STUDY ON THE LIFE OF JOSEPH

TRIUMPH OF FAITH
Gen 42:1-38

STUDY (7)

Rev (Dr) Paul Ferguson Calvary Tengah Bible Presbyterian Church Shalom Chapel, 345 Old Choa Chu Kang Road, Singapore 689485 November 2010

Tender but Tough (Genesis 42:1-38) The man of God must always be tender but tough. He has to be tenderhearted towards sinners but yet tough in how he deals with sin. This is not an easy balance to strike, as natural affections often overrule our biblical duty towards sin. Josephs life is a wonderful model for us today, Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition (1 Cor. 10:11). As Dennis Lyle observed, Joseph was to leave a mark for God which the sands of Egypt or the aeons of millennia cannot erase. His influence was to stretch from an Egyptians Pharaohs palace to your heart and mine in this nuclear age.Josephs life shows us how God chooses and moulds a man in order to use him to accomplish His overall purpose. Josephs confidence was not in his ability to understand his circumstances, his confidence was in the God of all circumstances. In this chapter we have one of the most moving accounts of human relations in the Bible. At this point, 22 years had passed since his brethren had sold Joseph into slavery. In many ways this is the ultimate test of Joseph. This confrontation will truly demonstrate the depth of his character. With absolute power over life, Joseph will face the helpless and destitute brothers who so shamefully and cruelly treated him. The balance of power had shifted dramatically since they last met each other. Joseph had been forsaken by his brothers, framed by Potiphars wife, and had been forgotten by the butler. However, the tears spilt for his brethren show that Josephs harsh imprisonment and treatment had not hardened his heart. God had enabled him to say with the hymn writer, With mercy and with judgment My web of time He wove And aye the dews of sorrow Were lustred by His love Ill bless the hand that guided Ill bless the heart that planned When clothed where glory dwelleth In Immanuels land
Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, W hy do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. (v1-2)

These 10 brothers were tough men who had now settled down assimilating into the pagan ways of the Canaanites. They may have felt they had got

away with their heinous sins. However, God has many instruments to awaken deadened and sleeping consciences. In this incident we will also see the persistent power of a guilty conscience. Although God had enabled Joseph to forget the pain of the past, his brothers never fully had. Without the famine, their sin may have remained hidden. The mention of the word, Egypt must have sent a shiver down their backs. It was the last place on earth they would have wanted to go. The famine would additionally have shaken their confidence in the ability of man to provide for his needs. There was no thunder and lightning here but God working through seemingly normal events to accomplish His Will. God will bring them to the brink of starvation to get their attention in the place He wants them to be. It was no coincidence that Providence forced the ten sons of Jacob to the place where they sold him. The Bible warns that Be sure your sin will find you out (Num. 32:23). Somewhere, sometime, somehow, Providence has diverse ways of uncovering even the most well covered up of sins. It was no stroke of luck that that they went to the place where Joseph was where they arrived. Neither Joseph nor his brethren planned any such event.
And Josephs ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Josephs brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befa ll him. And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Josephs brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. (v3-6)

God is always faithful to every revelation in Josephs dream down to the last letter (Gen. 37:5-8). It may have taken 22 years for this to be fulfilled but Gods timetable may surprise us. When He promises something He has no difficulty in getting the proudest hearts to bow a knee. In selling Joseph into slavery they merely hastened the fulfillment of the dream they so despised. Surely the wrath of man shall praise Thee (Psa. 76:10). This must have been one of the most momentous moments of Josephs eventful life. By contrast, it must have been intimidating for these ten Hebrew shepherds to come before the splendour and power of the Prime Minister of Egypt. Providentially this likely would unnerve them when the Spirit of God spoke to their consciences.
And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, W hence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. (v7-8)

These men did not know Joseph after 22 years, as he was just a teenager when they sold him. Also he was dressed in Egyptian dress and styling which would have made recognition more difficult. This is the last place
3

they would have expected to find Joseph. They were easier to spot for him as grown men to do change so much at this point in their lives and the fact that there were 10 of them made the identification easier.
And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. (v9)

Some criticize Joseph here as being deceptive or unkind. However, we are explicitly told he recognized the significance of the dream at this point and this guided his actions. He knew God had given him this revelation not to puff up his pride but to use for the glory of God. Joseph was a wise man (Gen. 41:39) and a prophet who wanted to see his brethren repent and walk with God. These were not gentle and tenderhearted shepherds. Previously he had proven that he was not afraid to do the right thing for their spiritual welfare even if they hated him for reporting their sins to his father. There were a number of approaches open to him: (1) Revenge throw them into prison, torture them or kill them. (2) Reveal himself and then mock or gloat over them now the dream was fulfilled. (3) Reveal himself and reach out to them however, he would have missed out on the opportunity to touch their consciences over the depth of their sin. Also, he would never then be sure that they had truly repented and his relationship with them would not be as free as it should be. (4) Hide his identity and use the providential means of God to awaken their consciences. Joseph chose the latter option. He seems to have decided on a trial for them of similar fashion to that which they have inflicted on him. They would be led to understand that they were now reaping what they had sown (Gal. 6:7).
And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, b ut to buy food are thy servants come.W e are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. (v10-11)

Egypt was perennially under threat from Canaanite invaders so this charge could reasonably be put to strangers from there. His harsh words and accusations mirrored their conduct to him. They likely accused him of spying on them when they assaulted and sold him as a slave in Dothan. He may have even protested like them that he was not spying then. Joseph followed this up by casting them into prison, which effectively is what they did to him. Joseph will appear harsh, vindictive, and unfeeling just like them. Their claim to be true men is ironical considering their pedigree. Joseph is right to test this, as it was certainly not accurate previously.
4

Repentance is more than mere words.

And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. (v12-13)

In the past they had dismissed Joseph as this dreamer but he is now brethren and in v21 our brother. This may be an indication that their hearts were softening. Rueben even calls him the child. However, when they claimed, one is not this was a lie and they had no reason to believe this. They still were not acting like the true men they maintained they were. Josephs tests are all connected to the process of repentance.
And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. And he put them all together into ward three days. (v14-17)

Doubtless, the fear they felt before the Egyptian Prime Minister was now heightened by this reality of his power over them. It could even have been the prison Joseph was in. Probably Joseph did not tell them how long they would be there which would add to the uncertainty and parallels the dread of a slave sold cruelly into a life of slavery. He puts them together rather than in solitary confinement so they would talk to one another over the minute details of what had gone on. They were in a strange land under the power of a harsh stranger with no hope of a future release. As far as they knew, Joseph was also a slave in similar conditions in the same land. Joseph, however, shows great grace here as he only gives them a brief taste. God is a reality in all of the mans life. He is not trying to destroy them just to break their unrepentant hearts.
And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so. (v18-20)

Joseph offer them a glimmer of hope and encouragement by invoking the Name of God. In doing so he wanted them to know they could trust him. May be Joseph hoped to stir their consciences even more by this revelation and his gracious words. He offers them the hope of life if they are honest. Doubtless they deliberated much in the weeks ahead over these words and their significance. It may have been that Joseph changed his mind to imprison nine of them in deference to the concerns of the aged Jacob. Or it may be he was imitating the way they changed their minds and sold him as a slave rather
5

than killing him. The plan he came up with would also demonstrate to Joseph their view of the other son of Rachel. Would they force Benjamin to come with them against the wishes of their father to satisfy their own needs?
And they said one to another, W e are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. And Reuben answered them , saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. (v21-23)

The parallels with their treatment of Joseph with their current predicament are too obvious to dismiss as coincidental. They are now recalling the seeds that they had forgotten they had sown. The trauma of imprisonment, accusations, and threats before such a powerful figure who fears God speaks to their consciences. Time does not remove the memory of sin completely. They do not blame Jacob for favouritism, their youthful foolishness, or Joseph for provoking them but freely confess their guilt openly. In v21b they seem to be acknowledging the Sovereign justice and power of God in returning the evil upon them. They do not attribute it to bad luck. These hardened sinners realize that not only had they wronged Joseph but they had sinned against God. They had to realize they were lost before they could be saved.
And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. (v24)

If any man deserved to be bitter and revengeful for his ill treatment we would imagine it would be Joseph. These tears demonstrate that Joseph is not vindictive (cf. Gen. 50:19-21). He is weeping like Christ over sinners who had gone astray. True love thinketh no evil (1 Cor. 13:5). Joseph cannot allow his emotions to overrule his God-ordained duty. Deffingbaugh observed, Josephs actions were not those of a man who did not care for his brothers, but of one who cared so much that he resisted the urge to identify himself in order to promote their spiritual well-being. Joseph likely took Simeon as he is the second oldest and Reuben had at least tried to save him. He bound him before their eyes as they had done to him previously. These facts may also have contributed to the conviction in the minds of the brothers. All of these details would have played around in their minds as they slowly made the long journey home of around 250 miles, which would have taken 3 weeks to complete.
Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every mans money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. (v25-26)

Placing the money in their sacks will test their honesty, as they had sold him into bondage because of their love for money (Gen. 37:25-28). It is also grace to meet their needs at the desperate time of famine.
And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sacks mouth. And he said unto his brethren, M y money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, W hat is this that God hath done unto us? (v27-28)

The idea of this Hebrew word translated failed is that it made them shake or tremble. The shock of this, for the first time that we read, made them acknowledge God for the first time in their words. They now believe a Sovereign God has done this to them rather than the Governor of Egypt.
And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country. And we said unto him, W e are true men; we are no spies: W e be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land. And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid. (v29-35)

This is not a full confession of all the facts, but at least they are no longer openly lying to their father.
And 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: all these things are against me. (v36)

Jacob had forgotten the promises of God of Genesis 28:13-15. He was judging merely by circumstances. There is not a single word of trust in God. One commentator wryly observed that Jacobs heart sang this song, No one loves me, this I know. My misfortunes tell me so. Like we all do so often, Jacob was viewing everything horizontally not vertically. There was no excuse for this as Joseph had endured much greater suffering yet retained his hope in Gods Sovereignty. As a Patriarch and an old man of faith, Jacob should have prayed and encouraged his wayward sons to trust the Lord. Considering how faithful God had been to this man in the past, it is sad to see the old Jacob in evidence. We are often just as blind and forget that everything works out for good to them who trust God. The great irony in Jacobs doubts was that God had already dealt with all his fears in a wonderful way. He was on the threshold of the greatest reunion of his life. Joseph and Simeon were alive and well, Benjamin was in no danger and God had already provided a way for his family to escape the famine. There seems to be an indication here that Jacob does not believe
7

their previous attempt at deception over the death of Joseph. He says me have ye have bereaved. Likely over the past 22 years he had learned not to trust their words. He may even have suspected the money was the result of selling Simeon as a slave. Another sad irony is that the godless sons were starting to acknowledge God in their desperate circumstances whereas their spiritual leader Jacob was attributing it to bad luck and the stupidity of his sons.
And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. (v37)

Reuben had the right motive but the wrong method. His foolish gesture shows why he would have been a hopeless head of the house and Patriarch.
And he said, M y son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. (v38)

Sadly Jacobs partiality and selfishness is still in evidence towards the sons of Rachel. He was willing to let Simeon die in prison so that he could have Benjamin by his side. Jacob stubbornly dug his heels in but God has a way of getting obedience to His Will. God in this chapter is dealing with all the family here. In His wonderful and Sovereign wisdom He can accomplish many things through many people with one action in the same incident. As Lewis Johnson says, it is God personally who is controlling all of these events and making them ultimately conformed to the purpose that he has in the life of Joseph and in the life of Jacob and in the life of those brothers.