to their ages. The oldest, or "firstborn, according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth."

"The men marveled one at another." How would anyone in this Egyptian household know where each one of them fitted in? What was going on? They could not understand. There were too many questions and too few answers.

The food which they ate was provided for them from Joseph's table. It was not on the table at which they sat. They could not help themselves. Everything they had came from Joseph's table. He was providing for their need out of his bounty! They were totally dependent on his grace! How dramatically that aspect illustrates all that is involved in this entire situation.

Apart from Joseph they had nothing. By his grace all their needs were met. Yet they lived with a great fear of him. Being so very apprehensive of what he may, or could, do to them.

They saw this relationship as totally negative. When in fact it was completely positive. But, they were so totally blind to that fact.

How true this is of so many today. Apart, from Jesus: we have absolutely nothing! In Jesus: all our need are met out of His bountiful grace.

So many have only very negative attitudes toward Him. They are afraid that He will demand far too much from them. That the price He will require of them will be too high.

People see the relationship as negative. They are so concerned about: What they will have to give up? To sacrifice? To deny themselves?

Jesus sees and knows that the relationship is always, and in every area, totally positive. He wants to be able to bless so abundantly. To provide for every need far beyond our wildest imaginations

Benjamin received special attention. He received five times as much as any of his brothers. Normally it would be expected that the youngest brother would receive less. Love, free and unrestricted, was expressed so very freely and so very fully.

The Lord is saying to us, "Let Me demonstrate what it means for you to allow Me to express my love to you freely, and unrestricted. You remove all the barriers which you have erected. All the limitations, objections and qualifications. All the misunderstandings and misrepresentations you have allowed to be put in place. When we take him seriously, what a difference it makes.

Joseph. God's man! In God's appointed place. In everything, in heart, in mind, in life, he was completely open to the Lord. He was so fully responsive to the Word of the Lord, and the leading of the Lord in his life.

His brothers were becoming more and more conscious of their weakness, their own limitations, their utter futility in the face of all that was happening. They were so afraid. So apprehensive.

In their great anxiety they were continually jumping at shadows. The obvious effects of the conviction of their sin were being seen in so many ways. Reuben: Still forced to live under shame and reproach. Experiencing the bitter sting of open rejection. His father would never forgive him. Never give him a second chance.

Judah: Beginning to show signs of a genuine change of heart, a change of character. He was starting to accept responsibility.

The others: Forced to face a most perplexing series of events which only added to the ominous and dark apprehension of some inexplicable judgment coming on them.

In the meanwhile these tens brothers sat there in ignorance and fear. Totally dependent on the brother they had resented and hated. The one they had planned to murder. The one they had sold as a slave. The one they were sure was: dead!