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Now let's get into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Joseph? is grown up. Joseph is wealthy. Joseph works for Egypt.
He's got a two-camel garage. He's got a wife. He has two children. Verse four. But Jacob did not send Joseph's brother Benjamin.
with his brothers for he said lest some calamity befall him.
Now again, we're getting some insight. into the family dynamics, the family of Jacob. Just remember back. It was Joseph that was the favored kid. He got this special attention, he got the special code, he got the supervisor's position, he didn't have to work, he just had to spy on his brothers, creating this hostility and division within the family.
Now There's favorite boy number two. Why is he the favorite boy? Because he's Joseph's brother, the second son of Rachel. There's only two boys born of Rachel. Joseph and Benjamin.
Joseph's gone. Benjamin is left. The only living link To that favoured wife of his. is now Benjamin. Because Joseph's gone.
Remember, Jacob had four wives. He had Leah. That was. The first one, he didn't want her, but he got her, you remember. Yeah.
He got Zilpah, Bilha, handmaids that became his wife and bore children. But the girl he fell in love with, love at first sight. was Rachel. He loved her and he worked so hard for her, the Bible says. Those seven years and then seven more years were but a day.
Because of the love that he had for her. Just like, whatever. I love her so much, I don't care how much I have to work. She's gone. The only living link left is Benjamin, so he gets favored child status.
Boys go down to Egypt. But not Benjamin. I believe this is a mistake. You see, when Joseph was around, Joseph was the favored child, but dad let him run around, right? Like, go find your brothers.
They're pastoring some 50 miles from here. Just go and say hi to them, bring them some food, see how they're doing. He let his son go out. and have freedom. He's keeping this kid at home, not even letting him travel to Egypt.
Let something happen to him. Here's the mistake. And it happens when something happens in a family, like an accident or a death of a child with the children that are left. The parent in wanting to protect We'll overprotect. will completely box in.
Because they want to protect all that they have left is bound up in that one child. And I believe it's a mistake. He's smothering his son. Verse 5 And the sons of Israel Went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Okay, I want to give you just a little bit of a topography lesson, if you don't mind, and geography lesson. If there was famine in Egypt, there was severe famine in Canaan.
Now I want to explain that. And if you have a map in the back of your Bible, you can look at the Fertile Crescent. You can follow Israel down as it curves, and the sea line curves toward the left, and you enter into the Nile Delta. You see the Nile Delta Had a Consistent yearly Flooding that took place. It would swell and the waters would predictably run its banks.
They would take that water and they would funnel it out into rivulets around the area and grow their grain. It was known as the breadbasket of the world, it happened every year.
Well, apparently Since the Nile begins inland in Africa, There must not have been enough rains to cause that swelling to take place like it normally did.
Well, if there's no rain in that region, then Canaan or the land of Israel is even worse. Because there is no major river. That everybody drinks out of. There's the Jordan River, but I mean, it's like. Um in many places a quarter the size of the Rio Grande.
First time I saw the Jordan River, my tour guide said now. Don't blink. We're going over the bridge. Keep your eyes fixed. And we went over this little stream, and he said that was the mighty Jordan River.
I thought, you've got to be kidding. Why do you call it a river? It's a stream. Israel, the land that God would bring the children of Israel into from Egypt. God said, is different than the land of Egypt.
Okay, now keep all these thoughts going. Don't lose me here.
Okay. Turn with me to Deuteronomy chapter 11 for just a moment. It'll come together. Deuteronomy chapter 11. Verses 10 and 11, just two verses.
Deuteronomy chapter 11, beginning in verse 10. For the land which you go in to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come. where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot. As a vegetable garden.
Now you're going, watered it by foot. No, it must be a typo. I meant watered it by hand. No, watered it by foot. They had these machines back then, like pedal bicycles, that would they would pump the water into these little streams to divert it, and in pumping the water, it would go into their fields and flood their fields, and so they would use foot pumps.
You used the annual swelling of the Nile River. to grow your crops when you were in Egypt. As a vegetable garden.
But the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, not a delta, hills and valleys, which drinks in water from the rain of heaven. See the difference? In Egypt, the water source was the Nile. In Canaan, the land of Israel, the only real water source is going to be rain collected from heaven.
So no rain? No life. No rain, no food. It's good to remember that as we're going through it, it makes more sense. And it will even help when we get to passages like Deuteronomy 28 and 29, where God says to the children of Israel: When I bring you into the land of Canaan, if you love me, if you honor me, if you obey me, The blessing that I will give you is rain from heaven.
If you don't. I will withhold the rein.
so that you won't have food. They were totally contingent, absolutely dependent upon God.
Well, if there's famine in the land of Egypt, Then you gotta know where Jacob and his kids are. There's a severe famine. If there's no rain there, I There's no water.
So, you've just got a picture now: caravans over the Sinai desert and over the Suez Desert on their way to Egypt. and among them are the sons of Jacob. Verse 6.
Now Joseph was governor over the land, And it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came. and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth. What was going through Joseph's mind when those brothers were bowing down to him? A dream, a dream 21 years earlier.
This looks familiar. It's what I saw in my dream, those sheaves all bowing down. But that was followed up by a second dream. That's why he knew. This wasn't the fulfillment, really, of it.
Because the second dream showed the sun, the moon, and the 11 stars, not 10, 11 stars.
So he knew one's missing. And another His dad has to be there. Also, his younger brother Benjamin. Has to also appear because. The dream had 11 stars.
There were only ten. But that dream flashed in his mind as they started bowing to the earth. We're getting into some of the Best chapters. in the Bible. And let me give you a theme.
One of the themes you're going to find in this and the next several chapters. As Joseph and his brothers meet once again, it's the theme of forgiveness. You know, forgiveness. is what separates the men from the boys in relationships. When you can look eye to eye at somebody who has hurt you like this.
and truly love them and truly forgive them and not act all put off and all aloof and all like mad and stuff. You've passed a great test. You see, it's easy to love people who love you. Oh, I like that guy, he always says I'm cool. Anybody, any heathen can do that.
The worst person can do that. Anybody who gets a pat of encouragement. will respond. But what do you do when someone opposes you, oppresses you, or Does you wrong? That's why Jesus said, You've heard that it was said, you shall.
Love Your friends and hate your enemies. I say unto you, love your enemies, do good to those. who hurt you. Pray for those who spitefully use you. Bless those who curse you.
That separates the minor legs from the big legs. You're going to see that here. Joseph. Won't hold anything back.
Now, it might seem at first that he is, but you'll see that when he acts gruff toward them, this is simply a test. This is a test. It is merely a test. He's reeling them in. To see if they'll pass a series of tests.
Um There'll be three meetings that will show those tests. Verse 7: Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them. But he acted as a stranger to them. and spoke roughly to them. Then he said to them, Where do you come from?
And they said, From the land of Canaan, to buy food So Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize. Him. They couldn't have recognized Joseph. I mean, they might have looked at the face and said, those features seem familiar, but it had been 21 years. He was just a teenager when that happened.
They wouldn't have changed quite as much as he would have changed from seventeen Years. or twenty one years previous to him being seventeen years of age. What would that make them? Thirty. Eight.
Number two. He's an Egyptian now. He's wearing Egyptian robes. His head is completely shaven. His face is shaven.
And because he's nobility, he would have worn. A goatee, a fake goatee. Egyptian men were given these goatees. They made them out of horse hair and they lacquered them and made them stiff and they came down and they would fix them to their chins. They just thought that was super cool.
I had dig your goatee, man. Where'd you get it? I just like it better than mine. I mean, they were all into this, that was their fashion.
So, because he's made up like this, he speaks Egyptian. He knows it fluently. He knows the culture and the custom. They would never recognize him. In his robes, in his get up with his language.
You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we return to the message, consider this. Abraham's life was full of ups and downs, but God was in every moment. In God print, The Life of Abraham, Pastor Skip unpacks seven engaging messages from the book of Genesis to show how God shapes the hearts of those who trust Him. Through trials and triumphs, Abraham learned what real faith looks like.
And this powerful seven message series will encourage you that you can too. This resource is our thanks for your gift of $50 or more to help reach more people with God's Word through Connect with Skip Heitzig.
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Now, let's rejoin today's teaching. And it says notice He spoke roughly to them.
Okay, now go back. Go back in time. And think how roughly they treated him 21 years prior.
Now he's roughing them up. Not physically, just verbally. He's just acting tough. And he's not doing it for any retribution's sake. It's a test.
Let's see how they react to this test. I'm going to talk to them. abruptly. Have they changed? These brothers of mine Is there any remorse at all in their heart for what they've done?
What about Benjamin? Is he even still alive? Did they treat him like they have treated me? He doesn't know the answer to those questions, so he's testing them just to see where they're at. Verse 9.
Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he had dreamed about them. And he said to them, You are spies. You've come to see the nakedness of the land.
Okay, so he acts suspicious.
Now there's something you gotta know. It was protocol to act suspicious. This protocol to act suspicious. Because when there's a famine in the world and you're like the only game in town holding grain, you have to be worried about your borders. That are vulnerable, that are porous.
And the land of Canaan was the most porous border at the time. They're wondering: are people trying to sneak over here? Am I gonna feed their armies? And are they gonna come and take over the land of Egypt?
So it was protocol to act suspicious. What's interesting is, if you ever travel anywhere in the Middle East today, They still act suspicious. It's hard to get into Israel. Try to board an El Al flight for Tel Aviv. You'll be interrogated in America thirty minutes to an hour, sometimes.
Not like our little, you know, um Uh Checking your boarding pass, and they will end. Why are you here? Who are you with? Who's your father? They start asking a number of questions.
And if I say, well, I've been to Israel 32 times, red flag, why? Why are you going back?
Well, you say you're with the group. Point out the group to me. How many are in there? Do you know them personally? How long have you known them?
It's because of the security issue. It's always been a volatile place. Here's another little story. I was trying to get into Jordan one time. When they were not having friendly relations with Israel.
Just it's it borders just across the Jordan River is Jordan from Israel. I am flying into Oman Jordan. I'm flying in with Franklin Gran and Dennis Sagajanian. The world's tallest cowboy. As I go into Amman Jordan, I didn't have the presence of mind.
I had a single passport at the time instead of two like I carry now. I had one and it had Israel stamped 17 times in it.
So I go to the passport control. They look at my passport. They flip the pages. They look at me. They flip the pages.
They close the passport, hand it to me and said, you will take the next plane out of the country. You're not allowed in our country. Why? you've traveled to Israel. That's it.
So I thought I'm toast and Franklin tries to vouch for me, and this doesn't matter. I don't care who you are. Finally, get this. Dennis Sankajanian steps up. Like a cowboy.
In Jordan. In an Islamic country. Pulls out his San Clemente Chaplain's badge. That's all, just a little child has a big cross on it. He goes.
I'm a law enforcement officer, sir. I'll take this man into custody. And I'm going, oh, great. This is. That's so stupid.
I'm going, that's so lame. I'm rolling my eyes. The guy looks at Dennis. Looks at the badge, looks at Dennis, looks at the badge and goes, okay, you come. I kid you not, I got in the country because of Dennis.
My point is. They're very suspicious.
So he accuses them. You've come to see the nakedness of the land.
He's testing their hearts. Finding out what they're About their past and what they've been up to. Are they trustworthy? And of course, he would act this way. You see, people who sell brothers into slavery usually aren't trustworthy.
It's j I don't know, it's just something.
So he's very suspicious and rightfully so.
So he retains that power over them until the right moment. Verse 10, and they said to him, No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. We are all one man's sons. We are honest. Man.
Your servants are not spies.
Now, Joseph has to be like. choking inside, laughing inside. We are honest men.
Okay. It's so hard to put on this show, this act for them. But he said to them, No, but you have come to see the nakedness of the land. They said, Your servants are twelve brothers, the son of one man. In the land of Canaan.
And in fact, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no more. Who would that be? Yeah, that would be Joseph. They have no idea. who they're talking to.
He that speaketh to thee am He. Right? As Jesus said to the woman in Samaria. But Joseph said to them, It is as I spoke to you saying, you are spies. In this manner, you shall be tested.
By the life of Pharaoh, you shall not leave this place. Unless your youngest brother comes here. Again. He acts gruffly, roughly. He's opening a wound.
On purpose. He's opening the wound of the past. to see what kind of conscience they have, to awaken their conscience to what they have done. Two. Listen.
His brothers were scoundrels. Just go back, just remember: it was the brothers of Joseph, the sons of Jacob. who killed, slaughtered all the Shechemites. Remember that story? It was Judah, one of the brothers.
Who went looking for a prostitute and slept with his daughter-in-law. These are scoundrels.
So He's treating them as scoundrels.
Now, notice it says, by the life of Pharaoh. This is an oath he's taking in Pharaoh's name. Why would he do that?
Well, it would once again mask his identity to them further. What if you were to say, I swear by your God, the only true and living God. They would go, you're Egyptian?
So he's taking a very common oath. By the name of Pharaoh, by the life of Pharaoh. Verse 16, send one of you and bring your brother and You shall be kept in prison, that your words may be tested to see whether there is any truth in you, or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies. Shall we put them all together? In prison, For three days.
Now, the word prison literally means custody. They didn't necessarily have to be behind bars. They were just kept sequestered, alone, no freedom. For three days. A lot of time to think.
A lot of time to process. All the while, Joseph must have been thinking, I wonder how they're going to take this. I wonder what they're going to come up with. I wonder what they're going to say in the midst of this test. It's absolutely fascinating.
Then Joseph said to them the third day, Do this and live, for I fear God.
Okay, that's a red light. That should have been he's dropping a hint now. I fear God. It seems to just go. Right over their heads.
If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined to your prison house. But you go carry grain. For the famine of your houses, and bring your youngest brother to me. I'm sure he couldn't wait to see Benjamin, his flesh brother, his blood brother.
So your words will be verified. And you shall not die. And they And they did so. Then they said to one another, They said to one another, now listen, they're going to have a little conversation. It's like they rally, they get together and they talk.
They're talking out loud. Not knowing Joseph. Understands Hebrew, even though he's speaking to them, you'll see it. He's speaking in Egyptian with an interpreter. But now they're just sort of processing this in Hebrew, not knowing Joseph hears and understands every word they're saying.
They said to one another, We are truly guilty concerning our brother. For we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us. And we would not hear, therefore, this distress has come upon us. They're referring back 21 years prior to what happened with Joseph. And Reuben answered them, saying, Did I not speak to you, saying, Do not sin against the boy?
And you would not listen? Therefore, behold, his blood is now required. Starting to work. They're processing their treatment of Joseph. They're going, oh man, 20 plus years ago, do you remember that?
God's getting us back for that. They're distressed over it. Yeah. Now, you see the repetition of the word we and us, it's emphatic. I read in the Hebrew, it's emphatic, we and we alone It's like we're getting busted by God.
He's singling us out here. It's an admission of their guilt.
Now I say it's working. Yeah. Because to admit your guilt is always the first step. You'd be surprised how long a person can go. And not be able to say, It's my fault.
Or, I'm sorry. I'm the one. They just have all, well, you know, if she wouldn't have. done that, then Of course, what I said probably wasn't proper.
However, There's always an excuse. But to admit you're wrong is always the first step in healing and reconciliation and forgiveness. We're so glad you joined us for Connect with Skiff Heidzig. Before we go, we want to remind you to request this month's featured resource, GotPrint, The Life of Abraham. This seven-message series from Pastor Skip traces Abraham's walk with God and invites you to discover how faith can grow even through fear, doubt, and delay.
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