Joseph questions his brothers as they stand before him. He accuses them of being spies, and this leads them into explaining who they are and where they came from. Joseph could not see his brothers’ hearts, but he could see that they were lying about him and to him.

 

Joseph’s deepest concern here was the condition of his little brother Benjamin. I am sure he was afraid that Benjamin was now the hated one. In order for Joseph to discover the truth about the safety of his little brother, he placed a test before them that would bring Benjamin toEgypt.

 

Jesus told us that we would be known by our fruit (Matthew 7:16–20). Joseph would know the truth of his brothers’ words by the produced “fruit” of Benjamin. I am sure he did not know that the test he would lay before them would trigger the guilt of their sin.

 

In this test, the brothers immediately went to the memory of what they had done to Joseph so many years before. Joseph’s brothers argue before him in Hebrew; they do not know that Joseph understands. They do not know it is Joseph. Joseph is so overwhelmed that he has to turn away from them and weep.

 

I wonder, had the brothers turned to Joseph at that moment and confessed their sin before this man that they did not know was Joseph, would he have revealed himself to them then? I believe he just might have.

 

In Matthew 15:8, Jesus quoted the Prophet Isaiah: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me.” God is omniscient. He knows our hearts and our innermost thoughts. He doesn’t need to test us to see if we speak truth. We, on the other hand, need him to test us so that we can see for ourselves if we speak truth.

 

As the saying goes, “talk is cheap.” It is easy to speak words; it is harder to actually back those words with action. We may say one thing, but through trials and testing, we and others may discover that we did not mean what we said. James 1:2 tells us to consider it all joy when we go through various trials, knowing that through endurance by the testing of our faith we might be made complete and perfect.

 

Joseph’s brothers stood before this man who was ruler over them, and though they were attempting to honor him with their lips, they were lying through their teeth. They were trying to make themselves better men than what they were by hiding their sin from him.

 

Precious one, are you trying to hide your sin?

 

Do we not do this before God?

Do we not come to Him on Sunday and sing a beautiful song and hope that if our words are sweet enough He will just look over what is hidden in our hearts?

 

When struggles come in your life, do you see them as some type of punishment for a past sin?

 

My friend, it is not punishment. It is simply God’s way of encouraging you to come to Him. He wants you to be free, to be perfect and complete before Him.

 

Do you know that Jesus said that whoever commits sin is the slave of sin (John 8:34)? Do you know that not confronting and confessing your sin keeps you in bondage to that sin? Do you know that Jesus said that it is the truth that sets you free (John 8:32)?

 

My friend, do you know that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)?

 

Oh, precious one, don’t hold on to your sin; “confess your sins one to another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). God built His church that we might edify one another and hold one another accountable. Find someone you can trust and lay aside whatever sin, past or present, that is entangling you (Hebrews 12:1). Draw near with confidence before the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) and let the truth (John 14:6) set you free.