Genesis 42:1-28
READING
42 Now Jacob saw that there was
grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one
another?” 2 He
said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy
some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.” 3 Then
ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But
Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “I
am afraid that harm may befall him.” 5 So the sons of Israel came to
buy grain among those who were coming, for the famine was in the land of Canaan
also.
6 Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was
the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and
bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 When
Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them
and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And
they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.”
8 But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although
they did not recognize him. 9 Joseph remembered the dreams
which he had about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to
look at the undefended parts of our land.” 10 Then
they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. 11 We
are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” 12 Yet
he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our
land!” 13 But
they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one
man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today,
and one is no longer alive.” 14 Joseph said to them, “It is
as I said to you, you are spies; 15 by this you will be tested:
by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest
brother comes here! 16 Send one of you that he may get your brother,
while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is
truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 So he
put them all together in prison for three days.
18 Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do
this and live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let
one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of
you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and
bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will
not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one
another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the
distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen;
therefore this distress has come upon us.” 22 Reuben
answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and
you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” 23 They
did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter
between them. 24 He turned away from them and wept. But when he
returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him
before their eyes. 25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with
grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions
for the journey. And thus it was done for them.
26 So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and
departed from there. 27 As one of them opened his sack to give his
donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the
mouth of his sack. 28 Then he said to his brothers, “My money has been
returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts sank, and they turned
trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
BOARD –
Do our plans align
with His purpose? (yes and no)
PLANS
PROBLEM
PENALTY
PURPOSE
Plans 1-5
Jacob has not been mentioned
since 37:34
Must go to Egypt to live
Our initial needs as part of
God’s plan (note the last verse of chapter 41)
Why didn’t he send Benjamin?
4 - What had already
befallen his other brother Joseph?
5 - As with the end of 41
the famine was all over
Questions:
· Was the plan
“bad”?
· Is there
anything you would have changed about this plan?
Problem 6-13
6 people had to buy
directly from joseph – had to come face to face with him
7-8 Being told twice in 7
and 8 that they didn’t recognize him but he recognized them
9 - Motivation was not
revenge based on what they did but on the dreams that he had about them
10- 12 Separation within
this of the ten brothers and the two from Rachel – Joseph and Benjamin
13 – Reminder of what
they did to their brother – in their version of the story he is simply ‘no
more’
Questions:
·
Direct confrontation with who they had harmed
but they didn’t know it – they were just doing what they do – sometimes we harm
those and don’t even know it – other times we are callus
·
What have we done to God and haven’t repented
or even care that now we are asking Him to help? Do we repent before we ask for help?
·
Joseph knew they were missing Benjamin – why
did he accuse them of being spies? Did
he have to do that to get them to come back with the brother? His way doesn’t seem well done but allowed
what will happen in 44
·
Ultimately they told their story and had to
admit that one was ‘no more’ – Do we admit what we have done or is it a
different more easily told story
1.
David – Psalm 51:1-6
Penalty 14-24
14 – 15 – Wants to have
all of them their and see the brother from the same mother
16 – Initial plan – one
will be sent and the other remain in prison
17- All of them go to
prison for 3 days to think about this
18 – 20 – Second plan –
one will stay in prison while the others go get the other brother
21 – 22 – Guilt,
repayment, pain, distress – even years later
22 – They were being
heard
24 – Joseph didn’t like
the distress he was causing but had to continue his plan to the end - Joseph had already forgiven his brothers
leading gain to 50:20
Questions:
·
They are in prison for three days. What do you think they did during that time?
(they were schemers before)
·
What was their reaction regarding the
distress – even years later
·
Is it in the heart of man to know that sin
has to be paid for?
1.
Jesus died because of sin and through His death justified us and saved
us from God's wrath (Romans 5:9). "Christ redeemed
us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written,
'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree'" (Galatians 3:13).
2. Death is
God’s just consequence for sin. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Even
good works cannot make up for wrongs against the holy God. Compared to His
goodness, “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6b). Ever
since Adam’s sin, every human has been guilty of disobeying God’s righteous
laws. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is
not just big things like murder or blasphemy, but also includes love of money,
hatred of enemies, and deceit of tongue and pride. Because of sin, everyone has
deserved death – eternal separation from God in hell.
3. The
substitutionary atonement refers to Jesus Christ dying as a substitute for
sinners. The Scriptures teach that all men are sinners (Romans 3:9-18, 23). The
penalty for our sinfulness is death. Romans 6:23 reads,
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord.”
4. “God made
him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
5. “He
himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and
live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Purpose 25-28
25 – The bags are filled
but the money is put back in as well
26 – 28 – trembling in
God’s hands – they were said that they were spies already – they could be
counted as thieves
Questions:
·
God’s purposes – what are they and how do we
find them out rather than just being amazed or terrified when we encounter
them?
·
Does God work through people, including
Joseph, to enlighten or amaze us?
·
Why do we still exist after Christ saves us?
1.
(Romans 8:28). Therefore, for the believer, all trials and tribulations must have a
divine purpose.
3.
The way
trials accomplish this is explained in 1 Peter 1:6-7: "In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while,
if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of
your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes, even though tested by
fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of
Jesus Christ."
6.
However,
we must be careful never to make excuses for our "trials and
tribulations" if they are a result of our own wrongdoing. "By no
means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a
troublesome meddler" (1 Peter 4:15). God will forgive our sins because the eternal punishment for them has
been paid by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. However, we still have to suffer
the natural consequences in this life for our sins and bad choices. But God
uses even those sufferings to mold and shape us for His purposes and our
ultimate good.
Final Questions for the Board
·
What are your current plans?
·
Do you understand the
problem that is all around us?
·
What do you speak of the
penalty of this problem?
·
Are you working in His
purpose or just thinking of your own?
