By This you Shall Be TEsted

Photo by Marko Ivanov on Unsplash
​How can we use our fear to grow spiritually? What do your fears tell you about yourself? Have you ever gotten an out of the blue or late night call from someone who doesn’t normally call you like that? There is often a sense of fear at least wondering what might be wrong or what might suddenly be expected of you. The cryptic “We need to talk…” text is even worse! The three dots means you did something! The worst case scenario is when you know, or at least are pretty sure you know, what those three dots mean. You know what you did, and now you have been discovered. 

Now, it is one thing to receive that communication from a friend or parent, but what if on the caller ID it read, “God”? What comes to your mind? “Did He see what happened the other night? What is He going to ask me to do? What topic do I need to make sure we stay FAAARR away from?” When we feel the twinge in our conscience, that is something like getting that phone call. Or when we feel our chest tighten up when thinking about a worry of ours, it is an invitation to consider what God might have to say about those emotions. 

Today we are going to consider our main point: God prods our fears to shape our faith. 

We are going to see these next few chapters develop our characters in some pretty profound ways. There will be many echos of what we have seen before in Genesis that will resolve in some interesting ways. I invite you over these next few weeks as new semesters start, as we approach the back half of the year, to consider along with these characters how God may be calling you to grow. This week, we will see how God lays His hand on them and in the coming weeks, we will see how God shapes them. 

God prods our fears to shape our faith 

Right at the beginning, we revisit Jacob, remember him? He has had quite a storied story, and at this point in the narrative, it has been about 10 or so years since we last saw him. What has changed, and what hasn’t? Well Jacob looks much less passive than in the past! Look how he takes charge over these sons! “Don’t just stand here” he says, in effect, “go get some food from Egypt.” Identifying needs and affecting solutions, this guy! He sends 10 sons down to Egypt so they can collect as much grain as they possibly can. In case there’s a per-person limit, Jacob will send as many resources as he can in order to care for his family. 

But there is one thing missing, conspicuous in his absence, there’s a son staying behind. Benjamin, the youngest son, Rachel’s youngest, brother of Joseph, is held back lest harm come. That’s a powerful fear. He is holding back another portion of grain, another back to pull a load, why? He doesn’t trust the other sons. In verse 36, when they’ve explained to him that they need Benjamin to go with them on a return trip, Jacob blames them for the loss of Joseph and Simeon (Matthews). The “you” is plural, which translated into our tongue is “Y’all.” “Y’all have deprived me of my sons.” Notice that he briefly imagines losing Benjamin saying that he is “the only one left.” As Matthews put it, “That Benjamin is “the only one left” states what the brothers had known all along: Benjamin was the only son who counted in their father’s eyes.” Favoritism has reared its ugly head again. 

He is being asked to give up his son—in his mind, his only son— whom he loves. Sound familiar? By the time we get to the end of the chapter, it isn’t looking like much has changed with Jacob. Sins like that have a way of hanging on, and there is often no shortage of reminders that they are there. While it doesn’t feel like it at the time, this is a mercy of God that He often won’t let you hold onto a known sin without reminder. Whether you use that reminder as mainly one of the grace of God or your failure is up to you.
 
But this prodding of fears isn’t limited to just one main thing. This can be a multifaceted experience, even a group one, as we look at the rest of our passage. 

We are reminded of three key plot points in this section, Joseph is the governor of the land, the brothers don’t recognize him, but he recognizes them. He decides to make put them through a series of tests, but what is he looking for? One scholar points out that Joseph already knows they aren’t spies, but doesn’t really know if they are honest men. Is Benjamin really alive, or did Jacob’s favoritism claim another? For that matter, is Jacob himself still alive? There is really only one way to find out, and that is to ensure that they come down to Egypt. However, maybe a little testing, some refinement, might be necessary (Matthews). 

Joseph starts out by accusing them of being spies, which is an odd thing to claim. One scholar pointed out that they all came in a group together, ethnically different from all the Egyptians and anyone else who would be there, and were likely dressed similarly. If they were spies for some foreign government, they might be the worst spies you’ve ever heard of (but then again you HAVE heard of them) (Matthews). I think this is the first test in taking them through what he went through. He was likely accused of being a spy when he was sent to bring a report on the brothers. They maintain their innocence, while Joseph maintains their guilt, but offers a way to prove otherwise: send one of them back to bring Benjamin down while the rest stay in prison. A three day stay with Pharaoh’s Finest might help them sort out who is going and who isn’t (Matthews). 

After the three days, Joseph shows mercy: only one needs to stay, but the rest can go back bringing in the grain. They better come back, though, for that is the only way that they can prove themselves to be “honest men” and get their leftover brother back (v. 19). Mercy at the pit, more than his brothers showed—and they know it, because they remember it. The words are as profound as they are pitiable: “in truth we are guilty” Their consciences wouldn’t let them forget the sound of Joseph’s increasingly desperate voice for mercy. And if conscience forgot, Reuben sure didn’t. 

The brother’s reaction moves Joseph to tears. This, along with a few other instances of Joseph’s emotion, shows that Joseph isn’t doing this to be mean. He needs to know how the family is doing and how the family is behaving. And at the very least, the brothers show signs of remorse. He can tell these are true words, because he made them think he couldn’t understand Hebrew, the language they spoke with each other (v 23). He heard what was really in their heart because they spoke like they thought no one was listening. 

What do you say when no one is listening? What conversation is carried on in your mind that you think is hidden? That’s the real heart. Would you fear such things come to light? It points where growth needs to happen. 

He releases them from prison and sets about the next test. On top of the grain, he gives each one their money back. Not only is he providing for their next trip back for more grain, but he is setting up the acid test for the brothers. They have to come back with Benjamin in order to get Simeon back and thus prove they are honest men. How well is that going to go over when it is obvious that they didn’t pay? They kept records of things like that. We’ve found ancient receipts carved! They are going to have to go back to the man who obviously will remember them and look like dishonest men to get their brother back. Will they take such a risk? They feel their guilt so strongly, that when they find that first bag, they assume that this is the judgment of God. Ross put it this way, “The brothers, who knew they were guilty, could perceive that it was God’s retributive hand, for this was the second time they had come home with money, having abandoned a brother to prison in Egypt.” (653-4). 

When they get home, things go from bad to worse. One man’s money might have been written off as an honest mistake, but every single brother’s money returned? Shenanigans. We return where we started with Jacob. How on earth could you convince this man to send Benjamin now? He simply refuses. Reuben offers an obviously extreme oath that Jacob could take two of his sons if Benjamin doesn’t come back, and obviously Jacob doesn’t take that. What sort of consolation would that be to Jacob? Brave words, but words alone they are. 

And it is here that the chapter ends. It would appear that everything is the same at the end as the beginning minus Simeon. But God has moved, and we will see that development next chapter. Everyone’s fears are set up, identified. The brothers remember their guilt of past sins. Jacob is reminded of his favoritism, and possibly the actions of his grandfather Abraham. What did he do when confronted with the call to sacrifice his actual only son, Isaac, Jacob’s father. He might have contented himself with the word that was given to Isaac the last time a famine hit in Genesis 26:2. God had told Isaac not to go down to Egypt in the time of famine. Maybe he rationalized his obvious fears in religious language saying, “Well, I shouldn’t have gone down to Egypt in the first place! That’s what God told my father.” But of course, that isn’t what God told Jacob. Jacob can see what he must do, but at the moment, doesn’t have the courage to do it. No excuse will change that, and I think deep down, he knows it. 

What are you hoping God doesn’t notice? What fear are you not bringing to Him? Obviously not all fear is pointing to a need of spiritual transformation. We should all be afraid to walk blindly onto 280. Being afraid of a painful surgery is normal. So I’m not talking about that kind of fear, but you knew that. What is that sin you are keeping in the shadows that needs to be brought into the light? What thing are you running from that you know God has told you to do? Maybe it has been to be faithful with your finances. And I’m not just talking about tithing but using it responsibly. Or faithful with your time, your energy, your eating, sleeping, your prayer life. Those things that you say, “Yeah, I know, I need to do that.” If you have something you are saying that to, then God is highlighting exactly what you need to be working on. 

Now, you’ve got one big advantage over these brothers in that you know you have help. The brothers at this moment have no idea that the person giving them the test is their brother who loves them and who has every intention of bringing them redemption. The One giving you your test is infinitely more so. Jesus is closer than a brother, and a friend of sinners. You needn’t be afraid when He finds a fear. He’s just going about the business of refining you further. 

Kids, trust your parents. Bring them your fears, your questions. I know this is easier to do when you are younger and can’t manage a water cup, but even you teenagers here, practice opening up. Not just because your parents love you and want to help you, but you need to develop the habit of facing fears, and bringing them to someone who will help you. 

Adults, keep doing this. Don’t live life alone and afraid. God hasn’t called you to that life. In fact, He’s called you to exactly the oppostie in Philippians 4:6–7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Don’t just sit with your fears. Bring them to Jesus. If there is nothing you can do about them, leave them with Jesus. If they are a result of sin, embrace the opportunity to repent when fears arise and find the freedom on the other side. Jesus died to forgive all your sins AND build in you a holy life that brings peace. Don’t settle for less.