Genesis 43:1

The sons quietly left the difficulty until the family's need forced Jacob to speak. That gave Judah the opening to plead without being rude. Feeling would yield to famine. Yet God was in Jacob's thoughts, and to some extent in his sons' too, compared with the past. But the mercy that never fails would shine through the dark clouds.

Years rolled on, and these brothers might have wrongly imagined that all was fine. But then came seven years of plenty, and seven years of scarcity! What did they mean? Who sent them? And what were they for? Wonderful providence! Unsearchable wisdom! The famine reaches Canaan. The calls of hunger bring the guilty brothers to the feet of the injured Joseph!

This is a world of evil and sorrow through sin, and in it grace works for good. As long as the food lasted, the dreaded condition stayed on hold. But when their supply came to an end, they had to face facts. God was found above their hopes as much as above their fears. He turned their faults to their profit, and He was abundant in fitting mercy for His own glory... It is a vivid picture of the situation. It shows the disturbed feeling on all sides that grew out of wrongdoing. And it shows God not only testing and correcting, but carrying out His own way for blessing all round.

Jacob says first that they shall not go; then he tells them to go again and buy a little food. The words "buy" and "little" usually go together. Someone who thinks of buying salvation only expects a little of it, and in fact there is no one on earth who can pay for more than a little. At last he tells them to take the best fruits of the land as a present for the man, a little balm and a little honey, and double the money, and then Benjamin as a kind of makeweight.

We firmly believe that with many the famine is severe in the land... We must weigh people and the world according to Scripture. We must settle it that there is nothing for our souls in what is seen and temporary. Only then are we in a fit state to look to the fullness of Christ as the only source of supply for our spiritual needs. When this is not clearly held, the believer easily slides into the world's refinements for present comfort. These include science, literature, the fine arts, and its so-called innocent amusements.

The famine years bring Joseph's brothers to repentance. After the deepest exercise of heart, Joseph makes himself known to them, and they find forgiveness and deliverance. So it will be during the tribulation of the last days of the present age.

Israel is not always going to lie in their blood or be forgotten. Their sins and wrongdoing will soon be remembered no more. That will happen as soon as deep affliction brings them to Jesus and to repentance. So here the pressure of famine in Canaan leads his brothers to seek the help now placed in Joseph alone.