Joseph

Joseph

Question of the day:  What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Jacob Goes to Egypt

46 So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

WE ARE SKIPPING A SECTION OF GENEALOGY

26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. 27 With the two sons[f] who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father[h] and wept for a long time.

30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”

31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

47 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”

“Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”

5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[a] Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed[b] Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.

Joseph and the Famine

13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”

16 “Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[c] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.

27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. 29 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”

“I will do as you say,” he said.

31 “Swear to me,” he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.[d]

What a story!  When I first read this I thought verse 31 was the death of Israel or Jacob, but it is not.  There is still more to this story.  Still more to come..

What stood out to you in this story?

What must the brothers have been going through.  Now in Egypt, bringing their whole families. Moves are stressful, can you imagine that process of moving everyone there, leaving their home and now being told that they are to state that they are shepherds, detestable to the Egyptians, while their brother, the favored one is living as royalty?

Do you think they had to be careful to not let old feelings creep back in?

How many times do we think we have healed from something, or confessed about something, even believed we had victory over something and then one day, something happens, and wow.... it is back?  The thoughts, the feelings, the hurts all back. 

I am sure they must have fought with that!

There was a reason.  Jacob didn't want his whole family in the midst of Egypt, but hoped they could be out a ways on their own.  Their strategy worked and they were given a spot off by themselves.  

What lead to the rescuing of this entire family?

Who was responsible?

This is a crazy thought to me.

The father showed favoritism leading to jealousy.

The brothers jealousy turned to hate, which ended up in selling their brother.

Joseph, was a bit bratty to start with, probably because of the favoritism he grew up in, then was so faithful to what was right, to God, and ends up finding favor with all.

God... Was ultimately with and through and in it all. 

We have talked about this other weeks, but the providence of God is amazing.  Or God working out His providence in and through this really messed up family is inspiring.

Have you ever sat back and thought that God couldn't do anything with or through you because you are too messed up?

God wants so much to take our messes, our mess ups and still use us to work out His providence in our lives.  I don't know about you but that is quite amazing. 

I know that because we know the rest of the story it is hard to rejoice for Jacobs family.  We know that very soon they will all be enslaved.  We know that being in Egypt will bring great sorrow for God's people, but let's set that aside for now.  

They didn't know about that!  They only knew at this moment that they wouldn't die of starvation.  They had been saved, their children had been saved and what a glorious day that was.  

For a moment I want us to go back to the beginning of chapter 46.  Here we see Jacob going to Beersheba before going to Egypt.  There God calls out his name.  Interestingly God calls him "Jacob" not Israel.  Then He gives Jacob reassurance and His blessing to move forward and take his family to Egypt.  God also promises that He will bring them back to their land. 

How important is that stop in this story?

How many times do we make decisions without asking or talking to God about it.  

Jacob is taking sometime to come to God and to offer sacrifices to Him.  I'm sure he was afraid to take his family to Egypt.  How do I know that?  It doesn't say that here but I'm very confident. 

When God speaks to Jacob he answers any fear!  He is reassuring.  

God will often answer your fears, doubts, with answers if we go to Him.  Even if we don't ask for it He will.  

I have to tell you no matter your week or your life so far, God wants you to join Him, to come to Him, and be part of his big beautiful plan to save the world.  It doesn't matter how far away you have strayed, or gone, it doesn't matter how little or how much you have done in the past.  It doesn't matter if you are a shepherd or a ruler, He wants you to be part of this big story if you are just willing.  With it doesn't come prosperity, but a constant companion who will be with you through the most difficult and the most unsettled times as well as the most joyous and celebratory times.  

Are you willing to be part of His story?

KNOW LOVE.

LIVE LOVE.

SHARE LOVE.