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Okay, the last place we left Joseph was forgotten by the cupbearer in prison. We need to play a little catch up, because our account for today happens in and 45. So, let’s talk about what happened.
In , it says that Joseph was forgotten by the cupbearer for two years before remembering Joseph. The reason why the cupbearer remembered him was because Pharaoh, the king of Egypt had a dream that troubled him and no one could interpret the dream. The cupbearer remembered Joseph and Joseph was brought out of prison to interpret the dream.
The interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream was that there were 7 years where there would be a bountiful harvest, and then there would be 7 years where there would be famine in the land. Joseph recommended that Egypt store up some of their harvest in the years of plenty so they could survive the years of famine.
Pharaoh liked Joseph’s idea so much that Joseph became second in command over all of Egypt. He was raised from prison to the second most powerful man in the land.
In and 43, Joseph tested his brothers. His brothers came to buy food because of the famine. Everyone but the youngest son, Benjamin, came to Egypt. Joseph accused the brothers of being spies and tested them by keeping Simeon bound in Egypt and he told the other brothers to bring Benjamin in order to show they were not spies and lying, but rather telling the truth. On their way home, they noticed that the money they had used to buy food had been returned to them and they thought this was bad for sure because now it looked like they were spies and they had stolen from Egypt.
Eventually things get so bad that the brothers must return and they return with Benjamin, the youngest brother. They are met with kindness and Joseph prepares them a feast. When we get to chapter 44, that’s where we start this morning. The brothers are about to all return home with their food, but Joseph has one more test for them, and while most of our messages have been about Joseph, this morning it is more about Judah and the brothers.
God wants us to be Transformed
God wants us to be Transformed
Let’s see what happens at the beginning of Genesis 44.
1. Admit your guilt. - v. 11-16
1. Admit your guilt. - v. 11-16
Judah stands up as the leader of his brothers and declares their guilt. He believes their sin against Joseph has finally found them out and now he is at the mercy of Joseph.
The Bible makes it clear about our condition to. The Bible says that we are all sinners. We have each missed the mark of God’s perfection and we must repent of that sin. We must turn from it, and turn to God. We must admit our sin and guilt before him.
2. Plead for Mercy. - v. 17-34
2. Plead for Mercy. - v. 17-34
Next, Judah, the same one who sold Joseph into slavery for silver, offers to be a slave for the sake of his brother, Benjamin. Judah cries out for mercy in hopes that Benjamin will be set free. Talk about a complete transformation.
I am so thankful we have a merciful God. We can cry out for mercy. The word mercy means not giving you something you deserve. Due to what happened, Benjamin deserved punishment. Judah was pleading that he could be punished instead of his brother. He was pleading for mercy for Benjamin.
The Bible tells us that we are all sinners, each of us has broken God’s perfect standard. The Bible also tells us that the punishment for that sin is death, and not just a physical death, as everyone faces that, but also a spiritual death, an eternal death, where we are separated from God’s love forever and instead we experience the wrath of God for all eternity. God wants to hear our cry for mercy and just like Judah for Benjamin, God sent His Son, Jesus, to take our punishment that we deserved. We need to trust in what Jesus did for us so that we can be forgiven.
3. Embrace Forgiveness - v. 45:1-7
3. Embrace Forgiveness - v. 45:1-7
This is where the account gets really good. Joseph can’t keep the news to himself anymore and he has seen the transformation in his brothers. He reveals himself for the first time and it actually has the brothers a bit scared. The brothers don’t know how to embrace forgiveness until Joseph brings them in to himself. He tries to put their minds at ease that God has been with him all along for this very purpose.
Sometimes it’s hard to embrace the forgiveness that God offers to us too. We think, “God would never take me. I’m just an awful sinner. I don’t deserve to be saved.” The truth is we don’t deserve God’s grace, but there is not anyone in here that is so good that you are beyond need of God’s grace and there is not one person in here that is so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace.
Application
Application
1. One of the cool things in this passage that we see is Judah and his complete transformation. In chapter 37 and 38, Judah is known for great sin and for selling his brother into slavery. In this chapter he is now the one standing in the place of Benjamin as the ultimate sacrifice that his father might be pleased. It’s interesting that the son of promise is actually Judah and not Joseph. It is in this passage that Judah acts more like his future descendant, Jesus, than anywhere else. Judah stands in the place of what appears to be a sinner, in Benjamin, just as Jesus stood in the place of sinners at the cross. Judah was willing to risk everything so that Benjamin could be safe and his father could be pleased at Benjamin being alive. Jesus laid down his life that we might have life and have it to the full. If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior, today is the day. Take some time today to talk to your counselor and ask them how you can know for sure that you have received Jesus as your Savior.
1. One of the cool things in this passage that we see is Judah and his complete transformation. In chapter 37 and 38, Judah is known for great sin and for selling his brother into slavery. In this chapter he is now the one standing in the place of Benjamin as the ultimate sacrifice that his father might be pleased. It’s interesting that the son of promise is actually Judah and not Joseph. It is in this passage that Judah acts more like his future descendant, Jesus, than anywhere else. Judah stands in the place of what appears to be a sinner, in Benjamin, just as Jesus stood in the place of sinners at the cross. Judah was willing to risk everything so that Benjamin could be safe and his father could be pleased at Benjamin being alive. Jesus laid down his life that we might have life and have it to the full. If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior, today is the day. Take some time today to talk to your counselor and ask them how you can know for sure that you have received Jesus as your Savior.
2. This passage also teaches us that people can change. Judah and his brothers were guilty of selling Joseph into slavery and convincing their father that Joseph was dead. This was an awful thing, but here we see them confess that sin to their father and we see a huge turnaround especially in the life of Judah. We see sorrow for sin. God wants us to turn from our sin, no matter how bad and turn to him. There is nothing that you have done or could do that God cannot save you from. That also means that there is nothing that your friends could do that would prevent them from being saved. God can save anyone, so if you do not know Jesus, today is the day for you… and if you do know Jesus as your Savior, today is the day for you to realize that God van save anyone, even the people you think are too bad to save.
2. This passage also teaches us that people can change. Judah and his brothers were guilty of selling Joseph into slavery and convincing their father that Joseph was dead. This was an awful thing, but here we see them confess that sin to their father and we see a huge turnaround especially in the life of Judah. We see sorrow for sin. God wants us to turn from our sin, no matter how bad and turn to him. There is nothing that you have done or could do that God cannot save you from. That also means that there is nothing that your friends could do that would prevent them from being saved. God can save anyone, so if you do not know Jesus, today is the day for you… and if you do know Jesus as your Savior, today is the day for you to realize that God van save anyone, even the people you think are too bad to save.