Genesis 43
The brothers went home and told their father what had happened. When they opened the sacks of corn they were surprised to find the money they had paid, put back in the sacks, and they were afraid.
Soon the corn was eaten up. Jacob said, “Go again, buy us a little food.” But Judah said, “The man solemnly told us ‘Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.’ If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy the food; but if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down.” Jacob was very sad and said, “Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin.” But they would all starve unless they got corn from Egypt, so at last Jacob let Benjamin go.
Then they started for Egypt again, and Jacob said to them, “God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send back your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
Had Jacob known that Benjamin was going down to his dear brother Joseph, he would have feared nothing; he would have been glad. But Jacob did not know. Are we sometimes like Jacob? Joseph was the picture of the Lord Jesus in glory. But although Joseph was so great, yet he had not forgotten his little brother Benjamin and his old father. If Jacob had only known that the most honorable man in all Egypt so loved him!
The brothers came to Egypt and stood before Joseph. Joseph saw Benjamin amongst them, and he said to the ruler of his house, “Bring these men home.” But they were afraid to go. Why? Because of their sin covered up so many years. Why do you not get peace? Your sins. The brothers told the man about finding the money in their sacks, for they thought that because of that he might seek a quarrel against them and hurt them, so this time they brought double money. But he said: “Peace be to you, fear not, your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.” And he brought Simeon out of prison to them. 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! Then Joseph asked them of their father’s health. When he saw Benjamin he asked, “Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me?” And he said, “God be gracious unto thee, my son.” Joseph loved his brother Benjamin so much that he went into his room and wept. The Lord Jesus once wept over a city, but those people would not trust Him. Have you ever thought that the Lord Jesus loves you very much and could weep for you? Have you trusted Him? Joseph washed his face and came back to his brothers and told them to sit down to dinner. Then he did a wonderful thing. He made his oldest brother Reuben sit in the best place, Simeon the second, and he sat each one by his age. They could not understand. It is because Joseph knew them; he knew their ages and everything else. And he gave Benjamin five times as much as the others.
Once a bad woman met the Lord Jesus, and after she left, she said to her friends, “Come, see Man which told me all things that ever I did.” The Lord Jesus knows everything we do, yet He loves you and waits to forgive you. The brothers were happy with Joseph, but their sin was still covered. How very hard it is to confess sin!