THE KING’S BUSINESS
237
9. The Governor’s Response. (1) He gave no credence, but demanded with an oath that the young brother should be brought in evidence before ever they should escape, and clapped them all into prison to think things over. Perhaps that three days of solitary confinement had much to do with the change that was found in them. Such opportunities of dread and medita,- tion are very conducive to penitence. (2) He released all but Simeon, the worst of the lot. The men confessed one to an other their guilt, and traced their -troubles to the righteous Judge of the deeds of men. Trouble is a “sweating” process, in which men see God and own their sin. Joseph understood them and turned away to hide his tears. And, assuring them that he, too, “feared God,” he sent the nine brothers, laden with provisions, home to their father and families, with the charge to bring their brother, if they would see his face again. III. H ome A gain . 1. Their Report. (1) They had a strange and sad story to tell. They were not deceiving now; it was all too true. Poor old Jacob listened; his heart failed him; and yet this was not the final stroke of chastisement, the last sheaf of the tares for which he sowed so long ago. There was more to follow. When they found their money in their sacks, Jacob and they all were filled with fear. The brothers saw in this the hand of God; all their fears stirred their conscience, and they all, no doubt, anticipated the attack of Egyptian pursuers. 2. The Effect on Jacob. He laid the blame of his troubles unjustly (so far as he knew) on his sons. Petulant parents are wont to do so. He himself in each instance had sent them into peril, Joseph first and Simeon later. He showed a want of trust in the God of the Covenant. We should be the last to criticise him here. He said, “All these things are against me,” but they were all for him. Surely the Lord has recorded this that we should remember
6. The Beginnings of Harvest. As they humbled Joseph so they are humbled; as they gave him to unfeeling men, they get harsh treatment ; as they counted him (in his innocency) a spy (ch. 37:2), so they are counted spies; as they were deaf to his entreaties (42:21), so their protests (vs. 11, 12) were unheeded^ as they threw him into the pit, so they were cast into prison ; as they drew him out and changed their purpose, so he brought them out and changed his proposition; as they bore home, will ingly, a false report of Joseph’s death, so they must now bear unwillingly a true re port of Simeon’s mortal peril. 7. The Governor’s Charge. “Ye are spies, to see the nakedness of the land.” Egypt had many neighboring enemies. The government kept as close watch of all for eign visitors as German or Russian secret police do today. Joseph knew they were not spies. He had a deep policy in his dealing. The sequel shows that he was not unfriendly to them; though he may have thought a taste of the bitter cup they had forced on him would do them no harm. His purpose was to see if they felt toward the new favorite Benjamin as they had to himself; if they felt the same cold dis regard of their father’s feelings as of old; and above all whether they had sincerely repented of their past wickedness; and all this that forgiveness might be justified and fellowship established. In nothing was Joseph’s extraordinary wisdom displayed as in his dealing with ¡those ten sinners. By just such means God is continually test ing sinful men, and bringing them, through the consequences of their sins, to repent ance. 8. The Protest of the Brethren. “We are true men. Thy servants are no spies.” “We are all one Anan’s sons,” “twelve brethren.” No man would give up all his sons to so perilous a business. So large a company of brethren would not all be spies. And then they spoke of the young est, and the brother that “is not,” to give the governor a description of who and what they were.
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs