Genesis 42:2

How often God is pleased to use hardship for His own purposes and in His own ways for the good of all, both saints and sinners! So it is here. The pinch of want fell on Jacob and his sons, "for the famine was in the land of Canaan."

The scene of God's aim is set in a season of need and sorrow, as is common in the ways of the God of all grace. For He does not refuse to be sought by us when we have no help for it... For twenty long years Joseph's brothers had lived easy and prosperous lives. They had goods stored up and blessings all around them. Joseph and his sorrows had all been forgotten... But famine touches "the far country" and "the land of Canaan." Then, whether they want to or not, they must seek the father's house and Joseph's stores.

Under the stress of famine Jacob has to say to his sons, "Why do you look at one another?" They are in a desperate plight. This much they realise: there is no help in one another. If help is to come it must be from someone outside themselves.

They heard that there was grain in Egypt. They heard that there was deliverance to be had if only they could get it, and they were perishing. They heard there was salvation. They felt their need, and felt they would like to be saved. But they could not get salvation without going to the saviour. They could not get deliverance apart from the deliverer. They could not get food in their hunger except from Joseph.

The famine reaches Jacob's land. God makes him and his sons feel the distress of famine until they hear that Egypt has plenty of food available for sale. So Jacob orders his sons to take a trip there to buy food (v. 2). Joseph's ten brothers then "went down" (v. 3), showing that Israel must be humbled before God will bless them.

During the days of plenty the world paid little attention to Joseph. Of his brothers we hear nothing; they were completely indifferent to him. But when the shortage set in, need is awakened... and Jacob and his sons are faced with starvation and death (Gen. 42:1-2). The need calls out a cry for bread. The Gentiles have to learn, and the brothers discover, that no one can meet the need except the one they once scorned and rejected.

God produced grief of heart and exercises of conscience, and in a most wonderful way. Years rolled on, and these brothers might have wrongly imagined that all was right. But then — seven years of plenty, and seven years of scarcity! What did they mean? Who sent them? And what were they designed for? Admirable providence! Unsearchable wisdom! The famine reaches Canaan. The calls of hunger bring the guilty brothers right to the feet of the injured Joseph!

Ten of the brothers come down to buy grain in Egypt, and there God works wonderfully through Joseph... It is exactly what the Lord from a better glory will do before long with His Jewish brothers. He is now outside, in a new position they never expected; they do not know Him. But He too will cause the pinch of famine to press on them. He too will work in their hearts as a result, so that in due time He may righteously make Himself known to them.