Your Sins Will Find You Out

Genesis 42:1-2,7,9,21-23
“When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons… “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there…” Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him.

Then they said to one another, ‘In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.’ And Reuben answered them, ‘Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.”’

For most people, this would be time for payback, but for Joseph and although Joseph does toy with them, he will certainly not do to his brothers, as they did to him. What is revealing about the emotions that Joseph has through this whole encounter is that he still loves his brothers. Even despite what they did to him and how much they hated him. Joseph makes demands on them and his brothers fear the worst but Joseph’s intentions are to preserve his family.

For us, payback is not an option. Paul writes in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” If we will just wait, God will repay the enemy his just do, but God will save the human heart.

If the offender does not repent to us, we give them over to God. God will judge. The judgment for Joseph’s ten brother’s? They never felt at ease, never felt secure. Now twenty three years later, they still remember, and when their father dies, even then, they fear that Joseph will exact his revenge on them.

Prayer:
Father, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.