True Intercession

True Intercession

Genesis 44: ³⁰ “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, ³¹ it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave. ³² For your servant became surety for the lad to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father forever.’ ³³ Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the lad as a slave to my lord, and let the lad go up with his brothers. ³⁴ For how shall I go up to my father if the lad is not with me, lest perhaps I see the evil that would come upon my father?”

 

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Judah concludes his appeal to Joseph by saying his father would die if Benjamin did not return. He also explained that he told Israel that he would be responsible. Judah interceded for Benjamin by saying he would become Joseph’s slave.

 

My Observations:

• Judah had nothing to gain and everything to lose.
• Judah wanted to keep his promise even though the consequences would cause him to lose his freedom.
• Judah expressed that he wanted his father to live and that he wanted Benjamin safely returned.

 

Intercession is sometimes a little harder than we think. It could mean giving up everything for someone else to go free. That is what CHRIST did for us. HE gave up everything for you and me to become freed from the consequences of sin.

 

Judah had no idea what was in store for him. All he knew was Simeon spent months in prison and that his brother Joseph was a slave or possibly dead. His intercession would cause him to lose his flocks, friends and family. It was more than a few seconds of prayer. Judah had true intercession.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Judah’s decision to become a slave?
• Have you ever had ti vouch for someone’s reputation, not knowing if your reputation would be tarnished by doing so?
• Is GOD growing you up from safe intercession to something greater?