Genesis 43:28 …And they bowed down their heads and made obeisance.
It’s one of those days Friends; I’m continuing Joseph’s story, but can’t decide on a suitable Bit, so I’m trusting the Lord to show me one. Now Joseph, having received his brothers’ present, enquires of their welfare and their father’s. They say Jacob’s alive and well, ‘And they bowed their heads down and made obeisance.’ Wow! That’s it people! That’s Today’s Bit! I knew he would lead me to one. Thank you Lord! It’s amazing how often they bowed before him, totally unaware of the irony of their action. But Joseph’s not concerned with their obeisance. He sees Benjamin, asks if that’s the younger brother they spoke of. Receiving a yes, he blesses him. ‘And he said, God be gracious unto thee son.’ (vs.29) But the sight of his mother’s second son, whom he doesn’t know, causes him such emotional upheaval that he hurries to his bedroom and weeps. When he’s done crying, the Word says; ‘And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.’ (vs.31) Yuh see Friends, some things never change. Thousands of years later, after crying, we also wash our faces, compose ourselves, then go back and face the music with renewed confidence. So the servants set out the meal; a place for Joseph, by himself, one for the brothers, by themselves, and one for the Egyptians dining with them, ‘because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.’ (vs.32) Steups! Gimme a break nuh people! We can all eat the same food in the same room, but not together. Sadly, lots of nonsense like that still happens today. It’s those simple, illogical things that first create, then perpetuate the divisiveness between God’s children. Instead of using them to initiate greater understanding, we use them to remain aloof and apart. So the brothers sit before Joseph, eldest first, youngest last, and marvel at the unaccustomed luxury. And Joseph sends them food from his table, but Benjamin, his whole brother, gets five times more than the others. ‘And they drank, and were merry with him.’ (vs.34) But if they thought that was the end of their troubles, they were sadly mistaken. Joseph wasn’t done tormenting them. He ordered they be given as much food as they could carry, their money returned in the bags and the silver cup he divined and drank from placed in Benjamin’s bag. So they set out for home at daybreak, but shortly after, Joseph sends his steward after them. He accuses them of stealing Joseph’s cup.’Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?’ (Gen.44:4) Joseph instructed the servant to ask. Oh Friends, how often have we asked or thought the same thing eh? But accepting disappointment bravely is an integral part of being a Christian. The brothers deny the accusation, pointing out that they’d even returned the original money from their sacks, so why steal from Joseph now? But to cut a long story short (smile) they agree to a search of their bags, offering the life of anyone found with it, and the rest of them as bond servants. It’s found in Benjamin’s bag. What a situation! So they rush back to Joseph, ‘…and they fell before him to the ground.’ (vs.14) More obeisance. Joseph admonishes them. Judah admits they have no excuses and offers them as Joseph’s servants. But Joseph refuses. ‘God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.’ (vs.17) Ah Friends, remember, ‘time longer than twine’. It was over twenty years since they’d sold Joseph into slavery, and most likely forgotten about it. But the hands of God though slow, are sure. The brothers would gladly have given up their own lives, rather than go home without Benjamin and face their father’s wrath, heartbreak and eventual death. And Judah, who’d stood surety for Benjamin took Joseph aside and detailed their precarious situation, offering to stay in Benjamin’s place. Oh Friends, we do it all the time; take hasty action without considering the consequences, both short and long term. And we believers ought to know better, for the long arm of the Lord’s always there, ready to pounce on us at anytime to pay for our wrongs. Let’s think carefully before we act, so we don’t have to pay later on. Much LOVE!…if you can’t do the time…don’t do the crime…
It’s one of those days Friends; I’m continuing Joseph’s story, but can’t decide on a suitable Bit, so I’m trusting the Lord to show me one. Now Joseph, having received his brothers’ present, enquires of their welfare and their father’s. They say Jacob’s alive and well, ‘And they bowed their heads down and made obeisance.’ Wow! That’s it people! That’s Today’s Bit! I knew he would lead me to one. Thank you Lord! It’s amazing how often they bowed before him, totally unaware of the irony of their action. But Joseph’s not concerned with their obeisance. He sees Benjamin, asks if that’s the younger brother they spoke of. Receiving a yes, he blesses him. ‘And he said, God be gracious unto thee son.’ (vs.29) But the sight of his mother’s second son, whom he doesn’t know, causes him such emotional upheaval that he hurries to his bedroom and weeps. When he’s done crying, the Word says; ‘And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.’ (vs.31) Yuh see Friends, some things never change. Thousands of years later, after crying, we also wash our faces, compose ourselves, then go back and face the music with renewed confidence. So the servants set out the meal; a place for Joseph, by himself, one for the brothers, by themselves, and one for the Egyptians dining with them, ‘because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.’ (vs.32) Steups! Gimme a break nuh people! We can all eat the same food in the same room, but not together. Sadly, lots of nonsense like that still happens today. It’s those simple, illogical things that first create, then perpetuate the divisiveness between God’s children. Instead of using them to initiate greater understanding, we use them to remain aloof and apart. So the brothers sit before Joseph, eldest first, youngest last, and marvel at the unaccustomed luxury. And Joseph sends them food from his table, but Benjamin, his whole brother, gets five times more than the others. ‘And they drank, and were merry with him.’ (vs.34) But if they thought that was the end of their troubles, they were sadly mistaken. Joseph wasn’t done tormenting them. He ordered they be given as much food as they could carry, their money returned in the bags and the silver cup he divined and drank from placed in Benjamin’s bag. So they set out for home at daybreak, but shortly after, Joseph sends his steward after them. He accuses them of stealing Joseph’s cup.’Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?’ (Gen.44:4) Joseph instructed the servant to ask. Oh Friends, how often have we asked or thought the same thing eh? But accepting disappointment bravely is an integral part of being a Christian. The brothers deny the accusation, pointing out that they’d even returned the original money from their sacks, so why steal from Joseph now? But to cut a long story short (smile) they agree to a search of their bags, offering the life of anyone found with it, and the rest of them as bond servants. It’s found in Benjamin’s bag. What a situation! So they rush back to Joseph, ‘…and they fell before him to the ground.’ (vs.14) More obeisance. Joseph admonishes them. Judah admits they have no excuses and offers them as Joseph’s servants. But Joseph refuses. ‘God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.’ (vs.17) Ah Friends, remember, ‘time longer than twine’. It was over twenty years since they’d sold Joseph into slavery, and most likely forgotten about it. But the hands of God though slow, are sure. The brothers would gladly have given up their own lives, rather than go home without Benjamin and face their father’s wrath, heartbreak and eventual death. And Judah, who’d stood surety for Benjamin took Joseph aside and detailed their precarious situation, offering to stay in Benjamin’s place. Oh Friends, we do it all the time; take hasty action without considering the consequences, both short and long term. And we believers ought to know better, for the long arm of the Lord’s always there, ready to pounce on us at anytime to pay for our wrongs. Let’s think carefully before we act, so we don’t have to pay later on. Much LOVE!…if you can’t do the time…don’t do the crime…
SCRIP-BITS 