Genesis 42:1-24
“Speaking among themselves, they said, ‘Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.’” (Genesis 42:21, NLT)
As the famine continues, Jacob and his family are in desperate need. Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to purchase grain from “the lord of the land.” Little does Jacob know that this is his favored son Joseph, whom he assumed was dead.
When the brothers appear before Joseph, he recognizes them, but they do not recognize him. Joseph treats them harshly, accusing them of being spies. His plan is to test them to see if their character has changed in twenty years. He allows them to experience some of the trauma that he experienced to know what is in their hearts.
It is fascinating that twenty years did not erase the ten brother’s guilt for what they had done to Joseph. As soon as things start to go wrong, they confess that they are guilty because they had ignored Joseph’s cries for help. Therefore, all this distress is coming upon them now.
Guilt is a terrible burden to bear and yet we all have guilt for evil things we have done and for good things we have failed to do. There is only one way to get rid of guilt. It must be washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ.
“And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:21–22, NLT)
Are you carrying around a load of guilt? God has provided the way for you to lay it down. Draw near to God, confess your sins, and ask Him to cleanse you with the blood of Jesus. Pray for His help to cut off sin and fall in love with Jesus. Then thank God for forgiving you, for writing your name in heaven, and for giving you the Holy Spirit.
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14, NKJV)