This week’s reading: Genesis 42:1-29
Hi Friends,
As God had told Joseph, there came about seven years of abundance in the land of Egypt, and during that time, Joseph set about storing provision for the famine that God predicted would also come. We read last week, that it is about two years into the famine when Joseph opens up those warehouses and begins selling the saved grain to, not only the Egyptians, but also the countries around them. (see Gen 41:56-57) The famine has spread to the neighboring areas, which included the region where his father and brothers lived. Let us see how God begins to restore this fractured family as He uses the difficulties of life, like famine, for His Good. We are in Genesis 42, reading only verses 1 through 29. Listen to the first encounter between this divided family.
“Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. ‘Where do you come from?’ he asked. ‘From the land of Canaan,’ they replied, ‘to buy food.’ Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.” Gen 42:6-8 NIV
Desperate times…
We open with Jacob learning that there was relief in the land of Egypt for the famine that was causing distress in his household and throughout the surrounding areas. He turns to his sons, and basically tells them to stop just sitting around and do something. He points them to Egypt and tells them to go buy some grain “…so that [they] may live and not die.” (see Gen 42:2) Let me pause for a moment here. Perhaps you are like me and never really gave much thought to how vital a product grains were, and still are, to the health and wealth of many nations. I always wondered how Jacob and his family could be in such a desperate situation when they had other food sources available. Why the big worry that they could all die without grains? I mean, they had large flocks, didn’t they? Couldn’t they survive by eating their animals? But as I began to do some research, and thought things through logically, I realized that grains really are vital for human survival. Grains are not only packed with energy and nutrition, but they are also easy to store and transport, which would be so helpful for both their nomadic lifestyle and for trading purposes. Grains were the major source of food in their mainly agricultural world. While Jacob and family may have still had some stored nuts, honey and spices, these could not sustain them. (see Gen 43:11) But not only did they get about half of their own caloric energy from grains and products made by them, but grains were, and still are, also used to feed livestock. With this in mind, by the time the famine really set in, Jacob and others had probably lost a lot of their animals, as well. Animals were a precious resource to them and for more than just meat. The wool of sheep to make fabrics or the milk of goats to make cheese can be more valuable than simply eating your flock. I also found this quote from “gotquestions.org” talking about the Israelites and their 40 years of wandering through the desert, but it can apply here as well, “…did they see their livestock as their source of income? They were shepherds, and they came from shepherds. No one would want to eat his source of income.” (see link below for full article) Without grains, the animals would perish, and the humans would not be far behind. And thus the desperation of Jacob as the famine seemed to continue on and on. Remember, they were not privy to the fact that the famine was coming, nor that it would last a total of seven years. Jacob just knew they were in trouble and Egypt seemed to have an answer to their critical need. And so Jacob sends ten of his sons down to Egypt to buy some precious, life-sustaining grain.
Notice I said ten of his sons. Jacob refuses to let any potential harm come to Benjamin, his youngest child, that his beloved Rachel bore to him. (see Gen 42:4 & 42:38) Looks like he did not learn any lesson about favoritism as Jacob also sets Benjamin apart from, and above, the rest of his sons. Are these brothers jealous of, and angry at, Benjamin as well? Or have they learned a very hard lesson from their wicked dealings towards Joseph? We shall see.
Desperate times, call for desperate measures.
So what can we learn from these past Saints? Two major things: 1- Sometimes when things get tough, we have to simply do whatever we can, and trust God for the results. And 2- “famines” do indeed happen, so we must be prepared in advance for their arrival. Both of these require a good measure of Faith, don’t they?
You see, there was nothing Jacob and family could do to stop the drought. Since, as I mentioned above, they did not know about this beforehand, they had not saved any excess, and so, they had to do whatever they could to survive. So these ten brothers obey their father and set out for the long, and possibly dangerous trip down to Egypt. In a similar way, when we get into any tough situations, we also must do whatever we have to to make things right. Let’s use the example of finances since it is an easy way to visualize this first important point here. Let’s say, either because of circumstances we could or could not control, we find ourselves in a great deal of debt. It is our responsibility to do all we can, as quickly as we can, to pay down all of that debt. We incurred it, again either intentionally or not, and so we must get rid of it. This is being a person of integrity, an honest person, and this is who God desires us to be. I wonder if we can all agree about this point? Again, it is our debt and so it is our responsibility to be rid of it. So how do we get rid of this financial debt? More on that in a minute.
The Bible teaches that the only debt we should owe is that of loving one another. (see Ro 13:8) Any other debt must go. But you say, “I have absolutely no financial debt!” Well, that is awesome! But I hope we all realize that not all debt is financial though. Can we admit that each time we sin, we incur a debt? And if we sin against someone else, we run up two debts at the same time, since ultimately every sin is against God! (see Ps 51:4) It is for this reason that some versions of the Lord’s Prayer say, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Mt 6:12) So whether it is financial or otherwise, debt is a shackle we were never meant to walk in, and it can cause all sorts of further trauma in our lives. But God! He has given us The Way to get out from under this insurmountable indebtedness. The One who paid our sin debt is always available for us to have them wiped away. All it takes to get rid of this mighty burden is to confess it. If you have never done so, won’t you make the time to come humbly to The Savior and lay down your burden at His feet? Confess your debt to God, our Creator, and let Jesus, our Lord, lift the heavy weight of sin off your weary shoulders. He alone can make us debt-free. And if you have already become born again, won’t you come humbly to YOUR Savior and lay down your recent debts at His feet too? You see, while Jesus has paid the eternal penalty for our sinful nature, and Heaven is our final destination, any sin we still hang on to here keeps us from fully experiencing this debt-free life God desires, and Jesus made possible, for us to have. Like Jacob and his family, we are all in a desperate situation and we must do whatever we can to fix this problem. The issue is, all we “can do” is surrender it and our lives, to Him, and simply trust God for the results.
On to my second important point we can learn here. Unlike Jacob and company who may not have known they would end up in such a desperate state, we know that famines happen, don’t we? Our situations are always changing, aren’t they? Sadly, cars get old or into accidents. People get sick and medical bills come. Or companies downsize and employees become unemployed. Like life, famines happen. It is wise to do exactly what God showed Joseph: save in the good times for those times that are not so good. Again, let’s start with the example of finances. The plan God gave Joseph of storing away 1/5 of the grain during the years of abundance is such a good principle, isn’t it? It is vital to manage our finances in such a way that we live beneath our means, just in case a “famine” comes our way. We must save a portion of our income so that, when emergencies arise, because they will, we will be prepared.
As I promised above, here is a great program that I highly recommend to both get, and keep us out of financial debt. It is Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. I get no compensation from him when I promote this plan, but I do get all sorts of satisfaction watching others get their financial lives in order! Not only does my household use his strategies, but in the past, I have coordinated many classes and have witnessed the freedom others experienced when they seriously implemented the steps Mr Ramsey teaches. During July of this year (2023), I have gone through his whole plan in my video ministry called “Got A Minute?” You can view them on my YouTube channel (links are below), or you can invest in his program for yourselves. There are always classes going on somewhere, check out his website. (I will put a link below) And yes, there is a modest fee. 1- because it is a valuable program, that he took the time and effort to put together. And 2- because you need to have some skin in the game to take it seriously. If you do not give a little, you will not bother to change your behaviors so that you can gain a lot. Investing our time, talents and treasures into getting, and staying debt-free, is a good lesson we can glean from these chosen men of God.
Debt-free living. It is not only possible, it is what God so desires for us. You see, people of integrity will make the time to do the research and learn how to get out of debt. And more importantly, honest men will do all they can to stay as far away from debt as humanly possible. Finances again are not the only way we can apply this second point. For instance, taking full advantage of the days we are feeling healthy to make memories with our family is another application to this wisdom, isn’t it? Yet sometimes we live like we are oblivious to the potential “famines” of life. I have heard it said, and agree wholeheartedly, that the greatest regrets we can have at the end of our lives centers on what we did with our time. We will not regret not staying later at the office; we will regret all of our children’s baseball games that we missed. We will not regret not buying that sports car; we will regret not becoming a more loving husband or wife. We will not regret not spending more money on our possessions; we will regret not spending more time serving in our church. You get the idea. Honest men do not fall for the lie that more worldly “whatever” will make their lives more fulfilling. And honest men know that people are more important. That being responsible is more godly. That being sincere and genuine, instead of fake and superficial, is what God created us to be. It keeps us from debt, that is from sinning. But on the occasion we do sin, and incur some debt, we can run to God and His Plan to be quickly, and completely, free of it. This is what honest men do. They admit their downfall. They repent. They ask for forgiveness. And they receive the forgiveness offered to them. With that in mind, let’s get back to these sons of Jacob.
Honest Men
Recall that we talked about Judah and his own journey towards being a man of integrity, as told in Genesis 38. (click link here) At this point, Judah returns to his family, most likely because of the famine throughout the land. It has been 22 years since Jacob’s sons sentenced their young brother, Joseph, to slavery, or worse. They had all married and had children, in addition to all the servants they had acquired, so this was now a very big family. God had blessed them greatly just like He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He would…but now they are running out of their staple food, and must travel down to Egypt. The seriousness of their situation is emphasized by the fact that Jacob sent his sons, not his servants. Listen to this quote from Pulpit Commentary, “That he entrusted his sons, and not his servants, with the mission, though perhaps dictated by a sense of its importance (Lawson), was clearly of Divine arrangement for the further accomplishment of the Divine plan concerning Joseph and his brethren.” It always leaves me speechless when I see God’s hand in the lives of His people.
I hope you know that you are His “people” too! Here’s another great lesson: take the time to take inventory of your life every now and again. What do I mean by that? Look back and, purposely, see where God has been moving in your life. He has, you know? In the good times, and in the tough times, God is always working things together for our good. But if we do not stop and search for His hand though, we can miss it…and along with that, we can miss a more fulfilling life too.
It is one thing to go through difficulties, like famines, but to go through them alone? Without realizing God is right there with you, in it? It only makes those tough times seem unbearable. Notice I said, “seem”? It is only God’s Grace that helps us bear up under whatever life, and that enemy of ours, throws at us. I remember being at the hospital with my Baby Girl and speaking to other parents. There was a time when parents of another sick child were sharing their hardships with me. The mom said something like, “I have no idea how we are getting through this!” I quickly offered, “Can I tell you how? If it were not for the Grace of God, none of us would be able to deal with these heart wrenching challenges.” My Friends, it is as we stop and take inventory, that we will realize this truth and praise our God for His strength. His provision. His Loving Grace. And our lives will, not seem, but actually BE more fulfilling.
Honest men take inventory and praise God for His endless blessings. They know that there is no such thing as luck. They know that God is real and really loves them. And they know that God has a really good plan for their lives…even if the current situation may not display that goodness. You see, the reality is that life is not always good… but God always is. God’s Love changes everything, even if nothing changes. And we will see that this is exactly what these sons of Jacob will experience too. But first, they must deal with their past. They must, in essence, stop and take inventory of what they have done. They must seek to be rid of their buried debt, that is their sin against Joseph, or be shackled to the lie for the rest of their lives. And this is exactly what God is doing here. He wants them to be freed. He wants them to be reconciled to Joseph. He wants the whole family together, living in unity and harmony. (and He wants the same for us!) And so these sons of Jacob come to Egypt.
The brothers do not recognize Joseph, but Joseph quickly knows who they are. While those that live in Egypt clearly know he is different, as they continue to call Joseph a Hebrew, Joseph’s physical appearance is that of any other Egyptian. His manner of dress. His shaven face. Also the twenty-two years since they last saw him. And the fact that he was the man in charge, instead of a slave or dead as they supposed their long lost brother to be, all add up to them never even thinking that it could be Joseph. In addition, he spoke Egyptian to them, using a translator as a go-between. They have no idea that they have just fulfilled the first dream God had given Joseph when he was merely 17 years old. “So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.” (Gen 42:6b) Sometimes the thing we try to avoid is the very thing God allows! And why? To humble us, so we can deal with the debt in our lives. So we can admit the truth and be set free. So that we can truly be honest men.
Recall how Jacob only sent down ten of his sons? At this point, Joseph has no idea what has happened to his fully biological brother, Benjamin. It is interesting to me that they describe themselves as honest men. (see Gen 42:11) Joseph, who knows better, will not let them keep lying to themselves. Not out of revenge, but with a sincere heart to help them come to repentance, Joseph puts these wavering brothers to the test. I believe they desire to be honest men, but when sin resides in their hearts, how can they be? God is about to use Joseph to perform some major heart surgery here.
Joseph is relieved to find out that both his father, Jacob, and Benjamin are still alive. Joseph then tells them, “‘If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.’ This they proceeded to do.” (Gen 42:19-20) Joseph places Simeon, the second oldest brother, in prison, possibly because Reuben, the oldest, is the first to speak up and admit their sin. You see, they cannot escape it. These brothers clearly know this accusation is from the hand of God. (see Gen 42:21-22) Will they just let Simeon rot in jail? Or will they come back with Benjamin? Honest men face their mistakes and take responsibility for their sins. So are they honest men? Sometimes God must allow hardships in our lives to pop that deep rooted sin out of us. This is what is happening, and it is so comforting to watch God at work, isn’t it? God will not allow anything to come between us and Him. He will go to whatever lengths He must to get us to repent, confess and be freed. Yes, these brothers clearly know what is happening is from God. (see Gen 42:28) But they are greatly mistaken about what God is doing. Are we?
Difficulties are not meant to kill us, they are meant to free us. God’s highest desire is for all of us to be with Him forevermore. Yet not all of us will allow the hard things to humble us. Not all of us will choose to repent of our sins. Not all of us will confess we are in debt and be freed of it. Some of us will pridefully insist we are honest men. This is what Jesus Himself is talking about when He said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (Jn 9:41) If we truly want to be honest men, then we must confess our spiritual bankruptcy. Once for Salvation, but then daily for Sanctification. We are imperfect humans. We will sin. We will fall into debt. But God! I am so very thankful that our Loving, Gracious God has given us The Way out. He has given us Jesus, His Perfect Son. When I sin, because I too often do, it is this Hope that brings me flying back into the waiting arms of God. I confess. He forgives. And we, together, move forward in life. And that life, strangely enough, becomes more fulfilling because I humble myself and trust in the Love and Grace of my God. Do you want that too? Then honestly, won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
Got Questions: “Why did the Israelites need manna if they had flocks/herds of animals that they could eat?”
https://www.gotquestions.org/Israelites-eat-flocks.html
Diane’s YouTube channel (just click videos to see all that is available)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtrot6duI_b90fznPQDAcEg
Here is my first video about Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey, which I talked about all of July 2023
Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University:
https://www.ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/financial-peace/financial-peace-university-2?
