Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
"Now the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food." But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, 'You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' " Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?" They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. 'Is your father still living?' he asked us. 'Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?" Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice." Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved." Genesis 43:1-15
The seven year famine that had struck Egypt and surrounding Canaan was still in progress as Chapter 43 opens and the grain that Jacob’s sons brought from their trip to Egypt had been eaten. This prompted Jacob to order his sons to "Go back and buy us a little more food." We read where Judah reminds his father about the edict issued by the man they had encountered in Egypt…the man that was none other than his lost son Joseph. This prompts Jacob (scripture uses his other given name Israel) to ask all of his sons, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?" His remarks show us that Jacob is still fighting the inevitable. He knows that he will have to send Benjamin away in order to get food for his family and to secure the release of Simeon but he lacks the faith to trust God fully to watch over and protect his youngest son.
In reply to their father’s question, the sons explain that they were interrogated by the man they referred to as "the lord of the land" in chapter 42. They finish their defense by saying, "How were we to know he would say, 'Bring your brother down here'?" We then see where at least one of the brothers gets frustrated at his father’s stubborn refusal to release Benjamin so they could return to Egypt. For Judah guarantees Benjamin’s safety and says, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die….As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice." The grain is gone. People will start starving is more grain is not delivered. They have delayed long enough. This is the crux of what Judah is saying to his father.
What is interesting about Judah’s remarks is that he also fails to mention the one key point he needs to make…the one that would have helped his father more than anything else. He failed to lift up the name of the Lord in the situation. In other words, he never said, "You need to trust that God will be with us father…and He will not allow any harm to come to us." Those words could possibly have been the encouraging words that could have changed his father’s mindset on the matter. The father may have responded, "You are right. I have lacked faith in God on this matter. Be on your way and I place you in the hands of God." In a perfect world, that would have been the way it went. But we don’t live in a perfect world…do we?
After Judah makes his statement, Jacob says, ""If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks.
Perhaps it was a mistake. Take your brother also and go back to the man at once." Jacob realizes that he has to send Benjamin but still lacks the faith in the Lord to just surrender his will and allows God’s to be done. Instead, Jacob sends his sons off with gifts for the man in Egypt to include doubling the silver…silver that will pay for the grain. You’ll recall that the silver was returned to the sons with their grain by Joseph as his brothers left Egypt but the brothers, no knowing it was a gesture of goodwill, were afraid that they would be accused of being thieves as well as spies. So the double portion of silver was intended to ensure they weren't charged with stealing. As I stated, Jacob is still trying to control this matter with his own reasoning instead of the Lord’s.
So Jacob sends his sons off saying, "And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved." For the first time, we see Jacob calling on God to grant them mercy but understanding that the matter is out of his hands and he may end up being more bereaved than he already is. We sense that he fears the worst already. His faith is a reluctant faith.
We’re going to see that the gifts really meant nothing to the man in Egypt. Joseph wanted only to see his youngest brother who meant more to him than anything else. Had Jacob just turned to God in prayer, I’m certain God would have assured him that all would be fine...that he should send the sons off and know that they would return. God would have assured Jacob that this was all part of His plan…His will.
Question: How often do we show a reluctant faith? Do we truly turn toward the Lord when we’re faced with difficult situations, trusting that He will guide us through in accordance with His will and plan for us?
It’s important for us to keep in mind that we serve a God who is all Powerful, all Mighty, all Willing, all Loving and all Able to do anything and everything. And this one true God has a plan for you…and for me…and for us all. We need just trust in Him to make things happen in our lives in accordance with His Will...a Will that requires our surrender…our sacrifice…our faith.
Question: What is it that you are concerned about today? What circumstance are you reluctant to surrender? Do yourself a favor and save yourself a lot of undue stress. Just trust God. Lay your burdens down at His feet in prayer and petition…and experience a peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:6-7). Be set free to live in joy and service to the Father. Today is the day of your liberation.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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