Genesis 43

Bible Gateway link Chapter 43

In a time of famine they did not just have a meal, they feasted! While they might not realize it Joseph has every reason to celebrate he is rejoined with his brothers, his family. The older I get the more I realize you cannot replace family. You might have fights, you might have cheated each other, but when all is said and done you are still family. friends never seem to last, they tend to stay for a season or two in our lives then they are gone. It is no coincidence that if we are fortunate enough to have a couple that weather the storms of life, we no longer call them friends. We call them family. We will all meet our earthly death, and when that time comes the only people that you can count on right now to be at your funeral, is your family. It is little wonder that even after all that had happened Joseph wanted to have a feast!

I am sure that the brothers were amazed indeed that they were seated from oldest to youngest, I would think at this point they were feeling quiet out of sorts. They thought they were going to have to pay for the first trip only to be told it was a gift, they were prepared to possible have to barter to get their brother back, and I would be willing to bet that they were horrified when Benjamin got 5 times more than any other. While I believe that was a test to see how the brothers would react to the youngest brother, you know the brothers were all worried that it might be a sign that the man (Joseph) had found favor with Benjamin and would want to keep him.

Here again we see the foolishness of man. This chapter starts with the family dreading having to go back. Worried that when they return something bad will happen, possibly to their youngest brother. They go in with more than they need prepared for the worst, only to once again find Joseph happy to see them. That still is not good enough for the brothers, now they are worried that Joseph is upset with them, and will attack them because of the silver on the last trip, that fear is laid to rest by the servant, and that still does not quell the fears. I say this is the foolishness of man, because don't we do the same thing. We always sit around waiting for the other shoe to drop. If things are going well, then something bad must be about to happen. Have you ever noticed that when things are bad we tend to think that they can't get any worse, yet when things are good, we always jump right to thinking it will never last, or something must be wrong. The Lord blesses all of us, and if we would slow down just a little we all might be able to see all of the blessings that he has given us, and they do in fact last. There is no other shoe to drop, just the turning of the season.

Peace,
Brian