Genesis 44:30-34 – God’s amazing transformation

Still unaware that the viceroy was indeed Joseph, Judah then narrated what could possibly happen should Benjamin fail to return with them to their father. He remembered what Jacob told them before the departure. So he told him his foreboding fear, saying, “Now, therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad (Benjamin) is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, when he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die. Thus your servants will bring the gray hair of your servant our father down to Sheol in sorrow.” What he said shot right through into the heart of Joseph like an arrow. 

A true transformation had indeed taken place. He and his brothers felt deeply for their father. When they treated Joseph cruelly some twenty years back they did not even consider the feeling of their father. Here they were, in fact, demonstrating true repentance and showed that they had forgiven their father for being so partial toward them. Here before them was the luring temptation to take the bait dangled by Joseph and seized the opportunity to walk away free. Yet with that opportunity they chose not to betray Benjamin as they had with Joseph. What a monumental conversion! Their change was truly astounding.

Judah’s narration to Joseph had come to a climactic moment. He made known the fact that he had stood as a surety so that the father would allow Benjamin to take this trip. He had promised the father that if he did not bring Benjamin back to him, to let him bear the blame before his father forever. So he earnestly pled with Joseph to let him take the place of Benjamin and to let the lad go. He concluded by asking a rhetorical question saying, “For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me—for fear that I see the evil that would overtake my father?” He could not bear the thought of seeing his father suffer again.

Judah had eloquently presented his case. It was a display of true love - love for his father and love for Benjamin.  He showed how responsible he was. The love of God had truly taken a hold of him. His personal transformation was amazing. Remember what he did to Joseph in Genesis 37. He participated in the cruel treatment dished out to that brother. Then in Genesis 38, we are told of his sexual behavior with his daughter-in-law, who had masqueraded herself as a prostitute. Insidiously, God was at work in his life. Here we see him presented as a man with great character. Ultimately his father also noticed it and pronounced a great blessing over him in Genesis 49:10.

There is no barrier to God’s transforming work. Just as he did to Joseph, he now did to Judah and his brothers. Transformation always takes place at one’s conversion. Paul asserted that in Christ, we all have become God’s new creation. He has granted us a new start to life. Old things have passed away, all things have become new. Starting from that point, as we commit our life to God, He changes us progressively. We should no longer pander to the demands of our flesh but to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Our salvation is a journey. The Lord is transforming and changing us from one degree of glory to another. And we must submit ourselves to Him continuously and daily, as well as wholly and willingly.