Coachlight Bible Study – Genesis Lesson 46
A Proper Confession Ends Depression – Genesis 42:1 – 43:14
I John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I John 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
We have learned that the word “confess” in verse nine above in the Greek is the word homologeo. This is actually two Greek words literally meaning “to say the same thing”. We can see that even with the little bit of context shown above, the meaning clearly is that the forgiven are the people who “agree with God’s Word that they are sinners”, and not the self centered person trying to justify himself thereby deceiving himself. Therefore there is a proper confession and an improper confession. The proper confession states that God is in control, the improper states that self is in control.
Chapters 39, 40, and 41 of the book of Genesis have all concentrated on Joseph’s trials and finally being exalted to second in command in Egypt. God had a plan to use Joseph, and was preparing him through trial for God’s service.
God’s plan of salvation for Joseph’s family included trials for the very brethren that had so shamefully treated Joseph, resulting in his servitude in Egypt. In chapter 37, we read of an improper confession on behalf of Joseph’s brethren caused from hatred and resentment of the dreamer. Threy are placed in a position, quite similar in many ways in which they had earlier placed Joseph, and eventually had to give a proper confession.
With The news of the apparent death of Joseph, Jacob also went into a depression. The Bible does not tell us this in so many words, however, it is interesting that Jacob is not directly called by his new name after 37:13 and until 43:6. It seems as long as Jacob remained defeated by the apparent death of Joseph, his old name is used. Notice the name “Jacob” is used in Genesis 37:34; 42:1, 4, 29, and 36.
In chapter 43 after being convinced that Benjamin was going to have to go to Egypt with his brothers, Jacob began to get his mind off himself and to make proper decisions. This ultimately caused him to rely on God when the path seemed to be impossible. This enabled him to do something that is not recorded of Jacob since the word of Joseph’s demise, namely make a proper confession.
While the Book of I John teaches us with a metaphor that is is not so important how we walk, but where we walk. The interpretation of this is not living by rules and regulation, but rather a mindset of staying in the Light which points out stumbling blocks along the walkway.
1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
We need to learn as Joseph’s brethren needed to learn the Scriptural teaching:
I John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
I John 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
I John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
We can also learn, as Jacob learned:
I John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
I John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
I John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
I. Joseph’s Brethren Make An Improper Confession
Genesis 37:18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
Genesis 37:19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Genesis 37:20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams……
Genesis 37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
Genesis 37:24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
Genesis 37:25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
Genesis 37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood?
Genesis 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
Genesis 37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
II. Jacob In Depression – Displays An Improper Confession
Genesis 37:31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood;
Genesis 37:32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
Genesis 37:33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
Genesis 37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
Genesis 37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
III. Joseph’s Brethren Go Down To Egypt
Genesis 42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?
Genesis 42:2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
Genesis 42:3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
Genesis 42:4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
IV. Joseph’s First Dream Fulfilled
Genesis 42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
Genesis 42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
Genesis 42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
V. Joseph’s Brethren Only Vindicated By Benjamin Appearing
Genesis 42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
Genesis 42:10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
Genesis 42:11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
Genesis 42:12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
Genesis 42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
Genesis 42:14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
Genesis 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
Genesis 42:16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
VI. Joseph’s Brethren Go To Jail
Genesis 42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
Genesis 42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
Genesis 42:19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
Genesis 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
VII. Joseph’s Brethren Makes A Proper Confession
Genesis 42:21 And 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 us.
Genesis 42:22 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.
Genesis 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
Genesis 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
Genesis 42:25 Then 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: and thus did he unto them.
Genesis 42:26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
Genesis 42:27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
Genesis 42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?
Joseph’s brethren needed this trial to learn an important lesson:
1 John 2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1 John 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1 John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
VIII. Joseph’s Brethren Tell Jacob The Words Of The Egyptian
Genesis 42:29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying,
Genesis 42:30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
Genesis 42:31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies:
Genesis 42:32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 42:33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone:
Genesis 42:34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
Genesis 42:35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
IX. Jacob Makes An Improper Confession
Genesis 42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
Genesis 42:37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
Genesis 42:38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
X. Joseph’s Brethren Convince Jacob To Send Benjamin To Egypt
Genesis 43:1 And the famine was sore in the land.
Genesis 43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
Genesis 43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Genesis 43:4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food:
Genesis 43:5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
Genesis 43:6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?
Genesis 43:7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?
Genesis 43:8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
Genesis 43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever:
Genesis 43:10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
XI. Israel Makes The Proper Confession
Genesis 43:11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:
Genesis 43:12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight:
Genesis 43:13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man:
Genesis 43:14 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.
Israel Needed This Trial To Learn An Important Lesson:
I John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
I John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
I John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
XII. Notice King David’s Later, Similar Proper Confession
Psalm 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psalm 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psalm 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Psalm 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Psalm 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psalm 51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
Psalm 51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
Psalm 51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
Psalm 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Psalm 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
Psalm 51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.