The Story of God: Revenge or Reconciliation?

One of the sad realities of life is that if you live long enough, someone is going to wrong you. Someone is going to take advantage of you, criticize you, speak poorly of you, humiliate you or even betray you. Now when you are wronged, if you are anything like me, your first response is to get even – to take revenge.   Like the time when I was in college an I was eating in the lunch room, and every time I bent down to take a bite, someone threw a tiny piece of cake and hit me on the head. Now, each time that happened, I would look up as quick as I could to try and catch who did it, but all I would see is a bunch of giggling faces. Someone was making sport of me and it was humiliating. Now I was getting a little angry and figured if I caught the sucker who was doing this, he was going to pay. Then I caught him. So I got up, grabbed my piece of chocolate cake, came up behind him and smeared it in his face. Pay back felt pretty good, until I sat back down at my table and someone confessed that I got the wrong the guy. Now I was even more embarrassed. I had to chase down the guy I’d creamed, and ask his forgiveness. So that day I learned revenge wasn’t all that great an option.

Now when we are wronged there’s a second response you might make and that is to hold a grudge. That sometimes happens when you’ve been hurt so badly, that now you avoid that person, remove any connections you have with them and just wipe them out of your life. And that’s understandable in some cases. But unless you forgive them, holding a grudge can turn you into an unhappy and bitter person.

But then there’s a third response you can make when you are wronged. You might think that it’s forgiveness, and you’d be partially right.  But this response is not that simple, in fact it’s the hardest, because it can be the most complicated. What is this response? Its the way of Christ: it’s the way of reconciliation: Doing whatever it takes to restore a broken relationship.  Most times this is far from easy.

Yet, as we return to the story of God, this is precisely where we find Joseph. 20 years after being wronged by his brothers, Joseph is now going to have to deal with them. However, as the second most powerful man in Egypt, Joseph’s in the position where he can take revenge, hold a grudge, or he can work out a way where he can reconcile with his brothers. What will he do? Well that’s what we want to look at today in God’s Word. So if you brought your Bible with you, let me encourage you to find Genesis 42, where we’re going to see the wisdom of Joseph as he tests his brothers to see if their relationship is worth restoring. And as we do, we will also see how God is working in their lives to bring about a change of heart.

So that’s where we will begin – with Joseph’s brothers back in the land of Canaan, as they deal with what’s clearly: The Elephant in the Room When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” Genesis 42:1-2 As we pick up the story, 9 years have passed since Joseph had been put in charge of the granaries of Egypt. The seven years of abundance that God had predicted had come true. And for seven years Joseph had led Egypt to store up grain for the coming famine. Now, a couple years into the famine, and this crisis has hit Jacob’s family. And Jacob, like everyone else, knew that the only place you could get grain was in Egypt.

But the brothers just kept looking at each other. Why? Because Egypt was the elephant in the room. Egypt, you see, was the place where they had sold Joseph into slavery. They had no idea if Joseph was still there or even alive. But no matter, because no brother was willing to suggest that going down Egypt was a good idea.

Think about it. For twenty years these brothers had buried their sin against Joseph in some deep corner of their minds. But with this famine, Egypt brought it all back up. You can just see them looking at each other. “You going to mention Egypt?” “Not me.” “You?” “No way.” Clearly, with the mention of Egypt, the guilt of what they had done to Joseph was awakened, and it crippled them from leading their families. How ironic. The elephant in the room, wasn’t really Egypt. It was their sin. Even with their families starving, they were so crippled by guilt, no one would even bring up Egypt.

But Jacob – He’s baffled by his sons. He’s still the leader of the family so he says, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan also. Genesis 42:3-5

Do you see what God is doing here? Do you see what God is orchestrating? Jacob’s family is not just a divided family starving in Canaan. No, Jacob’s family is God’s Covenant people through whom God is going to bless the nations. But how can they bless the nations when their family is broken by sin? No, with this crisis we see that God is up to something with these brothers. Just what is that? Well He’s about to force them to face their past. And the first way He’s going to do that is by giving them A Taste of Their Own Medicine Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. Genesis 42:6

Sound familiar? Do you remember Joseph’s original dream he shared with his brothers? Here it is: He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” Genesis 37:6-7

That’s when everything started. When Joseph shared his dream, his brothers, who already despised him because of Jacob’s favoritism, hated him all the more. And now his dream was coming true, but only partially true, because one brother was missing. And so we read: As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked. “From the land of Canaan,” they replied, “to buy food.” Genesis 42:7

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” Genesis 42:8-9

Of course they don’t recognize him. It’s 20 years later. Joseph is a full grown man.  The last time they saw him he was a scrawny teenager.  Besides the Joseph now looks Egyptian. He is clean-shaven. He wears the robes and headdress of Egypt. He speaks in Egyptian through a translator. In their eyes, he’s this intimidating and powerful CEO… But he’s also a wise man, and even though it looks as if he’s about to exact revenge on his brothers; he uses his position to force them to face the gravity of their sin against him. So we read:  “No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.” Genesis 42:10

“No!” he said to them. “You have come to see where our land is unprotected.”

But they replied, “Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.” Genesis 42:12-13 Why is Joseph so harsh with them? He knows his brothers are not spies. What’s he up to? He’s intimidating them to pull more information out of them. And it works. His brothers openly confess their identity. Joseph now knows that his father and brother are still alive; but as far as the brothers are concerned, Joseph is deceased.

Joseph said to them, “It is just as I told you: You are spies!  And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here.” Genesis 42:14-15      

Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!” And he put them all in custody for three days. Genesis 42:16-17  Joseph is  giving them a taste of their own medicine.  He locks them up. Why? Perhaps seeing them now has awakened the painful memories he’d forgotten. Who could blame him for making them squirm and suffer after what they’d done to him. But, no, that’s not the reason Joseph locks them up.  So why did he do it?

Giving them a taste of their own medicine was done for a purpose: to see if they are worthy of redeeming.  Before Joseph can move towards restoring their relationship, he needs to see if God has changed their hearts. That’s why the process of reconciliation can be so complicated. For it is impossible to mend a broken relationship without repentance from the one who has wronged you. Sure, you can forgive that person who hurt you, but unless there is a change of heart you cannot restore what is broken. The brothers need to come to terms with their own sin first.   That’s why Joseph lets his brothers stew in prison for three days.

So does it work? Look at verse 18 with me and lets see if there is any Owning Up to Their Sin On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God: If you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here in prison, while the rest of you go and take grain back for your starving households. Genesis 42:18-19

But you must bring your youngest brother to me, so that your words may be verified and that you may not die.” Genesis 42:20 Joseph now lays down the hammer. Now they not only have prison to worry about, but Joseph threatens them with death. “Do this and you will live,” but then adds the phrase: “for I fear God” and gives them a different option. Instead of sending just one brother back home, he’s aware their families are starving. So in saying that he fears God, he shows them mercy. Nine brothers can return with grain to feed their starving families but with one condition: They must bring the younger brother back. If they don’t they will die. If they don’t come back with Benjamin, they won’t be able to get any more grain; and that will be the end of them. So they really have no choice but to agree to Joseph’s conditions.

At this point, the brothers finally own up to their sin. They are now fully aware that they are reaping what they have sown: They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” Genesis 42:21

But now comes the “I told you so brother!” Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.”  They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter.  He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes. Genesis 42:22-24

The brothers have put two and two together and connected their selling of Joseph into slavery with the mess they are in today. And Joseph hears them admit their guilt. They admit they had wronged Joseph. They admit they had been callous to his cries. And now they realize they are reaping what they have sown… This is a good start. They’ve admitted their wrong. But as of yet, there is still no sign of true repentance. God is at work softening their hearts, and although their confession brings Joseph to tears, he must let his test run its course.

How ironic: They are to leave one brother behind in Egypt. We’ve seen that before. Only this time, the test Joseph is giving them is this: Have they embraced the faith of their Father?   Do they believe that they are God’s people, chosen to be a blessing to the world? And the only way they can pass this test, is if they show loyal love to Simeon, and return with Benjamin. Then and only then will Joseph know if that their hearts have changed.  Because they could simply leave Simeon behind in Egypt, just like they left him years before.  But if they come back with Benjamin,  then will Joseph will know if they are truly repentant. So Simeon is bound before their eyes, not Reuben, for this is the first time Joseph realizes that Reuben was not in on the wrong that had been done to him.

But then as they are about to leave, Joseph throws in one more twist to his test: Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to put each man’s silver back in his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. After this was done for them, they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left. Genesis 42:25-26

Now, why does Joseph do this? Well, lets read on… At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.    

“My silver has been returned,” he said to his brothers. “Here it is in my sack.”

Their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, “What is this that God has done to us?” Genesis 42:27-28

When they saw the silver, their hearts sank. At this very moment they lost heart. They were shocked, confused and didn’t know what to do. And then, for the first time they recognized that all that had happened to them: the famine, three days in the hole, Simeon taken as hostage and now finding this silver… it wasn’t just a streak of bad luck. No, God was behind all this. God had taken them through the ringer for a purpose. God was disciplining them because they had sinned against their brother.

Now you and I might think that God was angry with them and giving them what they deserved for wronging Joseph. “You are reaping what you sowed.” “Too bad.” “You’re just getting what you deserve!” But that’s just not how God works.

You see these messed up brothers are God’s chosen people. As their Covenant God, Yahweh has committed Himself to build a nation out of them and make them a blessing to the nations. But they cannot bless anyone the way they’ve been carrying on. So indeed, God has done this.   God has forced them to come to grips with their sin. Why? Because He loves them too much to leave them the way they are. At this point they are totally lost. “Their hearts sank” And that’s good thing. Because that is what God’s discipline is meant to do. It’s meant to bring us to the end of ourselves so that God can change us.

This is what God’s Word says in the New Testament: God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:10-11

God brought these sons to a place of repentance. But there’s still one last bit of discipline that remains. And it takes place when they come home to Jacob: When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them. They said,  “The man who is lord over the land spoke harshly to us and treated us as though we were spying on the land. But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.’“ Genesis 42:29-32

Then the man who is lord over the land said to us, ‘This is how I will know whether you are honest men: Leave one of your brothers here with me, and take food for your starving households and go. But bring your youngest brother to me so I will know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will give your brother back to you, and you can trade in the land.’” Genesis 42:33-34

As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man’s sack was his pouch of silver! When they and their father saw the money pouches, they were frightened.  Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” Genesis 42:35-36

Things have gone from bad to worse. Not only had they wronged Joseph, left Simeon in prison, but it appears now that they have ruined their father’s name by stealing from Pharaoh. This is the last straw – they have brought shame and further grief to their father.   And the only way they can make things right is by taking Benjamin back to Egypt. Yet to do so means they will most certainly be taken for thieves.

And at this point it is clear to see that the Jig is Up! The brothers now have nowhere to turn but to God. For the only way to make things right is to return to Egypt with Benjamin. But to do that they will need God’s favor. They will need to trust God to help them. This has been a hard discipline. But God has done His work. They are now ready to change. They are now ready to do things God’s way.

In many ways, this is a difficult story. But the good news we see here is that no matter how hard God was on Joseph’s brothers, God doesn’t give up on them. God allowed the famine and their harsh encounter with Joseph to help them own up to their sin, so He could change their hearts. And sometimes God does that with us. Sometimes bad things happen to us, not because God doesn’t care about us, but because He does. He loves us too much to leave us in our sin. And so He disciplines us for our own good.

Sometimes God’s disciplines us so He can change us. Sometimes He disciplines us so He can set us free from the sin that paralyzes us. And in the case of these brothers, He disciplined them so they would get honest about their sin. He did that so he could set them free and heal their family.   And what He did for them, He wants to do for you. That’s why He sent Jesus. To set you free from your sin, so He can heal you and make you part of His family… So let me ask you, has God brought you to the place where you are ready to let change your heart, set you free and heal your family?