Genesis 43:1-15
Joseph’s brothers are very frightened. This is a sign of their guilty consciences. They have to return to Joseph and give an explanation for the money which they have found in their sacks. Let us not stay far away from the Lord when we have a weight on our consciences. Let us go straight to Him and confess everything to Him. V. 8 gives each sinner the route to follow: arise, go and live (compare Luke 15:18).
The men have persuaded their father to let Benjamin go with them and finally they set out carrying a present with them: the best fruits in the land (v. 11). But has the powerful Joseph, whose storehouses are full, any need of anything? Man has always had pretensions of bringing something to God. But on His part everything is a free gift. He cannot accept anything even the best man can do. Honey, spices, nuts and almonds, these are luxury products, no good for nourishing those who have no corn. What our hearts need is heavenly corn, food from on high, which alone can satisfy our souls’ hunger. The world will offer us delicacies but the Lord Jesus, the true Joseph, is the only One who can give us corn from the heavenly country by presenting Himself to our hearts.