Genesis 43-45 God In The Middle Of The Mess.

Genesis 43-45: God in the middle of the mess.

We have been journeying with Joseph through his sale into slavery, imprisonment, interpretation of dreams and then into the role of what we could describe as the Prime-Minister of Egypt appointed because of his wisdom by the Pharoah. His brothers had visited due to the famine that Joseph had prophesied. They were their family's needed food. He had recognised them, they had not recognised him, they paid for food, he put the funds they paid in silver back in their sacks and off they went minus one of the brothers Simeon who had to stay behind imprisoned as a good faith bond of their return with their youngest brother...?

So, in chapter 42, Joseph had taken Simeon as a guarantee that his brothers would return, then had their sacks filled with grain and their silver was returned to their sacks, they were told to bring Benjamin with them when they next returned.

The need for food was a matter of life and death, if they didn’t get food from Egypt they would die, Ch 43:8.

Jacob’s advice was “but take gifts to Egypt” vs 11.

Judah stood surety for Benjamin with his father. This was a massive thing, Note here that it was Judah, who had demanded his widowed daughter-in-law be burnt for being a prostitute when she was found to be pregnant prior to his finding out it was his child, the same Judah who proposed the sale of Joeseph...there was obviously a change in the man, he was now willing to be responsible for his youngest brother and to even be exchanged for him.

When they got to Egypt and met Joeseph’s servant there was a big apology about the previous mess around the money, Simeon was presented back to his brothers. They were all then welcomed into Joseph’s house, they still did not know who Joseph was.

Then Jospeh came home and asked after the father of the group/his father, there was a feast. He went out and wept having seen Benjamin. All ate separately. Israels family, Joseph, the Egyptians. Benjamin had a large portion. Note: that the Egyptians would not eat with them, they were shepherds. Shepherds were seen as people that people of polite society didn’t mix with, deemed unclean due to their proximity to animal byproducts, dead animals and blood. This knowledge is significant as we come to understand who the News of Jesus birth was first told to, the news about the Good Shepherds birth. You see God really loves those on the margins of society and wants them to be in his flock.

CH 44

Joseph instructed his household steward to fill his brothers' sacks with grain and to put his own silver cup in Benjamins bag. In the morning the brothers left with their sacks fill of food, on their donkeys, for their home. We read that as morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph sent his steward, with these specific instructions: “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination?

There was a bit of push back from the brothers, “why would we do that, we even returned the silver we found in our sacks so why would we do it? If you find the cup the thief, who has it will die, and we will be your slaves.”

The cup is found in Benjamins sack, there’s a wailing and a gnashing of teeth as the outcome of the find was looking exceedingly grim. Judah takes the led, pleads the brother's case, tells Joseph that they are now his slaves. Joseph says no, only the one who took the cup will be his slave. The rest can leave in peace. Judah tells him the story around Benjamin and how they have already lost a brother and how their returning without Benjamin will finish their father off. Judah then asks to be exchanged for Benjamin as he told his dad Jacob aka Israel he would look after the boy.

Ch 45

Now this is things get interesting, as if they haven’t already been already, remember that these brothers were the same people who years earlier had sold Joseph into slavery and at the time they did this they hated him. They had contemplated killing him, but they sold him into slavery.

Joesph was overcome and could not hold back any longer, he cleared the room, apart from the presence of his brothers, he wept loudly and called out to his brothers, paraphrased “It’s me Joe, is Dad still alive?” The response from his brothers was terrified silence. You can read their thoughts. Ya what the same brother we were going to kill then sold, gulp, now a powerful man we are in deep dire dookie.