Genesis 44
After dinner Joseph told his servant to fill the men’s sacks with food, and to put each man’s money in his own sack, and “Put my cup, the silver cup, into the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money.” Next morning, as soon as it was light, they started for home. When they were just out of the city, Joseph told his servant to run after them, and ask why they had taken his cup. The man caught up to them, and asked why they had stolen his master’s silver cup. They became very angry and said, “With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.” The man said, “He with whom it is found shall be my servant!” he would not blame the others. They quickly took the sacks down. So the man hunted for the cup. He began at the oldest, right to the last—Benjamin’s. While he hunted and could not find the cup they were happy, but when they saw him find the silver cup in Benjamin’s sack, how did they feel? They tore their clothes, they were so sad! Twenty years before they had sold their little brother for a slave, but now what? Will they turn away and leave Benjamin to be a slave, and go home again? We see how wise and kind Joseph was; he used the same thing to make them remember. What about their little brother and their old father this time? God had worked in the hearts of these ten men, so now they would not let their brother be a slave. Instead, we see this time their hearts were broken, as they all followed Benjamin back to the house. Before, they let their brother suffer, and they sat down to eat bread, but now how different! Before, they had told lies to cover their sin, but now they did not talk about being good; they confessed their former sin—“What shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants.” They said they were all his slaves.
This truly was the work of God’s Holy Spirit. When God works, we just see our own sinfulness. We do not say that we are good, but all our sins come before our eyes. These ten brothers not only stood before Joseph, but before God. Joseph heard their confession, and said, “God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.” See how he showed up their very thoughts in the old days. Then Judah came near to Joseph, and begged for his father and brother. Please take your Bible and notice what Judah said (Gen. 44:18-3418Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh. 19My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 20And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him. 21And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him. 22And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die. 23And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more. 24And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. 25And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food. 26And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us. 27And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 28And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 29And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave. 30Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; 31It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave. 32For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever. 33Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren. 34For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father. (Genesis 44:18‑34)). His heart was full of the “little child,” and the “father”. Let Judah be a slave, but let the “lad” go back to his “father.” Joseph could not hold back. So he told every man in the room to go out, and then he wept aloud, saying, “I am Joseph!” How amazing! “I am Joseph!” How frightening! HE, the one they had sinned against! HE, the one they had sold as a slave! He asked at once, “Doth my father yet live?” Why ask this? Because of love; he wanted to take away their fear at once, so brought to remembrance their father. Then Joseph said, “Come near to me, I pray you. I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt,” and he comforted them saying that this was God’s purpose, “For God did send me before you to preserve life.” So he embraced them and kissed them, and wept over them. That kiss was the seal of forgiveness.
Pharaoh and the people of Egypt were all glad. The Bible has not told us that any man in Egypt ever knew the sin which Joseph’s brothers had committed—that sin was already forgiven.
My reader, has God’s Spirit ever worked with you, and made you find out your sins? Perhaps you think you are good; if so, I am afraid that you have not come to a true change of mind like Joseph’s brothers. We must all reach that place of repentance. When we get there, we will understand the meaning of “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). This is the place of receiving forgiveness and blessing. Like Joseph’s brothers, take now that low place; confess that you are bad, and receive forgiveness.