Review of Genesis 44

— by Victor Fawole

I welcome everyone to today’s bible reading. Yesterday, we read of Joseph’s emotional reunion with his brothers, especially Benjamin. As we read Genesis 44 today, we see how Joseph’s brothers were tested to reveal the transformation that God had done in them. A faith that is never tested cannot be trusted. This test was meant to bring them to repentance and remould them. Instead of nursing the feelings of resentment and envy towards Benjamin, they were now willing to sacrifice their freedom for him. Let us review:

1. THE TEST

Gen. 44:1-2 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. 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.

Joseph designed a plan to reveal the heart of his brothers. In Chapter 42, he had accused them of being spies, generously given their money back to them, kept Simeon as an insurance plan so that they would return to Egypt. This time around, he wants to complete his plan that he began in chapter 42. Joseph’s testing with his brothers is a shadow of God’s dealing with sinners. We see God acting more than Joseph acting. God wants to reveal their heart of repentance before reconciliation can be done, for there cannot be true reconciliation without true repentance.

Joseph’s test is his way of seeing into the hearts of his brothers. He needed to know the posture of their hearts towards Benjamin. He wanted to know if they treated Benjamin the same way they treated him. He also wanted to know if they were still coldhearted towards Jacob, their father, not minding that he would suffer the heartbreak of the loss of a child. Many years ago, Joseph himself had begged them for his life, but they went on with their evil… He wanted to be sure if they were still the same men or they had changed.

God also tests us, to prove that our faith is genuine. We must be clear on the truth that God does not tempt anyone (Jam. 1:13). The difference is: “Temptation is designed to destroy you while testing is designed for your good.”

2. THE TWIST

Gen. 44:11-13 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.

When I read that Joseph’s brothers strongly denied stealing his silver cup, it revealed that they trusted each other. If not, they would have been wondering who among them stole the cup. They went as far (with their trust) as declaring that the thief should be killed and all the others be taken as slaves. However, after a thorough search, the cup (which was actually planted) was found in Benjamin’s sack. Now, they had subscribed to the death of their father’s other favourite son. If they hated or envied Benjamin as they did Joseph, they would have been glad at this discovery.

How did they respond? “They tore their clothes!” They were filled with anguish. Horror befell them, as though they heard the news of the death of someone. They did not try to prove their innocence. They did not try to make excuses for the cup. They did not blame Benjamin or ask him to explain why he stole the cup. There were no accusations thrown at one another. There were no compromises. They simply united and stood by their brother. They simply accepted what they saw and went back to Joseph.

Trust. Love. Unity. These godly virtues had been lacking in Jacob’s House of Commotion. Seeing them exhibit these virtues is a pointer to the radical transformation that had happened to them. Some years ago, they didn’t care about their father or Joseph. Now, they couldn’t even imagine the idea of hurting their father or Benjamin.

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’s statement to Joseph when they got back to him is worthy of note. Although they were innocent of the sin of stealing the cup, they were guilty of far greater sins. Is it not common with men to take pride in their innocence of some kinds of sin, yet they are guilty of far greater things? People can be so self-righteous that they do not recognize that they are guilty sinners. One thing is sure: No man can hide from his sin. (Eccl. 12:14, 1Cor. 4:5, Jer. 16:17, Heb. 4:13, Num. 32:23) Time does not erase the guilt of our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can!

3. THE TRADEOFF

Gen. 44:33-34 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. 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.

Judah was fourth in line, but he took the role of leader once again. When he said that God had uncovered their guilt, it wasn’t the guilt of stealing the cup, but the guilt of selling their brother to slave traders. Judah saw their present predicament as consequences of their evil in selling Joseph. They were getting what they deserved.

Let us revisit the CV of Judah himself:

• He proposed selling Joseph into slavery
• He looted Shechem with his brothers
• He disregarded God’s instruction by marrying a Canaanite
• He engaged in temple prostitution
• He failed to raise his children to fear God
• He played a fast one on Tamar
• He was a moral hypocrite with Tamar

For the first time, we see Judah think about someone else apart from himself. He offers his life in exchange for Benjamin. He couldn’t bear to imagine what would happen to his father if Benjamin did not return. Judah showed true love and compassion for the first time. He was willing to sacrifice everything for the love of his father. The selfish Judah had become empathetic.

This is what true repentance looks like. It is not just an expression of regret, but a change from the inside. Every day, people regret their actions (especially when they are caught) but expression of regret does not equal repentance. It is regret that causes people to try to hide or drown in their feelings of guilt. Some people try to hide their guilt through alcohol, wild pleasure or substance abuse. Some people who just want to stop feeling pain and guilt go on to take their own life. Suicide has become some people’s way of escape because they cannot deal with the sorrow, pain and guilt that they feel. But these things do not solve the problem of guilt, or erase its sorrow and pain. In fact, the sorrow and pain of guilt have a way of coming back harder and greater than before.

Regret keeps men from changing, from overcoming, from thriving and can even end in death. Judas Iscariot regretted his betrayal of Jesus, but it led him to kill himself. So, repentance is not merely feeling bad about what we did. It creates a deep desire to live a changed life. It means that, when we face a similar situation, we choose a different and better path than we did before. A repentant person would remember the consequences of his actions and not do it again but live differently.

Dear Gogolights, let us be grateful to God for his free grace, mercy, and love, that made Him to provide a Substitute for us. If you have feelings of guilt or regrets, don’t bury it, don’t cover it. The gospel has the best solution: God has provided a Substitute. God has offered you His own Son as a pledge for your salvation. Jesus Christ has taken your condemnation. Jesus did this so that you may be reconciled to your Father in Heaven, just as Benjamin would be reconciled to his father Jacob.

Jesus is our Perfect Substitute (2Cor. 5:21) and there is no other substitute for man. He was a willing substitute (John 10:17-18, Eph. 5:2), an able substitute (Mark 10:45), a sinless substitute (Luke 23:41), and a sacrificial substitute (1Pet. 2:23-25). Here are six things He accomplished as our Substitute:

• EXPIATION:
  This refers to the removal of our sin and guilt. (John 1:29, Isa. 53:6)
• PROPITIATION:
  This refers to the removal of God’s wrath. (Rom. 3:25-26, Heb. 2:17, 1John 4:10)
• RECONCILIATION:
  This refers to the removal of our alienation from God. (Rom. 5:10-11)
• REDEMPTION:
  Christ accomplished our deliverance from captivity through the payment of a price (His death). He redeemed us from three things: the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13-14), the guilt of sin (Rom. 3:24), and the power of sin (1Pet. 1:18-19).
• DOMINATION:
  Christ’s death was a defeat of the power of Satan (Col. 3:15).
• EXPULSION:
  Christ took the law – which served as a weapon for Satan – away and all records against us are expunged and expelled! (Col. 2:13-14)

Oh, what a great grace! We don’t deserve it, we don’t earn it, but God offers it to us freely. He offers it to evil, guilty sinners who acknowledge their sin, and who turn to Him in repentance. He offers His salvation by free grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah!

Grace to you, Church!