Daily Devotions
Genesis
"If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared." Psalm 130:3-4
Text: Genesis 42:1-38
A WORRYING TIME
Three dreadful days in prison! The brothers never expected to be thrown into jail when they made their way to Egypt to purchase food! How long would they languish there? What if they were to remain indefinitely? How would their aged father survive? For that matter, what about their families? The charge of being spies meant that they could be executed!
A CHANCE TO PROVE THEMSELVES
The brothers were suddenly summoned to appear before the Egyptian governor. They were astonished by what this man had to say to them.
“Do this and live, for I fear God:
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined
to your prison house; but you, go and carry grain
for the famine of your houses. And bring your youngest brother
to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die.”
GENESIS 42:18-20
The brothers were “between a rock and a hard place”. One of them would have to remain behind as a prisoner! They were supposed to bring back Benjamin the next time they came to Egypt to buy food! These were the tough conditions that the brothers had to meet – if they hoped to escape the death penalty!
TERRIBLE GUILT FEELINGS
On hearing these words, the brothers immediately recalled what they did to Joseph! Their being in the land of Egypt reinforced these feelings.
“Then they said to one another. ‘We are truly guilty
concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul
when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear;
therefore this distress has come upon us.'”
GENESIS 42:21
Reuben, the eldest brother spoke further on this subject.
“Did I not speak to you, saying,
‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen?
Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.'”
GENESIS 42:22
MOVED TO TEARS
Joseph had not forgotten his mother tongue! Though he spoke to them through an interpreter, he understood all that his brothers had spoken to each other in their native Hebrew tongue. He too remembered that fateful day when his brothers ill-treated him. But there was no anger or anguish of soul now. There were only tears.
“And he turned himself away from them and wept”
GENESIS 42:24