Genesis 44:1-17 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Genesis 44:1-17. Let’s go!
Genesis 44:1-17 (NIV)
1 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.
3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?
5 Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.'”
6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them.
7 But they said to him, “Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that!
8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master’s house?
9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.”
10 “Very well, then,” he said, “let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame.”
11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it.
12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.
13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him.
15 Joseph said to them, “What is this you have done? Don’t you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?”
16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants’ guilt. We are now my lord’s slaves–we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup.”
17 But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace.”
On verses 1-17: Here Joseph plants his own silver cup into his brother Benjamin’s sack without Benjamin knowing. Then after sending the brothers off, Joseph gets his men to chase after the brothers, alleging that one of them had stolen his silver cup. It turns out that Joseph, a son of Jacob the original trickster, has a trick up his own sleeve. Yet we will see that Joseph ultimately had a good intention by playing this trick on his brothers.
Why would Joseph create this elaborate heist situation with Benjamin being the one holding the bag with the apparently stolen goods? It’s because Joseph was testing the other ten brothers to see how they would treat Benjamin. Would they leave Benjamin behind as a slave and go home just like they did with Joseph many years before? Would they protect Benjamin or discard him? Before Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, Joseph wanted to be absolutely certain that the ten older brothers would love, protect and even sacrifice for their youngest brother Benjamin. Ironically, by making Benjamin the culprit in this made up heist, Joseph was actually protecting Benjamin.
To me it’s a reminder that, just as Joseph was testing his brothers’ hearts, so God tests our hearts as well. While God does not tempt us to do evil (James 1:13), God does test our hearts by putting us in pressure-filled situations where we need to make a choice. God tested Abraham concerning his son Isaac in Genesis 22. Deuteronomy 8 tells us that God led the Israelites into the desert for forty years to test them in order to know what was truly in their hearts (Deuteronomy 8:2). In 1 Chronicles 29:17 David prays to God and says, “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.” The prophet Jeremiah similarly calls God the one who tests the heart and mind (Jeremiah 11:20). Whereas Satan tempts us to do evil because he wants us to go astray, God tests us to see what is truly in our hearts so that when we have passed the test He can bless us even more.
That is the opportunity that pressure brings. When we are under pressure, it is a chance for God and us to see what we are truly made of. If we fail the test, it’s a signal for us to humble ourselves before God and realize how much we are still in need of His mercy. If we pass the test, it’s a chance to see how we have matured and for God to bless us in new ways. So thank God for times of testing. Times of testing are not comfortable, but blessing and insight are ours if we pass the test.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the times of testing that You bring. I pray that every person reading this GAME sharing today would pass their tests and experience greater blessing as a result. Should we fail a test, may the failure lead us to humble ourselves before You and find mercy that is greater than our mistakes. Thank You Father that You love us just the way we are, but You also love us too much to let us stay the same. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
