The great Set-up

 

Genesis 44:4-10

The brothers of Joseph had traveled a short distance from the city when Joseph’s steward caught-up with them and these words of condemnation came from his mouth: “Why have you repaid evil for good?  Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination?  You have done evil in doing this.”  (Genesis 44:4,5)  These were not the steward’s thoughts, they were the words that Joseph had instructed him to say, and the steward by Joseph’s instruction had put the silver cup into Benjamin’s sack.  It was a low, dirty scam, it was a set-up, but it was the only way Joseph could know what his brother would do.

Why do people repay evil for good?  It happens often, someone reaches out a helping hand only to find the person is planning to steal or harm him in some manner.  It happens in families, where the son or daughter takes the life of the parent in order to gain an inheritance.  Many are the stories of one partner stealing from the other in business, and often employees stealing from their company.   We also see it happening with neighbors, one person admires another husband/wife and puts together a plan to steal them or use them for their own pleasure.

What if your intentions and actions are pure and someone accuses you of wrong?  What if that person is someone with full authority and power to bring great harm to you, and you know the deck is stacked against you in every area?  That has got to be a total emotional low; you have no way to support your claims, you have been judged and found guilty, this is where Joseph’s brothers find themselves.  It is the worst day of their lives!

The brothers are going home with a good report, they got Simeon back, all of their sacks are filled with grain, and the man in charge invited them to dinner and told them to come back when they need more supplies, life is good.  I’m sure they wondered what the servant was doing chasing after them, until the words of accusation came from his mouth, and this is what one of the brothers said; “Why does my lord speak such words as these?  Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan.  How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house?  Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.”  He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” (Genesis 44:7-10)

Have you found yourself in a scheme where you were sure that the facts would come out and you did what the brothers did; formulate a statement that you never expected to live up to?  The cup was in Benjamin’s sack and all seems hopeless. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice