Genesis 43: A Seating Chart That Astounded Everybody

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It's his word that transforms. You will find more and see more than I can ever articulate. Welcome to chapter by chapter. Today's chapter is Genesis 43, a seating chart that astounded everybody. Whenever you go to a formal dinner you will find a sign seating. A seating chart has been carefully thought through and people were deliberately put at certain tables and seated next to others that was all planned. Whether that was for comfortability of knowing someone or for connecting new people it was all designed. I've experienced both. I've sent next to people at formal dinners that became friends and reconnected with longtime friends. Genesis 43 had a seating chart that astounded everybody. There were 11 brothers Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Nafftelai, Gad, Asher, Issaqar, Zebulon, and Benjamin were sat in this specific order and it astounded everyone. The only person who could have made this seating chart is Joseph. It says this in Genesis 43, 33, 33. Now they were seated before him the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth and the men looked at one another in astonishment. He took portions to them from his own table but Benjamin's portion was five times as much as any of theirs so they feasted and drank freely with him. They were astonished how this seating chart was so accurate and seemingly had a plan behind it. There is a command in Romans 1215 that says to us rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. The second part is much easier than the first part. It's much easier to be there for those who are in pain. It's much harder to rejoice with those getting blessed when deep inside we want and need a blessing. This was the seating chart test. In the past when Joseph was given a dream and a multi-colored coat, this did not bring rejoicing but envy to the 11 seated at the table. Joseph is in Egypt from their envy but in God's will. So now Joseph pulls a Jacob. Instead of a coat he does it in a meal. Joseph tests them. He will see how they will respond to a brother that has singled out and given more than them. Joseph gives Benjamin the youngest five times more food than the others and it says they feasted and drank freely. They passed the test. Throughout their time with Joseph the prime minister the Bible gives us a number of times what is going on internally but not this time. There's no jealousy or confusion. I think Joseph's size a big sigh of relief. Jacob's five portion more to Joseph got him to Egypt but Joseph's five portions more to Benjamin seemed to enhance the party. Well done 11. The story's looking good so far. There are times that God will test us with the seating chart and the five portion man at our table to mature us. Not too long ago is reminded of my five portion moment. I was one of the 10 brothers watching the server keep the plate of Benjamin's portion after portion and I just got one helping. I saw a car on the road that was the same year in model of the car I drove when I started in ministry and was really struggling financially. I drove a Dodge K car station wagon. I actually covered the dashboard with a piece of paper because too many red warning lights were coming on and I didn't have the money to fix the problem so I thought I would just hide the problem. I was serving God. I committed everything I had to the church and then I saw a Benjamite at our church in Detroit getting five portions more. His name was Roger and he and his wife were the sweetest people and I had a gift for evangelism. They worked at a hospital. I came to church one Sunday showing me the keys to a brand new Ford F-150 truck that he won. He said the hospital was doing a drawing for their workers and his name was picked. I did not celebrate. I was upset. I needed a car. I wanted a car. I so horribly thought to myself I was more godlier. I prayed more. I read the bible more. Why did he get the truck and not me? Remember Romans 1215 rejoice with those rejoice and weep with those who weep. Roger was rejoicing and I was weeping. Roger was asking the weeping guy to become a rejoicer. Really God was asking the wrongly weeping guy to be a rejoicer. I had no reason to weep. God was testing me as Joseph was testing his brothers and I failed the test. I didn't mind God blessing other Christian people and even non-Christian people but not blessing them as much as me or more than me. It was really mad at God when I was when I was really the problem. The 11 brothers passed the test with Benjamin that I failed with Roger. In a recent church and culture post James Emory Wright writes these words, "I wish writer Oscar Wilde once told a fictional tale about how the devil was crossing the Libyan desert. He came upon a spot where a small number of demons were tormenting a holy hermit. The saint and man easily shook off their evil suggestions. The devil watched as his lieutenants failed to sway the hermit. Then he stepped forward to give them a lesson. What you do is to crew the devil said, "Premit me for one moment. He then whispered to the holy man, your brother has just been made bishop of Alexandria. Suddenly a look of Malignant envy clouded the once serene face of the hermit. Then the devil turned to the impson said, "That is the sort of thing which I would recommend." White ads, "When you give into envy, you not only desire what another person has and resent him for having it. You also want to destroy its presence in the other person's life. When an envier ultimately wants is not simply what another has, but an envier wants is for another not to have it at all. We will all face the seeding chart test." Thank you for joining chapter by chapter. Every chapter from the greatest book of the Bible, the Word of God. We'll see you tomorrow.