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.
SO JACOB LEAVES WITH EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE
8-27 THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL
8 Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. 9 The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. 10 The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. 11 The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. 14 The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three.
16 The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. 17 The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. 18 These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons.
19 The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. 20 And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 21 The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. 22 These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all.
23 The son of Dan was Hushim. 24 The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all.
26 All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. 27 And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
In the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him:
Seeing these carts helped to revive Jacob’s spirit, in that he saw great wealth from Egypt.
All his descendants he brought with him to Egypt:
This move shows Israel’s faith. He would take his entire family to Egypt leaving no one behind in Canaan. But he knew that they would come back into that promised land.
The sons of Judah were:
This requires special notice because this is the Messianic lineage.
The line of descent to this point is - Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Judah to Perez to Hezron as we see in Luke 3:33-34
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy:
The total number of males of this clan was 70. There were 66, plus Jacob himself, Joseph, and his two sons. This already large family would become a nation of two million or more over the next 400 years.
JACOB and FAMILY SETTLES IN THE LAND OF GOSHEN.
Vs. 28-30. THE EMOTIONAL MEETING BETWEEN JOSEPH AND HIS FATHER.
28 Then he sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way to Goshen. And they came to the land of Goshen. 29 So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.
30 And Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive.”
He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to point out before him the way:
It was fitting for Judah, of the Messianic line, to do this. He demonstrated the true spirit of repentance and change of heart among Joseph’s brothers.
28. JUDAH, NOW A LEADER. WHO WOULD LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR BENJAMIN.
HE EXEMPLIFIED THE HEART OF CHRIST WHO SAID, I’LL LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU.
AFTER 22 YEARS, HAVING THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD, JACOB IS REUNITED WITH HIS SON JOSEPH.
THIS WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF HIS LIFE. I CAN DIE NOW.
Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive:
This reunion of Israel with Joseph was more than he ever before dreamed.
He had heard the news that the favored son lived and now it was fulfilled.
Vs. 31-34
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘My brothers and those of my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 And the men are shepherds, for their occupation has been to feed livestock; and they have brought their flocks, their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, What is your occupation?’ 34 that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”
I will go up and tell Pharaoh:
Joseph was the spokesperson, the representative and advocate for the entire family.
They came to safety in Egypt, but needed Joseph to represent them.
In the same way, the believer needs Jesus Christ to represent him or her.
That you may dwell in the land of Goshen:
GOD not only took care of them, but HE had also prepared a place for HIS people.
POINT: JESUS not only takes care of us in the here and now, but HE also has gone to heaven to prepare a place for us – and will one day, receive us to Himself.
POINT: GOD has a place for HIS people, but it will be different from the world, and even despised in the eyes of this world.
Every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians:
THE OCCUPATION OF SHEPHERD WAS AN ABOMINATION TO EGYPTIANS.
The Egyptians were agricultural farmers of crops.
They considered sheep unclean, and therefore despised shepherds.
JOSEPH TELLS HIS BROTHERS AND FAMILY HOW TO LIVE AND FUNCTION IN EGYPT WITH THAT CULTURE.
DON’T HIDE YOUR OCCUPATION. CONFESS IT WHEN ASKED.
THEIR OCCUPATION WOULD SET THEM APART FROM THE EGYPTIANS
LET PHARAOH KNOW WHAT YOU DO. THEY’LL HATE YOU FOR IT AND WILL ALLOW THEM TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE EGYPTIANS. TO NOT MINGLE, BUT TO BE SET APART.
SET APART. HOLY PEOPLE THAT FOLLOWED GOD. A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS. HOLY PEOPLE THAT WOULD REPRESENT GOD TO THE WORLD AND WOULD BRING THE WORLD TO GOD.
GOD’S WITNESS TO THE WORLD.
GOD DESIGNED THEM TO BE HOLY – SET APART FROM THE WORLD
WE ARE TO BE IN THE WORLD, BUT DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD, SET APART FOR GOD. A DISTINCTION, A DIFFERENCE.
WE ARE TO BE BOLD AS CHRISTIANS, BELIEVERS, BORN AGAIN.
WE ARE TO BE DIFFERENT.
BE BOLD ABOUT WHO YOU ARE, TO BE HIS WITNESSES.
NOT TO BE LOVED BY THE WORLD, BUT TO WIN A WORLD TO JESUS CHRIST.
TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE.
DON’T KEEP IT A SECRET.
THEY MAY NOT LIKE YOU, BUT THAT’S OK.
TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE.
JESUS SAID, YOU ARE MY WITNESSES.
GENESIS 47:1-31
JACOB MEETS PHARAOH.
1-4. THE BROTHERS ASK FOR THE LAND OF GOSHEN.
Genesis 47:1-31
1 Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, “My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.” 2 And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.
3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”
And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.”
4 And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.”
My father and my brothers… have come from the land of Canaan:
When Joseph spoke those words to Pharaoh, it was the fulfillment of both God’s plan and Joseph’s desire. Joseph was again with his father and brothers and all their families.
Please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen:
Joseph had high status in the government of Egypt. But the family still had to ask permission to dwell in the land of Goshen.
JOSEPH INTRODUCES HIS BROTHERS AND FATHER TO PHARAOH UNASHAMED.
THE BROTHERS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THEY DIDN’T COME MAKE EGYPT THEIR HOME, BUT ONLY TO DWELL THERE TEMPORARILY, JUST LONG ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH THE FAMINE.
5-6. PHARAOH GIVES THEM THE BEST OF THE LAND.
5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.”
PHARAOH GAVE THEM THE PRIVILEGE TO LIVE IN GOSHEN AND GAVE THEM JOB OPPORTUNITIES TO MANAGE THEIR HERDS. BECAUSE JOSEPH WAS A GOOD INFLUENCE IN THE LAND. COMPETENT.
Dwell in the best of the land:
This blessing was all because of Joseph. He saved Egypt – and much of the world – from terrible famine, and now the whole family of Israel was blessed and received an inheritance because of Joseph.
If you know any competent men among them:
We assume that Joseph’s brothers and/or their families were competent as herdsmen.
7-10. JACOB BLESSES PHARAOH.
7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How old are you?”
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 10 So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
JACOB BLESSES PHARAOH.
JOSEPH HAD TO BRING HIS FATHER IN AND SET HIM BEFORE PHARAOH. JACOB IS OLDER, JOSEPH HELPS HIM IN. SINCE WRESTLING WITH GOD, JACOB WALKED WITH A LIMP AFTER GOD TOUCHED HIM.
JACOB NEVER WALKED THE SAME AFTER GOD TOUCHED HIM. NOW OLDER, HE NEEDED HELP GETTING AROUND.
JACOB A SHEPHERD, ABOMINABLE IN THE EYES OF THE EGYPTIANS, BLESSES THE LEADER OF THE LAND. USUALLY IT’S THE GREATER THAT BLESSES THE LESSOR. BUT HERE IS JACOB BLESSING PHARAOH.
PHARAOH’S RESPONSE. “HOW OLD ARE YOU?”
JACOB 130 YEARS OLD. MY LIFE IS A PILGRIMAGE. HIS LIFE WAS “JUST PASSING THROUGH”.
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,
Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
JESUS SAID…
Luke 9:58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
WE ARE JUST PASSING THROUGH.
THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME.
WE HAVE A HOME IN HEAVEN THAT IS BEING PREPARED FOR US.
THIS PLACE, ISN’T HEAVEN AND IT WILL NEVER BE.
SO IF YOU’RE UNCOMFORTABLE HERE, THAT’S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE, THAT’S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE EXPECTED, BECAUSE YOU ARE MADE FOR…HEAVEN.
WE’RE JUST LIVING TEMPORARILY HERE, WE ARE HERE ON PURPOSE, WE ARE HERE ON A MISSION.
2 Corinthians 5:20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
WE’RE HERE IN THIS FOREIGN LAND, TO PLEAD WITH THE WORLD THAT IS AGAINST GOD, TO PLEAD WITH THE WORLD TO GET RIGHT WITH GOD.
IF WE ARE FRIENDS OF THE WORLD, WE ARE APPOSED TO GOD.
James 4:4 Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
JACOB HAD THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HE WAS ON PILGRIMAGE.
IF WE HAD THE SAME MINDSET, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE LIVING ON A MISSION WITH THE HOPE FOR ETERNITY.
JACOB SAYS HIS 130 YEARS HAVE BEEN EVIL, ROTTEN, A TOUGH LIFE.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
Romans 8:18 (NKJV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
WE’RE HERE FOR A REASON. AND WE WILL BE REWARDED, NOT HERE, BUT IN HEAVEN.
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR HEAVEN ON EARTH, YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED.
OUR REWARD IS IN HEAVEN.
JACOB LEARNED SOMETHING.
BEING CHOSEN BY GOD IS A GREATER PRIVILEGE AND GREATER BLESSING, THEN ALL THE SUCCESS AND GLORY YOU CAN HAVE IN THIS WORLD.
HE SAW HIMSELF ABLE TO IMPART A BLESSING ON THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD AT THAT TIME. BECAUSE HE REALIZED THAT WHAT HE HAD WAS WAY MORE VALUABLE THAN WHAT PHARAOH HAD.
JACOB HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LIVING GOD AND HE HAD ACCESS TO HEAVEN.
DON’T BE IMPRESSED WITH THE RICHES, WEALTH AND SUCCESS OF THOSE IN THIS WORLD. BECAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE IN JESUS CHRIST IS MUCH GREATER.
UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR FATHER IS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
AND THE SPIRIT THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD DWELLS IN YOUR BODY
THAT’S MUCH BETTER THAN ANYTHING THE WORLD CAN GIVE YOU.
YOU HAVE MORE TO OFFER THE WORLD THAN ANY BILLIONAIRE CAN OFFER.
JACOB WALKED RIGHT IN THERE AND GAVE A BLESSING TO THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE THE BLESSING WAS GREATER.
The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years: Jacob explained that he was on a pilgrimage. He knew that his real home was somewhere else – heaven.
Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life: This was not a cynical statement by Jacob. He recognized that the general character of his life (lived in the flesh) and the length of his life did not compare either to eternity or to the lives of his ancestors.
So Jacob blessed Pharaoh: Pharaoh acknowledged Jacob was a man of God by accepting his blessing. In the Egyptian religion, Pharaoh himself was thought to be a god. They considered Pharaoh the human embodiment of Ra, the sun god. This means that it was remarkable that he allowed Israel to bestow a blessing on him.
11-12. Israel takes the best of the land.
11 And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families.
Joseph situated his father and his brothers: The family of Israel looked to Joseph, and Joseph only, as their source of provision and supply.
Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread: Though there was a great famine in that entire region, God’s work through Joseph’s wise preparation meant there was bread for Joseph’s family and countless others.
JOSEPH DEALS WITH THE FAMINE.
13-14. In the early years of the famine, money pours into the treasury of Egypt, because it was the only place to buy food.
AS JACOB BLESSES PHARAOH, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
JOSEPH DEALS WITH THE FAMINE
13 Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.
There was no bread in all the land: The famine went far beyond Egypt, and it was very severe.
Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house: Joseph was not only a hard worker and a brilliant administrator, he was also an honest worker. He did not cheat the Pharaoh; as a loyal employee he brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.
PHARAOH’S WEALTH IS GAINING AS A RESULT OF JOSEPH AND THE BLESSING OF ISRAEL.
15-26. In the later years of the famine, Joseph arranged ways for the people to purchase food with whatever they had to give.
15 So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”
16 Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.
18 When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.”
20 Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands.
23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”
25 So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.
When the money failed in the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan: Food was available in Egypt, but at a price. Because the famine lasted so long – seven years in total – eventually people ran out of money to buy more grain. When the money first failed, Joseph received their livestock as payment. When the livestock was gone, then Joseph received their land as payment.
So the land became Pharaoh’s: In the process, the power and wealth of Pharaoh was multiplied greatly. In times of national crisis, the power of central government often increases. Under Joseph’s administration, Pharaoh owned the land and the people worked it for the price of one-fifth of the produce of the land.
In the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh: Joseph wasn’t unfair. He fed the people when they would have starved, and in return asked for one-fifth (20%) annually from the produce of the land. Many people today would be happy with only 20% in total taxes.
ISRAEL Blessed Pharaoh.
PHARAOH blesses Israel.
And Pharaoh receives the blessing of blessing Israel.
GOD has made it very clear regarding Israel and it’s people. I will bless those who bless you, and curse those who curse you.
The nations that bless Israel will be blessed.
And the nations that curse Israel will be cursed.
It is important that we bless Israel.
It is important that we pray for the leaders of our nation, to direct blessings towards Israel.
We have seen GOD’s blessing upon our nation when we bless Israel.
We have also seen adverse effects, even destruction in our nation, when we’ve held back the blessing to Israel.
PRAY for PEACE in JERUSALEM and ISRAEL.
PRAY that we as a nation of people, would support and bless Israel.
ISRAEL ANTICIPATES HIS DEATH.
27. The multiplication of the family of Israel.
Joseph’s Vow to Jacob
27 So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly.
Grew and multiplied exceedingly: This was certainly true. In some 400 years, they became a nation of some two million or more people.
Multiplied exceedingly: Several million (3+/- million) descendants by the time of the Exodus 430 years later.
28-31. Israel requires Joseph vow to bury him in Canaan.
28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years.
29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”
And he said, “I will do as you have said.”
31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.
Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: Jacob’s life lasted 147 years. As he knew his death drew near, he made Joseph take a solemn oath after the pattern of the oath Abraham made his servant.
Please do not bury me in Egypt, but let me lie with my fathers: This was the oath Israel required from Joseph. Israel knew Egypt was not his home. He belonged in the land promised to he and his descendants. He clearly believed and understood he was the inheritor of Abraham’s covenant.
Genesis 35:12 The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”
Jacob believed that the land he had come from was the promised land. And his desire was to be buried there.
It was important to Jacob, because he believed.
And next time we will see more of what Jacob believed as he prepares for his own death.
AS FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST…
We are to be HOLY.
Holy is to be – Set Apart.
We are a “Set apart people”, living here for heaven, representing GOD here on earth, sharing CHRIST, and HIS SALVATION to a world that needs the LORD with the POWER and PRESENCE of HIS SPIRIT IN us.
