Transcript

At a University, there were four sophomores taking Organic Chemistry. They did so well on all the quizzes, midterms and labs, etc., that each had an “A” so far for the semester.

These four friends were so confident with the class that the weekend before finals, they decided to travel to another college to attend a basketball tournament.

There they had such a great time that they didn’t want to leave and wanted to see all the games, so they didn’t make it back to their university until Monday afternoon.

But as a result, they missed their final on Monday morning. So they decided to find their professor to explain to him why they missed it.

Together they told him that they had gone to the basketball tournament during the weekend with the plan to come back in time, but, unfortunately, they had a flat tire on the way back, didn’t have a spare, were stranded and couldn’t get help for a long time. They finally made it back, but as a result, they missed the final.

The professor thought it over and then agreed they could make up the final the following day. The guys were elated and relieved. They studied hard that night and went in the next day at the time the professor had told them.

He then placed each of them in four separate rooms and handed them a test booklet, and told them to begin. They looked at the first problem, worth five points. It was something simple about free radical formation.

“Cool,” they thought at the same time, each one in his separate room, “this is going to be a cinch.” Each finished the problem and then turned the page. On the second page was written: (For 95 points): Which tire was flat?

In the passage before us today, we find a final exam given by Joseph to his brothers. Joseph had one more thing in mind to test where his brothers were at with their attitude and character and whether they were “true” and honest men as they claimed.

Genesis 44:1-6: “And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

“As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses. And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?

“Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing. And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.”

After the large lunch and enjoyable afternoon recorded in chapter 43, the brothers planned to start for home in Canaan the next morning, as the need for food at home was urgent. So they purchased more grain.

Joseph instructed his steward to load their sacks, and to load them full, as much as the sacks would hold and they could carry. Joseph then instructed the steward to return their money, again placing it in the mouth of each sack, like had been done on their first trip.

But in addition to this, as the most important part of the test, Joseph told the steward to not only return the money Benjamin had paid for his grain, but to also hide Joseph’s personal ornate, silver drinking cup, in Benjamin’s sack.

The placing of the cup in his sack was calculated to appear that Benjamin was carried away by youthful greed and covetousness, and had actually stolen the cup and was trying to carry it home with him.

The next morning, the brothers found their donkeys all loaded with grain and ready to go and they were sent on their way. So the brothers set out, no doubt excitedly talking about all that had taken place.

As they left Joseph’s house, they had every reason to be overjoyed. They hadn’t been accused or arrested for stealing the grain money. Simeon had been released. Benjamin was safe and traveling home with them. They had full stomachs. And they had over-full sacks of grain. It was a happy day!

But their joy was short-lived. Not long after they left the city limits, Joseph called for his steward and carefully instructed him what to say and do next.

He was to follow after them, and when he overtook them he was to ask them why they had repaid evil for good, wondering how they could do such an evil thing as stealing the ruler’s royal goblet after they had been treated so well.

As the brothers journeyed, they must’ve been surprised when they saw Joseph’s steward and guards following them, and then overtaking them, and they were even more shocked by what he said when he caught up to them.

The cup they were accused of stealing is described as Joseph’s personal drinking cup, the cup “whereby indeed he divineth.” The divining cup was a sacred vessel in Egypt and symbolized the authority of Joseph’s office. Divining by cups was a custom in Egypt, as well as among other ancient people.

Divining cups were used for the purpose of predicting and professing to see future events in the reflections of water in the cup or the arrangement of floating particles in it.

The mention of its superstitious use doesn’t mean that Joseph actually used it for this purpose. It’s mentioned here to enhance the value of the cup and the magnitude of the accusation that they had stolen this remarkable, valuable cup.

Genesis 44:7-13: “And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:

“Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?

“With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen. And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

“Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack. And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

“Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.”

The charge of ingratitude and theft, and the implications of this, troubled the brothers and they wondered aloud how he could make such a charge. It was unthinkable that they’d do such a thing. The brothers responded to the accusation with an earnest and firm denial of it. They had come for grain, and they had paid for and taken only grain.

They reminded the steward about how they’d shown their honesty by attempting to return the money which had been placed in their sacks on the first trip, so why would they steal anything this time? If they were thieves, they would’ve kept the money and said nothing.

There were so confident of their innocence that they tell the steward that if the cup was found in their possession they would all become the Egyptian ruler’s slaves, and that they could even kill the one who had the cup and was guilty of this charge.

This was a rash promise, however, and it was spoken without thinking, because they should have remembered how the money had been found in their sacks before without them knowing how it got there too!

Joseph’s steward took them up on this and said, “Now also let it be according unto your words,” but added that he’d not hold them all guilty, but only the one who actually stole the cup. The guilty man would be made a slave, but the rest who were blameless could go.

The brothers did not hesitate to allow the steward to look through their sacks of grain. And they quickly took them down from their donkeys.

Every man’s sack was then opened and searched. The steward began with Reuben’s sack, the oldest, and went through them by age order, heightening the drama, taking turns all the way down to the youngest Benjamin.

As sack after sack was emptied without finding the cup, they probably felt more and more confident and vindicated. But then the steward came to Benjamin’s sack, and when he opened it, there at the top of his bag of grain was the missing silver cup!

And the brothers are stunned. They knew they hadn’t taken the cup, and had no idea how it had gotten into Benjamin’s sack.

Then the enormity of the implications of this began to hit them, and they went from being stunned to distraught. And in their anguish “they tore their clothes” (v. 13).

In tearing their clothes they visibly portrayed the pain of their heart at the thought of Benjamin becoming a slave in Egypt forever.

Right here the brothers had an opportunity to be rid of Benjamin, like they had gotten rid of Joseph long ago. And that was the test, whether they would allow this to happen. This is why Joseph had arranged this clever plan.

If they resented Benjamin as they’d resented Joseph in the past, it would’ve showed up in this test, as they could’ve allowed events to take their course without interference, allowing Benjamin to forever be taken away as a slave in Egypt, like they did with Joseph.

The proof of their change in heart and mind is shown here in that, to a man, each of them were willing to stand by Benjamin, as a family should, no matter what, and they all “rent their clothes” in grief.

And then they ALL immediately turned around, not being compelled or forced by Joseph’s steward to go back, they willingly rushed back to the city to speak to Joseph. They no longer desired to return home, because they would not go without Benjamin.

Genesis 44:14-18: “And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground. And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

“And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.

“And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.

“Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.”

Joseph must have been filled with joy and thanksgiving when he saw them all coming with Benjamin. But he still wanted to hear their thoughts and feelings.

The brothers arrive at Joseph’s house, are ushered into the presence of the ruler, and they fall down before him in their grief and desire for mercy.

Joseph opened the interview with a formal charge and asked them why they had done such a thing. Furthermore, he asked how they could expect to get away with such a thing, since he had the ability to divine, or the supernatural power to be able to foresee and discern things and know that his cup had been stolen.

This was still part of the disguise of being a heathen Egyptian ruler who actually felt that they could divine, prophesy and declare the future. But to the brothers, it probably did appear that he had this ability to divine in knowing they had the cup.

Judah then spoke on behalf of the brothers. He said that they all saw the evidence and knew there was nothing they could say or do to clear themselves.

But even though Benjamin is the one who had the cup, Judah told Joseph that they were all guilty. If Benjamin was guilty, so were they all and they all deserved punishment.

Even though they were guiltless of stealing the cup, Judah said “God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants.” By this, Judah revealed God’s work among the brothers. In Judah’s mind, the bothers were now destined to live the rest of their lives as slaves in Egypt because of their iniquity of selling Joseph as a slave, some 20 years before this.

This sin haunted these men. And Judah realized that God did not overlook it. Now he felt that it was only fitting, and was the just punishment of God that they should themselves become slaves in Egypt for the rest of their lives, with their brother Benjamin.

Joseph then tested them one time further. He said that he could never punish all of them for one man’s crime. Since only one man was guilty of the theft, only Benjamin needed to stay in bondage, and the rest were free to return safely to their father.

Judah then stepped forward, came near to Joseph, and gave an eloquent, passionate speech that is recorded in the rest of the chapter in verses 18-34.

He began by acknowledging that Joseph had full authority, even as Pharaoh, to do with them as he wished. Thus, Judah knew all he could do was to plead for his mercy.

Now think about this man who makes this speech. Over twenty years earlier, this same man was the one who made the cold-blooded proposal and rationalized that it would be no gain if they just killed Joseph and covered it up, and that instead they should sell him as a slave to the Ishmaelite caravan and make some money from it.

With the other brothers, he had ignored the pleas of help from Joseph in the pit, and now here he was pleading on behalf of his youngest brother’s life and on behalf of his father.

But by his loving intercession here, Judah reminds us how God can do a work in any person’s heart and transform them and change their attitudes and character.

Judah hearkened back to Joseph showing a keen interest in their home, asking about their father and brother. He told him how much this younger brother meant to their aged father, especially in light of Benjamin’s brother dying years earlier.

He reminded Joseph that he had instructed them to bring their brother down to Egypt with them that he might see him, even though their father might be in danger of death by doing so if something were to happen to him and he did not return.

Judah told Joseph how he had then repeated and insisted that Benjamin come with them or they would not see him or speak to him again.

Judah then recounted how his father finally gave consent for Benjamin to go, since there was no other alternative because of their dire need for food.

And he told Joseph of their father’s final impassioned plea, of how his wife Rachel had given him 2 sons, and that the first had gone away on an errand many years before and had never returned.

Their father assumed that he had met a terrible fate and was torn in pieces by a wild animal. But now if this other son did not return home, he would not be able to take the grief and it would bring him to his grave.

The very life of his father was bound up with Benjamin’s life, and their father knew that he could not bear it if they returned home without him, and would surely die.

Judah cared about Benjamin and he cared about his father, and he loved his father too much to face him with the news that Benjamin, like his brother, was gone forever.

Judah then told Joseph that he had promised his father to be a “surety” for Benjamin, that he would be accountable for him and had pledged himself for his safety and well-being.

And he was willing to follow through and do anything necessary to guarantee Benjamin’s safety and return to his father.

Judah knew that someone needed to bear the punishment for the crime, and so he begged Joseph, to take him instead, and allow Benjamin to return home.

Judah pleaded with Joseph to allow him to bear Benjamin’s punishment, as a Substitute for him, because he could not bear to see what this would to do his father.

Though Judah was innocent he so desired to see his brother Benjamin set free and spared, he was willing to be pronounced guilty in his stead and to suffer the punishment which Benjamin deserved.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Sounds like the Cross. Jesus Christ, the innocent one, so desires to see us set free and spared, that He was willing to take our place, to be pronounced guilty in our stead, and to suffer the punishment that we deserve!

And Judah was willing to be separated from his father, so that his brother might be set free from slavery to go to his father.

Likewise, God the Son was separated from God the Father, as our Substitute, so we might be set free from slavery to sin to go to the Father one day.

Think of who later came from Judah’s line. Jesus Christ is “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev. 5:5). Judah was the ancestor of the Messiah. And Judah, in his willingness to sacrifice himself, the innocent for the guilty, had demonstrated the likeness and heart of the One who would later be born from his line.

And as the cross pulls at our heart that Christ willingly gave Himself for us, and took our place, so Judah’s willingness and readiness to substitute himself for Benjamin in slavery and give his life for his brother, pulled at the heart of Joseph and overwhelmed him.

Judah had changed, as had all the brothers, and Joseph saw it. These were not the same brothers of so many years ago.

The brothers had not resented or rejected Benjamin or blamed him, they had gone from selling their own brother into slavery in the past to a willingness to all become slaves with their brother Benjamin and to stand by him no matter what and not leave him.

They had passed the test. The brothers made straight “A’s” on the final exam. And Joseph could no longer restrain himself or his emotions.

And it’s now at this moment, Joseph decided to reveal his identity. Then comes one of the greatest moments and one of the most moving scenes in all the Old Testament.

Genesis 45:1-4: “Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.

“And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.

“And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.”

Joseph in a sudden sweep of emotion, cried out for everyone to leave the room. What was about to happen, was only for family. He wanted to be alone with his brothers.

Joseph cleared the room of all the Egyptians, all the stewards, servants, and guards. And they all scattered and left the room quickly as he commanded.

Then only the eleven brothers are left, trembling where they stood, wondering what was about to happen next.

Suddenly, they see this powerful ruler, break into tears. Not just silent tears, rolling down his cheeks. He burst out in tears and sobs and wailed aloud.

His outburst was so great and loud that all those outside the room and throughout his palace heard it. They could not help but hear it.

Astonishing words followed the tears: “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?

He broke his silence in both words and language, because with no interpreter now in the room, he cried out to them for the first time in their own language of Hebrew. And it would’ve sounded something like: “AAAH-NEE YO-SAFE.” “I am Joseph!”

And this hit them like a lightning bolt. Words failed the brothers at this moment. It was just shock and stunned disbelief.

Joseph broke his silence, and now the brothers were speechless and could not speak. They were dismayed, stunned, terrified, they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.

Joseph followed up this dramatic announcement with a question that shows his loving concern: “Is my father still living?”

They’d discussed their father before, but now the question was different. Instead of this question coming from a foreign Egyptian ruler, it came from a loving son.

Instead of hearing the recital of facts concerning him, he wanted in-depth details of his father’s welfare as could only be conveyed from one family member to another.

They continued to stand their speechless and could not answer his question, and so Joseph said, “Come near to me.” “And they came near.”

The idea in the Hebrew was for them to come as close as can be, in other words, closer to embrace and also so that they might see his face up close and see that it really was him.

They had been at a distance out of fear of him, and now they are encouraged to come close as his brothers.

And when Joseph said, “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt,” these words reinforced that it was really him, because this had been the best-kept secret in Canaan, as none of the brothers had told anyone what had happened on that day when they sold Joseph into Egypt.

And this revelation, foreshadows a future event, as when Jesus Christ comes again at His second coming for His brothers and He is revealed to the house of Israel, they will see and recognize and know the One whom they betrayed and rejected.

But as Joseph called his brothers near, so Christ will call the house of true Israel near, and reassure them of His love and mercy in His kingdom of heaven on the earth.

They thought Joseph was dead, but then he was alive, and not only was he alive; he was high and lifted up. Sounds like something else familiar.

Christ died for our sins and He rose again, and He is alive, and He is lifted up, as God has “set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”