Sermon | Genesis 44 -45:15 | The Forgiving Prince

Genesis 44–45:15 | The Forgiving Prince

1. God Changes People – Gen 44:1-16

2. God is in Control — Gen 44:17–45:13

3. God is Love – Gen 45:14-15

After this great celebration and feast with his brothers, Joseph is still not done testing them.

At the beginning of Genesis 44

He puts more silver in their bags, and put his special silver cup in Benjamin’s bag and sends them on there way.[1]

But then in

Genesis 44:4 They had not gone very far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Get up. Pursue the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? Genesis 44:5 Isn’t this the cup that my master drinks from and uses for divination? What you have done is wrong!’”

So he has purposefully set them up and made it look like they are stealing. To see how the will respond to this situration

And what is interesting is that Joseph emphasizes for his servant to tell his brothers that they stole his divination cup.

Now this is interesting because thus far Joseph has displayed great faithfulness in God. Trusted God every step of the way, resisted temptation,

but here it seems as though he practices divination a form of sorcery and witch craft done by false religions, that will be explicitly out lawed in Lev 19:26 and Deut 18:10.

However I think there is a better explanation it seems to that this is a part of Josephs act and facade to test them.

He likely doesn’t really practice divination but sets it up this way so he can say later in v.15 when hos brothers are returned.

Gen 44:15 “What have you done?” Joseph said to them. “Didn’t you know that a man like me could uncover the truth by divination?”

When in reality Joseph did not need to use witch craft to know they had silver in their bags, because he was the one who put it in there. So he uses this as part of his test.  

And the brothers are obviously innocent and so when they are confronted about this thet deny they did anything wrong.

Genesis 44:8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found at the top of our bags. How could we steal silver or gold from your master’s house? Genesis 44:9 If it is found with one of us, your servants, he must die, and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”

Genesis 44:10 The steward replied, “What you have said is right, but only the one who is found to have it will be my slave, and the rest of you will be blameless.”

And so here is the test that will be before them. The servant has said that only the one who has the cup will be punished. And who has the cup? Benjamin. The special son of Jacob, The one they said they would protect, the one Judah said he would put his life on the line for.

Will they stay true to their word and protect their brother Benjamin or will they just let him be taken so they can go free.

Genesis 44:11 So each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. Genesis 44:12 The steward searched, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest, and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Genesis 44:13 Then they tore their clothes, and each one loaded his donkey and returned to the city. Genesis 44:14 When Judah and his brothers reached Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell to the ground before him. Genesis 44:15 “What have you done?” Joseph said to them. “Didn’t you know that a man like me could uncover the truth by divination?” Genesis 44:16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed your servants’ iniquity. ….

Judah and his brothers are staying with Benjamin, they are have not abandoned him.

However,  they are not guilty of this crime, But Judah knows they are guilty of other crimes.

And God is using this to uncover their guilt

3 Applications

Confession and Repentance

1. If you still have breath in your lungs, then its not to late to admit your guilt before God, turn away from your sin, and find forgiveness at the cross. Be free from any lingering guilt and shame that has been following you around for years. God already knows about, you can not hide it from him, but you can be free from it. Guilt and shame will wear you out, God died so you could be free and brought into his family. How else can you plead, there is no other way to justify yourself before God.

Transformation

2.This story is testimony that people can change, it may take a while, but God can transform hateful and jealous murders into loving and compassionate brothers.[2]

If God can change these people, God can change anyone.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

Rom 12:1-2 Romans 12:1   Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Sacrificial Obedience

3. When faced with temptation of selling out someone else for your own benefit and safety, choose the difficult path of resistance, stand up for you brother or sister, don’t be afraid, trust God and do the right thing. As the brothers stood beside Benjamin and risked their own lives to try and help him.

Remember last week, it was their brother Judah who promised his father that he would risk his life to protect Benjamin, and here Judah is staying true to his promise, he is not leaving Benjamin behind.

2. God is in Control — Gen 44:17–45:13

At the end of v.16, Judah said they would all be willing to be punished if found to be guilty.

44:16 We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one in whose possession the cup was found.”

But Joseph reminds them that the punishment is only for Benjamin, they can go free.

Genesis 44:17 Then Joseph said, “I swear that I will not do this. The man in whose possession the cup was found will be my slave. The rest of you can go in peace to your father.”

And here is the ultimate the test. Will they will they hate their brother Benjamin as the hated there brother Joseph.

Will they go free and let Benjamin receive the punishment?

No, over these years god has done a work in them, they have confessed their guilt before God, they have been transformed they will do what is right

Genesis 44:18 But Judah approached him and said, “My lord, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are like Pharaoh.

And Judah proceeds to tell Joseph everything that has happened, and why they must bring Benjamin back[3] and he concludes in v.32 with these important words.

Judah says

Genesis 44:32 Your servant became accountable to my father for the boy, saying, ‘If I do not return him to you, I will always bear the guilt for sinning against you, my father.’ Genesis 44:33 Now please let your servant remain here as my lord’s slave, in place of the boy. Let him go back with his brothers.[4]

They have passed the test! Judah and his brothers did not sell out their brother Benjamin, they did not get angry or jealous that he was their father’s favorite, they did not angry or jealous when Joseph had given him extra portions during the feast.

They didn’t leave Benjamin when they had the chance.

Judah would sacrifice himself so that Benjamin could go free.

As we emphasized last week, this sacrificial love points to the greatest sacrificial love ever seen. Jesus’ death for us, so that we could be free of sin and death.

And upon seeing the transformation of Judah and his brothers. That they would be willing to stand in the place of Benjamin

Genesis 45:1 Joseph could no longer keep his composure in front of all his attendants, so he called out, “Send everyone away from me!” No one was with him when he revealed his identity to his brothers. Genesis 45:2 But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and also Pharaoh’s household heard it. Genesis 45:3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But they could not answer him because they were terrified in his presence.

Can you imagine standing in front of the one you sold into slavery![5] But they didn’t have to be afraid, they have been forgiven.

Genesis 45:4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please, come near me,” and they came near. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt. Genesis 45:5 And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life.

Notice Joseph’s faith in God, despite being hated and rejected by his family, sold into slavery, he is comforting his brothers and showing them God’s bigger plan to save the world.

We don’t always know why things happen the way they do.

But if God could use Joseph’s life to save millions of people from a famine. Couldn’t the same God Almighty be using your life to bring about something good.

Could we have enough faith and trust in God, to forgive those who have hurt us.

To bless those who curse us.

To realize that God is working all things out for our good.

All of this is pointing to God’s ultimate Work and ultimate Good in Jesus.

As Peter declares as in the book of Acts,

Acts 2:23-24 Acts 2:23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. Acts 2:24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.

The people’s actions are not excused, they are called what they are, lawless, they killed the son of God, but even this did not negate God’s determined plan, and to prove it God raised Jesus from the dead.

What people meant for evil God used for good to save all those who trust in Jesus’s name.

When you are hurt, when you are suffering, look to Jesus, for he was hurt and suffered too.

He loved people to the very end. He died even for the people that hung him on the cross, there are no sins that Jesus’s death cannot atone for. All sins are taken care of on the cross.

And if you have experienced the love of Jesus, Jesus says to you pick up your cross and follow me.

That means dieing to yourself, and loving as Jesus loved.

To bless those who curse you, to pray for the blessing of your enemies.

Trust in God’s sovereign plan in your life. It may not be easy, but he is accomplishing his good will through you.

And God wants work through you like he worked through Joseph.

God wants to work through you to bring the goodnews of Jesus to people.

Because As followers of Jesus, God has appointed us ambassadors, messengers of the goodnews.

God wants to work though you to bring encouragement to his people.

We are a kingdom of priests, we are a kingdom family, made up of brothers and sisters, meant to love and care for one another.

God was working in the midst of Joseph’s life to keep his promises to his people, to take care of his people.

Genesis 45:7 God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. Genesis 45:8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God.

Again this does not excuse people's sin, they are accountable for their sin, and are in need of Jesus’ sacrificial death and forgiveness.

But we must remember the bigger picture, we can not forget about God’s rule and reign and sovereign plan.

When you are having are time, when disspointments hits, when things are looking bad, when you feel like you in the bottom of a pit and there is no way out.

Remember in the midst of all this, God is still in control

Remember, God has got this, he hasn’t left me or forsaken me, God is doing a work in me,

Even if that work is painful, even if that work is hard, Everything that has happened is for my good and for his glory.

Joseph tells his brothers to bring his father to him, he sends them off and shows his love for them. Which reflects God’s love for us.  

3. God is Love (45:1-15)

Genesis 45:14 Then Joseph threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin wept on his shoulder. Genesis 45:15 Joseph kissed each of his brothers as he wept, and afterward his brothers talked with him.

We must be a church that lives out this kind of love,

We must repent of our sins, and love one another as Christ has loved us.

He has accepted us with a hug and a kiss into his family and wants us to love and accept others into his family too.

1 John 4:7-11 1John 4:7   Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1John 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1John 4:9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 1John 4:10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1John 4:11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.

In response to God’s word to today of how God Changes people, how God is in control, and how God is love.

We are going to respond by sharing the lord’s supper together, because in the Lord’s supper we see a glimpse of all three of these truths.

As we take the Lord’s supper we remember what Christ has done for us on the cross, and through his death and resurrection, God changes people by the power of his spirit.

As we take the Lord’s supper, we remember that even though Jesus died, God was still in control, raised him from the dead, and we look to forward to Jesus’ return to make all things right.

And lastly The Lord’s supper is meant to be experienced in the loving union of the church and to  show each other love as God has loved us.

Though we are different in many ways from one another.

But in the Lord’s supper, we declare, in one accord, that we are united in faith to Jesus, as our God, Savior, and King. That is the foundation of our unity.

Footnotes:
[1] Genesis 44:1 Joseph commanded his steward, “Fill the men’s bags with as much food as they can carry, and put each one’s silver at the top of his bag. Genesis 44:2 Put my cup, the silver one, at the top of the youngest one’s bag, along with the silver for his grain.” So he did as Joseph told him. Genesis 44:3 At morning light, the men were sent off with their donkeys.

[2] Simeon and Levi committed genocide in revenge for their sister, Reuben was sinful with his father’s concubine, even Judah who is doing so much good here, was the same who had sexual relationship with his daughter-in-law Tamar because he thought she was a prostitute.

[3] Genesis 44:19 My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ Genesis 44:20 and we answered my lord, ‘We have an elderly father and a younger brother, the child of his old age. The boy’s brother is dead. He is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’ Genesis 44:21 Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me so that I can see him.’ Genesis 44:22 But we said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father. If he were to leave, his father would die.’ Genesis 44:23 Then you said to your servants, ‘If your younger brother does not come down with you, you will not see me again.’ Genesis 44:24 “This is what happened when we went back to your servant my father: We reported to him the words of my lord. Genesis 44:25 But our father said, ‘Go again, and buy us a little food.’ Genesis 44:26 We told him, ‘We cannot go down unless our younger brother goes with us. If our younger brother isn’t with us, we cannot see the man.’ Genesis 44:27 Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. Genesis 44:28 One is gone from me—I said he must have been torn to pieces—and I have never seen him again. Genesis 44:29 If you also take this one from me and anything happens to him, you will bring my gray hairs down to Sheol in sorrow.’

[4]Genesis 44:30 “So if I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us—his life is wrapped up with the boy’s life—Genesis 44:31 when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die. Then your servants will have brought the gray hairs of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.  Genesis 44:34 For how can I go back to my father without the boy? I could not bear to see the grief that would overwhelm my father.”

[5] Chrysostom wrote, “I am surprised at the way they could stand there and gape without their soul parting company with their body, without their going out of their mind or hiding themselves in the ground^[5]