Questions:
11.
a.
They would understand the feeling of being falsely accused, his brothers had thought of Joseph as a spy for their father – a snitch
b.
They would feel being falsely imprisoned
c.
They would see the pain of separation
d.
They would see the pain they brought to his father
e.
Tested their honesty
f.
Test of jealousy and favoritism
g.
Would they stand up for a brother or sacrifice him
h.
Test of sacrificial love
12.
42:13 spoke honestly, 42:21 our sin, 28 God has done to us 43:12 2xsilver 28 bowed down prostrate, 34 feasted freely 44:16 we are all slaves 33 volunteered as tribute for Benjamin
13.
a.
God is Almighty and in control of all
b.
grant mercy before the man
c.
let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you
d.
If I am bereaved, I am bereaved.
e.
Trust in God and submit fully to his might and mercy
14.
submission, thinking first of others (his father, brother), substitutional sacrifice, honor to his promise
My Daily Journal:
I took exception to one of our questions. I don’t think it was Joseph that was testing his brothers. I think it was God who was testing and training the brothers through Joseph. Why now would we bestow the credit onto Joseph when all along he has time and again funneled it all to God?
With that perspective, God allowed the brothers to experience all of the things He had used to train up Joseph. Accused of being a spy, falsely accused, falsely imprisoned, the pain of separation, the fear of being without any power or authority, being a slave, having their clothing torn, etc., etc., etc.
By living these experiences they did not just have to imagine what their actions had wrought, they could fully empathize. They fully understand and, as a result, Judah’s willingness to be a substitutional sacrifice was all the more powerful when he pleaded at the throne of the almighty ruler. (catching the parallels to Christ?)
Speaking of parallels, the other one that I enjoyed was when Joseph made Benjamin the cupbearer, by literally having him bear the cup in his bag. He could have put any item in Benjamin’s bag, a candlestick, a ring, but he chose to have him bear the cup.
From this, first we are reminded of the cupbearer to Pharoah. Look at all the parallels, he was thrown into prison but later redeemed and restored to his position of honor to the Pharaoh. The cupbearer was the messenger to carry the message, when appropriate, to Pharaoh to set Joseph free from bondage. Benjamin is the one Joseph turns to to testify that he is his brother to restore the family to Joseph. The cupbearer’s actions set things in place to save his nation from starvation. Benjamin is thrust into the same role with his nation – doing nothing but remembering and being willing to testify.
Secondly, we are reminded of Christ and the cup He drank on the cross to pay the price of our sins. The fact that Christ comes from the line of Judah and Judah is the one giving the speech of substitutional sacrifice should not be missed.
The Notes are Good 