GENESIS: Don't Delay, Do What God Says Immediately; Then Judah said to Israel his father, "For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”

Now the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the grain which they had brought from Egypt, that their father said to them, “Go back, buy us a little food.” (Genesis 43:1-2)

Israel had sent his ten older sons to Egypt to get grain because he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.” (Genesis 42:2) When the brothers got to Egypt, Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him.  After them convincing Joseph that they were not spies and him observing them showing some remorse for what they had done to their brother (ie. Joseph), Joseph gave a command to fill their sacks with grain, to restore every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. Thus he did for them. So they loaded their donkeys with the grain and departed from there. But as one of them opened his sack to give his donkey feed at the encampment, he saw his money; and there it was, in the mouth of his sack. So he said to his brothers, “My money has been restored, and there it is, in my sack!” Then their hearts failed them and they were afraid, saying to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?” (Genesis 42:25-28)

Now they've run out of the grain they received from the first trip, so Israel wants them to go back to buy more. But Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ [Genesis 42:12-20] If you send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. But if you will not send him, we will not go down; for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’” And Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?” But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” (Genesis 43:3-7) 

Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.” (Genesis 43:8-10) Reuben, the oldest son, made the same plea to Israel when they returned the first time, saying, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.” (Genesis 42:37-38) Remember, Israel had issues with Reuben which obviously affected their relationship and lead to Israel's lack of trust in him. (Genesis 35:21-22)

However, Israel was finally willing to listen to Judah. And their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take some of the best fruits of the land in your vessels and carry down a present for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds. Take double money in your hand, and take back in your hand the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. Take your brother also, and arise, go back to the man. And may God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved, I am bereaved!” (Genesis 43:11-14) 

So the men took that present and Benjamin, and they took double money in their hand, and arose and went down to Egypt; and they stood before Joseph. When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Take these men to my home, and slaughter an animal and make ready; for these men will dine with me at noon.” Then the man did as Joseph ordered, and the man brought the men into Joseph’s house. Now the men were afraid because they were brought into Joseph’s house; and they said, “It is because of the money, which was returned in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may make a case against us and seize us, to take us as slaves with our donkeys.” (Genesis 43:15-18)

When they drew near to the steward of Joseph’s house, they talked with him at the door of the house, and said, “O sir, we indeed came down the first time to buy food; but it happened, when we came to the encampment, that we opened our sacks, and there, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight; so we have brought it back in our hand. And we have brought down other money in our hands to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” But he said, “Peace be with you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has given you treasure in your sacks; I had your money.” Then he brought Simeon out to them. (Genesis 43:19-23)

Remember, as a guarantee that they would return with Benjamin, Joseph took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. (Genesis 42:24) He was in prison all that time, waiting for them to return, because Israel was determined not to lose Benjamin.  He was willing to sacrifice one son for fear of losing the last of his two sons with Rachel, the wife he had loved.  As Judah said, if they had gone back with Benjamin when they first told Israel, by now they would have returned this second time. As Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” (Genesis 41:55) As Mary, Jesus mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (John 2:5) 

Sometimes, the instruction doesn't seem to make sense, but whatever God tells us to do, just do it! For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ... Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (I Corinthians 1:19-25) It all comes down to faith, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (I John 5:2-4)

So the man brought the men into Joseph’s house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed. Then they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they would eat bread there. And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed down before him to the earth. Then he asked them about their well-being, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” And they answered, “Your servant our father is in good health; he is still alive.” And they bowed their heads down and prostrated themselves. [Genesis 37:5-8] (Genesis 43:24-28)

Then he lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your younger brother of whom you spoke to me?” And he said, “God be gracious to you, my son.” Now his heart yearned for his brother; so Joseph made haste and sought somewhere to weep. And he went into his chamber and wept there. Then he washed his face and came out; and he restrained himself, and said, “Serve the bread.” (Genesis 43:29-31)

So they set him a place by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves; because the Egyptians could not eat food with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth; and the men looked in astonishment at one another. Then he took servings to them from before him, but Benjamin’s serving was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him. (Genesis 43:32-34)

Joseph commanded that they return with Benjamin so that he could see for himself his little brother was okay and that they had not done any harm to him. Now, he was giving him extra provision because that was his way of taking care of him as his big brother. What an emotional reunion for Joseph, and his brothers were still unaware of who he really was. As Jesus told Mary, before He turned the water to wine, "My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Joseph had one more test for the brothers before he would be ready to reveal who he truly was...