Hearts revealed - Genesis 43:1-34

Genesis 43 Hearts revealed INTRO This morning in chapter 43 of Genesis,…we find ourselves mid stride in the steps towards reconciliation between Joseph and his brothers. Joseph’s brothers, you remember back in chapter 37,…sinned against Joseph by throwing him into a pit…writing him off as dead, torn by wild beasts…as the brother’s story “THE LIE” told to their Father goes. TRUTH was,..they intended to kill him but, through some intervening efforts of Reuben, settled to sell him off as a slave instead. This sin of theirs brought guilt upon themselves, left a father bereaved of his son and a sibling abandoned and cruelly mistreated. A big mound of brokenness. Fast forward to where we are today in chapter 43 of Genesis. Joseph’s brothers are seeing the need to return to Egypt to buy more grain for food as the famine in the land continued and worsened. They have already made one trip..seen in chapter 42…so this would be their second. Their brother Joseph, whom they met at their first trip, is not recognized by them but only know him as “the man, the Lord of the land.” WHILE Joseph did recognize his brothers, whom, I repeat, last he saw them were acting as dishonest and cruel men towards him. SO, what have we seen Joseph doing in his interactions with them? Questioning them, accusing them of being dishonest men. AND IN DOING SO….seeking for their hearts to be revealed. For, they do become reconciled ultimately, but that is still a couple chapters down the away. Joseph has been seeking for their hearts to be revealed. Allow me to put it this way Life and death for Joseph at the age of 17 was in the hands of Joseph’s brothers. We saw this back in chapter 37. The revealing of their heart then,…was that of evil intent accompanied by selfish gain which was not overcome by Reuben’s efforts to intervene on behalf of Joseph. JOSEPH was abandoned, sold into slavery, left as good as dead to them. NOW, with Joseph as “the man, the Lord of the land.” Life and death of Joseph’s brothers are in the hands of Joseph. JOSEPH spares their life while intervening to reveal their heart. (Verses 18-20) of chapter 42 SUM it up well. “Do this and you will live (this is Joseph speaking to his brothers), for I fear God; if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die. “…if you are honest men…” “So your words will be verified” WHAT is Joseph looking for in the revealing of their heart?…Fruit of repentance. And we see budding fruit of this already as his brothers, shortly after Joseph shares these terms of life to them, his brothers say to one another in the very next verse…(verse 21) “…in truth we are guilty concerning our brother (speaking of when they threw their brother Joseph into the pit)…in truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” Reuben adds in (verse 22). “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” You see the guilt upon them? Nothing like feeling the pressure and heat of the moment to reveal what has otherwise been quiet within you. That could be evidences of God’s grace at work in your life in which the fruit of the Spirit is clearly manifest bringing great encouragement OR, it could be marking clear ugly areas of the flesh that need attention in being put to death. Here, with the brothers…it’s the lack of a clear conscience. STILL,.. after all these years they are ridden with guilt due to this sin against their brother where forgiveness and reconciliation has yet to take place. JOSEPH was 17 when his brothers sold him into slavery. HE was “30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” “The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said.” The famine is spreading over all the land..that takes time,…in fact, a glance ahead to the moment Joseph makes himself known to his brothers…in chapter 45,…it tells us in (verse 6) that 5 more years of the total of 7 years of famine remain…so it’s reasonable to say…quick math here. There has been at least 21 years of time since Joseph’s brothers sinned against him up to this remaining obvious guilt made known in (verses 21 & 22) of chapter 42. Is their guilt any lessoned by time? NO. More time doesn’t replace the healing and restoration from sin that forgiveness and reconciliation brings about. And so, because of this, Joseph’s aim is for the revealing of their heart?… Which is the underlining truth from the passage this morning. The revealing of the heart. In other words…to see fruit of repentance in their lives. Why is this Joseph’s aim? So that the situation between he and his brothers would be improved…indeed restored completely. And this comes by Hearts revealed in the reconciliation steps between brothers. Did you catch from last week’s reading from scripture and then also today’s that Joseph’s dreams,… back when he was 17years old,..about his brothers bowing down to him came to pass. He had two dreams of it and it came to pass twice. ONCE in chapter 42 when they first meet Joseph and then again in chapter 43 when they return to Egypt. NOTICE Joseph didn’t respond in that moment. “BOOM! Recognize me fellas? Yeah, it’s your brother whom you left for dead. Get ready for a reckoning.” JOSEPH was in a place of power to do so…BUT that is not the action he takes. And if he did reveal himself to them right away.…DO you think they would be apologetic? OF COURSE. Their life is in his hands. “Oh Joseph…we are sorry….It was wrong of us to do what we did. Would you please forgive us?” But this is not what takes place. RATHER….. JOSEPH is carefully wise and patient in pursuing his brothers to have their… heart’s revealed so that true reconciliation and restoration would take place. He doesn’t know where they are at. After this much time they are more or less strangers to him. LAST he saw them they were ignoring the distress of his soul as he is crying out to them to not leave him for dead in the pit they threw him in. That was the last time he saw his brothers. Much time as passed, he doesn’t know their heart and he rightly desires to see it revealed before he makes himself to them. The result of Joseph’s brother’s sin against him has left this guilt upon his brothers, NO forgiveness or reconciliation is present, and a father is bereaved of his beloved son. A big mound of brokenness. JOSEPH desires for things to be made right. That their hearts would be revealed SO That true reconciliation and restoration would take place. We find ourselves mid stride in the steps towards this process of reconciliation between he and his brothers TO THAT END. The revealing of hearts our chief focus of the sermon, the revealing of hearts we will see from the passage this morning in these steps towards reconciliation are: 1. Concern for the life of another 2. Truthful confession 3. Compassion motivated Concern for the life of another. Seen in (verses 1-14) in chapter 43 BODY 1) FIRST POINT - (Genesis 43:1-14). Concern for the life of another The situation. A fair amount of time has passed since Jacob’s sons made their first trip to Egypt to buy bread. In Judah’s own words seen in (verse 10) “If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.” The fam is reluctant to go back to Egypt to meet “…the man, the Lord of the land” JOSEPH….on the terms he set for their lives. Their brother SIMEON remains in custody in Egypt and for them to get more bread and retrieve their brother Simeon and all return alive back to the land of Canaan….they must bring with them,…Benjamin, their youngest brother…who is Joseph’s brother from the same mom. JACOB would not have it…YET, the severe famine continues and death will come to all if no action is taken. It’s been prolonged as much as it could, BUT NOW it’s either we go to Egypt on the terms given OR we do nothing and die of hunger. SO that is the situation. NOW the revealing of the heart seen in these first ten verses are that of Judah’s. JUDAH,…do you recall the revealing of his heart some 21 years ago when they all ignored JOSEPH’S distressed soul crying out to them? Listen to this in (verse 26) of chapter 37 that gives record of that account. “Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelite’s, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our own flesh.’” OKAY, was there some element of compassion there to save the life of his brother?…perhaps…we can say that was possible…give the benefit of the doubt…BUT I’m not persuaded to think so. Since equally possible was a motivation of greed to gain a profit from the life of his brother. Indeed JUDAH’S acts involving Tamar in chapter 38 are further revealing of his poor character of heart at this time in his life. BUT NOTICE the difference we see here in the revealing of his heart….captured best for us in (verses 8 & 9). Following some back and forth discussion between he and his father Israel about the terms Joseph wisely put into place to test them to see if they were honest men. JUDAH says this to his father Israel. “… Send the boy (Benjamin) Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.” NOTICE THE CONTRAST? A far cry from what we saw from JUDAH a couple decades back. There is undeniable Concern for the life of another seen revealed in the heart of Judah. Did you count the “we’s” the “I will be”…and the “let me bear the blame”. Easily 7 of them… “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.” Ownership for the life of another Is that not in step in keeping with repentance? JUDAH’S concern is not for himself. RATHER, at the cost of self his concern is for the life of others. The life of his youngest brother Benjamin, his father, his other brothers, all their wives and little ones. JUDAH’S concern is not for himself and that is revealing of a change of heart needing to take place…so that true reconciliation and restoration would happen. We are seeing progress here in the steps towards reconciliation. This is a good thing. And both the circumstances and Judah’s selfless plea to his dad…result in Israel giving approval to make a return trip to Egypt on the terms described by “the man, the Lord of the land”….who is their brother Joseph…..who is still unbeknownst to them. ISRAEL, is at an all time low now as he consents…. (verse 11) “if it must be so…” Giving wise instruction for their return bringing with them presents for Joseph and the money that was discovered in their sacks when they returned from their first trip. But catch this added nugget before we move on to the next point. In (verse 14)…ISRAEL - who is JACOB..same person, a man of faith,..at an all time low…says this “May God Almighty grant you mercy before the man, and may he send back your other brother and Benjamin. And as for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” ISRAEL, with no options but to comply or die…he and his whole family, …ISRAEL accepts what may come while leaning into the mercy of God Almighty. And that is a good example for us saints. For we find ourselves at such places at times,…during our short life span,…do we not? Accept what may come while always leaning into the mercy of God. Our next point in heart’s revealed in these steps of reconciliation is Truthful Confession 2) SECOND POINT - (Genesis 43:15-25). Truthful confession Truthful confession. Seen in (Verses 15-25) What was seen in the heart’s of Joseph’s brothers when they sold him into slavery? Evil intent, selfish gain, envy, jealousy, hatred, and ultimately, a LIE to cover it all up…this all came through loudly in that account from chapter 37. Fast forward 21+ years. Humbled by famine, life in the Hands of the Lord of the land who doesn’t trust them and Haunted by the guilt of their betrayal and mistreatment of Joseph….what do we see revealed from them? Truthful confession. I recall your attention to a means of testing his brothers that Joseph did. All the money they gave to Joseph for the grain to feed their families,.. JOSEPH had it returned to all their money sacks. To their horror,..they discover this and are in dread for their life….thinking with their hearts failing them, turning to one another trembling saying.. “What is this that God has done to us.”…Notice again,…the guilt they bear from their sin against Joseph so many years ago coming through? Already “the man, the Lord of the land” has shown a distrust of them and to now be in a position of him believing they stole from him. This is a problem. They are feeling the mistreatment of their brother Joseph returning back on them. Death is for certain before “the Lord of the land”, OR in the least imprisonment and becoming servant slaves of his. SO this is all bearing heavy upon them as they now return to Egypt. They have Benjamin,…they have many various gifts to bring him…but they also have all the money given to Joseph for the food he provided them and because so….can rightly be accused of stealing from him. What to do? This lines right up with them being accused by JOSEPH as being spies and dishonest men…which Joseph said about them repeatedly. It’s their word against Joseph’s. They have no credibility to offer. They make the right choice. Truthful confession. This is important to see in working towards reconciliation. Truthful confession. If this isn’t taking place then any forward progress towards reconciliation will be halted. JOSEPH makes careful arrangements so that this fruit of repentance would be revealed from their heart. And it comes through abundantly clear. In (verses 19-23) they promptly go into detail with the steward of Joseph’s house about all that has taken place. Not knowing whether they would be believed or not. But they make a Truthful confession anyway. The steward of the house, likely instructed by Joseph, assures his brothers “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.” And then to add to this measure of unexpected favorable reply…their brother SIMEON is reunited with them, followed by steady flow of kind, warm, hospitality. Water to drink, washed their feet, fed their donkeys and allowed time to prepare the present they brought for Joseph who would be having lunch with them. Truthful confession yields such fruit in steps towards reconciliation. And this brings us now to what is drawing all of this out. For this is of upmost importance in the life of the christian who desires “to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” As Martin Luther stated. “The Christian life is one that practices repentance.” We know from (Romans 2:4) How God lead’s us to repentance. “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” JOSEPH is embodying this same kindness and forbearance and patience towards his brothers to the same end of repentance and is in that,…an example to us all in how we work through reconciliation between one another. The thing that is so-very-important to see in what is revealed from Joseph’s heart ,… as to the motive behind it at work,..drawing the unfolding events forward is our 3rd and final point. And that is Compassion motivated. As we finish up this chapter in (verses 26-34). 3) THIRD POINT - (Genesis 43:26-34). Compassion motivated This has been present in Joseph all along but it really bursts through the pages here in the close of this chapter. And this must be the motivation towards ones who have sinned against you. Not to dismiss the hurt caused by their wrong against you. The hurt is real and not to be dismissed, while the right response is that of….Compassion. A sincere love for them and concern for the suffering state of the relationship between one another due to the sin along with a sincere desire to be reconciled and have the relationship restored. Which is so hard to put into practice because the hurt is so painful……but it is the right response. God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance that our relationship with God, whom we have wronged by our sin…would be restored and we are to follow in His same steps,…motivated by the same compassion our God shows us. (Isaiah 54:10) “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” We see this repeatedly exemplified by our LORD JESUS. (Matthew 9:36). As one among many examples “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” This is what motivates our God towards us, we are right to embody that same compassion towards one another. IN FACT, GOD’S Word says so. (Colossians 3:12-13) “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,….” Joseph does so here and it’s drawing the fruit of repentance in his brothers as by what is revealed in their heart in these steps taken towards reconciliation. When I said the Compassion JOSEPH has for his brothers bursts through the pages, I will first have you glance back to (verse 24) in the prior chapter when JOSEH is hearing his brothers speak amongst themselves about the guilt they feel over what they did to him. JOSEPH seeing this revealing of their heart by what he was hearing causes him to turn away from them to weep. Compassion in JOSEPH’S heart coming through there. This NEXT similar response of Compassion of JOSEPH’S heart revealed,….seemingly bursts out of the pages in that it he appears desperate to find a place of isolation to weep aloud. Let’s read the first bulk of these verses that start off with the continued kindness he is showing them. (Verses 26-31) - read Once JOSEPH returns he continues his pursuit in the revealing of their heart by the precise order they are assigned to sit at his table AND giving clear favor to their youngest brother Benjamin. His brothers are in amazement. From the types of insightful questions Joseph asks his brothers to now ordering them to sit in accordance to their birth right, and the obvious favor shown to their youngest brother Benjamin…this mystery man, the Lord of the land continues to make them uncomfortable while showing great kindness and hospitality to them. “…they drank and were merry with him (Joseph)”. Compassion motivated, JOSEPH patiently persists in the revealing of their heart so that true reconciliation and restoration would take place. CONCLUSION Is this not what our brother JESUS does….in taking careful reconciliation steps to reveal what’s in our heart and the need for renewal of it which he provides by His Spirit working powerfully in us according to His Word that sanctifies us? YES, Jesus is our Lord and Savior, but he also refers to us as his brothers. Remember the account shortly after he rose from the grave? In (John 20:16-17) the scene where Mary goes to the tomb to find it empty and then sees the risen Lord….“Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (Hebrews 2:9-13) Expounds more on the careful steps that our brother JESUS did to reconcile us back to God. “But we see him (in one sense us; man) who for a little while was made lower than the angels, (but) namely we see him ‘Jesus’ (God incarnate), crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (Everyone of his brothers). For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory (that’s his brothers/sisters context again), in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he (Jesus) who sanctifies and those who are sanctified (Jesus’s siblings - the born again Christian) all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them…..here it is!… not ashamed to call them— brothers, saying, “I (Jesus is the one speaking here) I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” OUR brother Jesus accomplished this by his sinless life lived, his sacrificial death on the cross, his resurrection from the grave and his ascension on high. Through Jesus, the love of God towards us bursts forth…….the Compassion of our God is on full display. PAYING the penalty for our sin sick heart and bursting forth the new heart we are given through faith in Him… resulting in sinful man being able to be reconciled to a Holy God. PRAY God hears our prayer/confession but He looks upon the heart. Are our words verified by our actions? COMMUNION - () BENEDICTION (Colossians 3:12-17)