Genesis 43:1-34

Genesis Study 125

JOSEPH'S SPIRITUAL LOVE

Genesis 43:1-34
Key verse 43:30
"Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there."

Ever since God trained Joseph's brothers they were in deep troubles. But the troubles were for their own good. They had expected that the famine would be over soon. The grains they brought from Egypt seemed be sufficient. But now the grains were over. Yet the famine was still severe.

Look at verses 2 to 7. Jacob said to his sons, "Go back and buy us a little more food." But Judah replied that they would not see the governor of Egypt unless Benjamin was with them. Jacob was in dilemma. Even if he might lose Simeon, he did not want to lose his beloved youngest son. But if the famine continued everyone would die of hunger including Benjamin.

Look at verses 8 to 10. Then Judah said to his father, "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." We see here some changes in Judah's heart. In the past he was so selfish and materialistic. He didn't mind to sell his own brother for money. Instead of seeking truth he sought pleasure. He dated with an ungodly woman and married her. God put his two wicked sons to death. But he remained senseless. He slept with a woman whom he thought a shrine prostitute. He made his daughter-in-law pregnant but ordered to have her burned to death. He made many people's lives miserable including his father, his brother, his sons and his daughter-in-law. But he didn't care a bit. At the same time he thought he was better than others. He was so irresponsible and self-righteous.
But now we see some remarkable changes in him. First, he overcame jealousy. Among all the sons of Jacob, Judah was the only person who lost his wife and two sons. This made him understand the pain his father was carrying after losing Rachel and Joseph. Judah had special attachment to his only son Shelah. So his father's special attachment to Benjamin was not strange to him. Second, he became a man of responsibility. In the past he did not care about even his own soul. But now he cared about the lives of all people and all animals in his father's house. He was ready to sacrifice his very life to save them from the famine. God who began this beautiful work in Judah's heart would surely complete it. We can see Judah's heart-moving repentance in the next chapter. The God of Judah is the God of hope. He never gives up even the worst sinner. He changes a hopeless sinner into a hopeful servant of God.

Look at verses 11 to 14. Judah's inner change convinced his father. So Jacob allowed his sons to take Benjamin. He told them to give the governor the best products of the land as a gift and double the amount of silver. But we are surprised to see the scale of his gift. We remember how grand his gift was to his brother Esau. But this time he was sending a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. This gift was little bigger than what shepherd James received from his company on Diwali. Here we see some changes in Jacob's heart. He said, "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." Instead of relying on gift he relied on God Almighty. By faith he gave up his human attachment to Benjamin. He entrusted his son's life in God's mighty hands. Then God richly blessed his decision of faith. He received back his twelve sons safe and sound. God raised them as the sources of blessing for all mankind. There is always one thing we never want to give up. But this one thing makes us go hungry. This one thing blocks all God's blessings. But when we give it up by faith, we receive God's abundant blessings. For someone his ego is most important. He can give up many things but not his ego. For some other person, her marriage dream is like Benjamin to Jacob. Even if she can give up her identity as God's child, she can't give up her Benjamin. As a result they suffer from severe spiritual famine. By giving up Benjamin, Jacob lost no one and nothing. He received back everyone and everything. May God help us learn Jacob's decision of faith.

Look at verses 15 to 22. Now Joseph's brothers hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. They were invited to have dinner with Joseph in his house. But this invitation frightened them. They thought it was a trap to seize them as salves and take their donkeys. Inside Joseph's house, a grand party was ready for them. But they were busy making many excuses not to enter the house. They were standing there like stubborn donkeys. In the house of God, abundant blessings are waiting for us. But we fear to take God's invitation. We think we may lose what we are enjoying today. But God invites us not to make us his slaves but to give us eternal freedom. As the donkeys were nothing to Joseph, our small possessions are nothing to God. In fact he invites us to give us his whole kingdom. May God help us accept his invitation and enjoy his heavenly party.

Look at verses 23 to 34. The steward of Joseph said to them, "It's all right. Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasures in your sacks; I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them. The steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. When Joseph came home they presented to him their gifts. Joseph asked about his father's safety. Then he saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son. He asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" The last moment Joseph saw his brother was when Benjamin was about seven years old. Since then Benjamin grew up without his mother and his real brother. Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve the food." When Joseph saw his brothers' skinny faces and ragged clothes, his heart was broken. But he controlled himself to help them repent before God. God lacks nothing. He is God Almighty and the Creator of the universe. But he withholds material help or worldly success. It is because he wants us to repent and receive his spiritual blessings first.
While having dinner, Joseph's brothers were seated in the order of their ages. They looked at each other in astonishment. They sensed God's presence. Benjamin's portion was five times as much as anyone else's. But they did not envy him. Instead they feasted and drank freely with Joseph. It was because they realized that they did not deserve even for a cup of water. Real joy does not come from special treatment. It comes from thanksgiving. To be truly joyful we don't need God's special treatment. We only need to realize that we don't deserve even for the smallest things. This will help us thank God always. Our daily life will be a feast with God. May the God of Judah be our God and change us day by day. May God help us feast with him in thanksgiving.