In order to bring his brothers to a place of reconciliation and blessing, Joseph administered three tests. He tested his brothers’ honesty, their jealousy, and their loyalty. He warned them that they could not return to Egypt unless they brought their youngest brother Benjamin, thereby proving their honesty. When the brothers returned with Benjamin, Joseph tested their jealousy. According to Acts 7:9-10, which records Stephen’s sermon prior to his martyrdom, jealousy drove Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery. By honoring his full brother Benjamin at a banquet, Joseph had the opportunity to observe how his other brothers would react. Were they still motivated by jealousy, or had they changed their ways? When we celebrate God’s blessings in the lives of others, we too experience His blessings. Genesis 43 begins with Jacob’s resignation to trust God, moves to a description of the dire fear in the hearts of Joseph’s brothers upon their return to Egypt, and ends with Joseph’s test of jealousy over his preferential treatment of Benjamin. |
