LIVING AS FAITHFUL PEOPLE
God's Protection
God Preserves a Remnant
Genesis 42:6-17
The Message
6-7
Joseph was running the country; he was the one who gave out rations to
all the people. When Joseph's brothers arrived, they treated him with
honor, bowing to him. Joseph recognized them immediately, but treated
them as strangers and spoke roughly to them.
He said, "Where do you come from?"
"From Canaan," they said. "We've come to buy food."
8 Joseph knew who they were, but they didn't know who he was.
9 Joseph, remembering the dreams he had dreamed of them, said, "You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."
10-11 "No, master," they said. "We've only come to buy food. We're all the sons of the same man; we're honest men; we'd never think of spying."
12 He said, "No. You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."
13 They said, "There were twelve of us brothers—sons of the same father in the country of Canaan. The youngest is with our father, and one is no more."
14-16 But Joseph said, "It's just as I said, you're spies. This is how I'll test you. As Pharaoh lives, you're not going to leave this place until your younger brother comes here. Send one of you to get your brother while the rest of you stay here in jail. We'll see if you're telling the truth or not. As Pharaoh lives, I say you're spies."
17 Then he threw them into jail for three days.
He said, "Where do you come from?"
"From Canaan," they said. "We've come to buy food."
8 Joseph knew who they were, but they didn't know who he was.
9 Joseph, remembering the dreams he had dreamed of them, said, "You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."
10-11 "No, master," they said. "We've only come to buy food. We're all the sons of the same man; we're honest men; we'd never think of spying."
12 He said, "No. You're spies. You've come to look for our weak spots."
13 They said, "There were twelve of us brothers—sons of the same father in the country of Canaan. The youngest is with our father, and one is no more."
14-16 But Joseph said, "It's just as I said, you're spies. This is how I'll test you. As Pharaoh lives, you're not going to leave this place until your younger brother comes here. Send one of you to get your brother while the rest of you stay here in jail. We'll see if you're telling the truth or not. As Pharaoh lives, I say you're spies."
17 Then he threw them into jail for three days.
For Reflection
A little taste of their own medicine? Maybe. Or perhaps not seeing his younger brother and fearing that he had met a fate similar to his own, Joseph tested the remaining brothers.
In spite of what we do to each other, God turns the suffering into goodness. It was Joseph's jealous brothers that took it on themselves to get rid of their brother. But, it was God who intervened to save Joseph from death. It was God that gave the spiritual gift of dream interpretation to Joseph. It was God who delayed Joseph's recognition by the Pharaoh. It is now God who will reconcile the family and make good on His promise to Abraham.
God is faithful to us. We all live within the grasp of God's promise. We have only to accept his offer.
Pray
that you will look beyond the events of everyday life and see the big picture of God working to fulfill his promise in you.
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