Genesis 43 & 44: Who Is Your Surety?
Verse of the Day: (43:9) I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blames for ever:
1. Surety (43:1-34)
And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved. (43:14)
Judah repented of his sins of mistreating Joseph, his brother, when he volunteered to be the surety for the safety of Benjamin, his youngest brother. Joseph had instructed his brothers to bring Benjamin to him in Egypt in order to release Simeon, whom he had imprisoned because he had falsely charged his brothers of being spies of Israel, so as to punish them for their wickedness in selling him to the Ishmeelites many years ago. Judah not only was the surety of Benjamin, he also was the lineage where the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shall come from! By this time, Jacob learned the hard way that he was truly under the mercy of God Almighty, and all his children were actually gifts from Him!
2. Silver (44:1-17)
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken. (44:2)
Joseph commanded his steward to secretly place his own silver cup together with the corn money in Benjamin’s sack, so that subsequently he would falsely accused Benjamin of stealing it, as a punishment for his brothers’ cruelty towards him many year ago. Joseph commanded his steward to chase after them, and exposed them for stealing his silver cup, and arrested Benjamin because his sack contained the silver cup. The brothers were shocked and sad when they found out that the silver cup was actually with Benjamin!
3. Sons (44:18-34)
And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: (44:27)
Judah begged Joseph to arrest him instead of Benjamin, otherwise Jacob would die of grief, for he thought he lost Joseph, his favourite son, (Joseph was sold to the Ishmeelites, and he was not killed by a wild beast as his brothers had deceived their father to cover up their wickedness) and now he would lose Benjamin, another of his favourite sons, as both of them were from Rachel, his beloved wife. Finally Joseph confessed to his brothers that he was testing them all this while whether they were remorseful of what they did to him many years ago. Joseph discovered that his brothers truly repented of their wickedness. Though it is heart-breaking for parents to lose their children, just like I lost my younger son, Benjamin, however, as Christians, death is sleep, as we shall wake up in heaven and live forever, and indeed, one day, I shall see my Benjamin, in heaven! (John 11:25-26)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that Jesus is my Surety and Saviour now and forever!
