Genesis 42
Everywhere people were hungry, even in Canaan. Joseph’s old father Jacob lived with his eleven sons in Canaan. Years before, you remember, Joseph’s brothers had sold him into Egypt. Jacob did not know this. He thought Joseph was dead. But his sons knew. When Joseph was sold, he was seventeen, but now he was about thirty nine.
The food in Jacob’s home was almost gone, so he said to his sons, “I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; get you down thither and buy for us from thence; that we may live and not die.” But Jacob did not send his youngest son Benjamin, for he thought that some danger might come to him.
When the ten brothers came to Egypt, they were told to go to the ruler of all Egypt, so they went and bowed down to him. None of them knew who he was, for in twenty-two years he looked very different. He spoke Egyptian, and a man translated to them.
When Joseph saw his brothers he knew them. When they bowed themselves, he remembered his dreams in Canaan—his brothers’ sheaves and the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down before him.
Joseph did not tell them who he was. He wanted them to remember and be sorry for their sin of years ago. So he said they were spies and had come to see the weak places of the land. They said, “Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come; we are all one man’s sons.” They said they were honest men and not spies. Joseph said, No, you are spies. They said, “Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.” They were not willing to speak of Joseph whom they had sold. Then Joseph told them they must bring their youngest brother to Egypt to prove what they had said, or else truly they were spies. Joseph put his brothers in prison for three days—perhaps the same prison where Joseph had been!—to think about their sin. After three days Joseph said to them that he feared God. If they were honest men, let one of them stay bound in prison, but the others might go with corn to their home. They said one to another, “We are verily guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear, therefore is this distress come upon us.” And Reuben said, “Spake I not unto you, saying, ‘Do not sin against the child;’ and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.” Joseph heard all this and understood, but they did not know he understood. Joseph turned away from them and wept. Then he took his brother Simeon and bound him before their eyes. They remembered what they had done to Joseph years before! Joseph sent them home, except Simeon who went to prison. Also he put their money into each one’s sack.
How bad to try to cover up sin! God says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” But you must thank God if He makes your sin find you out now, or else it will find you out when you stand before God’s judgment throne. God says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13). Now, God has made a way to cover all the sins of those who confess them. There is no other way. Only the Lord Jesus’ precious blood can cover men’s sins. They told Joseph’s brothers to “go to Joseph,” now God tells you, “Go to the Lord Jesus.” Trust in His precious blood to cover your sins, then you shall have God’s forgiveness.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Psa. 32:1).