Genesis 44:1-45:1
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“We do not so much desire to be accurately informed of our past sins, and to get right views of our past selves; we wish to be no longer sinners, we wish to pass through some process by which we may be separated from that in us which has led us into sin.” ~Dods

Verse 16 is the key verse of this passage, “How can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants.”

Joseph’s final test of his brothers was motivated by his desire to answer the following questions:

Do they feel the guilt for what they did to Joseph?

Will they forsake Benjamin, son of Rachel, to be free themselves?

Will they disregard the sorrow of their father?

I. Acknowledgment of Guilt before God (Genesis 42:21-23; 44:16)

The brothers had already expressed their sense of guilt. So Joseph knew that God had awakened their consciences to their guilt, but this time they acknowledge it before others—to him—not knowing who he actually is.

The references to Joseph’s ability to practice divination showed his connection to the spirit world, to God. Do you not know that I have this kind of ability? Do you not know that God will find you out? “Find out” is used eight times in the chapter!

When they discovered their money in each of their sacks, they had exclaimed, “What is this God has done to us” (Genesis 42:28)! Judah puts it all out in front of Joseph (Genesis 44:16 &ff).

Their responses answer the question: Do they feel their guilt before God for what they did to Joseph?

Yes! They see their current trouble as evidence of God’s action in their lives on account of their sin guilt. Judah is not talking about the silver cup—they all know they are not guilty for that. He is talking about what they did to Joseph and to Jacob, his father. They see no way to clear themselves of that guilt on their own, anymore than the inaccurate accusation of stealing the silver cup.

Many people feel bad for what they have done. They are sorry when they are caught, when they suffer, when they disrupt relationships with other human beings, and when their sin makes trouble for themselves. They are outraged when falsely accused, but fine with being falsely exonerated. Critical to true repentance is one’s sense of sin guilt before God and an understanding that He will surely hold us accountable for our sin.

David had sinned against many others in committing his adultery with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah, but even his sin against other people was a sin against God (Psalm 51:4). True repentance from sin grieves not merely over the calamity sin brings. It mourns how sin defames God, how it puts a man out of fellowship with God. David confesses he committed this evil “in Your sight”—hid it from others for months, but never from God. We often think that as long as no human being knows of our sin, we’ve nothing to worry about—that is atheistic thinking!!

The brothers thought they had got rid of Joseph over twenty years before, they lied to cover their deed, they tried to bury it, but it would not die. They could not shake the guilt of their sin, nor their gut certainty that God was holding them accountable for it.

So what is your view of your sin? Do you see it as it really is before God? Do you feel the certainty that you will have to face God for it?

“I hate the sins that made Thee mourn, that drove Thee from my breast.” ~ Cowper

II. Change of Disposition of Heart (10-13, 17, 30-31)

Answers the questions:

Will they forsake Benjamin, son of Rachel, to be free themselves?

Will they disregard the sorrow of their father?

These changes of heart are critical, because they indicate that the brothers have forsaken their old way of viewing the favored sons of Rachel and their old way of how they viewed their father, who rightly or wrongly favored Rachel’s sons.

They actually cared about Benjamin, and could not bring themselves to leave him a slave even to free themselves. They sold Joseph for a mere 20 pieces of silver. Here the price is their own freedom and the suffering of their own families should they not return. They actually care for their father. They are not willing to put him through any more sorrow, no matter what it takes. Their hatred and bitterness have changed to love and concern.

This is what Joseph needed to know. Their disposition of heart has radically shifted. They are ready to be restored. This demonstrated a core heart change (Romans 8:28).

This change of heart toward others involves abandoning self-protection. When we care for others as we should means that we cannot makes ourselves the prime concern anymore.

III. Abandonment of Self-Protection (32-33)

Answers the question:

How far will they go to make things right?

Judah is spokesman. His words foreshadow the leadership role the tribe of Judah will have in Israel. Even more importantly, they foreshadow the substitutionary work of the coming Messiah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who will be the Everlasting King. This willingness to sacrifice self is a chief indicator of genuine repentance. Making things right matters more than anything else, it matters more than even personal freedom.

It is often one’s protection of self—reputation, pride, possessions, self-rule—that keeps a person out of heaven (rich young ruler). Jesus teaches that he who tries to save his life loses it, and that those who lose it save it.

A person who is truly repentant quits rationalizing. He stops holding back. He wants restoration so badly, that he is willing to forsake anything to have it.

James Montgomery Boice believes that this chapter marks the conversion of Joseph’s brothers. He has good reason for drawing those conclusions, because what is happening in their hearts so closely parallels what happens whenever a sinner truly repents of his sin and believes in the Savior.

At conversion, a person’s will does a turnaround—from hostile rebellion against God, to glad submission to Him to do what He will with them—a casting of themselves on Him to rescue and restore them to a right relationship. Self no longer rules.

True conversion involves a reversal of mind, heart, and will (Acts 2:37-38)—that reversal is repentance.

Joseph sees their repentant spirit and compassionately reveals himself to them. They would never have dreamed it possible that they could ever rectify what they had done to their brother. They thought he was dead (v. 20) Nor could they imagine—before Joseph revealed to them who he was—that his dreams long ago could ever be fulfilled.

If you are overwhelmed by your sin guilt, and your heart aches to set a different course—to be right with God, and nothing, nothing matters more to you than being restored, then prepare to be amazed. What seemed impossible will suddenly happen—you will be welcomed into fellowship with the very One you feared to approach! What seemed impossible to make right will be made so—not because of your skill or goodness, but because of God’s. Jesus Christ has paid the price to make you free, to restore you to fellowship with God. Like Joseph, His suffering was God’s way of saving His people.

Joseph’s brothers never could quite believe they could be freed from their guilt before Joseph. According to Genesis 50, after their father’s death, they feared that Joseph would still bring vengeance against them. But their fears were unfounded. 50:20: As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

God’s grace through Jesus is amazing like that. He is intent on saving His people. He calls on people everywhere to repent (Acts 17) and calls on them to believe in Jesus, the only Savior.

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