When my daughter was a little girl, she went through a period of thievery. She was only about three or four at the time. First, she stole a fascinating item from the store. I, of course, found it in her little purse when I got her home and made her return it, pay for the item with some money her grandmother had sent her and apologize to the manager of the store. I remember her plaintive little voice as she stood before the man -- "Mommy says I have to be sorry that I took this." Not exactly full repentence, but at that stage of life, she was still learning right from wrong. When she stole again a couple of months later, I made her return the coveted item to my friend and she said "It was just so pretty and I wanted it. I'm sorry I made you mad by taking it."

I began to wonder if I might ever be able to teach her right and wrong, but about six months later, she announced that she wasn't going to steal anymore because Jesus didn't want her to. We later realized that she accepted the Lord around that same time (a Vacation Bible School in which her teachers were legendary retired missionaries to the Arctic), but at the time we recognize and rejoiced at the repentence without realizing the full import of her change of outlook.

Similarly, Joseph's brothers dwelt in Egypt for a year or more before he revealed his identity to them. Some scholars are quite disturbed that it took so long and tend to focus on what in Joseph's character was missing. I think they look in the wrong place. There was no evidence of genuine repentence in his brothers until Genesis 44. Joseph's brothers recognized the hand of God in their trials during their first journey to Egypt (42:21-22,28), but there response was more regret than repentance. When Judah and the others geniunely repented in Genesis 44, Joseph finally disclosed his identity and turned their sorrow into joy.

Repentance is an indispensable part of the gospel of Jesus Christ that is seldom discussed and frequently misunderstood, yet our Lord's last words to His disciples spoke of its necessity (Luke 24:46-47). As we approach this final test of Joseph's brothers, we should think long and hard on the matter of repentance and its role in our Christian lives.

"He instructed the servant who was over his household, "Fill the sacks of the men with as much food as they can carry and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack. Then put my cup – the silver cup – in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the money for his grain." He did as Joseph instructed.

Not far outside the city, Jacob's sons were stopped by Joseph's steward, who charged Benjamin with theft. The brothers weren't overly concerned over this accusation because they knew they had returned the first amount of money and, so felt confident in pronouncing their own sentence should this act of thievery be discovered. "Let the thief be put to death and the others become slaves." Slavery was what these men had most feared, yet they were willing to risk it because they were certain of their innocence. Fortunately, the steward -- perhaps aware of Joseph's plans -- modified the sentence to slavery for the one found with the cup while the others would go free.

Imagine what each of them experienced as they lowered the sacks to the ground and found coins therein. Oh, my! Their hearts must have been in their throats. Their basis for righteous indignation was gone. The steward apparently ignored the money, seeking the cup.

Now commensed the true test of Joseph's brothers. They were free to walk out of there, absolved of all crime. Only Benjamin faced a penalty and, for all they truly knew, he was guilty of stealing the cup. Yet, so contrary to the way they had acted 20-odd years ago, the brothers all rent their clothes as a sign of grief and mourning and returned to Joseph's house. They did not renounce Benjamin as a thief and desert him. These were not the same men who had sold Joseph into slavery at Dothan.

In a way, Benjamin had taken Joseph's place in the family -- the favored son Jacob could not bear to lose. Before, they had resented Joseph and gotten rid of him when Jacob wasn't looking; now they were faced with a similar situation with Benjamin. They could return to Jacob and break his heart once more with the news of Benjamin's self-imposed slavery, or they could act in a more honorable matter. The moment of truth loomed over them!

On their first visit, the brothers had been awe-struck by the severity of this Egyptian official. They knew he was a man to be feared. On this second visit, they gained an appreciation of the generosity and kindness of the governor. The meal and generous provisions were intended to assure them of Joseph's kindness. Perhaps this explains why they returned en masse to appeal to Joseph on behalf of their brother. Joseph, playing his role to the hilt, insisted that he was not deceived, that he knew all. Judah, acting as leader, admitted that they had no defense. He didn't seek to give an explanation for the cup nor did he accept guilt in the matter. He confessed that the origin of this disaster was their sin against their God. They weren't in trouble for stealing Joseph's cup so much as they were paying for past sins. He commended them all over to slavery, if that was what Joseph wanted.

Joseph would not hear of this. Why should all suffer for the sin of one? He wanted to set matters right in the theft of his cup. He didn't care about their past sins. No, all of them should go home, except Benjamin, who would remain as Joseph's slave in payment for his crime.

Judah had offered himself as surety for Benjamin's safe return, so it was in his best interest to convince Joseph to act in mercy. Rather than keep secrets, as Jacob had counseled, Judah opted for honesty. It seems as though he approached Joseph in private. He reminded Joseph that he had taken an interest in Judah's family. He explained the family dynamic to Joseph, reminded him that they had been reluctant to bring Benjamin to Egypt because of Jacob's attachment to him. Judah explained that he could not return to Canaan without Benjamin; to do so would be to risk the untimely death of his father. Judah was willing to remain behind as Joseph's captive in Benjamin's stead.

Everyone knows what happened next. Joseph identified himself as their brother and the entire situation was suddenly reversed. We do this passage a disservice when we skip over what actually happened here. Judah's appeal did not suddenly win Joseph over. Joseph had intended to reveal himself at some point, but had always been able to control his emotions (sometimes barely). It was not that now his emotions finally controlled Joseph, but that Joseph’s purposes had been realized. Judah’s appeal did not change Joseph’s heart so much as it revealed that Judah’s heart had undergone a significant change since the day many years before when he had been instrumental in selling Joseph into slavery. Joseph was now able to reveal his identity because genuine repentance had been evidenced.

Before this moment, Judah and his brothers had come to regret their decision to sell Joseph into slavery. Every prisoner regrets their crime, or at least the fact that they were caught. Repentance is more than regret. The regrets of Judah and his brothers had not brought them to the point of confessing their sin to Jacob nor of making any attempt to learn of Joseph’s fate. Now, given the opportunity to repeat their sin, they showed a significant change of heart and action, represented by Judah. They had once determined to do away with Joseph, regardless of its impact upon Jacob, in order to seek revenge and to avoid becoming Joseph’s subordinates. Now, Judah was willing to become the slave of Joseph, even though he was declared innocent of the theft of the silver cup. He could not stand the thought of causing any further suffering. He experienced and evidenced genuine repentance.

Repentance is the recognition of our sins which results in the kind of sorrow that brings about a change in our intellect, emotions, and will. Repentance recognizes sin and is genuinely sorry for it, so much so that this sin will be shunned and a new course of action will be sought. There can be no reconciliation without genuine repentance. Joseph delayed identifying himself to his brothers so that he might experience true reconciliation with them, which could not come before they experienced and evidence Biblical repentance.

We see similar circumstances in the New Testament in the parable of the prodigal son and Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler. The prodigal (Luke 15) came home in true repentance and experienced true reconciliation. The rich young ruler went away sorry, but not repentant or saved, for he could not part with his old way of life (Matthew 19:16-22). Similarly, Zaccheus evidenced genguine repentance and conversion when he sought to make amends for the sins of his past (Luke 19:1-10).

Few of us would go to such lengths to be reconciled with our fallen brothers, because truthfully, we don't think it's necessary, nor do we seek to produce repentance to that degree in the lives of others or ourselves. We are too often satisfied with "confession" rather than "repentance".

My husband BJ grew up in a Catholic household that went to confession every Saturday afternoon in preparation for Sunday morning communion. He admits that too often he gave the priest a laundry list of things that he was "sorry for", but he had no intentions of not doing again or of making amends for. As long as he did the right number of "Hail Marys" and "Our Fathers", he felt quite content to go to communion. When he became a Christian at age 20, he recognized the folly of such skin-deep confession, but over the years, we've recognized that many Protestants have the same mentality. We admit builty to obtain forgiveness, which is not at all what the Bible teaches. Reconciliation is based upon genuine repentance, not just some glib recital of wrongs committed.

Unfortunately, that glibness tends to permeate all of our relationships, not just the one with God. How many marriages might be saved if the partners could just learn that genuine reconciliation requires repentance? What an offended mate fears most is the kind of situation where their partner admits to wrongdoing, pleads for forgiveness and promises radical changes, but where nothing really happens. Old patterns resume and old problems continue. Repentance does not guarantee that old problems will not recur, but it does assure us that sins will be recognized as sins and shunned. Repentance tries to break old sin habits and looks to God for enablement to live a godly life (Romans 7).

Moses was not just recording history in Genesis. He was teaching lessons to the Israelites. Similar to Judah and Joseph, God seems a severe and frigtening Being to the unsaved. Yet, upon repentance and genuine heart-felt confession, God reveals Himself to be a loving and forgiving Deity. The truth was, Joseph's brothers never had anything to fear from him. The truth is, neither do sinners have anything to fear from God. Jesus offers you the kind of righteousness which God requires for salvation and eternal life. If you will acknowledge your sins, turn from them, and trust in the Savior God has provided, then you will be born again. You can be restored to fellowship with God just as Joseph’s brothers could once again have intimacy with their kinsman. However, like Joseph, God will not make life easy for you nor pour out His blessings upon you until you have learned the need for and experienced repentance.

Christians must be reminded that repentance is a vital element of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not a popular doctrine and is a dimension of the gospel that is often omitted these days. Popular wisdom is that it will be easier to save souls if we leave it out. Unfortunately salvation will not and cannot occur without it (Acts 2:38; 17:30-31; 20:21; 26:20; 2Corinthians 5:18-21). Once we are saved, the need for repentance does not magically disappear. The way salved is conceived is also the way that it continues (Colossians 2:6; Romans 12:2; Acts 26:20). Conversion starts on ongoing process whereby we daily present ourselves to God, learning more of His mind and becoming aware of new truths, as well as being convicted of transgressions of which we were previously unaware.

For Christian and non-Christian alike, repentance is a step beyond recognition of sin and regret of its consequences; it is the decision to turn from sin to Him Who is sinless and Whose way is righteousness. We turn from our sins and self-effort and rely upon our Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and enablement. How beautifully the Apostle Paul described this step beyond regret:

"For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, in order that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you, what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. So although I wrote to you it was not for the sake of the offender, nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God." 2Corinthians 7:8-12

Let's face it! Jacob was not a spiritually inclined man. In fact, Judah, his son who had gotten his daughter-in-law pregnant when he thought she was a Canaanite prostitute, was a spiritual giant compared his father in Genesis 43 and 44. With the fate of their family and God's prophesied nation hanging in the balance, Jacob resisted Reuben's proposal to take Benjamin to Egypt in order to secure grain for their survival.

"But Jacob replied, "My son will not go down there with you, for his brother is dead and he alone is left. If an accident happens to him on the journey you have to make, then you will bring down my gray hair in sorrow to the grave." Genesis 42:38

With that in evidence, it shouldn't surprise us that the writers of Hebrews could find scant evidence of Jacob's spirituality (Hebrews 11:21). Jacob is listed as one of the patriarchs, the founders of the faith, by the Jews, but the writers of the roll call of faith could only find one event in the flickering years of Jacob's life to record as an example of his faith. Nothing like waiting until you have one proverbial foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel before doing someting worth writing about!

The first 15 verses of Genesis 43 focus on Jacob's debate with Judah over the matter of the return to Egypt for grain. Jacob already had one son held hostage in Egypt for the return of the nine with Benjamine. Judah refused to go back without Benjamin. We see Jacob's faith was exceedingly weak and his leadership in this time of family crisis is not something we would want to emulate. His fears were completely unfounded. If he'd gotten his way, the nation of Israel would have starved to death in that generation.

"Now the famine was severe in the land. When they finished eating the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Return, buy us a little more food."

But Judah said to him, "The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ If you send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy food for you. But if you will not send him, we won’t go down there because the man said to us, ‘You will not see my face unless your brother is with you.’" Genesis 43:1-5

With the grain literally at the bottom of the barrel, Judah put his finger on Jacob's procrastination (Genesis 43:10). They could have traveled to Egypt twice in the time Jacob had consumed with worry. Rather than face the problem of the famine, Simeon's captivity and the inevitable need to return to Egypt, Jacob put off dealing with it and minimized the situation. When he eventually relented for the older sons to return to Egypt, it was merely to buy a "little food", not to acquiese to Joseph's terms. Judah, however, was unwilling to accept Jacob's less-than-acceptable terms. He was the one who would have to stand before Joseph and he would not return without Benjamin. Jacob, no doubt, was shaken by this challenge to his authority, but he was unwilling to succumb to their demands that easily. He tried to deny his responsibility in the matter, to make the situation their fault for agreeing to Joseph's terms in the first place. He even rebuked them for telling Joseph the truth when directly questioned. Of course, we know who Joseph was, and they did not, but there's no denying that Jacob was counseling his sons to lie.

Given Jacob's history, that doesn't surprise me!

"Then Judah said to his father Israel, "Send the boy with me and we will go immediately. Then we will live and not die – we and you and our little ones. I myself pledge security for him; you may hold me liable. If I do not bring him back to you and place him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. But if we had not delayed, we could have traveled there and back twice by now!" Genesis 43:8-10

Reuben's offer of his own two sons failed to convince his father to allow Benjamin to accompany them to Egypt, but Judah stepped into a leadersip role at this point, promising to bring Benjamin back in one piece, urging his father to stop thinking of himself and act on his responsibility for the entire clan. While Jacob spoke only of "I," "me," and "my," Judah thought in terms of "we," "us," and "our" (contrast 42:36,38 with 43:8). Judah appeared to represent all his brothers in refusing to return to Egypt without Benjamin. He also rebuked Jacob for his needless delay in sending Benjamin to Egypt. Whereas Reuben offered only his sons in return for his failure, Judah offered himself as the guarantee of a successful mission (verse 9).

With the severity of the famine and the solidarity of his sons forcing his hand, Jacob reluctantly consented to release Benjamin for the journey to Egypt. Jacob suggested they take extra money and that they return the coin they'd found in the grain sacks. Typical con artist, Jacob wanted to sweeten the pot with a few of the choicest products of Canaan. There are Biblical scholars who believe that Jacob reached a milestone of faith at this point. I don't agree. He came to this point dragging his feet and only in the face of insurmountable pressure. He expected Benjamin to perish in Egypt, not to return with sacks of grain upon his back. As always, Jacob was looking out for Number One, placing blame on others, and then trying to buy or con his way to a favorable outcome.

Instead of trusting God first, Jacob trusted God as a last resort. It never seems to have occurred to him (as it had for Joseph) that God was active in all of his troubles and bringing about good through adverse circumstances.

"When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the servant who was over his household, "Bring the men to the house. Slaughter an animal and prepare it, for the men will eat with me at noon." The man did just as Joseph said; he brought the men into Joseph’s house.

"But the men were afraid when they were brought to Joseph’s house. They said, "We are being brought in because of the money that was returned in our sacks last time. He wants to capture us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys!" So they approached the man who was in charge of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. They said, "My lord, we did indeed come down the first time to buy food. But when we came to the place where we spent the night, we opened our sacks and each of us found his money – the full amount – in the mouth of his sack. So we have returned it. We have brought additional money with us to buy food. We do not know who put the money in our sacks!"

"Everything is fine," the man in charge of Joseph’s household told them. "Don’t be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks. I had your money." Then he brought Simeon out to them." Genesis 43:16-23

There are clear correlations here between this incident and the reception of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. Joseph certainly owed his brothers nothing like a feast and, though they did not know that Joseph was the Egyptian administrator they were working with, the brothers were certain this feast was a trap. Simeon was being detained somewhere. They did not wish to join him. They hastily explained to the steward how they'd found their money in their sacks and how they had returned it. The steward sought to calm their fears. He had received their money already. Joseph had returned the money and the steward informed his brothers that it was their God who had provided this money (verse 23). He then reunited them to Simeon as further assurance. Fearfully, they prepared a gift for their host in anticipation of the meal.

What a contrast between the fears of Jacob and his sons and the tears of Joseph in this last section. Joseph’s deep love for his brothers was, of course, not yet evident to them, but it is made known to us, making them seem as foolish as they really were.

"When Joseph came home, they presented him with the gifts they had brought inside, and they bowed down to the ground before him. He asked them how they were doing. Then he said, "Is your aging father well, the one you spoke about? Is he still alive?" "Your servant our father is well," they replied. "He is still alive." They bowed down in humility.

"When Joseph looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, he said, "Is this your youngest brother, whom you told me about?" Then he said, "May God be gracious to you, my son." Joseph hurried out, for he was overcome by affection for his brother and was at the point of tears. So he went to his room and wept there.

"Then he washed his face and came out. With composure he said, "Set out the food."

They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.) They sat before him, arranged by order of birth, beginning with the firstborn and ending with the youngest. The men looked at each other in astonishment. He gave them portions of the food set before him, but the portion for Benjamin was five times greater than the portions for any of the others. They drank with Joseph until they all became drunk." Genesis 43:26-34

To Joseph’s brothers nothing was more important than those pistachio nuts and almonds that they hoped would win Joseph's favor. He never gave them a glance because his only concern was for people, not gifts. His first words sought information on his aged father (verse 27). Next he turned his attention to Benjamin, who he had not seen for over 20 years. Joseph pronounced upon Benjamin a blessing which should have sounded strange coming from an Egyptian. Seeing his only full sibling overwhelmed Joseph. He quickly left the presence of his brothers to weep and regain control of his emotions. After regaining his composure and washing his face, Joseph returned and ordered the meal served. In complete harmony with the Egyptian culture (and to continue concealing his identity), Joseph ate at one table, his Egyptian servants at another, and his brothers at still another table, somewhat separate, yet in front of him. Joseph had arranged for his brothers to be seated in the order of their ages, from the oldest to the youngest. While all of his brothers were well fed, Benjamin received a portion that was five times greater than his brothers. The seating arrangement was noted by Joseph’s brothers, who marveled that Joseph somehow puzzled that out. It still never occurred to them that Joseph was their long-lost brother, but they recognized that he was extremely insightful.

I think Joseph's preferential treatment of Benjamin was a further test of the older brothers. Though motivated by geniune love, it provided something for his brothers to consider. Given his later behavior, I do not think Joseph was being deliberately maliciouis. He naturally loved Benjamin more than the older brothers ... they shared a mother and Benjamin had not sold him into slavery -- but Joseph's surrounding behaviors indicate that he had no desire for revenge, but only to see his brothers genuinely repent and set aside the guilt they felt for their earlier sin.

The key to understanding this passage is Moses' record of Joseph's tears in Genesis 42:23-24 and 43:30. Moses wanted his readers to understand that Joseph was acting in love, not hostility or revenge. His brothers had lived 20 years with the knowledge of what they had done to Joseph in a fit of jealousy. They needed to come to a place of repentence, which requires a bold-faced look at the facts. Joseph restrained his emotional response to this reunion for the good of his brothers. It was not yet time for them to know that Joseph was their benefactor.

In our culture, we tend to think of love as an emotion, but love in the Bible is always described as an action involving commitment. Acting in love, therefore, may involve acting contrary to our feelings. Paul, the apostle, wrote that real love must always be regulated by knowledge and discernment (Philippians 1:9).

In Genesis 43, we find a beautiful picture of the disciple God exercises in the lives of the children He loves. Joseph was the only one who recognized that all these things were coming from the hand of a loving and caring God. Jacob and the older brothers either did not see God at all or expected vengence from Him. They viewed Joseph has a harsh and angry man and knowing who he really was would not have wiped that away. Joseph, truthfully, sought reconciliation with his family. In the same way, God seeks to bring us to the place where His blessings may flow again into our lives.

Joseph’s brothers provide us with an excellent illustration of salvation. Because of their spiritual state they faced Joseph with great fear, perceiving their only "salvation" to be in their "works" of returning the money they found in their sacks and in the pistachio nuts and other presents they brought from Canaan. The first was refused by the steward, and the second was ignored by Joseph. It was not their works that endeared these brothers to Joseph; it was their relationship to him. That is what they did not yet realize.

Similarly, today sinful people dread the thought of standing before a righteous and holy God. The future fills them with great fear. Frantically they seek to gain God’s favor and acceptance by their "pistachio nuts" of good works. They try to live by the Golden Rule or the Sermon on the Mount or they join the "right" church" or are baptized in what they believe is the "Biblical manner", thinking this will gain them entrance into God's kingdom. All of the above are unacceptable to God as a basis for salvation. What saves a man or woman is not what we do, but our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. When we stand before the throne of God, the one thing He is interested in is our relationship with the Way, the Truth and the Life, Jesus Christ (John 14:6; John 1:12: John 3:16-18; Acts 4:12; 1John 5:11-12).

Hard as it might believe, the first course to coming to is to admit that you've failed to follow Him. When my son was five years old, we used to have discussions almost every evening about salvation. He didn't think God would want him because he'd been naughty. I never corrected that thought. He had been naughty and it was a good thing that he could admit it. It was a hard thing for a good boy (by human standards) to admit. I explained to him that Jesus could take the naughty away. After a year of contemplation, one night he announced that Jesus had taken the naughty away at some point in the past and that He now lived in my son's heart. Recognition of our sin and repentence is the first step toward salvation. We must recognize that we are deserving of God's eternal wrath before we can allow our eternal destiny to rest in Jesus Christ. Any work that we can perform is nothing compared to what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross.

As I watch President Obama strut himself across the various stages of the United States at careful controlled townhall meetings, I see a man quite enamored of his own power and arrogantly confident in his "right" to wield that power. He believes he knows what's "best" for our country and, even if we the people disagree, well, what do we know?

If we are honest about it, I think most of us dream of having such complete control of things. How ego-stroking it would be to be the most powerful human leader in the world. Think of the pleasure such an experience could bring! What would you do if you were in a similar situation?

Joseph was! The famine he had predicted created an international disaster. People from surrounding nations heard that Egypt had food and so, of course, they arrived seeking to buy some. Lest we think that the suffering Joseph experienced at the hands of his brothers, Potiphar's wife and his master were the greatest tests of his life, we should consider how power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. What test could possibly be greater than the one Joseph faced in Genesis 42? Faced with his destitute and defenseless brothers, endowed with unlimited power, Joseph's character was about to be tested to a huge degree. Being tested when we're powerless to resist is a mere academic exercise. Imagine being given the opportunity for revenge when you have the power to exercise it?

If we want to understand modern politics, I think we need to take a good look at what enabled Joseph to use the power at his disposal for the betterment of his brothers rather than as an opportunity to vent all the bitter feelings they had so earned from him.

"When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why are you looking at each other?" He then said,

"Look, I hear that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us so that we may live and not die."

"So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, "What if some accident happens to him?" So Israel’s sons came to buy grain among the other travelers, for the famine was severe in the land of Canaan.

"Now Joseph was the ruler of the country, the one who sold grain to all the people of the country. Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger to them and spoke to them harshly. He asked, "Where do you come from?" They answered, "From the land of Canaan, to buy grain for food." Genesis 42:1-7

Forgive me if my ironic sense of humor is ignited by this story. Joseph's brothers presented the reality of the famine to their father, who knew there was grain available in Egypt and expected them to just go get some. Typical of Jacob, he kept Benjamin (as far as he knew, the last surviving son of Rachel) with him while sending the sons of Leah off to Egypt. The brothers didn't know they were fulfilling the prophesy of Joseph's dreams when they arrived in Egypt to bow before Joseph, who they didn't recognize under the garb of an Egyptian official. It had been more than 20 years and they had sold him into slavery, after all, so they could not have expected this unusual situation. Verse 7 almost sounds harsh and vengeful, which would be a normal reaction of anyone as abused as Joseph had been by his brothers. However, Joseph's severity was a "disguise" to keep his identity a secret. Character is what we do in secret, when we don't think we're being watched. Joseph was testing his brothers' character while they didn't know who he was.

"Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!" Genesis 42:8-9

Joseph did not simply "remember" his dreams. That would have resulted in pride. Joseph recognized the fulfillment of prophesy, but he now understood the reason for the prophesy. He saw that God had a purpose for placing him in his position of power. He was to act as the family head, protecting and perserving his family. God had given him great prestige and power for a purpose much greater than just to seek revenge. Power brought responsibility, including the responsibility to forgive those who had abused him.

"Then Joseph remembered the dreams he had dreamed about them, and he said to them, "You are spies; you have come to see if our land is vulnerable!"

"But they exclaimed, "No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food! We are all the sons of one man; we are honest men! Your servants are not spies."

"No," he insisted, "but you have come to see if our land is vulnerable." They replied, "Your servants are from a family of twelve brothers. We are the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father at this time, and one is no longer alive." Genesis 42:9-13

Joseph feigned severity to learn more information and his inducement to fear caused them to give him the information he sought. His father still lived, his brother Benjamine was with him. Later Jacob would rebuke them for their loose tongues, but their babbling gave Joseph the opportunity to test them in the area of their greatest failure.

"But Joseph told them, "It is just as I said to you: 'You are spies!' You will be tested in this way: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not depart from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. One of you must go and get your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison. In this way your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If not, then, as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!"

He imprisoned them all for three days." Genesis 42:14:17

Joseph gave his brothers two options: either they had come as spies, in which case they'd made up that younger brother, or they were telling the truth, which meant they could produce Benjamine. Joseph would detain nine of them and send one back to Canaan to produce the proof of their honesty. Joseph's plan was to bring his family to Egypt, but his brothers did not know that. Joseph gave them three days in prison (Potiphar's, perhaps?) to consider their options.

"On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do as I say and you will live, for I fear God. If you are honest men, leave one of your brothers confined here in prison while the rest of you go and take grain back for your hungry families. But you must bring your youngest brother to me. Then your words will be verified and you will not die." They did as he said.

"They said to one other, "Surely we’re being punished because of our brother, because we saw how distressed he was when he cried to us for mercy, but we refused to listen. That is why this distress has come on us!" Reuben said to them, "Didn’t I say to you, ‘Don’t sin against the boy,’ but you wouldn’t listen? So now we must pay for shedding his blood!"

(Now they did not know that Joseph could understand them, for he was speaking through an interpreter.) He turned away from them and wept. When he turned around and spoke to them again, he had Simeon taken from them and tied up before their eyes." Genesis 42:18-24

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place! The brothers didn't know if they'd ever be free again and if they were to be free, one of them must go to Canaan and break the news to their father. Oh, my! Joseph's statement "I, too, fear God" should have given them pause and much to consider. It was a technical term akin to "born again" in modern parlance. Joseph's use of it, even as an Egyptian official, should have been a cause for hope and encouragement. We do see that the brothers began to recognize the hand of God in thier lives through these events after Joseph declared his faith to them.

Joseph also softened his demands. He would keep only one of them captive while the others would be allowed to journey home. They would also be allowed to take life-sustaining grain with them, and then return with Benjamine. The brothers, assuming that Joseph did not speak their language (the text indicates he used an interpreter to this point), discussed the matter right in front of him. They acknowledged that their current difficulties were the result of their sin relating to Joseph. They had pled for mercy and not received it, just as Joseph had cried for help from the pit and they had ignored him. Reuben then reminded them of his warnings and their resistance. Sin always has consequences, and they now knew how painful these can be.

Having overheard the spiritual soul-searching that went on among his brothers, Joseph could contain his emotions no longer. He left their presence, lest his tears reveal his identity. Clearly, he cared for his brothers and found it hard not to reveal his identity even though he kept it secret for their spiritual benefit.

Joseph provided provisions for the trip to Canaan and the people who waited there. Simeon, who had not participated in selling Joseph into slavery, volunteered to remain in Egypt. Moreover, Joseph ordered the grain payment to be returned, hidden in the saddle bags. Evil men would have laughed at the stupidity of the servant who "misplaced" the payment and considered the whole incident a stroke of good luck. Joseph's brothers, in testiment to their spiritual growth over 20 years, were distraught, for they saw the hand of God, not fate and feared for Simeon's safety. If they were to return to Egypt with Benjamine, what might happen if this "theft" were discovered by Joseph? These men who had sold their brother into slavery 20 years before now worried that their characters would be thought less-than if they were suspected of theft.

Jacob likely noticed Simeon's absence fairly soon and demanded an explanation. Jacob's reaction to the money was far different than that of his sons. He worried of personal disaster and bad luck while they worried about their characters. Jacob could not see the gentle hand of God in all this. While affliction drew Joseph ever closer to God, Jacob had seemingly forgotten his faith. Though Simeon remained in captivity, Jacob refused to let Reuben take Benjamine back to Egypt. Ironically, he insisted he could not live without Benjamine, when in fact, Benjamine going to Egypt was exactly what was necessary for the family to survive. The very thing Jacob thought would destroy him was to be the means of his salvation. That's a later subject, but it does show us how blind we are to the working of God, especially when we are going our own way.

There are lessons to be learned from Joseph that apply to us today. Power, like money, is not evil. It is a matter of stewardship. The Bible teaches that God-given power is legitimate power. The first step toward pride and misuse of power is to forget the source of that power. We are merely stewards of power, not the owners of it (1Corinthians 4:7). For this reason, power should never be sought for self-gain, but used ot serve others. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees not because they possessed power, but because they misused it (Matthew 23:1-12). Greatness, Jesus taught, is not measured in terms of power, but in terms of service (Mark 10:45). Recalling his dreams, Joseph recognized that his power was God-given, not to satisfy selfish desires, but to save the nation of Israel from famine and spiritual decadence.

We must not confuse political power for spiritual results. The greatest temptation Joseph faced was to employ his political power to get even with his brothers. Joseph's secular power produced fear, but it was his gracious use of spiritual power that resulted in their spiritual awareness and the beginnings of repentance. While he was in a position to crush them with his secular power, Joseph instead used the spiritual power of God to begin a restoration within his family.

Do we employ power as graciously? Do we serve others or our own selfish ends? Do we think that resorting to secular power will achieve spiritual goals. Many of our churches could probably be taken over by unbelieving executives and administrators and we might not even know the difference. We should, but I fear that we might not.

There is a difference between secular power and spiritual results and we who claim the name of Christian must learn that difference and remember it well.

My father-in-law is a fairly wealthy man. In the heyday of his electrical contracting business, he was making $5 million a year in personal income. He didn't consider himself rich or successful, however. He kept insisting he had not reached "critical mass" yet. He continued chasing after the next contract, the next accomplishment, the next .... I might also note that he didn't save a single dime of any of that money.

I think many of us go through life waiting for the one big break that will turn our life around and give us riches, fame, prosperity and power. Maybe the stock market will make us rich or we'll win the lottery or our song will be accepted in Nashville or Hollywood. Maybe we'll throw some great dice in Las Vegas. We pretty much expect our success to come in some life-change, momentous event.

We also tend to interpret Genesis 41 through this false conception of success. We see Joseph exalted to the second highest position in all of Egypt and assume that Joseph was catapulted into this position because of his interpretation of dreams. We must recognize, however, that Genesis does not tell us the story; it merely provides us with a vantage point to examine past events and see how they influenced Joseph's placement in the seats of power. We must remember, however, that Joseph's life story was not a fairy tale. God brought Joseph to his position in Pharaoh's court, but he didn't not live "happily ever after". He was promoted for a definite purpose. The power and prestige of Pharaoh's court was merely decoration to his real duties in life.

Please read GENESIS 41:1-8 for the full text.

Joseph remained confined in Potiphar's prison for two full years, forgotten by the cupbearer despite his favorable interpretation and plea. God chose to work through means other than human instruments; thus He spoke to Pharaoh in two dramatic dreams that were so disturbing and real that they actually awoke Pharaoh. These dreams were remarkably Egyptian, with cows coming out of the Nile and the grain withered by a well-known and dreaded east wind. Clearly the writer of Genesis (Moses, the Bible claims) knew Egypt well, for the sight of cows cooling themselves in the river and feeding on the lush marsh grass was typically Egyptian.

The dream distressed Pharaoh because he experienced twice in different forms, both causing him to awaken. He was puzzled by the seven lean cows that remained lean even after eating the fat cattle. It was not normal for cows to eat cows or grain to consume grain, but one expects lean things to be fattened by eating. Something was clearly wrong, but what and what did it mean? The king's magicians (wise men) were equally baffled. God's revelation can only be grasped through His Holy Spirit and neither Pharaoh or his magi possessed that necessary relationship (1Corinthians 2:10-16).

The cupbearer noted the remakable similarity to his own dream, which caused him to remember Joseph and to tell Pharaoh about him (Genesis 41:9-13). The cupbearer did not mention Joseph's unjust incarceration. He mainly mentioned Joseph because of his unusual skill in dream interpretation. Pharaoh and his court were not interested in Joseph's character or religious faith. They wanted his skills and that was the only reason Joseph left prison.

Please read GENESIS 41:14-36 for the continuing story.

Josph was taken from Potiphar's prison quickly, but expected to shave and clean up before seeing Pharaoh. Although a beard was considered a mark of dignity by the Hebrews, the Egyptians were offended by facial hair. Joseph never brought up the subject of his captivity. His first concern was not his comfort, but God's glory. Joseph claimed no credit for the interpretation of dreams, but gave all credit for his ability to God.

"Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Both dreams of Pharaoh have the same meaning. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. Both dreams have the same meaning. The seven lean, bad-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, as do the seven empty heads of grain burned with the east wind. They represent seven years of famine. This is just what I told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the whole land of Egypt. But seven years of famine will occur after them, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate the land. The previous abundance of the land will not be remembered because of the famine that follows, for the famine will be very severe. The dream was repeated to Pharaoh because the matter has been decreed by God, and God will make it happen soon.

"So now Pharaoh should look for a wise and discerning man and give him authority over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh should do this – he should appoint officials throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority they should store up grain so the cities will have food, and they should preserve it. This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine." Genesis 41:25-36

Joseph's skillfully interpreted the two dreams indicated a supernatural knowledge of those dreams. Both dreams contained symbolism that carried strong meanings. Abundance was coming, followed by famine, which would again be followed by abundance. Joseph might have stopped there, but he was an administrator as well as a prophet. Fortelling the situation was from God, but analyzing the situation and determining the best course of action was a God-given gift. Surviving a famine required a capable administrator. A bumper crop would only do Egypt good if the excess were saved toward the coming hard times. Joseph suggested to Pharaoh that he appoint someone to administer the situation. Having read the account several times, I don't think it occurred to Joseph that he should be the administrator. Afterall, he never even mentioned his unjust incarceration. I doubt he thought Pharaoh would appoint a Hebrew slave over such a large public works project. He was simply being helpful with his advice.

Read GENESIS 41:37-45.

Pharaoh was relieved that Joseph could explain his dreams, but he seemed comforted by Joseph's proposed plan of action and the evidence of his competence to oversee the matter. Even the wise men thought Joseph sounded smart and talented. Pharaoh accepted that Joseph's religion gave him some sort of spiritual insight that his magi did not possess, but I think Pharaoh was mainly interested in Joseph for pragmatic reasons. Man of God or not, here was a good administrator!

Joseph probably went to the interview hoping he might be released from prison. He left the interview with tokens of his new authority. He was no longer Potiphar's slave, but Pharoah's chief advisor, given an Egyptian name and an Egyptian wife.

Many Christians are troubled that Joseph took an Egyptian wife. I would point out that he didn't have many alternatives. There were no Hebrews in Egypt as far as we can tell and Joseph couldn't very well go to his family and ask for a bride. Remember, his family had tried to kill him and his brother Judah had married a Canaanite. Godly wives were not in great supply. God had also not defined godly marriage at this point, but later, in Deuteronomy 20:17-18 and 21:10-13, only marriage to a Canaanite woman was forbidden. Joseph does not seem to have sinned by taking Asenath as his wife. She was the daughter of an Egyptian priest, but a strong character like Joseph would not have accepted a bride who would be a detriment to his spiritual life. He had endured a great deal because of his refusal to submit to the sexual advances of Potiphar's wife.

Read GENESIS 41:46-57 for the final outcome of this incident.

Joseph was 30 now and the second most powerful man in the country. Seven years of great abundance followed and Joseph skillfully administered the excess, storing up a fifrth of the grain for later use. When the famine hit Egypt, the people came to Pharaoh requesting bread and Joseph was able to provide it to Egyptians and foreigners (including his brothers) alike. His administrative success and the birth of his sons, Manassah and Ephraim, helped to ease the anger Joseph felt toward his family of origin. He was content to remain where God had led him, probably because God knew that Egypt was where he needed to be in order to deliver his family as God had planned.

When you hike in Alaska, you come to a lot of ridgelines where you can look back and foward, to see where you've been and where you are going. Genesis 41 serves that purpose in the account of Israel. Joseph's elevation was not the result of one lucky break, but a long hard painful slog through divinely purposed events. Had Joseph not been a spoiled brat who let a little authority go to his head and cause his brothers to treat him cruelly to the point of selling him into slavery, he never would have been in Potiphar's house. Had Joseph not rejected Potiphar's wife and been unjustly incarcerated with the cupbearer, he could never have been recommended to Pharaoh.

We know that Joseph was not the sole object of God's attention and activity in this era. He was merely the principal character. Joseph was blessed for his faithfulness, but his promotion was not for his prosperity so much as it was for Israel's preservation. Joseph's position of power enabled him to become the "savior" of his family. While God cares for us as individuals, He often has a broader purpose for what He gives to us. Spiritual gifts, for example, are not given for our benefit so much as for the empowerment and support of others (1Corinthians 12:7; 1Peter 4:10).

Joseph’s life had several curious turns of events. Just at the time when things seemed to be going his way circumstances would rapidly change and seem to wipe out all hope. He was leader of his brothers at 17, but that only got him tossed into a pit and sold into slavery. His abilities brought him to a position of responsibility in Potiphar's household, but his refusal to have an affair with Potiphar's wife resulted in false charges and incarceration in prison. Now, just as it would seem his case might be heard before Pharoah, Joseph's hopes are dashed upon the rocks of reality.

Or were they?

"They spent some time in custody. Both of them, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream the same night. Each man’s dream had its own meaning. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were looking depressed. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, "Why do you look so sad today?" They told him, "We both had dreams, but there is no one to interpret them." Joseph responded, "Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me." Genesis 40:1-8

I've seen Hollywood treatments of the story of Joseph that show him becoming embittered in Potiphar's prison until God shown a light into his dungeon. That is not Biblical reality. In fact, Genesis records that Joseph was given more and more responsibility as he bided his time in Potiphar's prison. It was his helpful and efficient care of the cupbearer and baker that brought him to their attention. We could consider Joseph a trustee in their mutual confinement. It would appear, though falsely accused and imprisoned, Joseph continued to conduct himself with honor, since Potiphar continued to grant him authority within that setting.

These two officials of Pharoah had dreams that depressed them and Joseph quickly picked up on this. He confidently reminded them that the interpretation of dreams belongs to God. As God's man, Joseph could therefore interpret their dreams. His confidence is a key to his spiritual condition. A man in his circumstances might well question whether there even was a God. Many Christians would wonder if their imprisonment were not a result of sin. Joseph, on the other hand, was assured of God's love and care, eager to hear and interpret these dreams as a means to show God's powers.

"So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph: "In my dream, there was a vine in front of me. On the vine there were three branches. As it budded, its blossoms opened and its clusters ripened into grapes. Now Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, so I took the grapes, squeezed them into his cup, and put the cup in Pharaoh’s hand."

"This is its meaning," Joseph said to him. "The three branches represent three days. In three more days Pharaoh will reinstate you and restore you to your office. You will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you did before when you were cupbearer. But remember me when it goes well for you, and show me kindness. Make mention of me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison, for I really was kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews and I have done nothing wrong here for which they should put me in a dungeon." Genesis 40:9-15

The cupbearer's dream corresponded with his previous position under Pharaoh, indicating what the future held for him as Pharaoh's most-trusted servant. The three-branched vine before him budded rapidly, blossomed and produced grapes, which he squeezed into Pharaoah's cup and served, just as he had done in his occupation. The three branches represented the three days that would pass before the cupbearer was restored to his previous position.

Joseph could have taken advantage of his circumstances, given preferential treatment to the cupbearer and the baker, even asked for a bribe for the interpretation of their dreams. He instead requested only that they remember him before Pharaoh. Prisoners always consider themselves innocent (Proverbs 16:2 and the Shawshank Redemption). Joseph was not unusual in his claim of innocence. However, his ability to interpret the cupbearer's dream lent credence to his story. That he asked no favors before the fact made his request reasonable, for he asked only for what was just and fair. Joseph was so certain that his interpretation was true that he made a request for his freedom based upon the outcome of that interpretation.

"When the chief baker saw that the interpretation of the first dream was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I also appeared in my dream and there were three baskets of white bread on my head. In the top basket there were baked goods of every kind for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating them from the basket that was on my head."

Joseph replied, "This is its meaning: The three baskets represent three days. In three more days Pharaoh will decapitate you and impale you on a pole. Then the birds will eat your flesh from you." Genesis 40:16-19

The baker eagarly reported his dream, expecting the interpretation and the outcome to be as favorable as that of the cupbearer's. He had three baskets filled with various kinds of white bread and the births were coming to eat it. There were similarities -- the baker's dream corresponded with his previous position in Pharaoh's court and the number three was repeated. However, the bad news for the baker was that in three days' time he would be decapitated and impaled and his body left for the birds to feast upon. Given the horrific nature of this prophesy, Joseph asked for no favors. I have a friend who insists that Joseph should not have been so candid, but I believe the prophesy shows the grace of God. The baker had three days in which to make his peace and prepare for what comes after death. That is more that most of us get.

These two dreams bear striking parallel to the gospel. Both the cupbearer and the butler had "sinned" against their master and had rightfully incurred his wrath. Both awaited their earned condemnation. One was pardoned and granted a restoration of fellowship and function to the service of his master while the other received the punishment due and paid the penalty of death. Romans 3:23 declares that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". As guilty sinners we deserve the penalty of our sins -- eternal death and seperation of God -- but God offers us the gift of forgiveness through the provision of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). When Christ returns for His own, some will spend eternity with Him while others will live in eternal seperation from His love and power (2Thessalonians 1:9-10). "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31).

Many Christians desire to share with the unsaved only the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, but that is not the whole of the gospel. We must also warn unbelievers that to reject Christ is to continue on the path to destruction (John 3:16-21). As sad as it may be, there are good news and bad news in the gospel and we do God's message a disservice if we refuse to share the whole news. We can be ready for Jesus when He returns or we can face eternal seperation and death (Revelation 20:4-6, 12). It's His way or no way!

Joseph's hopes must have soared when, after three days, the cupbearer and the baker both experienced the fulfilment of his prophecies. Surely the cupbearer would not fail to show his gratitude by telling Pharaoh about Joseph as soon as possible. Impossible as it seems, the cupbearer forgot all about Joseph for two years. Perhaps he intended to keep his promise to Joseph but never found the right moment to mention the injustice done to Joseph. As the days went by, thoughts of Joseph’s sufferings were suppressed, along with all the other painful memories triggered by any recollection of prison. Finally, Joseph was completely forgotten until the king, too, had a dream which could not be interpreted.

Those two years spent in Potiphar’s prison must have been the darkest days of Joseph’s life. If Joseph were ever in the dumps, it must have been during that time, but we are never told that Joseph suffered from the normal emotional reactions that Hollywood likes to play up. It would have been normal, but instead, we find a beautiful lesson in how to deal with despair and depression.

Joseph remained absolutely confident as he endured his adverse circumstances. He believed God was with him in his suffering, even though the evidence of this seemed more manifest in the lives of others than in his own.

Sadly, Christians today often teach that the death of Christ provides deliverance from adversity and affliction. That might be encouraging to the saint, but often it produces just the opposite result. Had Joseph believed that his faith would instantly deliver him from his circumstances, he would have been devastated by his prison term, perhaps even questioned the existence of God at the very time when he should have been ministering to others and giving testimony to his faith. If our faith cannot endure the storms of life, what good is it?

Fortunately, Joseph believed in a God Who is all-powerful, Who could be with Joseph in his father's tents, the household of Potiphar or the dungeon (Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).

Understand that this presence was not something peculiar to Joseph, who was a pious man. Remember what a reprobate Jacob was, yet God assured him that He would never leave him (Genesis 28:15). I cannot help but think that knowledge probably helped Joseph through his time of trials. Joseph believed that God coudl and would deliver him from his suffering in His good time and in His way. I don't think this was Pollyanna optomism of the sort of "positivism" that we sometimes hear today, but the confidence born of a close walk with God.

For Christians today, the story of Joseph adds credence to New Testament passages that encourage us to endure, rather than escape, our tribulations (James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:11; 1Peter 5:10). May God enabel us to face all difficulties as from God, assured that He is with us in our trials and that He will restore us in His time and through His methods. Like Joseph, as we await the promised restoration, let us minister to others, knowing that it is God ministering to them through us.