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A Reversal of Fortune through Repentance
Genesis 43-45 (Genesis 44:17-45:15)
Repentance is often misunderstood. But the Heidelberg Catechism informs us what it is - it’s “a dying of the old nature and the coming to life of the new. [which requires] grief with heartfelt sorrow.” But grief isn’t enough. “We are more and more to hate it, and flee from it.” King Saul confessed his disobedience when he was found out. But he tried to excuse himself. Exposure was the reason for confession. On the other hand Paul grieved when confronted by Christ - he was silent and broken, with no excuse. He wholeheartedly gave himself to the preaching of the gospel. It was a great reversal of life and purpose. His heartfelt repentance was seen in its fruits, especially joy. Repentance is “a heartfelt joy in God through Christ, and a love and delight to live according to the will of God in all good works.”
In Genesis, Joseph’s brothers Levi and Simeon wanted to kill him. Two other brothers tried to spare his life. Reuben got them to throw him into a pit and leave him for dead, so he’d later return to rescue him. Judah convinced them instead to sell him to slave traders. They did this to save his life. But none stood up for Joseph; none pleaded for his life. Their good work to spare his life wasn’t good enough. Yes, Joseph eventually became second over Egypt, to save much people alive. During the famine, in Genesis 42, his 10 older brothers went to Egypt to buy grain. They bowed to him, fulfilling his prophetic dream. But he hid his identity and accused them of spying, which they denied. he imprisoned them and released them on condition they brought Benjamin back to prove their honesty. Simeon was taken as surety. They returned shaken, confessing in grief, “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 us.” There was a spiritual crisis. They were guilty for what they’d done to Joseph. But guilt alone does not save. So how could they, guilty sinners, be forgiven. How can we be reconciled? The answer is not found in their worthiness, but in repentance and forgiveness. We see three truths in this passage. Firstly, surrender is rewarded with grace. Secondly, true repentance and surrender are tested. Thirdly, reconciliation leads to joy.
Firstly, surrender is rewarded with grace. After the brothers left Simeon behind, they returned home. But they were still in danger of death. Why? Because, verse 1, “the famine was sore in the land.” The family faced physical death. And all the grain they brought had been eaten up. And it was a lot of grain. Genesis 42:25 says that Joseph filled their sacks with grain and restored every man’s money back to them, and even gave them provision for the way. But they waited until all the grain was eaten. Why? They were afraid of death. That’s why they were afraid of returning, and why they waited till the grain was eaten, and why they let Simeon stay in prison. They feared death returning without Benjamin. When Jacob told them to return, Judah warned they not return without Benjamin. Verse 5 - “the man warned us - you will not see my face, except your brother be with you.” But he also knew that Jacob was unwilling. He couldn’t bear to let Benjamin go. In Genesis 42:36, he already accused them - you’ve robbed me of my children - Joseph is gone, now Simeon, and you want to take Benjamin? Because to them, if Zaphenath-Paneah had treated them like enemies and was harsh the first time, what would happen this time if they didn’t bring Benjamin? He’d trust his own suspicions they were spies and kill all of them. No bread, no release, no life. And they were between a rock and a hard place. Don’t go, die. Go without Benjamin, die.
But the Scriptures want us to see more than just empty stomachs; it wants us to see their fearful hearts. The real danger was twofold - covenantal and judicial. What would happen to Abraham’s line if they died off? Where would the Promised Seed come from? Surely God would have to preserve them from dying! But furthermore, didn’t they deserve to die? After all, they did all of those things to Joseph. And they themselves knew that what happened was due to their sin against Joseph - “we’re truly guilty concerning our brother - we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us and we wouldn’t hear him - therefore this distress is upon us.”
But this is where they surrendered - died to self. They risked all to live; they learned to trust. In Genesis 43:8-9, Judah told Jacob to send Benjamin with him, so they’d live and not die. Judah assured him that he’d be a surety. If Benjamin didn’t return, Judah would bear the blame forever. Now we don’t know what that means, but Reuben in Genesis 42 had said he’d sacrifice his two sons if Benjamin didn’t return. Now - it’s all very dramatic. But we perceive that where once they all hated the sons of Rachel, they were willing to die to that hatred and risk all. And also, Jacob, who hated the idea of losing Benjamin, died to that. Why would God save this rotten family, when they were trying to protect their beloved son? Unless there was this dying to self and dying to their own comfort, there would be death. Jacob had to learn to surrender what he loved most. Jacob entrusted them all to God’s hands - “And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” Why? Because he trusted God Almighty - this was the name God gave to Abraham to assure him that he’d have a son Isaac, which he did soon after. There was surrender, a death to himself. Like Esther - If I perish, I perish. We see this also in Paul - if I live, I’ll live in Christ, if I die, it’s gain. We see this also in Job - the Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. He believed God Almighty would save his family from the famine, that God Almighty would change this ruthless Egyptian ruler’s heart and let the brothers return. There was danger of death but death to self.
And because of this, there was surprising grace. In Genesis 43:16 onwards, when Joseph saw they came with Benjamin, he saw their surrender. He saw the first faint signs of repentance. They should’ve died. But he was gracious. His servants prepared them a feast and even fed their donkeys (food!), they brought Simeon out to them (mercy! They spared him!), and they brought water to wash their feet like honored guests (grace!). Now, when they finally met Joseph in verse 26, they bowed themselves to him to the earth. He asked after their father, he spoke gently to his brother Benjamin - “God be gracious unto thee, my son.” How different it was from the first time. Why? Because there was surrender - the beginnings of repentance. We learn in verse 33 onwards that he sat them by birth order, leaving them astonished. And he gave Benjamin five times as much food. Why? The greater portion should go to the heir - the oldest child - but now was given to the youngest. He was testing them - where once they were jealous of him being given the coat, would they now be jealous again of Rachel’s son? And this is where the seating arrangement played a part - they knew he knew their ages, and now they knew he’d given the youngest the most. But there was no jealousy as there had been once. And what’s more, he ate together with them. It was abomination for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, verse 32, but he ate with them. The guilty are treated as honored guests. The one who should condemn them instead feasts with them. This grace was surprising - they should have received the cup of judgment, instead were given the cup of mirth. Verse 34 - “And they drank, and were merry with him.”
But Joseph wasn’t yet sure how repentant they were. They had wanted to kill him. What would show their true repentance now? So he set for them a test to determine their true repentance and surrender. That’s the second truth. True repentance perseveres. It’s not a matter of feeling sad and confessing. There are fruits of true repentance. We see this in Genesis 44. And so to determine true repentance, Joseph marked Benjamin for judgment as a test. In verses 1-2, he instructed his his steward to plant his silver cup into Benjamin’s sack. If he was found out, would the brothers abandon Benjamin as they once abandoned Joseph? The cup represented judgment - specifically, the judgment Benjamin did not deserve. So when they left, Joseph sent his stewards after them and dragged them back to him. Now, when the brothers were first confronted, they were so confident the cup wasn’t with them that they offered in verse 9 - if you find it, let the culprit die, and all of us be slaves. But the steward in verse 10 said that only the culprit will be the slave. But get this - despite this change, when they discovered the cup in Benjamin’s sack, all the brothers tore their clothes. This was very different from when Joseph was presumed dead - only Jacob tore his clothes. But here they all tore their clothes and all of them returned to Egypt. Verse 13 - “Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.” But they didn’t have to. They weren’t going to be enslaved - only Benjamin. So why go back? Because there was remorse and repentance.
And now before Joseph, they heard his verdict on Benjamin in verse 17 - “the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant.” So Benjamin stood under a sentence of slavery. This is the moment of truth. The beloved son was marked for slavery which would surely result in death in those days. But here we see an incredible repentance. Judah was a willing substitute. From verse 18 onwards, Judah stepped forward. He didn’t argue innocence. He just pled for mercy. He told Joseph the whole story - of Jacob’s fragile love, Rachel’s only two sons, the almost certain death of the first son, and the gray-haired father who’d die if Benjamin didn’t return. Jacob’s life was bound up in the boy’s life, verse 30. You see, Judah knew what their sin against Joseph had done to Jacob - Joseph’s loss hit Jacob hard. And now he knew that Benjamin’s slavery and certain premature death would surely kill Jacob off. His repentance consisted of knowing what he did and knowing what it cost others. You see true repentance doesn’t only not minimize sin; it feels the weight of what sin costs others. And true repentance also shows selflessness.
Judah then said in verse 33 - “Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.” Judah had promised to be surety - to guarantee safe return of Benjamin - and here, in his repentance, where he once didn’t speak up for Joseph, now he spoke up for Benjamin. He was willing to spend his life as a slave in Egypt, at a time when slaves were badly treated, with almost certain death, that fueled the slave trade in those days. Judah knew it when he sold Joseph into slavery the kind of life he’d condemn him to. And Joseph would’ve rotted and died in prison were it not for God. In the past, Judah was unwilling to give his sons to Tamar. He was all about self. But now, Judah was willing to be that substitute. He offered to take the judgment so Benjamin and his father Jacob would live. And this repentance was willing to become a servant. When there is true repentance, there can be a reversal of fortune.
We see thirdly, that reconciliation led to joy. After Judah expressed his remorse, repentance, and readiness to bear the punishment, we see Joseph’s reaction. In Genesis 44:1-2, he cried out so loudly that all Egypt heard, and with his brothers alone before him, we see Joseph’s gracious words. He identified himself as their savior. He brought them near to him and twice did he say - “I am Joseph your brother…the one you sold to slavery…is my father still alive?” And yes, the brothers are terrified and rightly so. The one they wronged had power over them. But similarly, they also had power over him. Their words affected him. And here, Joseph spoke the most astonishing words! Verse 5 - “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.” This is the gospel right here. The one they condemned had become their savior. Now, he doesn’t say, “I forgive you” but he said that God used their evil for salvation. This is grace beyond just forgiveness. And that’s why they were silent. They couldn’t answer him. Now, now we know that he forgave them - he’s been demonstrating goodness to them by giving them grain, more grain, returning their payment into their bags, dining with them, sparing Simeon who wanted to kill him, etc. But here he acknowledged that it was God’s will. In the same way God speaks comfort to us despite our sin - that while our sins have crucified Christ, God had sent him to save us.
And here he does more than just give them grain. He could’ve sent them back with enough grain for the rest of the 5 years of the famine - but he doesn’t. He told them to bring Jacob and all their families to Egypt - to the best place of the land - Goshen. In Genesis 47:6, even Pharaoh said that Goshen was the best of the land. Joseph vowed to nourish Israel there, verse 11. You see, when there was repentance, there wasn’t only the removal of wrath - which is mercy; there was also the gift of absolute abundance - which is grace upon grace, and the promise of more to come. He sent them on their way with a cheerful provision and a cheerful prospect. When Boaz promised Ruth to redeem her if he could, he sent her back with so many measures of grain that Naomi, her mother-in-law, wondered if she was still Miss Ruth or now Mrs Boaz. So similarly, he gave them so much it was a promise to them of more.
We learn in verses 21-28 that they received wagons, provisions, new garments - and Benjamin got 300 shekels of silver and 5 changes of clothes. While he got only 1 robe, Benjamin got 5. This was not just generosity, it’s the wealth of a savior poured out on those he saves. The brothers came empty, guilty, hungry; but now they left full, forgiven, and rich, with promise of more. And when Jacob saw the wagons, he said in verse 28 - “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.” Here, his dead hope had been resurrected. The son who was dead was now alive.
Beloved - we can’t help but see Christ in this passage. Why? Because the account was meant for us to see Christ. Because of Christ, we who are guilty are treated as honored guests. He welcomes us to his table. We’re not merely forgiven, we’re lavished with grace. And because of him, we who are slaves to sin and hell, are freed. Why? Because God’s beloved Son became slave for us. That cup of wrath which should be rightly ours, is taken away and placed into his sack. And our Lord said in surrender to God - not my will, but thine be done - if I die, I die. And because of him, all we who return to God, our prodigal father says of us - “for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”
But beloved, there’s much for us to apply for ourselves as we look at the sons of Jacob. Beloved, Christ has forgiven us much. He’s lavished all gifts on us. And yet, we in our sins committed great offense against him. We give into our lusts, and are enslaved. Or we’ve sinned against our brothers and sisters. Maybe we’ve been hurt - Joseph did cheese off his brothers by his sharing, but we react inordinately in our hurt. Then we murder by our words by taking offense, gossiping, slandering. We create division by biting and devouring each other. We bring disrepute and grief to our Father. But will we realize our great sin against Christ? We continue in family divisions, marital discords, clashes between brethren - and often excuse our sin as not being so bad. I never killed them. I just threw them into a pit. At least they’re alive and in slavery, and not dead! I’m not like the others. Beloved, God confronts us with our sins today. And if we know our sins, what’s stopping us from doing what’s right before him? In what has the grief of our God touched us? Judah humbled himself, willing to take on slavery. Even to say, in my father’s house the servants have enough to eat - I will be one of them! But we know that our Father gives us far more than we deserve when we humble ourselves. He gives us a robe, and a ring, because he has given high honors to our Christ. Judah humbled himself, and was honored by God to be father of kings. And from him came the Lion of Judah. When we humble ourselves, we’ll be honored. Why? Because Christ has taken God’s wrath for us. He said, “let him go, I will remain.” So how can we ever remain in our sins when he has borne them for us? And let’s remember, repentance is not simply remorse. It’s followed by action. What must you do to make it right?
Now, perhaps you have been hurt. I hesitate to put us into the category of Joseph, hurt by his brothers. In our sin, narcissism, and warped application of Scripture, some of us would even dare to identify with Joseph. But suppose we do. Your suffering is not wasted. God intends for it for his glory, to deliver many. But not if you don’t forgive. Joseph said - don’t grieve, don’t be angry - God meant it for good. Many of us will want retribution and restitution. We’re hard people. I’ve been hurt. Others don’t appreciate me. I won’t give of myself. I’ll withdraw myself. See how they fare. But remember, took the first step. He lavishly gave grain, gave money, invited his treacherous brothers to dine with him. Perhaps your repentance involves not so much the seeking of forgiveness from others, but the giving of forgiveness - to offer cups of cold water, to heap coals to warm the coldness of others, to do good unto your enemies. Christ suffered and did good. You’re not exempt. This is your calling. And when we repent, who can say what the blessing are that would come upon us? God is no debtor.
1. The Surrender Rewarded with Amazing Grace (43:1-34)
A. They were still in danger of death (1-14)
i. Death from hunger
ii. Death of the beloved
B. There was surprising grace (15-34)
i. He saw their surrender
ii. Amazing grace bestowed
2. The Test of True Repentance and Surrender (44:1-34)
A. He was marked for judgment (1-17)
i. His instructions
ii. His threats
B. He was a willing substitute (18-34)
i. His father’s grief
ii. His selfless act
3. The Reconciliation that Led to Joy (45:1-28)
A. He revealed himself as their savior (1-20)
i. His gracious words
ii. Their gracious offer
B. Their cheerful provision and prospect (21-28)
i. What they were given
ii. How he was revived
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2026, Rev. Mark Chen
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