The Final Test

By Mary Vee
Genesis 44:1-13

After the meal with the eleven Hebrew brothers, the governor of Egypt left the hall. He strolled down the quiet corridor leading to his office. I wish I could go home, back to the promised land God gave my family. He looked out the window at the sky. "Don't misunderstand, God. I know you brought me here to save the world from famine. I--I just miss my family and the fun I could have had with them all these years."

He sat at his desk and thought about the work he needed to do. He shoved a stack of papyrus off his desk. "Steward!"

The door opened. "Yes, my Lord."

The governor stepped out to the balcony overlooking the grain storehouses. "Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry. Put each man's money in the mouth of his sack. Also--."

He leaned over the balcony and heard his brothers voices from the window on the lower floor. I can't hear what they're saying. They sound happy--kinda cheerful. How can I be sure they are truly sorry for what they did to me? Hmmmmmmmmm. I know--

The governor turned back to his steward. "Also, put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money."

The steward tipped his head, shrugged then left.

The governor leaned on the balcony again and watched the people milling about in the court. How much do the older brothers care about the youngest? How will they protect him? Maybe they won't. They didn't take care of me.

He listened for his brother's voices again. In fact, the governor stayed on the balcony the rest of the evening listening to their voices.

The next morning, he called his steward. "Release the eleven Hebrew men. Tell them they may return to their country."

The governor watch them gather their donkeys and walk out the court. A tear dripped down his face as they left. He returned to his desk to do his work.

After the sun moved in the sky a short ways, the governor called his servant. "Go. Find the eleven Hebrew men. When you overtake them, say, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? You have stolen the lord Governor's cup.'"

The steward bowed. "Yes, my lord."

Hours later the steward knocked on the governor's door. "I have done as you said. I overtook the men and spoke as you said. One man said, "Why do you accuse us? We wouldn't do such a thing. We brought back the money found in our sacks the first time to prove our innocence. How could we steal silver or gold from the governor? Go ahead and search. Whoever has his cup, let him die. The rest of us will be slaves.

"I agreed but said,'Whoever has the cup will be the slave, the others may go.' I began with the oldest man's sack. When I opened the youngest man's sack, they gasped when I pulled out your silver cup."

The governor rose from his chair. "Was that their only response?"

"No--they tore their clothes and cried out. The whole group came back with the youngest brother to protect him."

The governor's mouth fell open. "All of them? They all came back with him?"

"Yes, my lord."

Sometimes we feel discouraged when people disappoint us or do mean things. Joseph, who is the governor, discovered that his brothers had changed. What was different about them? How had God worked in their lives?

What did you see for yourself in this event that God included in the Bible?

Brothers Jacob and Esau, Isaac and Ishmael

By Mary Vee

Genesis 25:7-11 and 27-28

Isaac and Rebekah's sons grew to be healthy, young men. Even though they grew up together in the same home they liked to do different things.

Esau grabbed his bow one morning. "Mom, I'm going hunting."

"OK, Son. Can you bring something back for supper?"

"Sure, no problem."

Jacob watched his brother head out to the fields. "I'm glad he likes to hunt. I'd rather tend sheep and fix things around the tents. There's so much to do!"

Then again, Esau and Jacob were boys!

"Dad! I can't find my bow anywhere. Make Jacob give it back."

While Jacob snickered, Esau grabbed Jacob's shepherd staff, climbed the tree and hooked it to a high branch. "That will show him."

"Give me back my staff, Esau."

"Not until you give me my bow."

As the years passed, Esau noticed how much his dad liked eating the meat he hunted. This made him want to hunt for the best no matter how long it took.

Jacob noticed how much his mom appreciated the way he took care of the sheep and how he fixed things around the tents right away.

Still, they were brothers.

In the early evenings Rebekah complained to Isaac. "Those boys are driving me crazy. Do you know what Esau did? He tied branches to the tails of the sheep with vines. It took Jacob all morning to untangle them. And Jacob. He took the skin Esau left hanging to dry, draped it over himself and jumped out from behind that tree. Esau nearly shot him with an arrow."

"There, there, Dear. Their fifteen."

"They may not live to be sixteen."

A few days later one of Abraham's servants arrived with a message. "Master, your father, Abraham, became ill. He died in his sleep last night."

Isaac lowered his head and wiped a tear. "Does my brother Ishmael know?"

"Another servant took him the message last night."

Isaac and his family left immediately for his father's home. Ishmael arrived a few hours later.

Isaac walked out to greet him. "How are you, my brother?"

"As well as could be expected. And you?"

"Same."

Together they visited their father. They held his hand and said "Good bye."

Isaac turned to Ishmael. "Father would want to be buried next to Sarah."

"Yes, I agree. Let's leave first thing in the morning."

Esau and Jacob helped prepare the wagon. They sat by the fire after dinner and listened to Isaac and Ishmael. They mourned and laughed at family stories late into the evening.

Early the next morning, Isaac, Ishmael and several servants ate breakfast and gathered a few last things for the journey to bury their father.

Esau and Jacob ran after them. "Dad, can we go?"

Isaac looked at Ishmael. "Well?"

Ishmael nodded. "Up to you."

"OK, but, I want to spend time talking with my brother, Ishmael."

Sometimes family members grow up and move to different places. They still care about each other even though they're apart. God blessed both Isaac and Ishmael since they were Abraham's sons, but God chose Isaac to continue the job and receive the blessings He gave to Abraham.

Jacob and Esau liked different things. In the stories to come, we'll see God's plan for both Jacob and Esau. How are you different from your brother, sister, cousin, or friend?

I live far from my brother and sisters. God asked me to tell Bible stories. What do you think God wants you to do?