We Can See

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

WE CAN SEE

Gen 42:1-17

42:1 When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, "Why do you just keep looking at each other?" 2 He continued, "I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die." 3 Then ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt. 4 But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him. 5 So Israel's sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also. 6 Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7 As soon as Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. "Where do you come from?" he asked." From the land of Canaan," they replied, "to buy food." 8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. 9 Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, "You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected." 10 "No, my lord," they answered. "Your servants have come to buy food. 11 We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies." 12 "No!" he said to them. "You have come to see where our land is unprotected." 13 But they replied, "Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more." 14 Joseph said to them, "It is just as I told you: You are spies! 15 And this is how you will be tested: As surely as Pharaoh lives, you will not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here. 16 Send one of your number to get your brother; the rest of you will be kept in prison, so that your words may be tested to see if you are telling the truth. If you are not, then as surely as Pharaoh lives, you are spies!" 17 And he put them all in custody for three days.

NIV

This begins the most interesting exchange between Joseph and his brothers. Still, before we delve into this conversation and the deception of Joseph or at least the hiding of his true identity, there is the matter of what they were doing before being sent to Egypt to buy grain, so they would not die. We also wonder how Jacob knew of the grain in Egypt. But we ponder what the bothers were doing, just looking at each other, that caused Jacob to comment. What happened to all the flocks of sheep and herds of cattle Jacob owned? Could they not have slaughtered a sheep and had food to eat? Why are the brothers just sitting around looking at each other? Were they just waiting to die, when they could have eaten meat, unless all the livestock had already succumbed to the famine. We are not privy to this information so we accept that the brothers were not doing anything but staring at one another. We also are not told whether they had the same faith as their father. Surely, they were aware of the times God had spoken to their father, and his name being changed by God. But did they believe, were the men of faith, or men of the world? We also are not told how Jacob knew of the corn or grain unless he had counsel from God. We think that if travelers brought the news, then the brothers would have known and would have done something other than stare at each other. However, we are of the opinion Jacob received counsel from God. One more example of God providing for his people. The Hebrew word re’ah is the same word used for the brothers staring or seeing each other’s faces, and when Jacob learned, or saw, as in seeing the grain. How then could Jacob see the grain in Egypt unless God gave him the vision, either in a dream, or a direct vision during Jacob’s time of prayer, or meditation before the Lord. Because of the Hebrew word indicating Jacob, learned, saw, as in seeing, we believe this was not God speaking, or Jacob hearing the voice of God, but had a vision. This is our story, in the sense that God will instruct us in the way we should go, and he will make us see the way, or path, the personal direction of our lives for his purpose. It is clear, that the reason Jacob learned, and saw the grain was because this was for the purpose God had told Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as grains of sand or stars in the sky. God will also show us the way so that he will accomplish his purpose in our lives and for the lives of others. Of course, this is also dependent on our spending time with Him, or at least being open to seeing his hand guiding us, even hearing his voice, or seeing that vision he displays before us.  We cannot be like the brothers, just sitting around staring, but we take our lesson from Jacob, that he saw, so we can see.