Dr. Michael D. Halsey
“THE TEST FOR GREEN EYES”
GENESIS 43
INTRODUCTION
The famine relentless gnaws at the family stomach. They’re out of food, so it’s crunch time for Jacob and his family. But this time Benjamin is going to have to go with them if they are to expect any cooperation from Egypt. They will return empty-handed and face starvation if he doesn’t go.
In verses 1-10, we see that if Simeon is to be set free, Benjamin has to go with them. Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go at first. Now, if you were one of the older sons, how would you feel—your father is perfectly willing for you to go to Egypt and face who knows what, but not Benjamin. Here’s an opportunity for the green-eyed monster of jealous to rise up again, just like it did when Joseph was there.
Now Judah, one of the older brothers steps up to the plate and does a great thing—he’s willing to assume any and all responsibility for Benjamin. This gives us the impression again that this whole generation has changed. It now is starting to look like it’s one for all and all for one. (That’s always a great and inspiring line in any movie made about “The Three Musketeers.”) He is finally able to convince their father because Jacob realizes that time is getting short.
In verses 11-15, Jacob tells his sons to take gifts to the ruler and then double the money they found in their sacks. Jacob prays for his boys, entrusting them to God and he prays for the release of Simeon and Benjamin.
The tension builds in the story as verse 15 says that they go and they arrive in Egypt and stand before Joseph. The first time reader would wonder what’s going to happen.
Joseph has arranged a dinner party at his house for them. (vs. 16-25) This makes the brothers feel like something is wrong, that the ruler is setting a trap for them. Verse 18 shows us the power of guilt, as they’re imagining all kinds of things are happening that really aren’t.
In verses 23-25 what Joseph says sets the tone for the day: “God has been at work in all these events.” Joseph is right, God has! But the brothers don’t know yet just how much God has been at work. They will soon enough.
In verses 26-34, the brothers approach Joseph and bow. This reminds the reader of the dreams Joseph had as a teenager. Joseph responds in a friendly manner and they bow again. A very dramatic moment occurs when Benjamin enters. Joseph sees him for the first time in a long time and the emotion of the situation overwhelms him. This is his little brother. He has to leave in a hurry because he’s breaking down, so he goes back to his room and cries and composes himself. When he comes back, the dinner begins.
It’s here at the dinner that we see why God’s will is to get the family into Egypt. The Egyptians are strict segregationists. They find it very distasteful to eat with the Israelites and this is one reason that God will get the Jews into Egypt. Once they get into Egypt, they’ll be kept separate from the Egyptians. The danger in Canaan was that they would become so assimilated into the Canaanite culture and people that they’d disappear. But there’s no danger of that in Egypt. God uses the wrong-headedness and stubbornness of the Egyptians to protect His people. (vs. 32).
It is also at this dinner that Joseph has prepared a test for his brothers. Joseph has arranged the seating by their ages. The brothers are surprised, because they can’t figure out how Joseph knew their respective ages. But they don’t say anything about it.
Now for the test: Joseph has given instructions for Benjamin to be favored at this dinner. He will receive five times more than the other brothers and it will be obvious to one and all. What will the brothers do about this? Will they tense up? Will they get quiet and pout? Will they mention it? Will old resentments surface? Is it really all for one and one for all? Will the green-eyed monster of jealousy rear its head? Jealousy is such a hard sin to control; it’s hard to keep it from erupting in some way. Will they other brothers start competing to be noticed?
In verse 34, we have the answer. It’s not a problem at all! They go right on with the dinner “feasting freely!”
So now Joseph can see it for himself! These brothers aren’t the same brothers he’d known growing up. Just look at how they’ve changed:
They’ve been honest about the money. When Joseph knew them, they were liars, even to their father.
Judah has been willing to take full responsibility for his little brother on the trip.
They’re able to enjoy the dinner in spite of favoritism to Benjamin.
They were glad that one of their own was honored.
These brothers haven’t treated Benjamin the way they treated him.
Conclusion: They are unified!
CONCLUSION
This has been a risky plan on Joseph’s part, but all is going well, very well. Joseph is putting them through this for a spiritual reason, not for revenge. If he were interested in revenge, all he’d have to do is move his father and Benjamin into Egypt and let his other brothers starve.
The spiritual reasons for what Joseph does here are to see if three things exist in the lives of his brothers. If they do, he can’t bring them into Egypt. Are there envy, hatred, jealousy among them? Are they dishonest? They can’t function as God wants them to in Egypt if they hate each other, if they’re jealousy of each other, and if they’re still liars. Joseph can’t bring such a people into Egypt. God wouldn’t allow it; He’d most likely just start over with Joseph.
I watched a DVD movie last week based on the true story of a man who rescued the intellectual Jews (artists, musicians, writers) from Hitler (it wasn’t Schindler). He rescued over 2,000 Jews by leading them with fake papers to the border and then into Spain. Sometimes they were on a train, posing as passengers on a day trip and then at a certain point, they’d get off the train and he’d lead them on a several hours’ walk to the border guards and then into freedom.
The movie was based on his first effort to get just a few out; there couldn’t have been more than 7-8 as I recall. The tension is that two German officials are suspicious and they realize that these people have gotten off the train and that something must be up, sot they’re in pursuit behind them trying to find them to see what’s going on.
The interesting part was that as they were now off the train and were walking up and down cliffs and hills to the border, all sorts of arguments and disagreements started to break out among them. They’d start harassing each other and complaining about each other and complaining about the walking, knowing full well the danger they were in. As you watch, you keep saying to yourself, “You all need to be one for all and all for one here. Just for a few hours, can you stop with the fussing and fighting and be unified? The Germans are on the way!”
It made me think of Moses and what he had to put up with. The first readers of the book of Genesis would see how important their unity and honesty was for the sake of the nation. They can’t function as a model for the gentiles if they aren’t honest, unified, and responsible.
For Us:
It’s interesting how the newspapers delight to find some church that’s in some big fight and put it out there for all to read. They do this because even the world knows something is wrong with “this picture.” Maybe God is saying, “All right, you won’t deal with it, I’ll let the world expose it and then maybe you’ll deal with it.”
In a dishonest world, isn’t honesty attractive? In a fractured world, isn’t unity attractive? In a jealous world, isn’t it refreshing to see a group that when one is honored, everybody’s happy?
In a world where it’s the same old same old, isn’t it refreshing to see changed lives. I wish I could take everybody with me into our discipleship groups and on the visits I make to our people who are just discovering and learning the implications of grace—they’re so excited with the changes God is making in their lives, the new freedom and friends they have.
How Joseph must have wanted to shout when he saw his brothers functioning in honesty, harmony, and unity.
But he didn’t. There’s one more test and then it’ll all be over.