Genesis 42:29-38
Egypt is often used in the Bible as an analogy, a place
people run to, and most of the time it is totally out of the will of God. This
time God has arranged Egypt as a shelter for His chosen people. God has sent Joseph to Egypt to be the
provider of shelter and food during a time of famine, like the world had not
seen. God did not send Joseph with
great acclaim; Joseph did not come with commendation, but as a slave. Now that is not the model I’ve learned
from Corporate America, if you want a person to end-up running a company or a
Nation, you build-up his resume with all kinds of accomplishmen unless you are
God.
The brothers return home, and this should have been the best
of times, they had food for the family, they were back home, but they were back
home without their brother Simeon.
And after telling daddy how bad the man who was over Egypt had treated
them; they opened the grain sacks and each one had the money they had paid for
the grain in their sacks, and fear came over them.
Now the conditions that Joseph set for them to return to
Egypt for more grain, was totally unacceptable to Jacob/Israel, he was not
going to lose another son, no matter what Reuben promised him. Is it not strange what happens when you
are hungry and have no choice left, but to do what you fear, and that is what
Jacob/Israel did, he agreed to the terms?
It is important to understand that Jacob tried to get the
brothers to return without Benjamin, but Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, “You shall not see
my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you will not send our brother with
us, we will not go down and buy you food.” (Genesis 43:3-4) It is also important to note that God was keeping His
promise to Abraham.
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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