Genesis 44:1-13 (ESV)
Then [Joseph] commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him. As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. They had gone only a short distance from the city. Now Joseph said to his steward, “Up, follow after the men, and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.’ ” When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.” He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.
Devotional Reflection
Why this elaborate charade on Joseph’s part? Why does he feed his brothers an elegant meal one night and then have them framed for thievery the next? How should we interpret Joseph’s actions? Why is he toying with them when he knows all along who they are and what he will ultimately do? Is it cruelty? Revenge?
Well I think that this narrative is not so much asking us to weigh in on whether all this testing was necessary, but rather it is inviting us to consider our own heart when, from our perspective, God appears to be toying with us. There are certainly times when it seems that we have God’s favor. These are the times when everything is going right. There may be a famine in land, but our bellies are full. Our house is full. Our hands are full. Things are rocking along. And then, there are times when it seems like all of a sudden, and for no reason, the winds change. The clouds roll in. And the warmth of God’s love seems hidden behind a bitter and distant coldness to our plight. Times when it feels like our past sins have finally caught God’s attention--or maybe he’s never forgotten them at all. Time when it seems like he’s only blessed us with so much just so that he can take it away.
In times like these, when God seems to be treating us unfairly. When he may even seem cruel and unloving. At times when God seems like a stranger and unrecognizable. What do we do? Where do we turn?
One of the beautiful elements of the way that this narrative unfolds is that we, the readers, know Joseph’s true identity when his brothers do not. We’ve seen the story of Joseph’s faithfulness unfold. We’ve watched him be faithful in the face of temptation. We’ve seen him trust in God even when he was unjustly accused and put into prison. We’ve seen his wisdom put into action so that many, through him, might be saved from this famine. We know that Joseph is faithful, and true, and good because we know the real Joseph. We know the Joseph his brothers can’t yet recognize.
And in this, there is a teaching for us about where we are to turn when God seems cruel, and distant, and unjust, and unrecognizable. In those times, we don’t try to unmask God--we look to where he has made himself recognizable. In the flesh of his Son, Jesus Christ. There, and only there, are we promised a word of gospel. A word that frees us from despair. A word that saves us from destruction. A word that forgives us even when our guilt is great.
Joseph’s brothers didn’t know what was coming. They could never imagine that the powerful Egyptian official who was threatening to enslave them was actually the very brother who was going to preserve them, protect them, and forgive them. But thanks be to God, Jesus is our brother who has made himself known. He is our brother who shows us the mercy and favor of God so clearly that we are left with no doubts and no reason to fear. When God seems distant, Jesus comes near. When God seems silent, Jesus gives us his words of life. When God seems to have abandoned us, Jesus says I will never leave you nor forsake you. When God seems angry, Jesus announces that today is the day of God’s favor and peace and goodwill to men.
When it seems like you can’t recognize God, look to Jesus your brother. Jesus has made God known.
Image Description (AI Prompt)
An abstract image filled with dark, ominous markings, conveying a sense of anger and turmoil throughout. In the center, feature a bold, Christian cross, more defined and recognizable as a symbol of faith, amidst the surrounding darkness. The cross should be vivid red, contrasting starkly against the chaotic background, serving as a beacon of hope, healing, and resilience. This powerful visual metaphor combines elements of conflict with spiritual protection and redemption.