Continuing with our series on Joseph, we are making a jump from Genesis 42 to Genesis 44 to this moving story of Judah interceding for his brother Benjamin before Joseph, the ruler of Egypt. Because the silver cup was found in the sack of Benjamin, Joseph had said Benjamin alone was the one who would have to remain as lifetime slave in Egypt, but the rest of the brothers could all go free and were allowed to leave for home. We hear Judah, who had promised his father Jacob that he would be responsible for Benjamin whatever the cost to himself, now say to the ruler in Egypt, Let your servant remain behind instead of the lad, and let the lad go up with his brethren…for your servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, if I bring him not back unto you, then I shall bear the blame forever.

Judah becomes surety for Benjamin. What does that mean? Judah promised he would take full responsibility for Benjamin, guaranteeing as much as humanly possible his safekeeping and return home again, and we see him here hold true to his promise, when he says to Joseph, "Let the lad go, and take me as your slave instead of him.” A surety can be compared to what happens when parents, or a friend, cosign a loan that you make. You make this loan to buy a car, but your parents cosign the loan, guaranteeing by that if you don't or can't pay your monthly installments, then they will do so for you. They become surety for you regarding your loan.

Before the brothers had left for Egypt the second time, Judah had promised his father Jacob in Genesis 43:9, I will be surety for him. In other words, "You can hold me responsible for Benjamin, and if I do not bring him back to you, then let me bear the blame forever.” So Judah had spoken to his father, and now when this crisis takes place and Benjamin's life is on the line, as it were, see Judah stay true to his word and give his life in the place of his brother. Genesis 45:1 relates when Joseph saw this commitment of Judah to keep his word to Jacob and his willingness to take the place of Benjamin, then Joseph could not contain himself any longer and makes himself known to his brothers, not as someone against them, but as someone for them in every way, in spite of all their wrongdoings of the past.

I don't need to tell you, I think, how also this part of the Joseph story so much points to Christ Jesus and His gospel message. The Bible makes clear that Judah here being a surety for Benjamin, taking his place in his guarantee for Benjamin's safety and security, all points to the Lord Jesus Christ Who in the fullness of time came from out of the line of Judah, and Who from eternity had pledged to be the surety, the Substitute for sinners, in guaranteeing the full and free salvation of His people. There is a verse in the New Testament even which speaks of Jesus as surety, where we are told, Jesus was made a surety of a better covenant. (Hebrews 7:22) His role as surety is far greater, infinitely so even, than that of Judah being surety for Benjamin.

Indeed, all through the Bible, the concept of the Lord providing something or someone in the place of another for their deliverance is brought forward again and again. It began even the day of man's fall into sin. Then already God promised a surety for the deliverance of sin and the overthrow of Satan, that people like us might escape eternal destruction. Later Abraham escapes having to sacrifice his son Isaac, with God providing a ram in the bushes to be sacrificed instead in his place. All through the Old Testament tabernacle and temple service, we are told about the many animals which would be sacrificed and their blood shed in atonement for sin in the place of those who brought the animals.

The whole Bible is about God making a way, providing a Saviour Who would take the place of sinners and be surety for a people who were incapable to save and restore themselves. And in the fullness of time, Jesus Christ, God's own beloved Son, laid down His life as a ransom for many, giving Himself in the place of others to a complete remission of all our sins. Jesus being surety means more than Him coming to be Mediator between God and man. His being the surety for sinners like us means not just that He will stand in the place of us before God, but that He will take our place with the guarantee that He would make full deliverance from sin and perfect reconciliation with God again for all His own, even for as many as trust and obey Him. Jesus is the sinner's surety; the go-between Who has promised and guaranteed that with Him is complete salvation from sin and restoration with God.

While in the Old Testament Judah is a type of surety foreshadowing Christ and what He would be about, in the New Testament we have an example of Paul acting as a surety in reflection of Christ and all that He is about. Here I am thinking of Paul's word to Philemon about his runaway slave, Onesimus, who became converted under Paul's preaching. Paul writes to Philemon to welcome him home again as a brother now and not just a slave, and then he says in verse 18 of the book of Philemon, Receive him as myself. If he has wronged you, or owes you anything at all, put that on my account; I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will repay it… What a surety Paul was willing to be for Onesimus…but that again is just a dim reflection of the surety Christ will be for sinful people like you and me. Christ Jesus will pay the debt of hopelessly bankrupt sinners before God. He will pay the price to remove all the sinfulness and sins of our lives and to purchase for us all the perfect righteousness God justly demands from us. Christ will be such a surety for guilty undeserving sinners, regardless of the cost to Him.

What about the cost? Does our passage in Genesis show Judah being true to his promise to be surety for Benjamin even if it would mean he would have to be a slave in Egypt the rest of his life? Did Judah not shrink from his promise even at such a cost? Consider Christ Jesus steadfastly proceeding to be surety for people like us, even when it would mean the giving of His whole life on behalf of sinners and then laying down His life as a sacrifice to the death of the cross. Jesus would be surety for sinners even when it would mean suffering eternal hell on sinners' behalf. This is also what He suffered all His life and especially on the cursed cross and in those three hours of darkness on Golgotha. Jesus would stop at nothing and fulfill everything for the complete and eternal salvation and safekeeping of His people. We know Him then also as the crucified and risen Saviour of sinners. What a surety for sinners He is!

Jesus' dignity, His worth, His glory as surety far exceeds that of Judah for Benjamin. Judah as surety was a sinner himself without almighty power too, but Jesus is the sinless surety with almighty power, being in one person not only truly man, but also very God. Judah as surety was but a very temporary one in regards to a temporary situation for just one person, but Jesus is an eternal surety with eternal significance not for just one but for a countless multitude which no man can number including all those who turn from sin and trust and obey Him. Jesus is the surety for His people who come before Him confessing, "We can't pay what we owe, and our debts before God because of our sins and sinfulness by nature are too great for us!” You and I cannot even begin to pay a single cent of it all even when we would want to, and for sure, except Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world, be your and my surety, who then can be saved? Except He bail us out who can escape the bondage of sin and the eternal punishment we deserve for all our sins and sinfulness in thought, word, and deed? We need a surety, and Jesus came to be that surety we need.

The only surety before God for people like us is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was made a surety for sinners like us. By grace alone, through faith alone in Him, what full forgiveness of all sin is found with Him for us! What a fountain of everlasting righteousness is freely granted to us and worked in us from out of His fullness, grace for grace, and how the gift of eternal life is guaranteed to us, all through His once for all sacrifice as surety and Saviour of sinners.

Here let me ask, do you look to Jesus the Saviour to be your surety, your one hope and guarantee of salvation? How do you respond to the gospel message of salvation? Do you rely upon Jesus Christ and His once for all sacrifice in the sinner's place for your salvation, repenting of sin and rejoicing in Him Who came to be so perfect and complete a Saviour and surety for sinners like you and me? Do you or do you not know and acknowledge Christ Jesus as your Saviour and Lord—your Surety and Ruler?

Does someone ask, "But can I be sure Jesus will be surety also for me?” The Bible says that Jesus will be surety supreme for all who come to Him. If His being surety for sinners was at all dependent on something in the sinner, then maybe you might not qualify, but since it is all dependent on Himself, and His amazing love for undeserving sinners, why should you not qualify too? This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (I Timothy 1:15)! None who come to Him in faith and repentance shall be put to shame. The Lord is rich unto all them that call upon Him in and through Christ Jesus, the surety of sinners.

How foolish and very wicked even, when people will live carelessly and unbelievingly before such a Saviour Whom God has given to be surety for us. Imagine in the day of days not having Christ as surety for you when the last judgment takes place. Oh, hear Christ graciously, tenderly, and earnestly calling also in this message to us all, testifying what a surety He is and will be in life and death for body and soul, for time and eternity, even for as many as come to Him. Yes, for even so He gave His life as a ransom for many! Jesus, the surety greater than Judah!

As ambassador for Christ, I tell you through Jesus, the sinner's surety, you may find:

A love that can never be fathomed;

A life that can never die;

A forgiveness that can never be removed;

A righteousness that can never be tarnished;

A peace that can never be exhausted;

A rest that can never be disturbed;

A hope that can never be disappointed;

A glory that can never be clouded;

A light that can never be darkened;

A purity that can never be defiled;

A beauty that can never be marred;

And a future that can never be terrorized!

For sure, Jesus is so great a surety and more, even for as many as trust and obey Him. Even so, he that has ears to hear, let him hear! Amen