IT'S IN THE BAG! - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

y Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards

Shanika opened the door, dropped her backpack on the floor,
and ran straight to her room without saying a word to
anyone. She climbed into bed, pulled the covers over her
head, and started crying. "It's not fair! It's just not
fair!" she whined. "I just don't know why I always get
blamed for everything!"

* * *

Her brother Marcus was in his room trying to do his
homework when he heard her sobbing. He tapped on her door
and asked to be allowed to come in. Shanika then blurted
out the whole story in between sobs.

In art class that day, one of the boys had gotten into the
teacher's supply closet. He had taken out a tub of paint
and accidentally dropped it, spilling it all over the floor
and on Shanika's desk, which was right beside the closet.
He had hurriedly walked away, leaving the mess. Mrs.
Johnson had come into the room and she had seen Shanika
standing there wondering what to do. Since Shanika was the
only one in the room at the time, Mrs. Johnson had falsely
assumed she had made the mess and had made her clean it up.

Marcus felt very sorry for his sister. Since he was older,
he knew what it was like to be blamed for something he
didn't do. He put his arm around her and tried to comfort
her. Then he told her he would go with her the next day to
talk to Mrs. Johnson.

Shanika quit crying and began feeling a whole lot better.
She was glad she had a big brother and she was glad to know
he would stand up for her.

* * *

Joseph and his brothers had eaten a delicious feast
together. They talked, laughed, and enjoyed one another's
company, even though the brothers had no idea that it was
their own brother, Joseph. They were still quite puzzled
about the good treatment they were receiving. Imagine their
surprise when, after the meal, they were invited to stay
and spend the night there in the house with the man in
charge of all Egypt!

* * *

Joseph commanded his servants to fill their sacks with as
much food as they could carry. He also commanded them to
put the money back into each one's sack. Then he commanded
them to put his very own silver cup into Benjamin's sack.

In the morning at the crack of dawn, the brothers loaded
all the sacks on their donkeys and started toward home.
They couldn't help talking about the strange turn of
events, and they were glad that this time the trip was a
happy one.

* * *

Joseph had one of his servants watch them leave. He told
the servant, "When they are just outside the city, go after
them. Speak harshly to them and ask why they rewarded my
goodness to them with evil. Ask why they stole my special
silver cup."

The servant did just as he was told. Since he had a chariot
and it wasn't loaded down with heavy bundles of food and
supplies, he was easily able to catch up with them. "Why
have you done evil after we treated you so well?" he asked
the brothers, speaking roughly. "Why have you stolen the
special silver cup that belongs to the ruler?"

The brothers were speechless. They didn't know what to
think or what to say.

* * *

"What do you mean?" they questioned. "We returned the money
that was found in our sacks, and we have no idea what you
are talking about concerning a silver cup. None of us would
dare to steal from the ruler, especially after the kindness
he has shown us! If you find the silver cup among any of
our supplies, then we will all be slaves in the ruler's
house." All the brothers nodded in agreement because they
were absolutely positive that none of them had the ruler's
silver cup.

"All right," the servant said. "It shall be just as you
say, except that only the person who has the silver cup
will return to the ruler and become his slave. The rest of
you will be allowed to return home."

* * *

It was quite a chore to unload all the donkeys. The sacks
had been filled to the brim and they were very heavy. The
servant searched through all their supplies. Then he made
them open all the sacks of food, and he searched them,
starting with the bags belonging to oldest and going down
to the youngest. The brothers were sure of themselves and
were feeling quite relieved when one bag after another was
searched and the silver cup was not found.... But then...

...They were stricken with fear and disbelief when the
servant searched through Benjamin's belongings. As they
opened the last bag of food, all of them saw that the
silver cup was right there in plain sight in the top of the
bag. Hanging their heads in shame and trembling with fear,
they immediately started reloading everything onto their
donkeys. Following the servant, they reluctantly began the
dreaded trip back to the house of the man in charge.

* * *

"We are certainly 'goners' now," they said with dismay.
"How did that cup end up in the sack?" they questioned.

Benjamin tried his best to defend himself. "I didn't take
it! I didn't put it there!" he exclaimed. "I don't know how
it ended up in my bag! Honestly, I'm telling the truth!"

The hard fact is that the silver cup was found in
Benjamin's sack, and no matter how it got there, they were
in B-I-GGGG TROUBLE! They had agreed with the servant that
the person in whose bag the cup was found, would be left in
Egypt as a slave. HOW would they ever explain THAT to their
father when they had to go back home without Benjamin?

* * *

When the brothers got back to the ruler's house, they bowed
down on the ground before him.

"What have you done?" the ruler asked sharply. "Surely you
must know that someone as important as I am has the ability
to discern the truth! Did you really think you could steal
my special silver cup and not get caught?"

* * *

Judah spoke up strongly but fearfully. "Oh, Mr. Ruler! What
can we do to make up for what has been done? If we become
your slaves, would that be enough to make up for this great
wrong?"

Receiving no response, Judah moved a little closer to the
ruler. "May I have a word with you in private?" he asked.

"I know that you are second in command and no one is
greater than you, except King Pharaoh. Please don't be
angry with us." Judah continued, "Remember when we first
came and you asked about our father, then you asked if we
had another brother, and you made us bring him to you? We
told you that we couldn't bring him because his father
would be grief stricken if anything were to happen to him.
But you wouldn't let us buy food unless we brought him."

"Well, we did as you required," Judah continued to explain.
"We brought him to see you and now this trouble has come
upon us. If we go home without him, our father, who is very
old and loves Benjamin very much, will surely die of grief.
Please, please, for our father's sake, take me as a slave
instead of Benjamin," Judah pleaded.

* * *

Joseph was overcome with emotion and could not constrain
himself any longer. He saw how the brothers had changed
over the years and were no longer hateful. He saw the love
they had for his father and for his younger brother. He
began to weep openly.

"Every one please leave the room," he commanded his
servants. "Leave me alone with these men." The servants did
as they were asked and left the room, but because Joseph
was crying out loud, he could be heard even in the next
room.

Then Joseph brokenly spoke to his brothers. "I am Joseph,"
he said. "Is my father still alive?" he asked.

* * *

The brothers were astounded and could not speak. It took
them some time to comprehend what he was saying.

"Come closer," Joseph said. "I am your brother Joseph whom
you sold into slavery. But don't be fearful or angry with
yourself. Yahweh used your deeds to bring me to Egypt so that
I could save your lives."

Joseph went on to tell them that although there had already
been two years of famine, there would be five more years.
"It was not you that sent me here, but Yahweh. Yahweh has
prospered me and made me an important advisor to Pharaoh
and has made me the ruler of all his house, his land, and
all the land of Egypt."

The brothers stood still in awestruck amazement. They
couldn't believe what they were hearing. After all these
many years of believing Joseph was dead, it was difficult
for them to grasp the fact that he was alive and standing
right there before them. It was even more difficult for
them to believe that their little brother, the one they had
made fun of, called a dreamer, and sold into slavery, was
now the second most important person in all Egypt.

* * *

"This is what I want you to do," Joseph continued. "Go back
to Canaan and tell my father that I am alive. Tell him you
have seen me and that I am a ruler in Egypt. Gather all
your flocks and bring your families to live here in Egypt
near me. There is plenty of food here and your families
will never be hungry again. Hurry! Don't be slow about
getting back. I want to see my father!"

Joseph then reached out to Benjamin. He hugged him and
kissed him, and cried tears of joy. Then he hugged and
kissed each of his brothers. He was glad he was finally
able to speak to them as brothers instead of pretending he
didn't know them.

* * *

Joseph's servants were still listening in another room, and
they spread the word that Joseph's brothers had come. It
didn't take long for the news to reach King Pharaoh. He was
pleased because Joseph was happy and called for Joseph.
"Take wagons to Canaan to bring the children and your
father so they won't have to be uncomfortable walking and
riding donkeys."

The King then said, "Tell them to bring their herds but not
to bother bringing other belongings. Send provisions for
the trip, and tell them I will give them everything they
need when they get here. I will also give them the land of
Goshen to settle, which is by a river, so that their herds
and flocks will have water to drink."

Joseph did according to all that Pharaoh said. He gave the
brothers wagons, provisions and new clothing, and he gave
Benjamin three hundred pieces of silver. For his father, he
sent ten donkeys loaded with the finest goods of Egypt,
along with ten more donkeys loaded with food and meat for
the trip to Egypt.

The brothers hurried as quickly as they could, along the
hot, dry, dusty trail back to Canaan. They were too excited
to complain about the dry, hot, dusty traveling conditions.
They talked the whole way about all that had happened in
Egypt. They still didn't know quite what to think about
Joseph, their own brother, being the man in charge!

They were eager to get home to their families and to their
father to tell them of all their good fortune, and most
importantly, that Joseph was alive!

* * *

THINK!

* What was found in Benjamin's bag?
* How did the silver cup get in the bag?
* What did they all agree should happen to the person
who had the silver cup?
* Which brother spoke up and begged to be traded for
Benjamin?
* Did Joseph seek to get even with his brothers for
throwing him into a pit and selling him as a slave?
* Did Joseph cry because he was sad or because he was
happy?
* What gifts did he send home to his father?
* How did King Pharaoh react when he heard that Joseph's
brothers were in town?

REMEMBER:

Always try to be forgiving when a wrong is done to you.

A VERSE TO LEARN

"It was not you that sent me hither, but Yahweh" (Genesis
45:8a).

LET'S PRAY

****************************************************
Dear Yahweh, thank You for always being in control
and knowing what is best for us. Help us remember
to be kind and to forgive others. In Yah'shua's Name, amen.
****************************************************

CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?
Genesis 44:1 - 45:24

DID YOU KNOW?
You can view this Bible story in full color with pictures and
resources to go along with the story at
http://childrenschapel.org/biblestories/joseph7.html

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