As I gradually finish this series on Judah, I reflect on how history often repeats itself, and how we barely see those subtle recycling.
Joseph released his brothers after three days of imprisonment and intense interrogation, but he held on to Simeon, one of the oldest four sons of Leah as collateral in exchange for his brother Benjamin. They were happy to escape, but their family was thrown into crisis, with their father Jacob refusing to release his son Benjamin.
As they were being interrogated, he brothers realised that their suffering was a direct effect of the elephant in the room.
Reuben, the eldest sonsaid to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you would not listen. Now we must account for his blood!” Genesis 42:22 BSB
Yeah, Reuben tried to take leadership, just like he did when he kept Joseph in the well several years back. In fact, he tried to persuade their father to release Benjamin to travel with them in exchange for the lives of his two sons. “Put Benjamin in my care, and I will return him,” he says.
However, he quickly fell off, because he lacked the tenacity that God ha built in Judah. The endurance, the can-do spirit, the persuasiveness, and all the qualities that Judah had picked because of his tortuous journey. Judah realised that the solution to getting Benjamin to get on the trip was not to start sacrificing the next generation, and convincing their father wouldn’t happen overnight.
Oftentimes, when we go through stuff, where those skills and experiences may be unrelated. And the solutions that they would birth will be both uncommon and relevant.
REAL BIBLE PEOPLE 