Genesis 44-45:4
“We Will Be Tested”

Introduction
1. James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, Knowing this that
the testing of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may
be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.
2. Giants and Thorns…Chuck Swindoll
3. Are you going through mile after mile of extra pressure…extreme heat and slippery,
treacherous condition?
4. Do you find yourself at a time of testing?
5. Genesis 44 we discover 5 aspects of testing:

Do you find yourself at a time of testing?
I. THE PROVIDER OF TESTING 44:1-5
A. The Sacks
1. While the brothers were resting that evening for their return journey, Joseph had his
steward load their sacks…as much as the sacks would carry. He returned the money
once again in each sack. It’s All of Grace!
2. The most important part of the test…Joseph put his personal silver drinking cup in
The sack of Benjamin. It is to appear that Benjamin is taking home a souvenir.
3. Stop them and say, He divineth (It may or may not have been so. It could have been
part of the act to stress the importance of the cup.)
B. The Source
1. Notice, Joseph is the source. Testing is ordered and ordained by God. All Is From
His Grace!
2. The type of test…the recipients of the testing…the time of the testing…he even
eventually tells the servant what to say.
*Testing is never so God will know what’s in us, but so we will know what’s in us.
*God sets the time, duration, speed, pressure, obstacles.
*God is in control when we seem to be out of control.

Do you find yourself at a time of testing?
II. THE POINT OF TESTING 44:6-13
A. The Charge
1.The brothers are excited to get home. They are on their way when they see the police car in their rearview mirror and they are asked to pull over. They are accused!
We found money. “Why should we steal silver and gold?”
2.Verses 11-13 The search begins with the oldest… “the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack!” There was the missing cup.
B. The Change
1.They had been changed! To a man, they were willing to stand by Benjamin no matter what!
2.They all rent their clothes in grief. Whether he was guilty or not they would take their place with him!
C. The Cost
1.Benjamin is the point of testing. He was the youngest. He was the most precious.
2.“Are you willing to give that to Me, event if it might die?”
3.Verse 9 is often in answer to our response. The testing is often in answer to our request. “At any cost Lord.” “I want to be like You.” “I want You to use me.”
4. “I want to be nothing more than a nail upon a wall in order to hang a picture of You.”
5.What is most precious to you? “Are you willing to give that to Me, so I can do with it whatever I want?”

Do you find yourself at a time of testing?
III. THE PAIN OF TESTING 44:14-17
A. The Puzzle 14, 15
Knowing who I am…how did you expect to get away with it?
B. The Plea 16
1.They did not say, “It’s Benjamin.” They had stopped defending themselves. God hath found our iniquity.
2.After 20 years…We are my Lord’s servants.
C. The Pressure 17
1.“That’s not right…the man in whose hand the cup is found: He shall be my slave!
2.The pain of testing, brings us to the end of ourselves…my rights, my way, my benefit, my innocents.
3.“’Bring Benjamin to me.” (42:20) “Leave Benjamin with Me” (44:17) Have you discovered the difference between bringing and leaving? Take your hands off and leave it!

Do you find yourself at a time of testing?
IV. THE PURPOSE OF TESTING 44:18-34
They are brought to the end of themselves. They stand in utter weakness. It was so with
Jericho as they marched around the walls 6 times with no results. Naaman the leper after
dipping 6 times in the Jordan and still full of leprosy. It wasn’t until the 7th that God did
something!
A.The Concern 18-24 Their concern is for their father. The lad cannot leave his father.
B.The Consent 25-31 Judah tells how his father gave consent seeing he had no choice. Rachel had two sons and the shock of Benjamin would kill him.
C.The Change 32-34 “I shall bear the blame.” “Let my servant abide instead of the lad.” “Do with me whatever you want.” “Let the lad go with his brothers.” These have
changed!
D.The Conclusion
1.“I” die! Let the guilt fall on me. Do with me whatever you want.
2.Totally at the end of himself...that is what God wants in testing!

Do you find yourself at a time of testing?
V. THE PRIZE OF TESTING 45:1-3
He wants to bring me to the end of myself...then I can meet Him!
A.At this point Joseph is overcome with emotion, and dramatically he cried for all his servants to leave the room. We wept so loudly that all the Egyptians and the house of Pharoah heard.
B. He said, “I am Joseph.” He no longer spoke through an interpreter.
C.“I am Jesus.” He is no longer a second-hand experience. At the end of our struggle, at the end of our wrestle, at the end of ourselves we hear, “I am Jesus.”

Illustration of Alan Redpath (former pastor of Moody Church) after a sever stroke: O Lord deliver me from the attack of the devil! Please take me Home. For the first time
in months, it seemed that the Lord drew very near to me. I am sure He was close all the time, even if I did not feel His presence. I had no vision of Him, no dramatic touch of healing. I do know that a deep conviction came to my heart in which He said, “You have this all wrong. The devil has nothing to do with it. It is I, your Savior, who have brought this experience into your life to show you two things: First, that this is the kind of person…with all your sinful thoughts and temptations…you always will be, but for My grace. I never intended to make you a better man, but to indwell you with My life. Second, I want to replace you with Myself, if you will only allow Me to be God in you. Admit you are a failure and that the only good thing about Alan Redpath is Jesus Christ.”

Admit that you are a failure, and the only good thing about you is Jesus Christ!