Genesis 44:23

Genesis 44:23 says, And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.  Judah continues to tell Joseph about the brothers discussion with their father, and about how important Benjamin was to him.  Verse twenty-three states, And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.  Then Judah reminded Joseph of his command to them.  Joseph would not see them again without Benjamin, so the brothers were in a bind.  Sometimes, we may find ourselves in a similar situation, caught between what our family or friends want us to do and what God wants us to do.  Verse twenty-four adds, And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.  Judah said that they told their father Joseph's demand.  When confronted with a troublesome situation, we as followers of Christ can only tell others what we believe God has instructed us to do.  Verse twenty-five says, And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.  Judah said their father, Israel, did not really listen to their concerns, but told them to go buy a little food.  People today may not want to listen or may not care when we tell them what God has instructed us to do.  Verse twenty-six continues, And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us.  Judah said they told Israel that they couldn't return without Benjamin, and we likewise should stand firm when it comes to doing what God has instructed us to do.  We cannot not compromise or ignore God's directions to us.  Verse twenty-seven states,  And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons:  Once more Israel was placing a priority on Rachel and her sons.  Verse twenty-eight declares, And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since:  Their father, not just the father of Joseph and Benjamin, said that one son, Joseph, was killed.  Then verse twenty-nine adds, And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.  Israel said the if his other sons took Benjamin and something happened to him that it would kill him.  Israel still wasn't very concerned about his other sons, who would have either starved or have been in danger of being imprisoned or worse if they returned to Egypt without Benjamin.  We need to be careful that we do not put one person above another when it comes to following God's will.  Verse thirty states, Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad’s life;  Then verse thirty-one adds, It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.  Judah told Joseph that if they returned without Benjamin that they would be responsible for their father's death.  The brothers accepted the fact that Benjamin was more important to their father than they were, but they still wanted to do what was best for him.  Even if we feel that we have a reason to feel bitter toward someone else, as these other brothers had a reason to feel that way toward their father and Benjamin, we cannot allow this attitude to keep us from attempting to do what is right in God's eyes.  Verse thirty-two states, For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.  Judah said that he became a surety to his father that if he didn't return with Benjamin that he would bear the blame.  We cannot be a surety for anyone else before God, but we can point them to Jesus Who is.  Verse thirty-three continues, Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.  Judah offered to remain as a bondsman to Joseph if Joseph would allow Benjamin to return to his father.  Though we can never take on the responsibility for someone else's sins, I wonder how much we are willing to sacrifice for that person to come to our Heavenly Father.  There was definitely a change in the attitude of the brothers toward what they would have had to have seen as the favorite son.  Verse thirty-four concludes, For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.  Judah asked Joseph how could he return to his father without Benjamin.  We should likewise put concern for others above our own concerns when it comes to leading them to Christ.