There is a story of the rich executive who announced to his church one morning that he was going to give up all he owned so that he had to depend on his faith in God for everything he needed. He sold everything, gave it to the poor, and moved into a rented home down on the bad side of town. That first night, he prayed that God would furnish him with some food. The next morning, he went outside on the porch and there was no food.
That night, he again prayed for food. The next morning...nothing.
The 3rd night, he prayed again, saying, "Lord, if you do not feed me, I will surely die of starvation." The next morning...nothing. Then, in a near panic brought on by hunger, he fell to his knees and cried out, "Lord, I have put my faith in you on the line. Why are you ignoring me like this?"
In the quietness of that rented house, he heard the Lord tell him that his prayers had been answered, but he was not looking at the answer. The Lord told him to go back out on the porch, which he did. Then, the Lord told him to look up! A large sign on the building across the road, in bold letters, said, "WORKERS WANTED -- LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED"
As we continue to look at the life of Judah we will see God’s provision for him and his entire family including his brothers and father.
Let’s recap who was Judah. He was the fourth son of Jacob, also called Israel. His mother was Leah. He had 11 other brothers. They would become the twelve namesakes of the tribes of Israel.
Joseph was the 11th born son. His mother was Rachel. Jacob loved Joseph and Rachel more than he did the others. Also Jacob had dreams that one day his brothers and his father would kneel before him. It was for these reasons that Joseph’s brothers hated him.
When given a chance they devised a plan to get rid of him. The original plan was to kill him. However, Judah got the idea to sell him into slavery. So Joseph was taken to Egypt. Jacob was deceived into believing that Joseph had been devoured by a wild beast. Jacob would mourn his death continuously. His only solace was his youngest son Benjamin, born of Rachel who died while birthing him.
Judah would distance himself from the family and go to live with an acquaintance. There he would marry a Canaanite woman and have three sons. The eldest would marry a Canaanite woman named Tamar. Her husband would die because he was wicked. The brother would die for refusing to impregnate his sister-in-law. Judah would send Tamar away to protect his third son.
When she realized that she would not be allowed to conceive she devised a plan to get pregnant by her father-in-law by posing as a prostitute. When Judah realized that she had done this he proclaimed her righteous and protected her. She gave birth to twins, one of which was Perez.
Twenty years had passed since Joseph was sold into slavery. A great famine had gripped the land. It was like none other ever seen. Even the great nation of Egypt was in it’s grip. Jacob realized that action was needed.
Genesis 42:1-2 “When Jacob heard that grain was available in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why are you standing around looking at one another? I have heard there is grain in Egypt. Go down there, and buy enough grain to keep us alive. Otherwise we’ll die.’”
Talk about kids living off of dad. Jacob has sons that are grown men now. They are all certainly in their forties. They all have families. They all are wondering how they will survive. It took dad to put a boot in their rear to get them moving.
I can almost see them scrambling about, loading up camels for their trek to Egypt. Jacob is sending the ten eldest to purchase grain. Benjamin, who is probably in his early thirties, is not permitted to go. Like Joseph, Benjamin holds a special place in his heart. He is the reminder he needs of his beloved Rachel. So off they set including Judah. There was a surprise that waited for them. Genesis 42:6 “Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground.”
In the twenty years that Joseph had been in Egypt he had managed to go from slave to the second in command of all Egypt accountable to only the Pharaoh. As a houseboy for a powerful ruler he managed to work his way up the ladder to being the head servant. After being falsely accused of attempted rape, he was thrown into prison. In prison he found favor with the warden and proved himself valuable. The warden placed him in charge of the other prisoners.
While in prison he met the Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer for whom Jesus interpreted a dream. When the Pharaoh had a dream that kept him awake at night, the cupbearer told him about Joseph. The Pharaoh sent for him and Joseph interpreted the dream to forecast a coming famine.
For seven years the harvest was exceedingly great. During that time Joseph married and his wife bore him two sons. Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.” Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.”
Joseph had moved on. He never expected to see his brothers or his father again. And he had settled in to his new homeland where life was fruitful.
Joseph was around 35 when the famine hit as he predicted. When the people began to desire the stored up grain the Pharaoh realized that only Joseph would have the wisdom necessary to help them survive the next seven years. So Joseph was in charge of who got the grain and how much.
Now before him bowed his brothers, as his dreams had predicted. Here stood the ones who had caused him such pain. He had the power to send them away hungry, or to have them arrested. He spoke to them in Egyptian, using an interpreter. They did not realize that he understood their answers.
He accused them of being spies, which essentially was a death sentence. They began to grow fearful and attempted to explain who they were.
Genesis 42:13 “ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.’”
Joseph devised a plan to test them. He demanded that one of them go to get Benjamin while he holds the other 9 in prison. For three days they are in prison trying to determine who will go. When no determination was made Joseph decided to release the 9 and keep one. His choice was Simeon, the second born, the eldest of the brothers present when Joseph was sold into slavery. Simeon was to be imprisoned until they returned with Benjamin.
Not realizing that Joseph understood what they were saying they began speaking among themselves. They said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.”
Rueben yelled at them, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!”
Slowly they trudge back to Jacob to tell him the disturbing news. Along the way they discover that the silver that was paid for the grain was in the sacks with the grain. Now they would be accused of being thieves also.
They explained to Jacob what had happened and this governor’s demand. Jacob refused to consider it. He considered Simeon as good as dead as was Joseph. Rueben offered his own two sons as an offering if he did not return with Benjamin from Egypt but Jacob would not hear of it.
Soon the purchased grain was gone. Jacob realized that more grain would be needed. Jacob instructs his sons to return for more but they are reluctant to do so. They fear they will be arrested and put to death for spying and stealing. Benjamin making this journey was a necessity. So Judah stepped forth to take responsibility for Benjamin.
Genesis 43:8-9 “Judah said to his father, ‘Send the boy with me, and we will be on our way. Otherwise we will all die of starvation—and not only we, but you and our little ones. I personally guarantee his safety. You may hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.’”
Judah never bore the responsibility for Joseph’s
disappearance. In fact, he left his father’s household. Now he was ready to shoulder the responsibility of his actions. Jacob reluctantly agrees.
When they arrived they did not know what to expect. They certainly did not expect to be treated like royalty. They were escorted to Joseph’s house to be treated to a magnificent dinner. Joseph asked them about their father and whether he was still alive.
When the meal was served they noticed that the were seated in the order of their ages, oldest to youngest, with Benjamin receiving five times more than any of them.
The next morning they prepared to leave. The servants were instructed by Joseph to fill each man’s sack with grain and return them their silver in each bag. But in Benjamin’s sack they were to place Joseph’s silver cup.
As they were leaving they were overtaken by Joseph’s stewards. They were accused of stealing from him. Denying any knowledge of it, a rash statement was made that if anyone had it they should be put to death and the rest become slaves. The cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
Joseph scolded them for their actions and declared that only the one possessing the cup would remain as a slave. Judah can no longer be silent. He confessed to Joseph that God had uncovered his guilt. He took responsibility for what had taken place. And he offered himself as a sacrifice.
Genesis 44:33 “So please, my lord, let me stay here as a slave instead of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.”
When Joseph saw the brokenness of Judah, he begin to weep. All the hurts of the past twenty years were washed away. He revealed his true identity. The brothers begin to weep. All the guilt of the past twenty years were washed away. Benjamin began to weep. His only full blooded brother had returned to him.
Look what Psalm 34:18 states “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”
Joseph’s spirits had been crushed for twenty years. His life had been a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs. When he allowed his heart to be broken forgiveness flooded in. In that forgiveness he discovered God’s purpose for allowing his captivity to take place. It was to save his family.
The brother’s guilt had crushed then for twenty years. They saw Jacob’s weeping daily as a constant reminder of their deceitfulness. When Judah allowed his heart to be broken freedom from guilt flooded in. In that freedom he discovered what he had planned for evil God had intended for good.
As we experience difficulties in life we ponder, “Why?” Perhaps the answer does not come because our spirits aren’t crushed. Perhaps pride stops us from finding a place of solitude and falling to our knees weeping before God.
Or perhaps we refuse to admit our role in a difficult situation. We will not allow our heart to be broken and the innermost feelings be exposed and dealt with.
Once their confessing and forgiving had taken place Joseph sent them all back to get their father and all of their possessions. The Pharaoh gave his approval and awarded them the best land in Egypt. They could remain for as long as they desired.
After Jacob had been Egypt for 17 years he felt his death was immanent. He called his sons in to give them his final blessings. Reuben, his eldest, went first. Claiming that he excelled in power and strength, he would excel no more because he had defiled his father’s bed with Jacob’s concubine.
Simeon and Levi were to be scattered among their brothers because of violently killing the men of Shechem.
Then came Judah, the fourth born. Let’s read his blessings.
Genesis 49:8-11 “Judah, your brothers will praise you.
You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you.
Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.
He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.”
We realize that this is the prophetic word of the coming of the Lion of Judah, Jesus. Jesus would be a direct descendant of Judah and all of his future relatives.
Jacob would die there as would Joseph. The children of Israel had been in Egypt for 73 years, 68 years longer that the famine that drove them there. They were no longer in the land promised them by God. Instead they had chosen to remain in the rich lands of Egypt. And, as we have already established, Egypt represents the world. They had made a choice to allow the world’s provision to care for them over God’s promise to do so. This would result in some dire consequences.
Let’s travel back some 400 years. Abram is meeting with God. God promises Abram a son but also gives him some insight of a future event.
Genesis 15:13 “Then the Lord said to Abram, ‘You can be sure that your descendants will be strangers in a foreign land, where they will be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.’”
We can be certain that when we depend on our possessions, abilities, and talents to be our source above the promises of God, we are enslaving ourselves to the world.
They would spend 400 years in Egypt before their deliverance would come. And it would be during 40 years of wondering in the desert before we discover the next relative in the lineage of Jesus. Plus another woman listed in that line.
