This is Connect with Skip Heidzig. Thanks for joining us for today's program. At Connect with Skiff Heitzig, we're all about connecting you to the timeless truth of God's Word through verse-by-verse teaching. That's why we make messages like this one today available to you and others. Before we get started with the program, we encourage you to check out connectwithskip.com, where you'll find resources like full message series, weekly devotionals, and more.
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Now let's get started with today's message from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, The big anthem was love. Love. Peace, those were the two big words floating around, and perhaps the anthem that summed that era up. was a song called All You Need Is Love.
And the words are interesting. I've always enjoyed this song, but I disagree with it. Because they would sing, nothing you can do that can't be done, nothing you can sing that can't be sung. Nothing you can do. But you can learn how to play the game.
It's easy. All you need is love.
So the song said love is easy. The solution is easy. All you need is love.
Well, it is easy to love. It's really easy to love those who are lovely. Those who are sweet, and those who are nice, and those who are responsive, and those who think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread. That's easy. But For you to love.
The angry? Contemptuous. Bitter Cantankerous That's not so easy. To love the lovely, that's natural. To love the unlovely, that's supernatural.
Joseph faces off with his brothers. They were brothers. You might think they would have a natural love, but A lot of water has been under the bridge of jealousy in their lives. They sold him as a slave 21 years before. Joseph remembers it like it was yesterday, and yet Yeah.
When they come looking for grain in Egypt, and he's the second in command. He is the big kahuna. He's number two next to Pharaoh. When they come looking for grain, and he recognizes. Them, they do not recognize him.
He has to excuse himself. He goes into the next room and he begins to cry. He begins to weep. His heart is tender toward them. He loves them.
He's willing to forgive them. He is willing to love. The unlovely. Um payback. That's natural.
Pardon that supernatural. He's willing to do that the second. He's willing to pardon them. And he will extend his pardon to them in chapter 45.
Now, chapters. 43, 44, and 45 are all one unit. All one meeting. There were three meetings that Joseph had with his brothers. Tonight we look at the second meeting.
And um We won't have time to look at all of These chapters into chapter 45, we'll have to just wait because we don't want to miss anything. But in these meetings, Joseph Has a posture toward them. He's tough. He's hard on them, it seems. It's really all a ploy because he's giving them a test.
The first test last week we covered was the test of sincerity. The second test we look at tonight. And the third test, the second is the test of jealousy. They were jealous of Joseph 21 years before. I wonder how they are toward The next favorite son, Benjamin.
I wonder what they're going to say about him. That's why he demanded. That they bring their youngest son Benjamin. They had disclosed that they had a son at home with his. Father.
And he was back in Canaan. And so this ruler Joseph Number two, the Big Kahuna. Says You'll never have an audience with me again. You'll never see my face again until you bring your youngest brother with you.
Now there's something happening. Spiritually, divinely. You see, God wants to do a work. In these boys' lives.
Well, they're not boys, they're Men, some of them advanced in age. He wants to do a work in them. And what is the work?
Well, you know. You know the history. You know the story. They're going to be founders of the nation. It's Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the 12 tribes, the 12 sons of Jacob will become the pillars of the nation.
They're going to bring forth the Messiah. But God has to do some work in them. before he will work through them. It's always a pattern. God's always interested in chipping away at our lives and doing a deep work in us so that He might work powerfully through us.
So they're still growing spiritually, and they need to be awakened spiritually. And by these tests, That will happen.
So, Joseph gives them a series of tests to see how far they have grown. in their relationship with one another. And God is preparing them for that relationship with Him and for the work that He wants to do.
So they get tested. Joseph also has gone through his own set of tests, apart from them. While he's been in Egypt, he had the test, we remember, of adversity. We covered that. Passed it with flying colours.
The second test, which I believe was harder than the first, was the test of prosperity. He was suddenly promoted, suddenly wealthy, suddenly in control and in charge. That's more difficult to handle. Joseph passed it with flying colors. It seems that no matter what the terrain, no matter what the conditions that Joseph was thrown into, the guy just went with it, flowed with it.
and was successful in it. Joseph reminds me of that little boy who spent all of his time one day making a boat. Hours and hours were spent gluing piece after piece and drawing on it and painting it, and he was so excited to put that little boat. on the lake and let it sail.
Okay. A breeze had come up. He thought it was just perfect, and he set it on the lake, and the breeze turned into a mighty wind that blew that boat. and sunk the boat. The boat he had made, he had labored on.
Sank. And instead of crying and getting all upset, why me? Why did it happen? He smiled and said, Wow, it looks like a great day to fly a kite. Went home and he got his kite.
Joseph was like that. Whether he was in prison or whether he was prospering, he had that. Navigational pointer toward the Lord. And as we said, Romans 8:28 could have been his life verse. All things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to his purpose.
Okay. Okay, I mentioned that there's three meetings altogether. The first meeting we saw last week. The second meeting takes place in chapters 43, 44, and 45. Joseph did not reveal himself to his brothers until the second meeting.
Not the first, they didn't recognize him the first time, but the second time they met together. They will recognize him. He'll reveal himself to them. I'm bringing that up because I see Again, like you saw in the little opening video, that Joseph is a type of Jesus. Just as Joseph Was recognized not until the second time.
It's a type of Jesus and his Jewish brethren. They didn't recognize him the first time. He came into his own and his own. Received him not. Jesus stood on the Mount of Olives and cried.
Cried out and he said, Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered you as a mother hen gathers her chicks, but you were not willing. They failed to recognize him the first time. But they will recognize him the second time. When he comes the second time, They'll understand he was their Messiah. He was and is their Messiah, the Savior of the world.
They'll get it then.
Now, that was one of the points. that Stephen made in Acts chapter seven. when he recounts this part of Genesis. And there Stephen, addressing the Sanhedrin, says, Jacob, when he heard that there was grain in Egypt, sent our fathers first, that is, these ten sons. Yeah.
But then he said the second time Joseph revealed himself to them. The prophet Zechariah Tells us what will happen when Jesus comes the second time and the nation of Israel. recognizes him. Albeit for most it will be too late. In Zechariah 12, it reads: I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication.
and they will look on me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns. for his own son.
So we have a type of that here. Just keep that in mind. It's fascinating to study Joseph's life because of that. If I were to divide, and I will divide up for your sake these.
Next two chapters.
Now, we're going to cover one chapter. We may cover two chapters. I always leave that open. If we don't, we'll finish that up for next week. But here's the division.
There's number one a predicament in Canaan. That's verses one through fifteen: a predicament in Canaan. The famine gets worse and worse. And now it's at the worst. Predicament in Canaan.
Then verses 16 through verse 34, the end of the chapter. There's a party in Egypt.
So, from a predicament in Canaan, we go to the party in Egypt. It's a great party. And then finally, chapter 44. Is there's penitence. In the brothers of Joseph, in the hearts of men, penitents, they repent, they get found out, they know that the Lord's behind this, and they come clean.
And that leads to a beautiful reunion.
So, verse 1, chapter 43: here's the predicament in Canaan.
Now, the famine. was severe. In the land. 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 Heidzig.
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Now, let's rejoin today's teaching. We were introduced to the famine last week, seven years it was predicted.
Now the famine is severe, and it came to pass. When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, That their father said to them, Go back. and buy us a little food. No, it's sort of interesting that They evidently waited a long time. And didn't do anything.
They didn't move. They just. Got the grain that they bought last time, and they're eating it up, eating it up, eating it up, and not. doing anything.
Meanwhile, Simeon is down in Egypt rotting in jail. But they're not budging. They just sort of wait. And why is that? Because they know that the ruler said, don't come back until you bring Benji.
You got to bring Benji, or you're not going to see my face. They don't want to bring that up. to the old man. Nobody wants to broach the subject. Nobody wants to talk to him about it.
Because we saw last week when they did. He put his foot down when Reuben suggested, you know, I'll kill my boys and I'll take Benjamin down, and he completely disregarded it.
So they're just eating away, eating away, eating away, getting hungrier and hungrier. You know, there's. There's nothing like hunger to motivate a person. And when you get hungry enough, You'll work anywhere. You'll do anything for food.
One of the things that I so appreciate about you is your spiritual hunger. And that's why before I ever crack a book or Consider a text. I pray that God would feed you spiritually. meeting your needs.
So thankful for your hunger, praying that you get fed good spiritual meals. In fact, my prayer is that you'll get so fed tonight that you'll have spiritual indigestion. And you'll be burping up scriptures all week. They'll just, they'll come to mind, they'll come to mind, they'll come to mind and carry you through the week. These guys are hungry.
They need a meal. And so dad's going to speak. Verse 3, but Judah spoke to him. Saying The man solemnly warned us, saying, You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you. If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy food.
But If you will not send him, we will not go down. For this man said to us, You shall not see my face. Unless your brother is with you. And Israel, that's Jacob, but he was renamed, if you recall. Said Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you still had another brother?
What is this guy, Eeyore, or what? He plays the same note. Over and over again. It's all about me. It's all about me.
Do you remember what he said? When we covered our last chapter, chapter... 42 at the end. You know, he said, oh, when he found this out, oh, he said, all things are against me. All things are against me.
Well, he couldn't be further from the truth. Were all things against him? Was God doing this because God was against him? No, all things were for him, man. He was about to get blessed beyond his wildest dreams and have more food than he could eat, and have a place where his children and children's children could branch out and grow.
and flourish. The Bible says if God is for us, who can be against us? All things are against me.
Oh, you have no clue, dude. You are so blind. You are so myopic. All things are for you, and you can't realize it. And here he is again, Mr.
Eeyore the donkey. All things are against me.
And suggesting to his brothers, basically, Well, why did you tell them the truth? Why didn't he just lie and say nope? We don't have any more brothers. He's a scoundrel. He has two flaws.
He's blind to his own favoritism. Most parents that favor a child over another are often blind to it. He was blind to Joseph's. Treatment. He treated him so royally.
He gave him that. Beautiful colored garment And didn't make him go work in the fields like he made his other brothers work in the field. In fact, he had the little kid Joseph supervise his brothers. And he just sort of sent them out. He goes go spy on your brothers and see how they are.
That's blind. Also, He made so much. of mourning for Joseph. that he was just hard to deal with. Hey, you gotta give these boys some credit.
They did go down to Egypt last time. They did get grain. They did risk their lives. He's playing that same old note. But they said, verse 7, The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, Is your father still alive?
Have you another Brother. And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say Bring your brother down? Then Judah. said to his father, Send the lad with me.
And we will arise and go, that we may live and not die. Both We and you and our little ones. I myself will be surety for him. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, Then let me bear the blame forever.
For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned the second time. You know, we've been sitting around, Dad, this whole time. We should have gone a long time ago.
Now, surety, you see that little word, let me be surety? That's a legal contractual term. It means let me be the guarantor. I will guarantee this. It typically referred to somebody who would guarantee a loan.
And cover somebody's debt. Here it simply means. I'll care for him. I'll care for him, and I'll care for him in that I'll become the substitute if something happens.
Now, just keep this in mind: that Judah is willing to become a substitute for his brothers. I'm going to tie a little end together and connect a couple of dots in just a little bit.
Well, that's what he promises.
Okay, pause for a moment. Think back to last Bible study in Genesis. It was the oldest, Reuben, who made a pledge to his father. Do you remember that? Remember that crazy, stupid thing he said?
He said, look, I'll go down and... You know, I'll watch little Benjamin. And if I don't bring him back alive, then you can just kill my two boys. That's what he said. His dad just completely blew it off, disregarded it completely.
Why? Because it was as if he was saying, Reuben, I'll never trust you again. with one of my little sons. You were the oldest. You are the oldest.
You were really responsible for Joseph in the wilderness. Look what happened to him. I'm not going to trust you.
Now here is Judah. And Judah is offering To be sure a tea for him. and his dad's going to take him up on that. Yeah. In Genesis chapter 49, you'll get to it, but here's just a little teaser.
When Jacob's on his deathbed, he says of his son Reuben, Reuben, you are my firstborn, unstable as water. You shall not excel. Unstable as water. You're not trustworthy. You say one thing, you don't follow through.
I don't trust you. You will not excel. That was the prediction. Those are some pretty heavy last words for your dad to say. Judah, on the other hand, he was a scoundrel too.
But I submit to you that Judah has changed, or at least is in the process of changing. Twenty-one years have gone since what happened to Joseph happened. Many years have passed since the incident in Chapter Thirty four with Tamar. Getting his own daughter-in-law pregnant, and we saw this guy was a mess. But he's changing.
And he's changing in the area of relationships, and I think you'll see it tonight. He's grown relationally. Verse 11. And their father Israel said to them, If it must be so, Then do this. Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels.
and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, A little honey. Probably it was date honey, not Honey, like we know it. It's the extract of dates. They sell it over in the Jordan River area, even to this day. Bring with you spices.
And myrrh? Pistachio nuts and almonds. I'm salivating in my heart, even as I say that. I've never had better pistachios in my life. than the ones that come from the Middle East.
area of Israel and Lebanon. Even Jordan? Oh man, they're big honking ones like Like Schwarzenegger grew them or something, they're just big and Juicy.
Now, it would seem there's a famine in the land, but it seems that there are some staple items in Israel that are unaffected by the famine. And he's saying, take some of these as a gift. There's a proverb that that talks about gift giving. That giving a gift opens a door and puts you in front of great rulers. It's just a good thing to do.
You're going to go see someone. Give them a little token. Oh, thank you. Come on in. It just disarms a person.
So go back down and buy grain. But give him a gift as well. Then, verse 12: Take double the money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouths of your sacks, if you remember last week's study. Perhaps it was an oversight. Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man.
And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man. Notice what they're calling Joseph. He'd a man. He's the man. He's the ruler.
That he may release your older brother, that's Simeon, who's. Hostage. And Benjamin.
Now, listen to this. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.
Now he's thinking logically.
Now he realizes: if we sit here and do nothing, we're going to die. If we go down to Egypt, we may die, we may not die. But if we just do nothing, we will die.
So it's worth the risk. This is a necessary risk, it has to be taken. Come on.
Something I just want to make a little note of. I don't want to push too much into the text, but just. Just note. What a control freak. Jacob is.
Tells them what to do, what to take, how to lay it all out. I mean, you know, these guys aren't little kids, they're older men. They can handle this. They could have gotten this job done sooner. But Jacob is just he wants to control everything.
You drive me nuts. Second thing to notice. Is he doesn't say, take my son, he says, take your brother. Why would he say that? Why wouldn't he say, take my son, my favorite son?
Take your brother. He's impressing upon them. The relationship they have, thus the responsibility to care for him. He's your own flesh and blood. You take care of them.
The third thing to make note of is what he calls God. God Almighty, El Shaddai is the word, El Shaddai in Hebrew. God Almighty or Almighty God, may he be with you. 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. It's our gift to you when you support ConnectWithSkip Heitzig with a donation of $50 or more. Call 800-922-1888. That's 800-922-1888. Or visit connectwithskip.com slash donate.
Thanks for spending time with us today. And we'll see you next time on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Make a connection never before. Of the crossing cast your burdens on his wife. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
