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“¹⁵ 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. ¹⁶ 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.”¹⁷ The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. ¹⁸ Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”¹⁹ So they went up to Joseph’s steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰ “We beg your pardon, our lord,” they said, “we came down here the first time to buy food. ²¹ But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver—the exact weight—in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us.²² We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don’t know who put our silver in our sacks.”²³ “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.”NIV

“Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon” (16b).

‘Oh the welcome I have found there.’ So says an old hymn, about the Christian’s acceptance before God through Jesus.

Mark Twain is quoted as saying: ‘I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.’ These words have also been attributed to Winston Churchill. Well, whoever spoke them, they contain wisdom.

The brothers headed back to Egypt, no doubt fearing the worst, but oh the welcome they found there!

There is an acrostic of F.E.A.R:

False
Expectations
Appearing
Real.

Sometimes, when unbelievably wonderful things happen, we find we are still afraid (17-22). All we read here is true to life. There is something so pitiable in the brothers desperate attempts to clear themselves (19-22). Doesn’t your heart go out to them? They couldn’t enjoy the good thing happening to them.

‘Joseph’s steward had orders from his master to take them to his house. Even this frightened them. Those that are guilty make the worst of every thing.’ Matthew Henry.

The final verse in our reading takes us back to the theme I wrote about just the other day: the miraculous mystery of divine economics. When we give as God in His Word shows us to give, He receives our “silver’, but He also gives us “treasure” in our sacks. Of course, the motive for generous Christian giving should never be in order to get. But the testimony of vast numbers of believers is that you just can’t out-give God.

PRAYER: Lord, you truly are no man’s debtor. How I thank you for your rich generosity to me.

“¹¹ Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. ¹² Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. ¹³ Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. ¹⁴ And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved.”NIV

‘As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved” (14b).

The above comment may reflect submission to God’s will, but it sounds very much like fatalism to me. However, it’s not quite as straightforward as that. Like all of us, Jacob was a mixture. The flesh and the Spirit see-sawed fiercely inside his heart.

A number of things come to mind as I read this:

• Although they were out of “grain” (2), they clearly could lay their hands on other bits of produce (11). Apparently the custom was, generally-speaking, that if you were going to approach a ruler, you took a gift with you. However, seeing Joseph as a ‘type’ of Christ, I think about the human inclination to want to gain acceptance with God by good deeds, charitable acts, church attendance, and the like. It’s all unnecessary, and it won’t work. He can’t be ‘bought’ that way;
• Mention of “God Almighty” (14) takes us back to chapter 17, and the great promises God made to this family: promises Jacob was now carrying. Faith seems to soar at this point, as Abraham prays to the covenant-keeping God;
• But then, it would appear, it almost immediately plummets into what sounds like fatalism. As I listen to Jacob cry, “If I am bereaved, I am bereaved”, I hear echoes of Esther’s words from much later years: “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” How different was her attitude. It was not so much fatalism as sanctified courage, and with it a willingness to pay the ultimate price, if necessary.

I suppose we are all Jacob-like in that we are a mixture. We can be full of prayerful faith one minute, and then in the next moment be drowning in unbelief. It’s enough to make you want to cry out with Paul:

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24, 25a).

Paul knew the reality of the struggle; but He also revelled in the power of the Saviour.

So can we.

“⁸ Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. ⁹ I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. ¹⁰ As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice.”NIV

“…you can hold me personally responsible…” (19).

I appreciate the humour in the Bible. In fact, Jilly and I were talking about this just the other day. She mentioned it to me. There are passages in the Bible that are laugh out loud funny. Others produce, perhaps, a wry smile. Verse 10 has that effect on me. Judah’s comment is so human. It is typical of the sort of thing that get said between family members. You can sense Judah’s frustration behind it. We saw recently how Jacob’s attitude was ‘suicidal.’ If he didn’t permit the brothers to return to Egypt they would all die anyway.

‘Unwilling to face reality, Jacob was living in a private dream world and making others suffer.’ Warren W. Wiersbe: Old Testament Commentary, p.127.

Judah’s leadership, in this story, reminds me of all those people who have been, and who continue to be, willing to ‘step up’ in church life. (It also shows people can change. See 37:26,27). No church can ever be a ‘one-man-band.’ At least, it shouldn’t be.Churches are dependent on many people who are willing to say, ‘You can count on me. I’ll be there; I’m willing to carry responsibility.’

If that’s you…Thank you so much!

“43 Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go back and buy us a little more food.”
3 But Judah said to him, “The man warned us solemnly, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’”6 Israel asked, “Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?”7 They replied, “The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. ‘Is your father still living?’ he asked us. ‘Do you have another brother?’ We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, ‘Bring your brother down here’?” NIV

“Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?” (6).

So Jacob continued in his ‘me-oriented’ frame of mind. He didn’t show any compassion for his sons’ ordeal in Egypt, or much concern for what they would possibly have to face again.

I am struck by the thought how readily we point the finger at others. It’s so much easier to play the blame game than to look honestly in the mirror. True enough, his sons were not innocent. But neither was he. What about his many sins and flaws; his own contribution to raising this dysfunctional family? I would venture to suggest that, in his parenting, Jacob had sown some of the bad seeds which were now producing a bitter harvest.

May God give us the grace to first deal with the ‘planks’ in our own eyes…(see Matthew 7:1-5)

“35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened. 36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”37 Then Reuben said to his father, “You may put both of my sons to death if I do not bring him back to you. Entrust him to my care, and I will bring him back.”38 But Jacob said, “My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my grey head down to the grave in sorrow.” NIV

“Everything is against me!” (36).

G.Campbell Morgan wrote a book entitled, ‘The answers of Jesus to Job.’ It’s not a book I’ve read, but I remember the title because it interested me. Well, what about the answer of Paul to Jacob? “Everything is against me!” No Jacob. Not at all. It may seem that way now, but listen:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

There was a lot of ‘me’ and ‘my’ in Jacob’s response. I suppose it’s understandable. He had been through the grinder, it’s true. It’s also the case that these boys had been the cause of much of his grief (In fact more than he knew). But they were in distress too, and surely needed their father’s kindness and concern? They had made the long journey to obtain food, and then had a harrowing time in the cause. Whereas some people become softer and more sensitive to the pain of others through their own sufferings, others seem to turn in on themselves and can’t see beyond their own hardships.

Derek Kidner makes the point that Jacob was ‘locked in the suicidally defensive posture of verse 38 and of 43:1-10.’ (Tyndale commentary, p.200).

The truth is, that in “all” the “things” that happened to Jacob, God was working for his good, the good of his family, the good of God’s own people, and ultimately for the good of the world and His own glory. Often we can only see what is immediately in front of us, but the Lord sees the big picture. He calls us to trust Him.

‘When all things seem against me,
To drive me to despair;
I know one door is open,
One ear will hear my prayer.’

PRAYER: Lord, there are times in my life when pretty much everything looks bleak from where I stand. Give me grace to trust you, to keep doing the right thing, and know that ultimately all will be well.

“25 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, 26 they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. 27 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. 28 “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?”29 When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said, 30 “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. 32 We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’33 “Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go. 34 But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade[a] in the land.’”35 As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.”NIV

“As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver!” (35a).

Three times in this passage we are told of the returned “silver” (25, 28, 35). We know from the outset that the silver was returned to all of them (25), but in the middle of the story the brothers thought it was only the experience of ‘’one of them” (27). That was bad enough in their eyes! But eventually they discovered the silver back in all of their sacks. In the light of the trouble they were already in, it’s not surprising that they were horrified. They knew they hadn’t stolen the silver, but they had every reason to believe they would stand accused of the crime.

‘Whether Joseph meant the money to be found at the first halt, or not till the homecoming (if the provision for the way was a separate package), the event proved more effective than either, with its initial shock repeated still more forcibly at home in the presence of Jacob.
The sense of guilt, already aroused (21), made the group quick to see the hand of God in the governor’s action.’ Derek Kidner: Tyndale commentary, p.200.

However, that all said, when I read this story it makes me think of what I will call ‘Kingdom economics’. So many believers will testify to this mysterious truth that, when you seek to give according to Biblical principles (as best you understand them), over and again you find your silver back in your back in your sack (as it were). It is mysteriously wonderful, and one of the ways God ‘proves’ His reality to those who trust Him:

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it’’ (Malachi 3:10).

PRAYER: I am grateful to find that I can never out-give you Lord, and I thank you for your extravagant generosity to me.

¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: ¹⁹ If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. ²⁰ But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”

²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” ²³ They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.

¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: ¹⁹ If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. ²⁰ But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

²¹ They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.”

²² Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” ²³ They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.

²⁴ He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes.

.

‘They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come upon us.” ‘ (21).

Actions have consequences. It may take years for the results of a bad decision to show up – but they will. The hidden body finally comes to light. Someone said, ‘We make our decisions then our decisions turn around and make us.’ The brothers were now understanding that chickens come home to roost. They were caught in the headlights.

Hear their confession. Joseph heard it all (23). The grim detail came out. The brothers made their confession, ignorant that it was being heard by a ‘priest’ who was actually the victim of their crimes. ‘Truth will out.’ In these moments Joseph also discovered the part played by Reuben in trying to save him.

See how callous they were. It all tumbled out as they unwittingly came clean. They had hated their younger brother and in those moments, years earlier, they had been heartless in their behaviour towards him.

See how they stood convicted. Without being aware of it, they were in the dock, and out of their own mouths they were prosecuting themselves. Yet, even though it didn’t appear so at the time, they were being treated with kindness and mercy, and they were to float in streams of it in days to come.

But the sense of guilt (and with it fear) did not easily go away (50:15-21). We don’t find it easy to receive mercy; we find it hard to forgive ourselves. But the Cross says we can if we rely on Jesus, our Saviour.

“ 14 Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” 17 And he put them all in custody for three days.”NIV

“The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land” (30).

Here are just a few more thoughts on Joseph’s seeming harsh treatment of his brothers.

In Jeremiah 6:14, God utters this complaint against the prophets and priests at that time:

“They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”

Sin is a serious issue, and it must not be treated superficially. Is this, then, the explanation for Joseph’s conduct? F.B.Meyer seems to think so. Listen:

‘He spake roughly, but he did not feel so. When he had spoken in these harsh tones, he restored their money; turned aside to weep (24); and did his best to alleviate the toils of travel. So sometimes God seems to deal harshly, and speak roughly; but there is no change in the tender love of his heart. It costs Him immeasurably more than it does us. Often when some unusual severity has been evinced, if we could but see his face, it would be full of pity, pain, and pleading on our behalf. He feels yearnings over us which He restrains, and dares not betray until the work of conviction is complete.
He spake roughly to awaken conscience. It had slept for twenty years…There must be repentance and confession before God can take us to his heart. We must confess the wrongs done to our Brother in heaven and our brothers on earth; and many of the roughnesses of God’s Providence are intended to awaken us, and bring our sin to remembrance…’

God knows that, ultimately, our repentance is for our comfort and joy, and He will do what is necessary to bring about deep healing.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for your love demonstrated in the difficult experiences of my life.

⁹ Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” ¹⁰ “No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. ¹¹ We are all the sons of one man. Your servantsare honest men, not spies.” ¹² “No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” ¹³ But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” ¹⁴ Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies! ¹⁵ And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. ¹⁶ Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” ¹⁷ And he put them all in custody for three days.¹⁸ On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: ¹⁹ If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. ²⁰ But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” This they proceeded to do.

“Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more” (13).

This statement must have affected Joseph deeply, but it showed him that his father and youngest brother were alive and well. So it would also have been a relief.

‘It must have been difficult for Joseph to control his emotions as he spoke harshly to his brothers, because his natural desire would have been to speak to them in Hebrew and reveal who he was. But that would have ruined everything , for he knew that all eleven brothers had to bow before him. This meant that Benjamin would have to come with them on their next trip. Furthermore, Joseph’s brothers had to be forced to face their sins and come to a place of honest confession, and that would take time.’ Warren W. Wiersbe: Old Testament Commentary’, p.125.

Four times Joseph accused his brothers of being in Egypt under false pretences (9, 12, 14, 16), and each time they protested their innocence. It seems like very rough treatment. But if we take into account the story as a whole, we know Joseph loved these men and his heart was breaking (see 24,25). However, he was working to a plan to ensure that true repentance and reconciliation would take place.

Paul writes:

“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God…” (Romans 11:22).

The ‘New Living Translation puts this:

“Notice how God is both kind and severe.”

God, who always works to a plan, seems at times to be hard on His own family. But this is never incompatible with who He is, and it is an expression of His love for them, even though it may not immediately appear so.

“My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives…No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5,6,11)

See also Jeremiah 31:18,19:

“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf,
and I have been disciplined.
Restore me, and I will return,
because you are the Lord my God.
After I strayed,
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat my breast.
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ “