Genesis 43:1-16 NKJV
43 Now the famine was severe in the land. 2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.”
3 But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ 4 If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ ”
6 And Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?”
7 But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. 9 I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. 10 For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”
11 And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. 13 Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. 14 And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!”
15 So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.”
God ever remains true! A no-brainer, right? But in our flesh resides that old Adam — that old unbelieving nature — who is not only always filled with doubt but will always be at enmity with God; not fearing, loving or trusting God! No matter the trial — no matter the suffering — no matter the diagnosis, the ailment, the frustration — God, however, ever remains true!
As is displayed on many accounts within God’s Word, believers can be duped by their fleshly reason to second guess God — and then rely on that same reason to think that they can help God along in what is needed (or wanted). For Jacob, however, this is not the case! Jacob was given promises of great future blessings from God. So as opposed to going by his reason — that God had changed HIs mind and was going to let Jacob and his family suffer and die from a famine — no, he trusts in the Lord to supply that which is needed, even if hardship will come of it.
Jacob doesn’t tempt God with an attitude of “We will just sit here and wait for the Lord to give us food.” No, he sends his sons once more to get grain. Based on this text, Valerius Herberger has an interesting way of emphasizing this providence of God — and the trust all believers should have:
“Joseph’s brothers had to make a second journey to get grain from Joseph. Whenever we pray, whenever we go to confession, whenever we receive the Holy Supper, we are going to our heavenly Joseph, Jesus Christ, to beg for grain, that is, for solid, pithy comfort. We brothers of the heavenly Joseph, then, are not to get grain just once, not go to church just once for teaching and comfort, not to pray just once, nor go to confession just once, nor partake of the most blessed Supper just once, but many times.” (The Great Works of God, translation Matthew Carver, pgs. 417-418, CPH)
Let us pray: Gracious Lord, ever overcome our unbelieving flesh and brings us to continually return to You over and over as the only true fount and source of our sustenance. Amen.