Genesis Chapter 42 Verses 12 – 18

• (Side note in Verse 17. As a day to the Lord is unto a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8), we are literally in the 3rd day as we are in the 3rd set of thousand years after the cross!)

• This must have tripped out the brothers. First, Joseph is speaking to them through an interpreter…they don’t think he can understand them when they are speaking to each other, but he can…they just can’t understand him (and there is a parallel there of the New Testament which was written in Greek and therefore it was rejected by the Jews)…but here, the word is Elohim…not Rah…

Genesis Chapter 42 Verses 19 – 21

• Whoa! There it is! They have gone from, “We are honest men,” to, “We are truly guilty!” Why? A little prison. A little hardship…a little wake-up call of consequence…as unpleasant as correction is, rebuke is, trial is…it has a purifying effect. Careful that we don’t protect ourselves by running away from every problem…careful that we don’t harm our kids by covering everyone of their mistakes with greasy grace…three days in the prison did not only the brothers some good but also Joseph…

• Their hearts were broken for what they’ve done…, “This prison must have been like what we put him through…, man I feel horrible,” …and then Joseph hears this and his heart is broken as he watches them deal with it and ultimately it’s going to bring them together! Let folks learn, man! I want to write the check for my kids and my friends and my church to have the easy life but I know that in that I will ruin it all!

• Ever heard this at home? “There’s NOTHING to eat!” When the pantry is overflowing with options! Ever seen a kid with 100 toys, they just want the one they don’t have…now, live a year in a home with no food…those green beans looking REAL good now! Watch a child that has a shaped stick as a doll…they carry it everywhere…but what do I want to do? Make everything go away, make everything easy…nope…that is the foolish thing to do and will ultimately drive my kids, my friends, my employees, my church, right away from me and what I truly desire for them. – Hearken to the Word of God!

Genesis Chapter 42 Verses 22 – 24

• Joseph wept over the broken state of his brothers just as Jesus wept over the broken state of the Jewish people. Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”

Genesis Chapter 42 Verses 25

• Notice, the provision cost them nothing…

Genesis Chapter 42 Verses 26 – 28

• Their hearts failed them because in the context of the story, they thought they would be accused of defrauding Pharaoh…and their brother would be trapped…they would be accused with reason of being dishonest men. BUT, in the context of the bigger picture, this is awesome, the 10 returned home and realized that the provision they now have, they were not permitted to pay for! And that freaks them out!

• Here’s the salvation parallel…we end up with sacks filled with grain…life restored…provision and provision abundant…and what does it cost? Good works, baptism, hail Mary’s, heavy weight of guilt the rest of our lives? NO! None of it! It costs us literally nothing! Salvation is by grace through faith and not of works (cost to men) lest anyone can say they’ve paid…and boast. Jesus paid it all, man!! And for those that want to earn their standing with God, this totally tweaks them out! And one way it manifests is criticality and condemnation of others…, “Pssh, they haven’t paid as much as me! Look how good I am!” HA! You’ve paid nothing! HA!!!!

Genesis Chapter 42 Verses 29 – 38

• Notice this, who had more calamity befall them, Jacob or Joseph? Definitely Joseph. Yet you never hear or see Joseph saying, “All things are against me.” This is the motto of too many Christians, and truly, one is too many. Have you yet begun to grasp what God has accomplished for you?