Two Incidents and their Lessons
Four chapters in the book of Genesis (42-45) give us a detailed account of Joseph's manner with his brethren when they came to Egypt after food. They are important chapters, giving us, as Genesis does all through, the germ of great principles developed afterward in the body of the word of God.
In these chapters Joseph occupies, in a figure, the place and office of our Lord Jesus Christ- chiefly, no doubt, as in relation to the Jews at the end, when they are brought to repentance, but acting on the same principle with offenders among His people at all times.
The low moral state of Joseph's brethren had culminated in a serious wrong. With murder in their hearts they had sold him into the hands of strangers, and had stifled in their hearts the sense of this guilt, all the years of God's patience with them. No doubt they had found various excuses to hush right feelings in their hearts and allay their consciences. Was not their younger brother attempting to dominate them, as his dreams and visions indicated ? Was he not assuming to be a reformer by reporting their evil ways to his father ? At any rate he disturbed their peace, and he must be disposed of. Envy, that cruel monster, had hold of them, and it shrinks from nothing to reach its end. It hardens the heart, deadens the conscience, and brutalizes the tenderest feelings. A young brother's pleadings and an aged father's mourning are insufficient to move it.
But they had reckoned without God, and without His unchangeable, inflexible decree that "God requireth that which is past "(Eccl. 3:15), whether of sinners-at the coming day of judgment or of saints now. Accordingly those stout-hearted sons of Jacob are brought to hunger. Nothing humbles human, pride like fasting if long continued; and "when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (Isa. 26:9). The case rests with God now, and with Him they are about to have to do. They are driven to Egypt for corn, there to be brought face to face with the guilt they had well-nigh forgotten. Joseph recognizes them at once though they do not recognize him. His heart would have prompted him to throw himself on their necks and embrace them. It would have been the short and easy way-the way self-indulgent man. likes. But Joseph is, first of all, the "man of God," and such know that "the wisdom which is from above is first pure." He has no selfish end to serve, no theory to uphold, no pride to save by the hiding of his family shame. All with him is seen by the light in which he walks. In matters of state he might be a diplomat, but not here. It is not a matter between statesmen or business men, but between brethren, and only cloudless communion can satisfy him here. All that hinders that must therefore be honestly met and righteously ended. Nothing stirs guilty people like the voice of offended justice. Accordingly Joseph" made himself strange unto them, and spoke roughly unto them . . . and said unto them. Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come."What solemn things, involving their very lives, to be accused of by a man in whose power they are. It must have awakened the remembrance of the hour when their brother was once in their power, pleading for his life and his liberty, and they would not hear.
Quailing under the imperious words of the ruler, they tell things to clear themselves which only bring them into more trouble. They must now produce Benjamin, or be reduced to starvation. They are imprisoned three days. But the repentance wrought by the Spirit of God never leads to despair, so Joseph comforts them by telling them he fears God. They know the true God, that He is merciful, and a man who fears Him would show mercy. After this he sends them home with corn, but charges them to bring their youngest brother when they come again.
This course had effect, for "they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon ns. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear ? therefore, behold, also his blood is required." What an hour of awakening !
But the depth of their soul has not yet been reached. The finer sensibilities so long dormant must be re-awakened. So "Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way." How different this is from the rough words, yet coming from the same man, but to touch different cords in their being. Their souls are awed by it. What can it all mean ? They will fully understand only when, face to face again with their brother, he says to them in an outburst of weeping, "I am Joseph;" for how can love and grace be understood except in the presence of the light which exposes all the sin. Until then their dis.-tress may engross them, but before his very face who knows all the depth of their guilt, the true sense of it alone can be reached. Therefore all things combine to have them return to Egypt and stand before Joseph. How painful and manifold are sin's results, until realized and judged in the light of the Lord's presence-not merely by the pains it brings-we are forgiven, reconciled and brought back to a sweeter communion than ever before.
The Lesson
If we know and love " the communion of saints," we will wait patiently till God has wrought an unquestionable repentance.
Our second incident is related in 2 Samuel, chaps. 14 and 15.
Absalom had slain his brother Amnon and fled to Talmai, king of Geshur, his Gentile mother's father. In such environments he would probably be praised for his act of revenge rather than reproved for his crime, and praising a sinner is not likely to lead him to repentance. At any rate, before Absalom proves himself a repentant man, a movement is set up to recall and restore him. The enemy of Israel promptly finds suitable elements for his ends:David himself, who loved Israel, is the chief instrument for this unholy work. His "inordinate affection" for his son, whose beauty nattered his pride, and perhaps the demoralizing effects of his own recent downfall had weakened the powers of his soul; government in his hands had dropped to a lower plane. " David mourned for his son every day." Absalom's crime had not exercised David very deeply.
Joab, the selfish, self-willed man, who experienced little difficulty in carrying out any plan, is another instrument, and he soon finds a suitable associate in a wise woman of Tekoah, who can mourn, have two faces, confess, natter, reprove and bow low to high men as occasion requires. What a combination ! And all unwittingly working together to bring on disaster in Israel.
They succeed in their object, but God is not with their success. Absalom aims at domination. He "steals the hearts of the men of Israel." Who would have thought that a people so devoted to David yesterday, would to-day be so easily won to Absalom? But "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain" (Ps. 127:i). Absalom gets himself proclaimed king, causes David his father to flee, brings on a big battle in which many fall, and another page of shame is added to Israel's history.
The Lesson
If we restore before an unquestionable repentance has been produced, we but take in an enemy.
May we heed the lessons of the word of God. They are landmarks and boundaries which we may not neglect with impunity. God has put them there in love to us, that we may not fall into the same toils and sorrows. He loves us too well to leave us without warning.