Genesis 42 ~ Put him in My Hands, and I will bring him back to you

Genesis 42

When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” 2 And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” 3 So ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him. 5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

6 Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” 8 And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” 10 They said to him, “No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.”

12 He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” 13 And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.” 14 But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. 15 By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” 17 And he put them all together in custody for three days.

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 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, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.” And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, “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.” 22 And Reuben answered them, “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.” 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. 25 And Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, and to replace every man's money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. This was done for them.

26 Then they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money in the mouth of his sack. 28 He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

29 When they came to Jacob their father in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, 30 “The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land. 31 But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies. 32 We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ 33 Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. 34 Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”


35 As they emptied their sacks, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack. And when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were afraid. 36 And Jacob their father said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has come against me.” 37 Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” 38 But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”



Jacob was having a day.

Proverbs 24:10
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.

The Vizier of Egypt had his son, starvation had landed in Israel, and they were now in the possession of stolen wealth.

Trouble.
Without faith, this looks like a good time to keel over.

I read a sad article today called "Maybe I’m Actually Not a Christian After All." Stunned me so I read other articles to bring this dear lamb back. Brought tears to my eyes. And I realized this is a Christian, he is just tired of seeing the news splashes of all the hoopla and the drama in life.

We have to realize something about Gandhi. He said I like your Christ, I just don't think your Christians look look like Christ. I loved all that I have heard people discuss about Gandhi. However I'd point out it takes two two to make peace. Christians made peace - this was a joint venture.

I was overwhelmed to learn if we look through all of Paul's Biblical Works, we astonishing love.
Telling us of Jesus' love.

no one else like him
show genuine concern for your welfare
interests of Jesus Christ
Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.
my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger
For he longs for all of you and is distressed because
God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow
more eager to send him
may be glad and I may have less anxiety
welcome him in the Lord with great joy
honor people
Jesus risked His Life

This isn't about liking how people treat us. This is about being like Psalm 23 - goodness and mercy are the wake we leave. Who did this? David to human frailties.


Galatians 6
9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.

If we go by the events of life, the popularity with the Pharaoh of Egypt - we will always be pushed. Jesus told us we will have waves in life. The New Testament attests to the problems of life in dramatic ways.


For yesterday, today and tomorrow - these Words of God Stand.

1 Corinthians 16:13
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.


For Jacob and his family, the corner of darkness was about to lift for the rest of their lives. The circumstances looked very dire. Jacob's faith changed their lives.

Habakkuk 2:14
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.



Our Father, Who art in Heaven
Holy is Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done
on earth, just as in Heaven.
Give us this day,
Thy daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
deliver us from evil,
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, the Glory.
Forever and ever. Amen


Father in Jesus,
We lift up families to find love, joy, peace, and comfort in You. For our loved ones to know the comfort of Your Love. We pray for the people You have given us. For our Nation, States, Cities, Communities to be Lifted in You to that the World will see give us the day.

For us to see Thy Kingdom, Your Power and Your Glory to be faith, hope and Love. Strengthening us all. In Jesus we pray. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †