After the brothers came the second time, Joseph showed them love by feasting with them in his residence. Although they did not recognize him, he wanted to indicate to them that he was intimate with them, even as he was testing them. At the end time, Christ will do the same thing to Israel. On the one hand, He will test them further, while on the other hand, He will take care of them in love.
Although their Messiah will show love to them, the Israelites will continue to be ignorant of Christ's love. I am assured that Christ is for Israel. Whether or not we are for Israel means nothing, for we are mere men. But it is vitally significant that Christ is for Israel. However, Israel today is ignorant of Christ's love. Eventually, after they have been forced to turn to Him, Christ will be forced to reveal Himself to them. At that time the house of Israel will recognize Him as their Messiah.
Now we come to another parenthesis. My burden in this message is actually on the parenthesis. In 43:1-15 Joseph's brothers were still learning their lesson, and in 43:16-34 Joseph still left them under his test. Although he showed them love, he did not reveal himself to them directly. Joseph tested his brothers because he was trying to induce them to recognize him. Joseph's brothers were stupid. If we had been they, we would have recognized Joseph by the many indications of his identity. Let us now consider these indications.
When Joseph's brothers came back, Joseph did not say a word. Rather, he charged his steward to invite the brothers to his residence, the home of the ruler of the earth. If I had been one of Joseph's brothers, I would have said, "We are foreigners visiting this country. We don't deserve this much attention. Why would such a high ruler invite us to his home to eat with him?" Perhaps you would say that Joseph's brothers thought that he would trick them and make them his slaves. Perhaps they had this thought. At any rate, they did not appreciate Joseph's invitation, but rather were frightened by it. Thus, they told the steward that the last time they had purchased grain they had paid the money, but the money had been placed in their sacks. They told him that they had not done this. The steward said, "Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks" (43:23). The steward seemed to be saying, "It was not that your money was returned to you. It was a gift from your God and from the God of your father." After Joseph's brothers had visited him the first time, Joseph must have spoken to his steward about them, at least telling him that they were Hebrews and that he had come to Egypt from their land. He must have told the steward that they knew God and feared Him. Otherwise, how could an Egyptian steward have answered in such a way? From whom had the steward received this kind of knowledge? He no doubt had received it from Joseph. This was an indication to Joseph's brothers that someone in Joseph's residence knew their background. After indicating to them that there was no problem regarding the money, "the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender" (43:24). He also brought Simeon out to them. Thus, the problems regarding the money and Simeon were solved.
Eventually, Joseph came in and asked, "Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?" (43:27). No matter how much Joseph had disguised himself, there must have been some sign of affection in the way he asked about his father. Joseph was not a stone, but a man full of affection. The tone of his voice in asking about his father must have been an indication of who he was. Verse 29 says, "And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son." After saying this, Joseph ran into his chamber and wept. At that point Joseph's brothers should have asked themselves, "What is this? Why does the ruler ask about our father in such an affectionate way? And why did he not finish speaking to our youngest brother? He went out and came back with his face washed. What does all this mean?"