Genesis 42-43

The story of Joseph starts to come full circle in chapter 42.  With Egypt doing well in the midst of a region wide famine, thanks to God and Joseph's management, everyone heads to Egypt to get food, including his brothers who had sold him years ago.  Now Joseph has all the power and the opportunity to exact his revenge on his jerk brothers.  What is Joseph going to do?

As the story unfolds, we see Joseph use some of his fathers trickery to test his brothers to see if they have changed over the years.  Are they still selfish and willing to sell each other out?  Is there still rivalry and jealousy among them or have they matured and learned anything from what they did to him?

We see through the narrative, indeed they had not forgotten the treachery they showed Joseph and interpret their misfortune, from Joseph’ tricks, as God’s judgment on them after all these years.  The scenarios that Joseph concocts for them are almost laughable as you imagine these brothers squirming under the pressure of their circumstances.  

Although Joseph tricked his brothers, we have to recognize his mercy toward them.  We would expect him to punish them and we probably wouldn’t hold it against him if he did. But instead he gives them needed supplies and fed them a generous feast all while presenting them with opportunities for repentance and redemption.  It’s a brief glimpse of Christlike character that challenges us to consider how God treats us and how we treat one another.

As we continue to read in chapter 43 we see a glimpse of Christ is in verse 8. Notice it is Judah who takes the lead and takes responsibility for Benjamin.  He essentially says, let me take charge so that we can have life.  Of the 12 brothers that become the 12 tribes of Israel, it is Judah who is in the lineage of Jesus;  Jesus the Christ who would one day say, “I have come so that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)  

Our God has shown us mercy and he takes responsibility, even when we don’t deserve it and there is nothing we can do to earn it.  May we know his goodness and share it with others today.