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We have now reached the point within the Sacred Record, where Joseph finds himself in a near perfect situation to seek revenge against his brothers, for their betrayal against him some twenty years ago. Joseph is clearly struggling with the idea of giving in to his temptation of retaliating against his brothers. Understand that Joseph has been through a lot in his life after his brothers had betrayed him. This is a man who'd endured a season of dark captivity and uncertainty for thirteen years out of the last twenty of his life. But in spite of all this, it was his fear of God that had given him pause when it came to him acting on his anger for what his brothers had done to him. Now if we were to play close attention to all of this, we'll notice that we're now being treated to a special and unique moment. For we find that God is moving through the natural in order to reveal to Joseph the answers to the things that were constantly eating away at his heart and mind. In the meantime we find that Joseph is there looking at his brothers while they were locked up in custody. And although he's pondering on what he should do to them, Joseph is also wondering what kind of men his brothers have become at this stage in their lives. I mean after all, are they still the cold-hearted and wicked minded men that their actions had revealed some twenty years ago? Being that if this was the case, Joseph would have no problem sentencing them to the same type of captivity (or worse) that he had to endure for thirteen out of the last twenty years of his life. But keep in mind that Joseph could be wrong in his assumptions, when it comes to his brothers? For we must also keep in mind that these ten men were also the sons of Jacob. And with Jacob being God's faithful servant - rest assured, that Jacob would do his best to teach the ways of the Lord to his sons as well. And although it could've been possible that the "sons of Jacob" could have been so bold with their envy towards Joseph, that they were willing to go against the Almighty God in order to get rid of their younger brother? It could also be possible that they were simply blinded by their jealously of Joseph - that they didn't realize, they had placed themselves in the unfortunate position of going against that very same God. Be that as it may, watch how God moves in the natural to get Joseph's attention while answering his concerns in the process? For we now find that the Sacred Record reveals that while the "sons of Jacob" were sitting in prison, they ended up speaking freely amongst themselves while Joseph was looking at them from outside the jail cell - for they didn't realize that Joseph could understand them being that he spoke through an interpreter: "Then they said to one another, 'We are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.' And Reuben answered them, saying, 'Did I not speak to you, saying, "Do not sin against the boy"; and you would not listen? Therefore behold, his blood is now required of us.' But they did not know that Joseph understood them, for he spoke to them through an interpreter." - Genesis 42:21-23 Now it's at this time that I would like to point something out? Notice how they stated: "...when he pleaded with us for his life..." This statement alone, provides a new revelation on what had happen while Joseph was sitting in that dark pit his brothers had thrown him in, while they contemplated killing him? Keep in mind that this wasn't mentioned when this account was first recorded: "So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his rob -- the richly ornamented robe he was wearing; and they took him and threw him in the cistern (pit). Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt" -- (Genesis 37:23-25) Notice how, at the time that there weren't any mention of what had happened while Joseph was inside the pit. Now personally I find this to be very interesting for a number of reasons, but I will only mention two reasons at this time. First off, it shows and supports the viewpoint of how truly envious and wicked minded his brothers had become towards him at this time within his life. Second, the difference between the two passages (Genesis 37:23-25 / Genesis 42:21-23) gives us some much deeper insight into the unlimited stimulating power of God's Word when it comes to our spirituality and our natural state of mind. I'll tell you this, if you really get into the Sacred Record - you'll learn just how much of a map-of-life it really can be. If you stick with me as we continue through this Great Book, this fact will become clearer to you as we delve deeper into the Word of God. However, let's move forward: For we now find that after Reuben had heard the convictions of his brothers, he wanted to make something very clear when it came to the part that he'd played while all of this was going on: "Didn't I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn't listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood." Now personally, I can see Joseph raising an eyebrow while stroking his chin after he had heard what Rueben had just said. For Joseph must know that the convictions of his brothers at this time are true and very sincere, being that they didn't know that he could understand the Hebrew language they were speaking in. After all, they didn't recognize the man he had become, being that in their minds they thought he was truly an Egyptian. Especially since Joseph was speaking through an interpreter, they had no idea that he could really understand them. Now that Joseph had heard their convictions and perhaps gained some insight into who they really were at this point within their lives. Joseph could have begun to think that they too had changed from before? And even though this may have been the case, Joseph had to continue to play the role of what he had become, which was "Zaphenath-Paneah the Revealer of Secrets". He felt like he had to do this, being that he still had one major concern on his heart and mind? And this dealt with the fact that he wanted to know that his baby brother Benjamin was indeed, well and in one piece. So after Joseph had heard his brother's confessions, he turned away from them and began to weep privately. After this had happened he then turned back at his brothers and spoke to them again. Now, the Scriptures don't tell us what he had said them, but next we learn that he had Simeon taken from them and bound before their very eyes. This was done, in order to reinforce and remind the "sons of Jacob" the seriousness of the situation that they now found themselves in: "And he turned himself away from them and wept. Then he returned to them again, and talked with them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes." -- Genesis 42:24 As we can see from the Sacred Text, things are becoming a little bit more interesting and it looks as if Simeon will be the one staying behind (through force). Now that Joseph has sent them on their way to get Benjamin, I wonder what their father Jacob has to say concerning all of this? Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty **YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE** 84) Joseph's Dark Dreams Interpretation 85) Joseph the Overseer of Egypt 86) Joseph the Revealer of Secrets 88) The Seven Years of Abundance 90) Joseph the Egyptian Prime Minister 91) Joseph the Temptation of Revenge 93) <-CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE PAGE-> 
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