Acknowledge Broken Relationships - Genesis 42

If you want some first hand information about the troubles that face many of our elderly castaways, all you need do is spend a few days in a rehab anywhere across America today. If you want to develop a positive attitude and desire to pass it on to love ones, spend a day or two in a rehab. I needed a personal experience that would help me and you understand the broken heart of a parent that is shattered because of broken relationships with their children; and I picked up more examples than I have space and time to write about in the few days I spent in rehab. I will share two or three that fit in with our study today. As you read here, remember how Jacob’s boys treated him.

John is sixty-five, lived out west, was married and has several children, all grown now. He was divorced a few years ago and he moved to live alone in a remote part of central Arkansas. No one bothered to check on him until someone reported to one of his sons still living West, that John had suffered a severe stroke in his left side, leaving him completely dependent upon some one else to feed and care for him. His son finally came to see him in rehab and it was obvious that their relationship was strained.

On the son’s first visit, he asked to offer prayer at our table. Later when I complemented John for having a son that loves the Lord and him, his reply was that he was a pretty good son…but only when he was trying to manipulate things to his own advantage. This remark came through sobs and with tears streaming down his cheeks. The next day I asked the son where he attended church and he let me know that he did not belong to any organized church and felt sure that he was the better for his independence. He and John had an open argument while at our table exposing the long continuing bad relationship.

Then there was the self made mechanic, no schooling or financial backing and 83 years old. He was married and had children who forsook him when he married again after the first wife died. There are two or three children from the second marriage that ended in divorce late in life. His description of her was that she was mean spirited and very difficult to live with peaceably. Only one son cares enough to check on him while in bad health for years, in rehab with me and no place to go except a nursing home, if one will take him. The man has only two or three teeth that do not meet, more of a problem than help. He confided in me that he had been trying for years to save enough money to have the teeth pulled and buy dentures so he can eat ordinary food.

Jacob had four wives and twelve sons, ten by wives he neither loved nor wanted and only two by the wife he loved—Joseph and Benjamin. He had many reasons throughout his life to trust only the two youngest of his sons and he really believed that Joseph was dead. The seven year drought that started in Egypt spread out over all the lands of the descendents of Abraham and caught Jacob and his family with no food. Word got around that there was grain for sale in Egypt, so he sent his ten older sons to Egypt to buy grain. He did not fully trust his oldest sons and kept Benjamin behind in safety. When the ten arrived before their brother Joseph, he knew who they were but they did not recognize him.

He accused his brothers as spies who had come to find the part of his country that was not protected. They told him who they were and why they had come and it was all in good faith. He remembered his dreams as an 18 year old boy that told him this day would come when he would rule over the older men in the family. I think his main object was to find how they had treated his ‘own brother’—had they been as cruel to Benjamin as they were to him? Did they despise Ben because he was not their ‘own brother?’

When they arrived Joseph could only remember one day long ago when they had drug him from a deep hole and sold him away into slavery because of their hatred toward him. He was not sure he could trust them now and decided to try them by demanding that one remain in Egypt until the others could deliver the grain to his father and bring Benjamin back for him to see. He would then allow all to go free.

Grain was very valuable because it could be used in many ways. It could be stored and preserved—not like vegetables, milk, meat etc. that spoiled. It was even used for money… to barter in trade. Their father Jacob and the whole family was desperate for food and they really had no choice but to go along with what ever Joseph decide to do.

To prove his power over them he had them imprisoned for three days—then he revealed his plan that would test them to see if they were truthful and not spies. One brother was to remain in Egypt in prison while the others could return to their home, take the purchased grain, and then bring Benjamin back with them to prove that he was not being mistreated. In the end, if they all proved that they were to be trusted; they would be released to return to their father Jacob.

Reuben was the oldest and probably the wisest of the sons that were still at home. When they arrived back home from their shopping trip and found that their money had been given back to them, and the grain had cost them nothing, Reuben begin to realize that this was the hand of God still at work and that they were still being punished for the way they had treated their brother, Joseph.

The sad side of this whole story is that Jacob had ten sons that he did not trust. You talk about broken relationships—this has been a mixed-up family every since it became a polygamist marriage with one unwanted wife, and two unwanted slave girls that bore him children.

This chapter closes in doubt and fear in Jacob’s mind and heart. He was being asked to allow his youngest and most loved son to travel to Egypt as the pawn that would allow the release of his older brother. Of course, Jacob did not realize that his long lost son Joseph was at the other end of the line making the final decisions. He decided to refuse to let Benjamin go with his brothers to Egypt. We know that in later chapters, Jacob changes his mind and allows him to go; but as this chapter closes we see the height of mistrust that a family with broken relationships can bring to a family.

This brings back to our memory the command that was given by God to all children of men to HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER. There will always be enough sin in the lives of children to cause some misunderstanding; however there should never be a time when simple misunderstandings run the gamete and become broken relationships.

As I close this lesson at ten AM on Saturday, the Cleburne County area is under a severe storm warning. I am in my basement, the safest area of my home, taking the weather man’s best advice to avoid destruction. This is just a simple way of responding to a warning of danger. This is God’s simple way of warning all who study this lesson that we need to be willing to follow the instructions that God has given us if we want to prolong our lives. Honor our fathers and mothers, and trust God to preserve us from the storms of life. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. As I write, the thunder is close and the lightening is flashing and I am still and calm and have trusted all to the Father above. Oh, how I pray that each and every one of you who read this can find the peace and satisfaction that I have found in my complete trust of my personal Savior.

PS: I have had two good nights at home, little to no pain and will soon be able to enjoy the UNBROKEN RELATIONSHIPS that are present in my family. To God be the Glory!

One more PS: I will not take the time to proof read and correct errors, so please forgive my misspellings, and other errors.