Raleigh
Last Sunday Message
Joseph's brothers repent
Genesis 43: 1 - 44: 34
30 May 2022
Message
JOSEPH’S BROTHERS REPENT
Genesis 43:1-44:34
“Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers.” (44:33)
In the previous passage, we learned about Joseph’s encounter with his brothers after 22 years. When the brothers bowed down to him, Joseph remembered his dreams about them. Joseph had kept his dream in his heart throughout his life. He was more convinced about God’s good sovereignty, intending Joseph’s brothers’ wickedness for good to accomplish his will. Joseph had no hatred or bitterness toward his brothers. Now, he could have revealed himself to them immediately and welcomed them. But he didn’t. Joseph began to help his brothers to recognize their sins and repent. He knew that only repentance could solve their sin problem and restore their broken relationship with God and himself.
In today’s passage, we can see how Joseph was continually leading his brothers to repent of their sins step by step. We can also learn about the fruit of Joseph’s help and the brothers’ repentance. Through the brothers’ repentance, we want to learn what true repentance means and what God’s holy love looks like.
In chapter 42, while holding Simeon as a hostage, Joseph sent the other brothers home with grain for their families, and he had their money put back in their sacks. When they arrived home, their report made Jacob deeply despaired. Out of his distress and sorrow, he said, "...everything is against me." (42:36b) Jacob absolutely refused to send Benjamin back to Egypt. Reuben’s offer to guarantee the safety of Benjamin was ignored by Jacob. (42:37)
However, the famine was still severe in the land and Jacob asked his sons to go back to Egypt for more food, but his sons couldn’t go back to Egypt since their father wouldn’t send Benjamin with them. (43:1-7) Then Judah persuaded his father. Look at 43:8-9. “Then Judah said to Israel his father, 'Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life.” Judah's appeal moved Jacob's heart. Jacob made a decision, saying, "As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved." (43:14). He put everything in God’s hand and sent his sons with gifts to the prime minister of Egypt and double the amount of silver.
So Joseph’s brothers took the gifts and silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he told the steward of his house to invite his brothers to lunch. As they were being taken to Joseph’s house, they were frightened. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.” (43:18) It’s probable that the sins they had committed against Joseph occurred to their minds, and made them fearful. When guilt and fear occupy a person’s heart, even the kindness of others seems like harassment. When they told Joseph’s steward that they brought money back, he said, “It’s all right…Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. The steward took the men into Joseph’s house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. (43:23-24) It’s amazing that the steward comforted Joseph’s brothers in God’s name. Perhaps Joseph had talked with the steward about the true God, the God of Israel.
When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. Joseph asked them how they and their aged father were. They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” They called their father, Joseph’s servant. Probably Jacob already directed them if they had occasion to speak about himself to the prime minister of Egypt to call him his servant. Then they bowed down again before Joseph on behalf of their father. Joseph’s dreams had been fulfilled more and more. (37:9)
As he saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother’s son, he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there.” (43:29-30) This was Joseph’s second weeping while meeting with his brothers. Joseph was taken away when Benjamin was still a child. How many times Joseph must have cried thinking of his father and brother! How much Joseph must have been overcome with emotion when he met his brother who had grown to be a young man, probably in his twenties!
After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, “Serve the food.” Immediately all the gourmet food of Egypt was served. The brothers had been seated before Joseph in the order of their ages, from the first born to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. When portions were served to them from Joseph’s table, Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as anyone else’s. (43:33-34) Joseph treated Benjamin as his most honored guest. It was an expression of his love. Possibly he had another purpose—to test if his brothers had changed. The brothers feasted and drank freely with Joseph. According to NKJV, “So they drank and were merry with him.” We cannot see any hint of their jealousy toward Benjamin.
They had a very happy time with Joseph. Joseph was already brilliantly successful in creating tensions during his brothers’ two visits. Now he produces his master stroke. He was about to test their concern for Benjamin. Look at 44:1-2. “Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: ‘Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack. Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.’ And he did as Joseph said.” Early the next morning, the brothers were sent on their way with their donkeys. “Phew!” each of them probably let out a deep breath of relief and said, “That went a lot better than I expected.” They had grain, they had Simeon and they had Benjamin! Things were definitely looking up.
Their happiness did not last long, however. They had not gone far from the city when suddenly a group of soldiers with spears surrounded and stopped them. Then came a thunderous rebuke from Joseph’s steward. “Why have you repaid good with evil?” Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.” When the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack, the other brothers tore their clothes in their grief and sorrow. Now the ten brothers had two choices: First, to leave the troubled brother behind and go home. They could get rid of another favored boy of their father without bringing blame on themselves. Second, to come back to the city to do what they could do to save the youngest. Twenty years ago, they would have done the first. But now they are different. None of them showed any intention to leave their troubled brother and go home.
They all returned to the city. The brothers were changed enough to share the fate of their convicted brother instead of going home. God was working in their hearts through Joseph’s prayerful dealings with them. They threw themselves to the ground before Joseph. Judah said in 44:16, “What can we say to my lord? What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves—we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.” As he said, “How can we prove our innocence?” they all knew that Benjamin did not steal the cup. Notice Judah’s words, “God has uncovered your servants’ guilt.” Judah was not referring to the cup. He was referring to their sin of 22 years ago. Before God, he confessed the sin that had plagued him, his brothers, and his father so long. And they were willing to face the consequences. But God does not require restitution; he forgives and gives grace to begin a new life.
Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.” (44:17) What was Judah’s response? Judah explained how the life of their aged father was closely bound up with the boy’s life. He said in 44:30-34, “So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father, and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy’s life, sees that the boy isn’t there, he will die. Your servants will bring the gray head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. Your servant guaranteed the boy’s safety to my father. I said, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!’ Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come on my father.” This is the most heart-moving speech in Genesis. What can we learn from Judah’s speech?
First, we see true repentance. Judah had been the leader in selling Joseph. (37:26-27) He had brought unspeakable sorrow to his father when he vented his jealousy and hatred of his young brother. He had tried to escape the responsibility for what he had done by leaving his family for many years. He did not keep his promise to his widowed daughter-in-law to give his youngest son in marriage. But now he reveals his broken and contrite heart for what he had done to his brother and father and determined not to do such a thing again. He is more concerned about his father and brother than himself. He became a man who kept what he had promised. Furthermore, he is willing to sacrifice himself for his brother and father. He is a sinner who truly repented. He is a changed man and new person. Now he could be the patriarch of faith. His sacrifice points to the greatest love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ who would come as his descendant. God exalted him through his repentance.
As we see Joseph's brothers' example, repentance is not just feeling sorry for what one has done. Repentance begins with deep awareness of one’s sin. Deep awareness of sin develops godly sorrow over sin, confession and resolution to hate sin and turn away from it. In Luke 15:17-20b, the prodigal son shows what the real repentance looks like. He says, “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father…”
Finally, true repentance is to bear the fruit of repentance—that is to live a changed life. God seeks the fruit of our repentance. In order to help people to enter the kingdom of God Jesus would bring, John the Baptist challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees to bear the fruit of repentance. He said in Matthew 3:7-9, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Joseph’s brothers bore the fruit of repentance through their changed minds, attitudes and lives. So God could make them the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the Bible, there are many practical examples who bore fruit in keeping with repentance. Zacchaeus the tax collector lived for himself relying on money. When Jesus visited him and stayed at his house, he stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8) The Samaritan woman used to live an immoral life while seeking happiness through a man’s love. After accepting Christ, she worshiped God in spirit and truth and became a shepherdess for her townspeople.
God is pleased with our repentance. Jesus says in Luke 5:31-32, “…it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” God is pleased with one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. (Luke 15:7) As the prodigal son’s father ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him, our heavenly Father rejoices in heaven when one sinner repent. So Isaiah 1:18-19, God says, “Come now, let us settle the matter…Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land.” Not only in time of conversion, God wants us to confess and repent of our sins daily. He is pleased with us when we repent, and he willingly forgives our sins and purifies us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) He wants to help us to grow in his holiness and be blessings through our repentance. God does not see a person’s outward appearance. Truly beautiful and great people before God are those who bear the fruit of repentance. May the Lord bless each of us to bear fruit in keeping with repentance!
Second, we see God’s holy love through Joseph. God’s love is redemptive. When Joseph remembered his dreams and realized God’s sovereign will, he had already forgiven his brothers. He did not have any bitterness and grudge in his heart. Nevertheless, he first helped them to confess their sin before God and receive forgiveness. Joseph knew that true reconciliation is possible through sincere repentance and forgiveness of sins. Joseph understood God's holy love. God hates sin but loves sinners. True love is to help one to come to God in repentance to be right with God.
To lead his brothers to repent before God, Joseph prayerfully dealt with his brothers, so that a work of repentance could begin in their hearts. Repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit. Joseph must have prayed much for his brothers and asked God’s wisdom step by step. We can see God’s work in their hearts through Joseph’s prayerful dealings with them.
To help his brothers to repent, Joseph made them suffer anguish for a short time. But it was none other than Joseph himself who most endured much personal pain in order to lead his brothers to repentance. In doing so, he shed many tears. His heart was broken when he saw his brothers suffer from their guilt and fear. He did not know when his old father would die, and he wanted to see him so much and as soon as possible, but he waited. He wanted to hug Benjamin when he met him again, but he waited. Ture love accompanies sacrifice. It is God’s love. Joseph served his brothers with God’s shepherd heart and holy love. God has been with Joseph and helped him to grow in God’s holy love.
In today's passage, we learned what true repentance means. True repentance includes broken and contrite heart, confession and resolution to hate sin and turn away from it and living a changed life. We also learned what God’s holy love looks like. It is to help people to restore a right relationship with God and others through repentance. It involves prayerful dealings, self-sacrifice, and patience. God loves us with this holy love and he wants us to grow in his love. May God help us to deeply examine ourselves before God for repentance and also grow as good shepherds who help people to repent and come draw near to God!
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