Joseph's steward told Joseph's brothers that they had great treasure in their sacks. No doubt he was right. The children of Israel bore great treasure with them, not because they had money to pay for their food, not because they had been given food freely by Joseph, but because they were the people bearing God's promise. They were the people from whom the Savior would come to bring a blessing not only to their family but to all the nations. They were the people who could look to God in hope, knowing that they were partakers of the promise. Yes, Joseph's brothers bear great treasure.
As God was providing for the people of Israel, giving them what they needed in terms of food and physical safety, so also he provides for his people, the children of Abraham by faith, who look to him as the fulfiller of his promise. We look to Jesus, the savior of the world, who gave himself for us. We look to Jesus, the one who gives us his body and his blood that we may eat and drink by faith and receive nourishment for our souls. We look to the living Word of God, who has also given a written word that we can read and study. We bear great treasure as we bear the Gospel of Christ to this suffering and dying world.
Yet how often we also live as Joseph's brothers lived. They knew there was food for purchase. They did not know that the provision for their needs was being made by the one whom they had killed and who lived to give them life. Likewise we, when we eat ungratefully, when we take the Word of God for granted, when we trust in ourselves rather than in our Lord, we bring shame on God. We act as though he is irrelevant, as though he doesn't care, even as though he doesn't exist. We, like Joseph's brothers, are blind to the reality of God's provision for us in Christ.
May the Lord open our eyes to see the great treasure he has given us. May the Lord grant us repentance and forgiveness as we see the enormity of our folly and look to him in faith.
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