A Test of Love - Genesis 44-45
Christians are called to display a love that is markedly different from that of the world. Rather than care only for those who like us — or who are like us — we are to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us (see Matthew 5:44). Certainly, displaying this type of love is not always easy. In fact, doing so with a sincere heart it is impossible apart from faith.
On Sunday, Pastor Mike preached on Genesis 44-45 and told us that God’s tests awaken to faith, His love amazes in faith, and His provisions assure by faith.
In the passage, Joseph tested the character of his brothers to see if they had changed in the time since they had betrayed him. He did this by planting his own cup in the sack of his youngest brother, Benjamin. After the brothers departed from Joseph, he sent his steward to find them and accuse them of stealing the cup. When the cup was found in the Benjamin’s possession, the brothers were distraught. They returned to Joseph’s presence, where he requested Benjamin alone become his servant. At this, Judah pleaded for Joseph to keep him instead of his brother, so that his father would not be devastated upon hearing the news and die.
Only after this display of sacrificial love did Joseph finally reveal his identity to his brothers. He was not angry with them for selling him into Egypt, and he desired that they not hold anger against themselves, either. Joseph recognized that God had sovereignly sent him to Egypt to preserve life during the famine. After a tearful reunion, Joseph sent his brothers to retrieve their father and bring all their households to live bountifully in the land of Egypt.
The passage provides a beautiful picture of reconciliation. Earlier, Joseph’s brothers hated him enough to kill him — it was only after Reuben’s intervention that they settled to cast him into a pit, rather than murder him. In selling Joseph into slavery, his brothers intended to permanently separate a father from his beloved son. Here, however, we see that much had changed. This was clear in the life of Judah.
Given the opportunity to abandon his younger brother and flee to safety, Judah refused. He would not again grieve his father by losing for him another son. In an astounding act of love, Judah offered to take the punishment for his brother; he would serve Joseph himself so that father and son could be reunited. It’s a parallel situation with an opposite result. Judah’s heart had been changed, and we can only attribute this to God.
Do you display sacrificial love? Consider how you could go further in showing Christ’s love to those around you this week, and pray for wisdom and help from the Lord in doing this.
Resources:
Judah Gives Himself Up — Ligonier Ministries
Seeking Forgiveness — Erik Raymond
Reflection Questions:
How could you show sacrificial love to others this week?
How does Judah’s response to Joseph point to the gospel?
How does the gospel demonstrate God’s love for us?