My Life for His

I myself will be surety for him;

you may hold me responsible for him.

If I do not bring him back to you

and set him before you,

then let me bear the blame before you forever.

Genesis 43:9

The brothers returned home. They shared with their father that the only way they could get more grain and retrieve their brother Simeon was to return to Egypt with Benjamin.

Jacob would not hear of his only living son of Rachel being taken to Egypt. Reuben offered his sons as a pledge, but Reuben’s words brought no comfort to his father.

The day came when they had no choice but to travel back to Egypt to get more grain, and the brothers knew that they would receive nothing without Benjamin. Judah looked at Jacob, and he did not offer his son’s life, but he offered his own. We read in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” I believe Jacob looked into Judah’s eyes, and he saw that he could trust Judah with his precious Benjamin.

Judah knew of Jacob’s pain, and he understood Jacob’s love, having already lost two sons himself. Here we see Judah act as the redeemer for his brothers. Here, for the first time, we can begin to see the picture of Christ rising up in Judah, the son of Jacob.

Jacob knew the promise of God. He knew that he was in covenant with God. He knew that this covenant would carry through one of his sons. What he did not know was which son it would be. I wonder, as Jacob watched his eleven remaining sons ride off toward Egypt, if he was reminded of his grandfather Abraham and his father, Isaac, and the time when God said, “Take your son whom you love and offer him as a sacrifice to Me.”

As I read this, my imagination takes me to the heavens.

Can you see the conversation in heaven, between the Holy Trinity, as God the Son looks at God the Father, and says, “I will go and lay down my life for them, as You love them I love them, as You created them, I created them”...

Jesus said in John 10:15, “Even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father and I lay down My life for the sheep.” If we could ever fully grasp the love our Creator has for us, we would never doubt Him.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we should be called children of God”

(1 John 3:1).

Oh Father,

That I might trust in You and in the promises of Your Word. That I would live each day letting go and giving You my all. Oh Father, that I would come to You with open hands, an open heart, and an open mind, ready and willing to do your will. That I would walk in obedience to Your voice, trusting in Your sovereignty. Oh Father, why You love me, I’ll never understand. I am not worthy of Your love, have done nothing to deserve or earn it, yet You love me. My Jesus, thank You for the life that You laid down that I might be raised in new life. I am a willful and thankful debtor to You, my Redeemer.

My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray,

Amen.