I want us to think about Joseph's brothers today. We are allowed by God to watch the transformation of these men. And they are a tough lot! Just to recount a little that we know about them ...
* Simeon and Levi led a slaughter of an entire city because of the violation of their sister, Dinah (Genesis 34)
* All 10 brothers conspired to kill their brother Joseph ... relenting only when Reuben protested a little to the plan. So they changed plans and 'just' sold him into slavery, fabricating a story of his death for their father, Jacob.
* Judah slept with his daughter-in-law, thinking she was a prostitute, got her pregnant and fathered a set of twins by her. (Genesis 38)
(And you thought your family was a mess!)
Think about their transformation ...
First, this tough group of men have been brought to a place of neediness. It was done through famine. They are hungry. Their families are hungry. All their possessions and wealth does not serve them now. There is no grain to buy. Neediness is usually the place where transformation first begins - when we begin to realize that we cannot make the situation right - we cannot fix it - it is out of our control. These men are hungry. And they long to be filled. They believe it is all about food - about their stomachs. But God has much more in store for them.
I think that "famine" represents for us any circumstance that spotlights our neediness and our inability to handle things on our own. The "hunger" is the beginning place ...
Hear Jesus: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness ... for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6) The "hunger" is the beginning place.
In John 6:35 - "Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'" The "hunger" is the beginning place.
Has God placed any 'neediness' in your life right now? Where is He trying to get your attention? That is a famine! The beginning place in your own transformation is wanting to be filled.
Secondly, these sons of Jacob experience harsh treatment. They are accused falsely of being spies. They passionately pour out their explanation but it is not believed. Of course, Joseph knows the spy-talk is a lie, but he still puts them all in prison for 3 days. That was, in itself, a bit of a 'pit', don't you think? He orchestrates the situation so that his brothers experience harsh treatment. Why? Why does he not immediately reveal himself? There are many possibilities ... maybe this was all planned ... maybe he was struggling with his own emotions ... maybe he needed time to decide what he was going to do. Scripture does not tell us Joseph's motives so I think we are free to think about the "maybes". It seems to be in this prison where the guilt of conscience finally has its breakthrough. When the men are released, they confess to each other the guilt over Joseph that they have carried for 20+ years. One author describes it as "jarring the guilt into consciousness." It's required you know. Confession.
Are there any places in your own life that need confessing? It doesn't matter if it happened years, even decades, ago. It is a part of the transformation process. It's a form of catharsis.
1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
One word of caution: don't keep confessing the same sin over and over again. That is Satan's voice telling you to do that, not God's. If you have previously, sincerely, confessed to God ... it is a closed page. God 'remembers' it no more. He no longer sees that on your face or in your life. Believe Him ...
Third, we see transformation happening because we see the signs of character emerging in Judah. When a return trip to Egypt must be made to hold off starvation, it is Judah who steps up and takes responsibility for Benjamin. It is Judah that behaves as a grown-up ... as a man. Reuben had attempted to guarantee Benjamin's save travel ... but did you notice he offered up his sons, not himself? (Genesis 42:37) but Jacob was not desperate enough yet. Judah, in Genesis 43: 8 - 10 takes on the roll of the responsible one. And he takes it on himself.
So ... transformation ...
feel the need
wake up the conscience ... and confess to God
be a grown up ... take some responsibility for your own life
Lord ... we desire to be transformed by You into the image of Your Son. Let it begin in me ... let it begin and/or continue today ... let it come to full revelation of Yourself in us. And we believe that "the good work You began in us will be carried on to completion" (Philippians 1:6) because it is You who promised and You who will do it. I choose cooperation with Your Spirit ...
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