Family Gathering, A Time For Thanksgiving - Genesis 46-47

2024.12.01.Sermon Notes. Genesis 46-47 Family Gathering. A time for thanksgiving.

SCRIPTURES: Genesis 46:1-34, Genesis 47:1-31, Colossians 3:15, Isaiah 26:3, 1 Peter 2:11, Philippians 3:20, Luke 9:58, 2 Corinthians 5:20, James 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:17, Romans 8:18,

BIG IDEA: Jacob and all his family and possessions move to Egypt to be under Joseph’s care. It’s a time of gathering of family. A time for Thanksgiving. Together as Family, while set apart from this world.

GENESIS 46

A family gathering in Egypt

1-4. God speaks to Jacob while traveling to Egypt.

Genesis 46:1-34

1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2 Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!”

And he said, “Here I am.”

3 So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.”

The chapter starts with the name Israel, meaning governed by GOD.

ISRAEL JOURNEYS TOWARD EGYPT, STOPS IN BEERSHEBA

Beersheba where Abraham had lived. GOD appeared to Isaac. Jacob lived there before leaving home.

Jacob stopped in Beersheba to offer sacrifices to GOD before going further.

Egypt was not the land that GOD promised the descendants of Abraham.

Isaac during famine was headed to Egypt, and GOD told him to stop and not go to Egypt. Isaac spent his time in Beersheba.

BEFORE…don’t go to Egypt.

NOW…go to Egypt.

Jacob doesn’t have peace about what he is to do.

Vs. 1. Jacob stopped in Beersheba and offered sacrifices to the LORD, living under GOD’s authority, lacks peace and offers a sacrifice to GOD. Putting his focus on the LORD, to hear what GOD is saying to him.

Israel didn’t have peace, and stopped, to worship and put focus on the LORD

JACOB WAS CONCERNED ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE OF GOD’S WILL. He lacked peace and wanted to please GOD and do the right thing. He knew what it was like to wrestle with GOD and didn’t want to do it anymore.

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.

WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES WITHOUT PEACE. STOP, AND WORSHIP THE LORD. SEEK HIM AND HE WILL GUIDE AND DIRECT YOU, AND GIVE YOU HIS PEACE.

Vs. 2 GOD speaks to Israel, “Jacob, Jacob”. God knows who he is. “I know who you are.”

Vs. 3. Do not fear to go to Egypt. Jacob receives clarity and confirmation through the vision to go to Egypt. And ultimately…peace.

Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba: Jacob took everything and came to the southernmost outpost of Canaan on the way to Egypt. Israel stopped there to honor God with sacrifices.

Abraham and Isaac both lived in Beersheba for a time.

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree there.

Isaac built an alter calling on the LORD GOD and received a promise there.

God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night:

GOD revisits Israel in a dream as he had more than 40 years before.

Do not fear to go down to Egypt:

Israel may have been afraid to go to Egypt remembering that GOD told his father Isaac NOT to go to Egypt (Genesis 26:2).

As Jacob led his family into this foreign land, he did not know what the future held. At the same time, he knew the future was in God’s hands.

As Israel connected with what God did in the past (by sacrificing at Beersheba), he was assured of GOD’s plan for the future.

I will make of you a great nation there:

GOD told Israel what His purpose was to bring this large family to Egypt.

“Egypt became like a mother’s womb to Israel as a nation, where they grew from something small to something full size.” (Guzik)

I will also surely bring you up again:

Jacob did not need to fear the journey to Egypt because GOD promised to bring him back to the Promised Land.

Egypt was not the permanent home for Israel and his children.

And Joseph will put his hand on your eyes:

This final assurance was for GOD HIMSELF to tell Jacob that Joseph lived and would care for him until his dying day. This was sweet assurance.

JOSEPH WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU DIE

Vs. 5-27. Listing of Jacob’s family who came with him to Egypt.

5-7

5 Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. 7 His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.