The Book of Genesis
Day 408
Ge 43:1 Now the
famine was severe in the land. 2 And it
came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from
Egypt, that their father said to them, "Go back, buy us a little
food." 3 But Judah spoke to him,
saying, "The man solemnly warned us, saying, 'You shall not see my face
unless your brother is with you.'"
4 "If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you
food. 5 "But if you will not send
him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, 'You shall not see my face
unless your brother is with you.'"
6 And Israel said, "Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to
tell the man whether you had still another brother?" 7 But they said, "The man asked us
pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, 'Is your father still alive?
Have you another brother?' And we told him according to these words. Could we
possibly have known that he would say, 'Bring your brother down'?"
The first time the
boys trekked off to Egypt, they were the ones dragging their feet, now it is
Jacob. The family had eaten all the food they had brought back from Egypt and
now Jacob says “go back and buy more.” Aren’t you forgetting something Jacob?
Judah, has the
courage to stand up to his father and tell him the truth. The truth is they
will not even be granted an audience with the man unless Benjamin comes along.
In addition, a return without Benjamin would be an admission that they are
spies and that would mean death for all of them. Jacob is trapped! Painted into a corner and
he lashes out at his sons. “Why did you have to tell this guy about Benjamin in
the first place?”
Ever notice how
quickly our old sins are ready to pounce on us again. The devil is masterful
when it comes to stirring up our old sins and causing them to break out again,
especially when we are under emotional pressure. Here, Jacob reverts to his old
deceiving ways, “why didn’t you just lie to the guy?”
The lesson for us
is obvious. Never say never. Never say, “I’ve got that sin licked.” “I’ll never
lose my temper again!” I’ll never look
at pornography again.” I’ll never get caught up in gossip again.” This is all
foolish talk of the flesh. The devil
watches, he knows our weaknesses and is quick to pounce on us when the time is
opportune.
So how do we
defeat this tactic? Be watchful! Know your own weaknesses and pray! Pray for
the Holy Spirit’s help. Respect the power of your flesh and say with the
Apostle Paul who had similar struggles:
Ro 7:15 For what I
am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice;
but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree
with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin
that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good
dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do
not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will
not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no
longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil
is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law
of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members,
warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law
of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me
from this body of death? 25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then,
with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
In my battle with
besetting sins, I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord.
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