Genesis 44:1 – 9 “Then Joseph instructed his steward: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” So the steward did as Joseph had instructed.
At daybreak, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph told his steward, “Pursue the men at once, and when you overtake them, ask, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil? Is this not the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wicked!’” When the steward overtook them, he relayed these words to them.
“Why does my lord say these things?” they asked. “Your servants could not possibly do such a thing. We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found in the mouths of our sacks. Why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? If any of your servants is found to have it, he must die, and the rest will become slaves of my lord.”
So far, Joseph has rated pretty high on the forgiveness scale, but what is he up to now? Joseph has deliberately set a trap for his brothers, particularly for Benjamin. Why?
Remember that Joseph and Benjamin are the only two sons of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife. And remember that fifteen years ago, most of the other brothers were willing to sell Joseph into slavery. Perhaps Joseph is testing his brothers to see if they will really defend Benjamin and if they have developed more compassion over the years.
The brothers hurry and open their sacks for inspection. Naturally, Joseph’s silver cup is found in Benjamin’s sack. And now the real test begins. The steward tells the brothers that Benjamin must become a slave while the rest of them will go free. The brothers are dismayed and rush back to Joseph’s house, where they fall on the ground before him.
Still playing the role of the haughty Egyptian, Joseph interrogates his brothers. The brothers agree to be slaves but beg Joseph to allow Benjamin to return to their aged father. Judah was the brother who suggested selling Joseph into slavery (Genesis 37:26-28). Now Judah speaks to Joseph personally, begging Joseph to release Benjamin, even going so far as to offer to remain as Joseph’s slave in place of Benjamin!
v. 27 – 33 “And your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. When one of them was gone, I said: “Surely he has been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. So if you take this one from me as well and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.’ So if the boy is not with us when I return to your servant, my father—his life is wrapped up in the boy’s life— when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow. Indeed, your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will bear the guilt before you, my father, all my life.’ Now please let your servant stay here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy. Let him return with his brothers. For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the misery that would overwhelm him.”
WOW! What a change of heart for these brothers, particularly for Judah! And how stunned Joseph must be to hear this statement. While Joseph has been enduring slavery and false accusations in Egypt, God has been working on his brothers’ hearts. They really do care about their father; in fact, they care far more than they did when they sold Joseph into slavery.
APPLICATION: What can we learn from this passage? Joseph has been able to move forward because he has refused to hate his brothers or those who have hurt him in Egypt. Now Joseph learns that his brothers have also had a much – needed change of heart. Many times, we may forgive people but we still have a very poor opinion of them. We want everybody to acknowledge us when we change our behavior for the better; however, we frequently write others off, assuming that they will never change. When we truly forgive people, that frees them from our misconceptions. Never forget that God is working in the hearts of others just as He is working in yours. Allow God plenty of wiggle room.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are always working in our hearts and in the hearts of others. Help us never to cling to negative beliefs about people when you are actually changing them in ways we cannot see. Help us to realize that forgiving others also means giving them a brand new start. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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