Genesis 43 
Listen Now!

We learned last time that God uses a variety of means to uncover the guilt over sin in our lives and to move our hearts to see our need for Him. He uses want, distrust, and mistreatment, the loss of freedom, undeserved kindness, and sorrow. God’s process of bringing us where we need to be involves more than just our realizing our sin guilt. He also uses abundant grace!

I. God’s Compassion (1-15): The Fearful Journey

God is full of mercy or compassion for His people. This compassion is like that of a mother for her child in the womb. The all-sufficient God who supplies every need is the One Jacob calls on to show compassions to his sons—just as God had done to Jacob many years ago.

We are instantly reminded of God’s compassionate treatment of Jacob by the sudden shift in this chapter to Jacob’s new name Israel: Prince with God (you have wrestled with God and prevailed—recall the all night wrestling match with God—touched Jacob’s thigh and put it out of joint, causing Jacob to stop fighting God and start clinging to Him—“except you bless me, I will not let go!”). God had pursued Jacob all his life with blessing. He appeared to him at Bethel when Jacob was running for his life from his brother Esau, whom he had cheated out of the blessing of the firstborn. Jacob made a vow to God the next morning that he would be committed to God if God would protect him (Genesis 28:20-21). Not till after God wrestled with Jacob years later on his return to Canaan and changed his name to Israel does Jacob ever refer to God as his God, rather than just the God of his father. God proved His compassion to Jacob before Jacob ever trusted God as his own. Jacob’s history demonstrated how little he deserved such abundant mercy. He was a cheater, a conniver, a liar. Significantly, it was at a time of perilous journey that God revealed His compassionate character to Jacob—both fleeing Canaan and coming back to Canaan with the fear that Esau still sought revenge.

A seasoned believer now, Jacob, fearful, fretting, nonetheless expresses the desire that God Almighty would grant his wayward sons compassion as they make their journey down to Egypt, uncertain as to what troubles they may face when they get there. They could be accused of stealing money from the governor of the land because of the bundles of money they found in the sacks of grain they had purchased there the first time. They could all end up in prison, where Simeon had been for a year, or worse. And they were taking their father’s dearest son, Benjamin, with the risk of bringing great grief on him once again, just as they had over 20 years earlier when they sold Joseph as a slave and pretended he had been killed by a wild animal.

Why take such a risk? In verse 8 Judah uses words similar to what Jacob had used before: “That we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones.” The survival of the clan was at stake. And because these are the people of promise, the ones through whom the coming Savior of the world is to come, the survival of the human race is at stake. Judah vows to be pledge for the life of Benjamin. What a change in his life! He was the one who suggested Joseph be sold years before. Now he offers himself as a substitute—foreshadowing what his most important descendant—the Messiah Himself—will do.

II. God’s Peace (16-25): The Welcoming Home

They did not expect this kind of reception. They were afraid that being directed to Joseph’s house meant that they had been singled out for punishment. So they start with their explanation of the money sacks. Joseph’s steward puts them at ease with the surprising words in verse 23: “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.”

“Your God and the God of your father”—time for these men to trust the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, just as their father had finally done years before. So far in the biblical record, they’ve mentioned God only once. Now an Egyptian points them to God’s provision. His words are gracious and are true in that, God worked through Joseph to put the money back—and the steward did receive the money—he just did not keep it.

The steward offers them peace—shalom—absence of conflict, well-being, tranquility--and gives God credit for the kind provision of the money bundles. We get some idea of what the word “peace” means from verses 27-28, where it is translated “welfare” and “well.” The steward further reflects God’s kind offer of peace with man in his subsequent actions: he brought Simeon out to them, gave them water, cared for their animals, washed their feet, and told them they were on their way to a meal. These men know they deserve no such special treatment, but they are tremendously relieved that their fears of harsh treatment do not materialize. 

Ever thought about God’s gift of peace to us through Christ? We deserve such kindness no more than did Joseph’s brothers. Yet He treats us as His children, gives us an inheritance, provides for all our needs, opens His home to us and makes it ours, having released us from the prison of sin, self, and Satan. We have been reconciled to God through Christ, we have been made to be at peace with God. It is possible only because He offers it to us—grace abounding to sinners.

III. God’s Grace (26-34): The Lavish Feast

This time Joseph communicates to his brothers God’s grace. Joseph’s treatment of his brothers reflects God’s treatment of people like us. 

To sit at the table of so high an official was grace. They are amazed with Joseph’s kindness to them and his uncanny knowledge of their order of birthright.

To come to the table of King Jesus at communion time or in eternity to come is way beyond what any of us have merited. God has shown us lavish grace to feed our hungry souls and to welcome us to fellowship with Him.

Joseph desires to see how the brothers will respond to favoritism toward Rachel’s other son. Decades before, Jacob’s favoritism toward Joseph provoked such resentment and hatred in their hearts that they could not speak peaceably with Joseph. But now, the special treatment of Benjamin does not seem to bother them at all. Instead, they drink and are merry.

When we are truly amazed at God’s incredible grace to us, envy over what God does in the lives of others dries up in the sunlight of grateful joy.

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