Forced To Go Back

I Corinthians 13:8 tells us, “Charity(love) never faileth…”  Love keeps on even when there is no love in return.  Even 20 years after they had sold him out, he still loved them and so he had their money secretly put back into their sacks, but he didn’t trust them and didn’t dare show his love openly.  His act of love caused consternation when it was discovered in Genesis 42:26-35.  “And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.  And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.  And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?

And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.  And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.  And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.

And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.  And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.”

Jacob had spent his entire cheating and tricking people, and his sons had a similar attitude.  They assumed Joseph’s action of love was some kind of trick, because that was the way they thought themselves.  They were terrified that they would be accused of stealing the money and sold as slaves.  Jacob was afraid he would another son and began to feel that God had turned against him.  He flatly refused to allow Benjamin to go and satisfy the Governor, blaming his sons for talking so much, even when Reuben offered to take full responsibility, in Genesis 42:37-38.  “And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.

And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.”  He felt like he would just die if anything happened to Benjamin.  God must be against him to put him in such a position.  He had no idea that God was using these things to bring about reconciliation and restoration. 

Things continued to get worse and finally they were forced to go back to Egypt for more food.  Joseph had so frightened his brothers that they refused to go back to Egypt unless Benjamin went along to prove they were not spies, in Genesis 43:1-7.  “And the famine was sore in the land.  And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food. And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, 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 thee food: But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.

And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother?

And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down?” 

Judah was not the oldest, but he was the most dependable, and he offered to take the responsibility for keeping Benjamin safe, in Genesis 43:8-10.  “And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.  I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.”  He pointed out that they would have already gone if it had not been for fear of what would happen if Benjamin didn’t go along. 

Jacob recognized they had no choice and agreed to allow Benjamin to go, but he reverted back to his old habits in trying to smooth things over, in Genesis 43:11-14.  “And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” 

Instead of trusting God, he planned to try to bribe the governor to forgive them by paying double and giving him a bunch of things that might not be available in Egypt.  He hoped it would free Simeon and prevent Benjamin being arrested.   It is the same thing he did when he heard Esau was coming with four hundred men.   He had slipped back into his old pattern, depending on his ideas rather than on God.