Genesis 43:26

Still clinging to their own efforts they make ready their present "for when Joseph came at noon," only to find that Joseph in his turn sets it all aside. The money and the present entirely fail to achieve anything (vv. 25, 26).

Fear begins to work in a person's heart when he is getting near to Christ — into God's presence. Then "they made ready the present for when Joseph came at noon" (v. 25). Do you think you can bring a present to Christ to win pardon? No, no, you have to come to Him as you are — a poor sinner in your sins. And what then? You will find Him full of grace. True, you may fall to the ground, as Judah and his brothers did, saying, "What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants."

Here we see, in a believer, the worst side of the natural sinful heart, whether in Jew or Gentile. It hates to approach Christ, and will not do so until it feels the pangs of hunger and the fear of death. Then, when at last it decides to go to Him, it comes with a completely wrong idea of His nature and purpose. It comes with dread in the heart. And it brings a gift scraped from famine-stricken ground to win Him over and to "buy a little" instalment of favour — balm to soothe, and honey to sweeten. But how little they know of that great heart filled with tender and generous compassion towards them!

First, there is Joseph, the saviour who receives and gives out; the dreamer, once rejected but now exalted, to whom they come. Second, there is Benjamin, the true propitiation, through whom they come. Joseph could only receive them in connection with Benjamin. Christ can only receive and pardon those who come on the ground of His own person and merits. We come to Christ and with Christ… But Benjamin was all that was required, and it is strange that the more Jacob adds to Benjamin, the more uneasy he gets. The sinner who relies wholly and only on Christ always has a more settled peace and assurance — I do not say a more settled salvation. He is more settled than the one who wants to add his own good works, religiousness, or anything else — his money, balm and honey.

The brothers had made ready a present for Joseph, while waiting for him to come home. When Joseph came in, they offered the present and all kneeled down before him. Remember Joseph's dream of the eleven sheaves bowing down before him!

There was a figurative fulfilment when his brothers bowed before him in Egypt. Their sheaves bowed down to his. And they did not fail to bow after they knew who he was. But this did not meet the full meaning of Joseph's prophetic dreams. The sheaves of Israel are to bow to the Messiah. But the second dream goes further. It shows the sun and moon and the eleven stars — all the established authority of the world, Gentile or Jewish — bowing to Christ in the person of His representative.