MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Genesis 42:29-38
THE INCREASING TROUBLES OF JACOB’S OLD AGE
I. The causes which led to them.
1. The strange perplexity into which his sons had been brought. They related to their father the rough treatment they had received in Egypt, and how one of their brethren was detained in pledge until they should return with their youngest brother. When one of them opened his sack’s mouth, on the journey, he was alarmed to find his money tied up with it; but when they all emptied their sacks in their father’s presence, how great must have been their consternation when they saw that “every man’s bundle of money was in his sack.” (Genesis 42:35.) Jacob understood their trouble, and like them he feared the worst. He has the corn, indeed, but with it sorrow upon sorrow.
2. The opening again of an old wound. He is reminded again of Joseph, and all the old trouble comes back to him. (Genesis 42:32.) The wound which time had but imperfectly healed bleeds afresh.
3. The loss of all earthly hope. To poor Jacob all was now well nigh gone. Every earthly hope was lost now, save one, and that also was in danger of being taken away. (Genesis 42:36.) Looking over his past life, he felt that all had failed. “All these things are against me,” he said. Let there come but one more calamity (and he had too much reason to fear it) then would the cup of his sorrow be full, “then shall ye bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.” (Genesis 42:38.)
II. The weaknesses in Jacob’s character which they reveal.
1. Querulousness and despondency. The former was natural to an old man who had seen so much sorrow. But there was also a prevailing sadness about Jacob’s character which led him to look on the dark side of events. He was inclined to magnify his sorrows until they spread a gloom over his whole life and shut out the light of hope.
2. Want of strong faith in God. Jacob was really reflecting upon Providence when he said, “All these things are against me.” No man who had strong faith to see the “end of the Lord,” which is gracious and loving even through a frowning Providence, could utter such words. And yet Jacob casts these dark reflections upon God’s dealings, though God had once said to him, “I will surely do thee good.” Thus he who once wrestled with God and man, and prevailed, now shows the weakness of his faith. It was not for want of light, and frequent supports, and encouragement that Jacob betrayed this weakness of faith. It is to be traced to the native selfishness of his character. His very religion had, all the way through, a strong trace of selfishness. The idea of bargain entered largely into it. He seemed one who studied his own ease, comfort, and prosperity; getting all he could for himself, and giving as little as possible. He who lives upon this principle will, in the end, find such religion as he has to fail him. Unless he has faith and hope in God above, despite all appearances, he will find every earthly foundation to give way under him until nothing is left. He must go deep down to find his rock in God. Nothing else can stand, for faith can never be secure and constant unless it lays hold upon Him above who is “ever faithful, ever sure.” God’s ways to Jacob were indeed mysterious; he was a much tried man, but yet he ought to have triumphed over all his difficulties. Job was tried with greater sorrows, and yet he had the strength to say of his God who was afflicting him, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” (Job 13:15.) We have heard of the patience of Job, and we know how trouble served only to purify his soul and to give him a clear and sure knowledge of Divine things. (Job 42:5-6). Jacob relied too much upon human agents, and upon the course of events. He lacked the faith of that father of believers who could give up his Isaac. He failed to see that if God had promised to be with him, no evil could finally prevail over him. He thinks of the grave only as a refuge from the sorrows of the world. The thought which he utters is painful, but it is only the passionate expression of feelings which had long been pent up within him. He now declares the melancholy suspicion which he had carried in the depths of his own heart for many a year. As time went on, the prospects and fortunes of his family seemed to grow only darker, and now the end had come. There is nothing left for him but to go down to the grave with sorrow, his life uncompleted, his hopes unrealised. He speaks not as one who looks forward to the rest of the grave when his soul is satisfied with life and the blessing of the Lord, whose faith has overcome the world, and who has the blessed prospect of joining the company of those who have triumphed and have entered into their rest. This is a dark moment with Jacob, but he will yet recover his faith, and triumph in the Lord.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Genesis 42:29-34. Their narrative must have given their father a very bad idea of the lord of the land. They said nothing of him but the truth. And yet Jacob must have formed an opinion far remote from the truth. Joseph must have appeared to him as an insolent, overbearing tyrant, that made use of his power to crush poor men under his feet. “Surely,” might the patriarch have said, “the fear of God is not before the eyes of this man, who shows so little regard to the comfort, the liberty, the lives of his fellow-men. Yet Joseph’s conduct towards his brethren was full of wisdom and mercy. He dealt hardly with them that he might do them good. So far is the appearance from always corresponding with the reality of things. “Judge nothing before the time.”—(Bush,)
Genesis 42:35-36. The mysterious circumstance of the money being found by the way in their sacks, they appear to have concealed. Mention is made of only one of the sacks being opened; yet by what they afterwards said to the steward (Genesis 43:21), it appears that they opened them all, and found every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. But they might think their father would have blamed them for not returning with it when they were only a day’s journey from Egypt, and therefore agreed to say nothing to him about it, but leave him to find it out. Hence it is that they are represented as discovering the money in a manner as if they knew nothing of it before; not only participating with their father in his apprehensions, but seeming also to join with him in his surprise.—(Fuller.)
Old Jacob, that was not used to simple and absolute contentments, receives the blessing of seasonable provision, together with the affliction of that heavy message, the loss of one son and the danger of another; and he knows not whether it be better for him to die with hunger or with grief, for the departure of that son of his right-hand. He drives off all till the last. Protraction is a kind of ease in evils that must come.—(Bp. Hall.)
Jacob’s declarations betray a feeling that the brothers were not guiltless respecting Joseph’s disappearance. He knew their jealousy, and he had experienced the violent disposition of Simeon and Levi.—(Lange.)
All these things are against me. How did Jacob know this? Because his feelings, his affections, and the general sense of mankind, told him it was a great misery to lose a son, especially the best and most beloved of sons. But, in fact, the very reverse was the case, as Jacob afterwards found, Joseph was sent before him into Egypt to provide sustenance for his family; Simeon was bound in prison to mortify his haughty spirit; Benjamin was to be taken away that he might find Joseph alive and happy. A great portion of our present trouble arises from our not knowing the whole truth.—(Bush.)
Genesis 42:37. Reuben is once more the tender-hearted one. He offers everything that he may prevail with his father. “But it is out of reason what he offers” (Luther).—(Lange.)
The motive may be good when the speech is rash. It is well to beware of strong assertions which are far beyond our meaning, and besides have in them a tincture of levity and impiety.
A simple and sinful offer. Reuben was the eldest, but not the wisest. However, of him we may learn, in our parent’s fear, to be hardy and hearty; in our brethren’s distress to be eager and earnest.—(Trapp.)
Genesis 42:38. He puts them in mind of his grey hairs, which always constitute a claim for reverence, but more especially from children. It was natural that he should make the strongest possible appeal to the filial sentiments of his children, to spare him the crushing sorrow which he saw likely to overwhelm him; yet in saying he should die of grief he went beyond the bounds of a reasonable apprehension. But in this Jacob utters the language of human infirmity, and all that are human will be slow to condemn in him what they would probably evince in themselves.—(Bush.)
Painful as it is, this last, bitterest stroke of parting with Benjamin must be endured for the happy issue. “The darkest hour is just before the day.” In the mount of Jehovah shall be seen as it was with Abraham. God brings His chosen people through sorrow to joy, and through labour to rest.—(Jacobus.)