E-pistle for July 17, 2009
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E-pistle
Dr. Dan Hite, President FreeWay Foundation July 17, 2009
Joseph's Heart Yearned!
(Genesis 43:1-34)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the background of the evens in this chapter
1. The famine continued, and the family of Jacob (Israel) needed
more grain from Egypt, but they couldn't return without
Benjamin, vv. 1-5.
2. Jacob didn't want to place Benjamin in jeopardy, but he had no
choice if he wanted his family to survive, v. 7.
3. Judah (son #4) pledged his life as a surety that Benjamin would
return to his father from Egypt, vv. 8-9.
4. Jacob sent all ten of his remaining sons back to Egypt with gifts
and the money which had been returned from the previous trip,
vv. 10-13.
II. Meditation: on the emotional upheaval of Israel's heart
1. Jacob scolded the brothers for even mentioning Benjamin, but they
only had answered Joseph's direct interrogation . . . to prove that they
were not "spies" since it would be very unlikely that a band of spies
all would be brothers, v. 6.
2. Israel was upset in the past: he thought Joseph was dead; he was
upset in the present: Simeon was in an Egyptian prison; he was upset
about the future: Benjamin would be in danger if he left home; . . .
and the whole family was in danger of dying of starvation!
3. Israel listed a prayer that God Almighty would prompt the Egyptian
governor (Joseph) to have mercy on them, v. 14.
4. Jacob surrendered himself to the inevitable, almost without hope:
"If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!" v. 14.
III. Revelation: on Joseph's second meeting with his brothers
1. Joseph invited them to his house for a meal, and the brothers were
mortally afraid to be brought into his house, vv. 15-18.
2. Joseph's servant reassured them, calmed their fears, released Simeon,
and took care of their needs, vv. 19-24.
3. When Joseph arrived, he asked about his father, and was secretly
overcome with emotion when he saw his brother, Benjamin, vv. 25-31.
4. Joseph continued the masquerade as an Egyptian, but he showed extreme
favoritism to Benjamin . . . continuing to test the sincerity and integrity
of the brother's hearts, vv. 32-34.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to realize that . . .
1. God controls all the circumstances of my life, and that my only hope is to
surrender myself to the mercy of Almighty God.
2. The Lord speaks peace to my heart, calms my fears, releases me from
bondage, and supplies all my needs, Philippians 4:19.
3. The Ruler of the universe continually tests my heart for integrity and
faithfulness.
4. The heart of the Lord is tender and long-suffering, and He yearns
passionately to reveal Himself to me and to bless me abundantly.
The Final Examination
(Genesis 44:1-34)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on Joseph's final test of his brothers
1. Joseph told his steward to secretly put the governor's silver cup into
Benjamin's sack of grain, vv. 1-2.
2. Joseph then sent officials to arrest the brothers soon after they started
home for Canaan, vv. 3-6.
3. The brothers pled innocence saying," With whomever of your servants
it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord's slaves," vv. 7-9.
4. The silver cup was found in Benjamin's sack, and, according to Joseph's
decree, Benjamin was arrested but the others were found blameless
and released, vv. 10-12.
II. Meditation: on Judah's reactions to Benjamin's arrest
1. The brothers tore their clothes (a sign of grief and repentance), and they
all returned to the Egyptian city, v. 13.
2. Judah (Jacob's 4th son) spoke for the entire group, pleading their case
before Joseph, vv. 14-17.
3. Judah begged for mercy so that his father, Jacob, would not die from the
shock of the loss of his favorite son, Benjamin, vv. 18-31.
4. Judah offered himself as a substitute to stay in Egypt as a slave in the
place of his brother, Benjamin, vv. 32-34.
III. Revelation: on the poignant questions asked in this chapter
1. "Why have you repaid evil with good?" v. 4. This applied not only to the
"theft" of Joseph's cup, but also to the brothers' treatment of Joseph.
2. "What deed is this you have done?" v. 15. Confession of sin is necessary!
3. "What shall we speak . . . God has found out the iniquity of your servants."
v. 16. God's Spirit continues to convict us of our sins.
4. "How shall I go to my father if the lad is not with me?" v. 34. Yes, I am
my brother's keeper!
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Recognize that God sees all my deeds and knows all my thoughts and
motivations. The Lord is omniscient!
2. Repent of my evil deeds; confess and ask for forgiveness. The question
Joseph asked his brothers ("What deed is this you have done?" v. 15)
was the same one God asked Adam (Genesis 3:13) and Cain (Genesis 4:10).
3. Remember that there always are consequences to all my choices and
actions. The brothers connected their present troubles in Egypt with the
selling of their brother into slavery years earlier . . . "God has found out
our iniquity!"
4. Realize that a true brother (or friend) is willing to lay down his life for
another person, Proverbs 18:24; John 15:13. Judah demonstrated his love
for his father, Jacob, and for his brother, Benjamin.
Nathaniel Hawthorne went home to tell his wife that he had just been fired
from his job. "Good," she said. "Now you can write your book." "What
do we live on meanwhile?" Hawthorne asked.
His wife opened a drawer filled with money. "I have always known that
you are a man of genius," she said. "So I saved a little each week, and
now I have enough to last for a year." Hawthorne used the time to write
The Scarlet Letter, one of the great masterpieces of American literature.
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