In Genesis 41 Pharaoh, dreamed (interpreted by Joseph) of a famine that would come upon the ancient near eastern world, and upon Egypt in particular. This severe drought and famine was ordained of God (41:28). We learn of God’s mercy in this famine, in that He gives Joseph a strategy for survival at this time. Joseph, with God given insight recommends that grain should be stored in the 7 years of abundance prior to the drought. By this means the pagan nation of Egypt and the surrounding nations (42:5) and especially the covenant family in Canaan will be preserved through a time when normally many people would have starved to death. Here is the beginning of the story of the survival of Jacob (Israel’s) family in a fallen world. This is the story of the preservation of God’s people.
This chapter has three sections. The middle section
will occupy most of our attention and
will include a study on the power of the conscience.
OUTLINE
1. 42:1-5 CANAAN : Jacob sends his sons to buy grain in Egypt
2. 42:6-28 EGYPT : Joseph’s dream in Chapter 37 comes
true
3. 42:29-38 Back in CANAAN
The predicted severe drought (41:27) has come upon the region. The situation is desperate in Canaan, where unlike in Egypt there is no prior revelation of the drought and therefore no planning had been done. Joseph’s[1] foresight and planning in storing up grain (by God’s intervention) becomes known in Canaan: “Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt…” (42:1). He instructs his sons (who were questioningly looking at one another) “to go and buy grain …that we may live and not die” (42:2).
Earlier in Genesis 12:10 we note that Abraham had been in a similar situation, and
Abram went down to Egypt[2].
Jacob chose not to go to Egypt, perhaps because he was too well established in
Canaan. We note then that this severe providence from God forces some of
the covenant family to make the journey to Egypt since this drought became now
a matter of life and death. Benjamin, the youngest son, and son of his favourite
wife Rachel, and Joseph’s only full brother,
is not permitted to go. “He
(Jacob) guards Benjamin with an
apprehensiveness that has grown out of his loss for Joseph”[3].
One just never gets over the death or
loss of a significant person, does one? But the 10 sons must go, and as big doors turn
on small hinges, so this ‘natural event’ will produce so much more than Jacob (or
anyone) is presently able to see or perceive, not only in terms of the
reconciliation and preservation of Jacob’s family, but also in terms of the
bigger picture, by which we see God
preserving and redeeming His people in
all ages, time and again. So, when
God works in this drought, He does a thousand things at one time. He makes Himself
known as the sovereign God who rules in
the affairs (e.g. droughts / rain) of
the world. He is the all- knowing God who sends and interprets dreams, when
magicians /diviners cannot. He is the God who rules the hearts of kings /
pharaoh’s. He is the God who saves and
redeems. God uses
one man, Joseph (a type of Christ), to save His covenant people. In the meantime He
also shows his providential care for believers and unbelievers in providing
food in desperate times.
2. 42:6-28 [EGYPT] Joseph’s dream in Chapter
37 comes true
In this section we observe six things,
(i) 42:6 When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt they providentially meet Joseph, not knowing that it is him, for he would have dressed and appeared like one of the Egyptians. They bow before Him here and repeatedly elsewhere[4] and therefore Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37 comes true. Please note that one of those two dreams had to do with sheaves of grain bowing to Joseph.
(ii) 42:7,8: Joseph recognized his brothers, but he does not disclose himself to them. It is difficult to say why he does not do so. Some think that he is perhaps being vindictive, trying to get back at them for all the wrong they had done to him. Others are more generous, saying that God is leading Joseph here in a process that will bring about true and proper repentance from the heart on the part of the brothers for the thing that they did to him, and to their father and ultimately to their entire family. 42:21ff seems to point in that direction. I personally think that Joseph’s heart is in God’s hand, and He is steering it for His greater redemptive purposes. Keep that in mind, particularly as we now consider the next verse:
(iii) 42:9 tells us that “Joseph remembered the dreams (cf. Gen.37) that he dreamed of them”. But he cannot say anything yet. There is “heart work” to be done. The convicting power of God needs to work in the consciences first, and that is why we must be slow to speak. Proverbs 15:28 says, “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer…”. Oh the wisdom needed to speak only when the opportune time arrives – when the heart is ready to receive truth, otherwise it would simply be a matter of throwing pearls before the swine (Matt 7:6)! Incidentally, the dream has his whole family bowing down to him (37:10). The whole family is not yet assembled. His young brother and his father are not yet there, and we shall only see the fuller picture in 45:7ff. Therefore the time is not yet right. He knows that. Joseph begins by accusing them of being spies, sent out to see how vulnerable the land may be. The pressure is on them.
(iv) 42:10- 17 Joseph puts them under pressure to establish their motives. You need to see where he is coming from. These 10 brothers have had a devious history (37:2 “he brought a bad report of them to their father”), not forgetting of course their murderous intentions towards him. By putting them under pressure he will soon be able to see where they are at, and so he begins the test by accusing them of being spies, which probably would carry the death penalty. They protest and say, “We are honest men” (42:11). And so they begin to talk about the tenderest part of themselves- their family: “we are the 10 sons of one man; we were originally 12 sons; one is with our father and one is no more” (42:13). Joseph puts more pressure. “I doubt your honesty. You are spies. Bring me a proof that you are honest. Bring your youngest brother” (42:15). And he put them in prison for three days (42:17). “How cruel of him”, you say. Keep the perspective! They are in prison for only three days, but Joseph was in prison for three years, and in exile, away from home for much longer!
(v) 42:19 -20. And then he set them free to go home and bringing proof of the existence of their youngest brother, Benjamin, keeping only Simeon as prisoner. He supplies them food for their journey. He gives them all their money back. These are not the actions of a spiteful, vindictive man. There is something far deeper, far profounder going on here, because God is in it, and we shall see that it leads to a process of true sorrow and repentance.
(vi) 42:21 -28. There we are! Here is a true confession among themselves, which they did not know that Joseph had understood: “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw him in the distress of his soul, when he begged us, and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.’ And Reuben answered them, ‘Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.’” Here is the abiding power of a guilty conscience! They drew a straight line between the quandary they were now in to that terrible day when they sold their brother into the hand of the traders. Their consciences gave them no rest in this matter. Being instructed in the ways of the covenant they instinctively knew that this was God’s hand, and therefore God's wrath against their sin. And, for the first time they began an important and truthful conversation concerning that which they had sought to cover up for such a long time. For the first time, they acknowledge that they have caused distress to Joseph’s soul. For the first time they see the hand of God in their present distress. Their guilty consciences are accusing them[5], and we see it again in 42:28. When they are on their way back home (minus Simeon) they find that as they opened the bags, they find all the money there. Joseph obviously had no intention of receiving money from his own family. Again we see the heart of this man. But what is their response? Their immediate response is, “What is this that God has done to us? ” In truth it wasn't that God was against them; their brother was for them!
But their guilty consciences interpreted it in another way. Wise old Matthew Henry comments astutely,“Guilty consciences are apt to take a good providence in a bad sense”.
We cannot dwell on this too much now, but let me leave you with a bit of counsel from the Puritan pastor, Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) on dealing with the conscience:
“(i) the steps to a good conscience are first to be troubled by our sins, (ii) second to find peace by trusting in Christ (iii) and third to resolve to please God in all things. With these three elements active in our lives, we are positioned to grow more in a good conscience as we live by faith for God’s pleasure. The most important attitude is honesty and humility before God, for conscience always confronts us with the truth that God is Lord.[6]
In the meantime Joseph is weeping (42:24), because he has heard everything that his brother have said, and it is certainly all a step in the right direction
and towards reconciliation.
3. 42:29-38 Back in Canaan
Here we find Jacob and his sons upon their return, and now
without Simeon. We see Jacob upset, and
we see that the brothers are now not telling lies .Once before they had
reported to him a gross lie concerning Joseph. Now they tell him word for word what
has happened, and they squarely face their father’s accusing words in 42:36:
“You have bereaved me of my children:
Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All
this has come against me.” Of course
Jacob did not yet know the final truth about Joseph. He had no idea how it was
going with Simeon. Grief has distorted his mind. His favouritism towards the sons of Rachel
comes out again. One can't imagine how this would have come across to the other sons, and yet Reuben steps forward, and
he says, “ you may kill my own sons if you will entrust Benjamin to me.” (42:37). Reuben is determined to honour
his word to the Prime minister of Egypt. What a change! In spite of harsh words from Joseph, harsh
words from their father, they are acting like humble, repentant men. And they
are prepared for once, to be men of
their word. They take it on the chin, and they are willing to see this through.
This is the beginning of a big work of God in their family.
I am not sure what God is currently doing in your lives and in your
families. Joseph's story teaches us that God’s strange and painful providences are
designed to humble us for the purpose of restoring us to a God ordained lifestyle. They make us see ourselves for that which we really are -
sinners in need of restoration and of much grace, and always in the hands of a
good God. He works out all things for His glory and our good (Rom. 8:28). So, ask yourself, “What is providence currently doing in my life, and how may I embrace
it?” Then pray, and trust God for the favourable outcome.
[1] known
in Egypt as Zaphenath-paneah (41:45)
[2]
Famines in Genesis : 12:10ff (Abraham) ; 26:1 (Isaac) ; 41:27ff (Jacob)
[3] Leupoldt: Genesis (Vol.2 ) p. 1044
[5] See also Romans 2:14-16 where Paul
discusses the power of the conscience even in the lives of non Christians
[6] https://www.challies.com/reading-classics-together/the-christian-conscience/
For more details on restoring the
conscience, see “A Puritan Theology” (pp. 919–25).
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