Betrayal

Genesis 43-44

This week we continue reading through the Joseph story. At this juncture, the brothers, except for Simeon, return home from Egypt. They bring with them grain for their families, but also instructions to return with Benjamin, their youngest brother, if they want more grain.

The story contains a series of betrayals: Joseph betrays his brothers by packing money in the sacks of grain, which makes them look as if they stole the grain; Jacob, their father, feels betrayed by his sons because they told Joseph (they still did not know it was Joseph)about the youngest son that was not with them; the brothers surely feel a sense of betrayal that once again their father is more concerned about the youngest brother than any of them; and, of course, the questions looms, is God betraying them by allowing this to happen to them or are they somehow betraying God by their deceitful actions.

One of the challenges of preaching a series like this is how to tell the part of the story we read without jumping to the end of the story. We know things will work out, sort of like we know that resurrections awaits us, but there are a lot of challenges along the path toward that final chapter where everything works out for us.

Peace,

Richard