From Pastor Coty Pinckney’s sermon on Genesis 42-44, “Sacrificial Love: The Making of Judah”:
Note how Judah and brothers talk in verse 21:
Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.” Genesis 42:21
They see the tragedy of having to leave one of their own in Egypt as just recompense for their selling Joseph to Egypt! All that happened more than 20 years previously, but the weight of guilt still rests on them. Now – perhaps for the first time – they openly discuss their guilt.
Leaving Simeon bound, a prisoner, the brothers return towards home with the food they have purchased. But part way home, they open their bags of grain and find the money they paid!
Now, think: Is this good, or bad?
If the consciences of Judah and his brothers were clear, surely they would interpret this as a good event. They get all this grain for free! They had not stolen anything – they paid the money, but somehow got their money back. This is good! But because their consciences are guilty, they think of this event as bad. See verse 28:
At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”
This is the first mention of God by Judah and his brothers. But note their attitude towards God. They are not rejoicing at God’s power and might, but instead are fearful. Because they are guilty, they feel like God is out to get them, to wreak revenge on them. And thus they interpret this gracious act in a negative sense.
Do you do the same? Do you realize that, if you are in Christ, if you belong to Him, everything God sends you is gracious? Or are you like Judah at this point, so afraid of God that he doesn’t recognize God’s grace when he sees it?
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