X. Joseph Reunited with His Father

Transcription

1 X. Joseph Reunited with His Father Theme: 07-Aug-05 Genesis 46:1-47:12 God brings the entire house of Israel down into Egypt to prepare them for the next great stage of redemptive history: transforming His chosen family into a nation. Key Verses: Genesis 46:2-4 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. Review Last week we looked at the reunion of Joseph with his brothers. Judah s plea for the release of Benjamin, and his offer to take Benjamin s place as a slave, convinced Joseph that his brothers had repented of their sin against him and had truly changed. And so in an emotional scene full of weeping and hugging, Joseph reveals himself at last to his brothers. Joseph reminds his brothers of their sin, but tells them that God s providence was in control of the events that sent him to Egypt. Here we have a concise and clear summary of the Biblical doctrine of providence and the balance between God s sovereignty and man s responsibility. The brothers were responsible for their sin, but God used their sin to accomplish His sovereign will, which was to call a remnant to Himself through a great deliverance. The brothers experienced both physical salvation and spiritual salvation in the providence of God. Man is responsible, but God is sovereign. Although God is not the author of sin, He uses the sin of men in His providence. The greatest example of this balance between sovereignty and responsibility is at the cross (Acts 2:22-23). After the reunion is over, Joseph and Pharaoh send the brothers back to Canaan with many gifts and an invitation for Jacob and the rest of the family to return to Egypt and settle down in the best of the land. God is continuing to care for His remnant. At first, Jacob does not believe that Joseph can be alive, but the testimony of the brothers and the silent witness of the Egyptian gifts convince him at last. The brothers must have confessed their sin to Jacob as part of their explanation of events. And so the healing of strained and broken relationships continues. Joseph is restored to his brothers. Now Jacob s relationship with his sons is repaired. Jacob s spirit is revived, and he is now prepared to meet Joseph again. This is the fruit of the gospel revived spirits and repaired relationships. Introduction Today, we will look at the sequel to Joseph s reunion with his brothers; in Genesis 46, Joseph is finally reunited with his father Jacob. But this chapter is much more than a touching family reunion, it is full of the providence of God. We will be focusing on three main topics today as we fly through chapter 46 and half of Genesis 47: 1) God s promises (46:1-4); 2) God s people (46:5-27); and 3) God s provision (46:28-47:12). Structurally, we are completing the center and second half of the tenth panel in the Joseph Story. Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 100 DSB 9-Sep-05

2 Structure of Panel 10 a pharaoh s invitation and generosity to Joseph s family (45:16-20) they are invited to dwell in Egypt, in the best of the land b Joseph s instructions to brothers about journey home (45:21-24) c Jacob is told that Joseph is alive (45:25-28) Jacob s joyous response: My son Joseph is still alive! I will go and see him before I die! d CENTER: Jacob and entire family come to Egypt (46:1-27) c Jacob sees Joseph alive (46:28-30) Jacob says, Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive b Joseph s instructions to brothers about meeting with pharaoh (46:31-34) a pharaoh s reception of, and generosity to, Joseph s family (47:1-12) they are invited to dwell in Egypt, in the best of the land A. Exodus to Egypt (46:1-27) 1. Beersheba (46:1-4) a. Journey (46:1) Genesis 46 is the story of the journey of Jacob and his entire family from Canaan to Egypt. This is the third such journey in the Joseph Story (not counting Joseph s own journey to Egypt!). The three journeys share similarities in that Jacob initiates them, Joseph meets them, and Jacob talks about his death. However, this journey is very different theologically from the previous two journeys. The purpose of the previous two journeys was God s effectual calling of the brothers to repentance and reconciliation. God had used the famine to bring the brothers back to Himself, through His agent Joseph. Furthermore, God had restored the relationship between Jacob and his sons and revived Jacob s failing spirit. This trip had a different purpose. Ostensibly, it was to reunite Jacob with Joseph, his long-lost beloved son. However, notice where the movement is going. It is a total relocation of the entire family from Canaan to Egypt. It is an exodus of sorts, but now the people of God are preparing to leave the Promised Land to enter into Egypt, the land of (future) slavery. Theologically, this seems backward. As Jacob sets off on this journey, heading south, no doubt this issue crossed his mind. Am I doing the right thing? I want to see Joseph again, but maybe he should come and visit me in Canaan. Should I abandon the land God has promised to our family? My grandfather Abraham went down to Egypt during a famine and got in a bunch of trouble (12:10-20). My father Isaac thought about going to Egypt during a famine, but God told him not to go there (26:2). Maybe it s a mistake for me to go down to Egypt as well. Does that prophecy about our descendants being slaves in a foreign country for 400 years have anything to do with this decision (15:13). What should I do? Oh God, please let me know what I should do! I m sure that something like this must have been going on in Jacob s head as he reached the southernmost point of the Promised Land, Beersheba. He had lived there for a while (cp. 28:10), and it had been the home of both Abraham and Isaac for a time (cp. 21:33-34; 26:23-25). Although it was a familiar place, Jacob had never been beyond this point. South of Beersheba lay the desert, and beyond the desert was Egypt. Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 101 DSB 9-Sep-05

3 So, before he leaves the land, Jacob stops to offer sacrifices to God. Abraham had worshiped God at Beersheba (21:33) and Isaac had built an altar there (26:25). Perhaps Jacob is using the very same altar built by his father nearly a century earlier to worship God. James Boice offers three reasons why Jacob stopped at Beersheba to offer these sacrifices. First, to purge his household of any sin that might lie upon it. He did this earlier at Bethel, (cf. Gen. 35:1-7). Second, to give thanks. He was going to Egypt because Joseph, his beloved son, was alive and was there. Joseph had bid him come, and this was a cause of thanksgiving. Third and I am sure this was the main reason Jacob worshiped to seek the mind of God in his moving. b. Night Vision (46:2-4) And in the night, God answers Jacob s prayer and comes to him in a vision. This is third time that Jacob has had a vision from God. The first time was when he was leaving the land the first time, fleeing the wrath of his brother Esau (28:10-22). At that point in his life, God reassured Jacob with the vision of the heavenly staircase and covenantal promises. Twenty years later, as he re-entered the land with his family, he first saw the camp of angels at Mahanaim (32:1-2) and then he wrestled with the Angel of God (32:22-32). Now, God comes to him a third time in a vision, once again as he is about to leave the Promised Land. This is the last time that God speaks directly to a patriarch. It will be 400 years later before he appears before Moses in the burning bush. Although it is called visions of the night, we are not told what Jacob saw, only what he heard. The vision can be divided into three parts: 1) call (46:2); assurance (46:3); and 3) promises (46:4). The call of Jacob is reminiscent of other calls by God in Scripture. He repeats Jacob s name twice: Jacob! Jacob! This repetition intensifies the nature of the call. Think about some other calls of God: Abraham, Abraham (Gen. 22:11). Moses! Moses! (Ex. 3:4). Samuel! Samuel! (1 Sam. 3:10). Jacob had sought out the Lord, and the Lord heard and answered his prayer in a most emphatic way. What is Jacob s response to God s call? What else can it be but, Here I am? This was the response of Abraham in Gen. 22:11; of Moses in Ex. 3:4; of Samuel in 1 Sam. 3:16 (to Eli); and of the prophet Isaiah in Is. 6:9. When God calls, you respond. Second, God reassures Jacob. I am God, the God of your father. This is a repetition of the covenant formula. There have been times in Jacob s life when he has forgotten about God, but God has never forgotten Jacob. By reminding Jacob that He is the God of Isaac, He is also reminding Jacob of the promises He has made, not only to him and his father, but to his grandfather Abraham as well. It is as if God is saying, I haven t forgotten you, and I haven t forgotten My promises. My covenant still stands. Furthermore, God tells Jacob not to fear going down to Egypt. Almost certainly that is what has been uppermost in Jacob s mind. And now God assures Jacob that this is the right course of action; that it is according to God s will. How that must have cheered Jacob up! It is one thing to seek God s will; it is another to be assured that you are obeying it. Finally, God gives Jacob a series of four promises in rapid fire succession. These promises extend the covenant and further reassure Jacob that he is in the center of God s will. First, I will make of you a great nation there. Not only does God approve of this reverse Exodus, but He also puts His stamp of approval on it by repeating one of the covenant promises made to Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 102 DSB 9-Sep-05

4 Abraham and to Jacob (cp. 12:2; 28:14). While this promise was not new, the location of its fulfillment was; the nation would grow in Egypt, not in Canaan. The second promise is a further reassurance: I will go down with you to Egypt. God had given Jacob a similar promise when he left Canaan the first time for Haran (28:15), and Jacob could testify that God had indeed been with him during that sojourn outside the land. There is nowhere we can go that God is not there with us. Thirdly, I will also surely bring you up again. Although Jacob indeed was brought back out of Egypt and buried in Canaan, the primary focus here is on his descendants. Jacob no doubt was worried that settling his family in Egypt could derail them from the promised inheritance of the land of Canaan. God here clearly emphasizes that the sojourn in Egypt was temporary they would return to the Promised Land. Finally, God gives Jacob a most tender promise: Joseph will put his hand on your eyes. Not only did this promise guarantee a reunion with his long-lost son, it also implied a peaceful death for the frail patriarch. Jacob could rest easy, knowing that the future held joy and peace for him after so many years of struggle and grief. So, Jacob s pit stop at the oasis of Beersheba to worship God was time well spent! He once again responded to God s call, received God s reassurance, and heard God s promises. And those promises confirmed that going to Egypt was the right thing to do that he was in the center of God s will. God could have chosen to grow the sons of Israel into a great nation in the land of Canaan, but instead He chose to do it in Egypt. Eveson gives us some insight into why: God did it this way to teach Israel, and us, important truths concerning the gospel. If they had not gone into Egypt Israel would never have experienced God s redeeming grace, rescuing them from the power of the enemy and forming them into a nation with God as their King. They were also taught that they were to be a worshipping community and a pilgrim people, marching like an army at God s direction. The Promised Land was seen as a goal, a place of rest and plenty, an end point after years of trial and suffering. They were taught that they would be preserved alive by living by God s Word, which they were to acknowledge as more important than physical bread (Dt. 6:24; 8:2-5). All these experiences, and more, are instructive and direct us to God s redeeming love in Christ and to the trials of faith as God s pilgrim people journey towards the inheritance reserved in heaven. 2. Egypt (46:5-7) Spiritually refreshed at Beersheba, Jacob is now ready for the final leg of the journey to Egypt. Although he was spiritually revitalized, he is so physically weak and frail that he has to be carried in Pharaoh s carts along with the women and small children. Wenham points out that this emphasizes that the promises will be fulfilled not through human effort but by divine overruling. The main emphasis in verses 5-7 is that everyone came along with Jacob. No one was left behind. All his descendants, all of his sons, all of his daughters, all of his grandsons, all of his granddaughters, all the little ones, and all the wives they all went down to Egypt with Jacob. This family had their share of disputes and squabbles in the past, but now they are united. Eveson points out: Unlike Abraham and Isaac, Jacob possessed no Ishmael or Esau who went their separate ways and were outside the covenant promises. All Jacob s sons belonged to the Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 103 DSB 9-Sep-05

5 promised seed. Not one of them was excluded from God s covenant blessing first made to Abraham. This is the family unit that would become a great nation. 3. Descendents (46:8-27) To emphasize the importance of this exodus, we are given a list of those who went down to Egypt. As we will see, it is not an exhaustive list. It does not name every individual who traveled to Egypt. For example only one daughter (Dinah) and one granddaughter are mentioned, although there must have been more. No wives are named or counted. Thus, Moses, as the author of Genesis, is selective in who he lists and who he counts. He comes up with a total of seventy persons. That number is significant, and it gives this list importance from a theological perspective. Before we consider the number seventy, let s briefly look at the list. It is broken into four sections, with Jacob s descendants listed by each of his four wives. A complete list is in your notes on page 8. a. From Leah (46:8-15) Leah s six sons, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun, are mentioned, along with their sons. We are reminded that Reuben was Jacob s first-born (46:8) and that Judah s sons, Er and Onan, died in the land of Canaan (46:12). One of Simeon s sons, Shaul, was the son of a Canaanite woman (46:10). Judah obviously was not alone in going to the Canaanites for wife (38:2). His grandsons through Perez, Hezron and Hamul, are included even though they were not born till later (see 38:14, 29). They are probably mentioned to show that God made up for the loss of Er and Onan. The total number listed as belonging to Jacob through Leah (including Er and Onan) is thirty-three (six sons, twenty-five grandsons and two great-grandsons). Dinah is added because of what we know of her in chapter 34 and to indicate that daughters were also born to this family. The thirty-three named boys plus Dinah represent this family line of his sons and his daughters (Eveson). b. From Zilpah (46:16-18) Zilpah was Leah s maid. She had two sons, Gad and Asher. Their sons are listed, plus two grandsons of Asher. Interestingly, one of Asher s daughters, Serah, is mentioned and also counted. Her name appears in subsequent genealogies of the tribes of Israel (Num. 26:46; 1 Chr. 7:30). All the descendants of Zilpah, including Serah, add up to sixteen. So the descendants of Zilpah are roughly half the number of the descendants of Leah. c. From Rachel (46:19-22) Rachel is given special mention as Jacob s wife, indicating that she was the one most dear to him. Rachel had two sons, Joseph and Benjamin. Extra attention is given to Joseph s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. We are reminded that they were born in Egypt thus they did not physically travel down to Egypt with Jacob. Joseph s wife Asenath is also named again (cp. 41:45ff). Other than the wives of Jacob, she is the only wife named in this list (although she is not counted). Benjamin is the most fruitful son of Jacob, with ten sons listed. However, in subsequent genealogy lists, only five sons are listed in Numbers 26:30-40 (three same, two different, plus two grandsons listed as sons in Genesis 46:21), while only three sons are listed in 1 Chronicles 7:6. These discrepancies serve to highlight that these lists are not exhaustive, but Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 104 DSB 9-Sep-05

6 are rather suggestive and have a theological purpose rather than a strict genealogical aim. All told, according to Genesis 46:22, fourteen descendants of Jacob through Rachel went to Egypt. d. From Bilhah (46:23-25) Bilhah was Rachel s maid. Her two sons, Dan and Naphtali, are mentioned, along with there sons. Dan was the least fruitful of Jacob s twelve sons, having only one son. The total of Jacob s descendants through Bilhah was seven. Just as Leah was twice as fruitful as her maid Zilpah, we can see here that Rachel was twice as fruitful as her maid Bilhah. The special status of Rachel as Jacob s wife mentioned in verse 19 is subtly reinforced by the number of descendants from Rachel and Bilhah. They are even multiples of seven (14 & 7). Since seven in the Scriptures is a number of moral perfection or completeness, these totals suggest that Rachel (and her maid) are favored over Leah (and her maid), although Leah and Zilpah were more fruitful overall. Quality, not quantity, is what counts! e. Summary (46:26-27) If we add up the four subtotals (33, 16, 14, 7) we come to seventy. This agrees with the final tally in the text: All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. However, there are several issues we need to deal with to come up with this total. First, the total of Leah s descendants is a bit tricky. Thirty-three sons, grandsons, and greatgrandsons are listed. But a daughter, Dinah, is also listed and apparently not counted, even though the text says all the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three. Furthermore, two of the grandsons, Er and Onan, died in Canaan and so obviously did not travel down to Egypt with Jacob. We ll deal with this momentarily. Second, there are some differences with this list and later lists in Numbers 26 and 1 Chronicles 4-7, as I have already mentioned. This leads me to believe the purpose of the list is not strictly genealogical. Third, it is clear that some of these descendants were not yet born. For example, two grandsons of Judah through Perez are mentioned. But Perez must have still been an infant or young child at the time of this exodus. Also, Benjamin is presented in the story as a youth. It is inconceivable that he already had ten sons before he moved to Egypt. In what way can we consider these future descendants to have traveled with Jacob to Egypt? In the same sense that the writer to Hebrews uses when he speaks of Levi paying tithes to Melchizedek: 9 Even Levi, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, so to speak, 10 for he was still in the loins of his father (Abraham) when Melchizedek met him (Heb. 7:9-10). As Wenham puts it, these differences are another clue to the different original purpose of this list. Fourth, in Acts 7:14, Stephen says that seventy-five, not seventy people (46:27). Stephen s count is based on the Greek Septuagint translation of Genesis 46 and also Exodus 1:5. The Septuagint says that Joseph had nine sons (including grandsons?) instead of two. I m not sure why this is, but the Septuagint must get to seventy-five by adding seven extra descendants of Joseph and then subtracting Er and Onan who died in Canaan. Fifth, our text also cites the number of sixty-six descendants who went with Jacob to Egypt (46:26). How do we reconcile this number with 70? Well, likely we start with the list of seventy, and then we subtract Er and Onan because they died in Canaan; we subtract Joseph, Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 105 DSB 9-Sep-05

7 Ephraim, and Manasseh because they were already in Egypt and did not travel with Jacob; and then we add back in Dinah to give us our total of 66 descendants who traveled with Jacob. If we accept that scenario for arriving at the number of 66 (and there may be others), then we also need to re-adjust it back up to seventy. To do that, we add back in Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh. But that only gets us back to 69. To get back to seventy, I believe we also need to count Jacob himself. The text says, All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy. Again, these numerical games suggest that the number seventy is more important than the specific individuals who comprise the total. So, what is the significance of seventy? Why is this number important? Seventy is a symbolic number in Scripture. It is the product of two other symbolic numbers: seven and ten. Seven is the number of moral or spiritual completion or perfection (e.g., God created the world in seven days and all very good). Ten is the number of physical or numerical completion (e.g., the dimensions of the Holy of Holies are 10 cubits by 10 cubits by 10 cubits). So seventy, the product of seven times ten, is a number of moral and numerical completeness. It symbolizes an ideal, complete unit, such as the Sanhedrin (Hartley). Later on, Moses would bring seventy elders, representing all of Israel, to worship God on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:1, 9). The first use of the number seventy in Scripture is in the list of Noah s descendants in Genesis 10. Although not specified as seventy, that is the total number of nations that descends through Shem, Ham, and Japheth. This Table of Nations, seventy in all, thus represents all of humanity after the Flood. What happened immediately after the Table of Nations was listed in Genesis 10? Humanity was scattered by God at the Tower of Babel. The nations were scattered because they were repeating the sin of Adam, trying to storm heaven and take that which did not belong to them. The seventy nations of the world remain under the curse of God, in need of a Savior. And so God begins His plan of salvation by selecting one man, Abraham, and building up a new nation through him. That new nation is represented by the seventy souls who descended into Egypt here in Genesis 46. Jacob s family of seventy persons is a miniature world (Eveson). Wenham says that the nation of Israel represents the family of men in microcosm. It is a replacement for the seventy sinful nations of Genesis 10. God is going to work through this one nation, starting with seventy souls, and build them up into a nation that will bless all the nations of the world, fulfilling the covenant made with Abraham. Of the seventy persons listed, some were not yet born. Meanwhile, many others, such as wives, daughters, granddaughters, and servants traveled with Jacob but were not counted. Thus, we can see that the primary purpose of the list totaling seventy persons is theological, not genealogical. God s activity in redemptive history would not be through the seventy nations, but through this replacement nation sprung up from seventy souls. And ultimately, it would be one descendant of Jacob, the Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ, who would reconcile lost sinners of all nations to God by being the perfect substitute for sin. B. Reunion in Egypt (46:28-30) So the caravan makes its way down from Beersheba to Egypt to be reunited with Joseph. The text may have presented a theological accounting of the journey, but be assured; it was a real, physical, time consuming event! Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 106 DSB 9-Sep-05

8 In the reunion scene, three individuals are highlighted. First there is Judah. Once again, he is out in front, leading the way to Goshen. He has clearly taken leadership over the family under the head of Jacob. What a turnaround for Judah. Here is the brother who was instrumental in developing the plan to sell Joseph into slavery; now, he is leading his father to the very place where the reunion will occur. Next we have Joseph. We can sense some of the anticipation in Joseph s heart, as he rides his chariot to Goshen and the appointed meeting place. Although Joseph is the number two man in all the land, he humbles himself and goes to his father, rather than having his father come to him. Once again, emotion overtakes Joseph at the sight of Jacob, and he weeps for joy for quite some time. Finally we have Jacob, called Israel in these verses. For Israel, this was a marvelous twist of providence, having his lost son restored to him at last: Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive (46:30). Wenham puts it this way: Because Joseph is alive, Jacob s attitude to death is revolutionized. Twice Jacob had declared that the loss of his sons would bring him in mourning to Sheol, the realm of the hopeless dead (37:35; 42:38). Now Joseph s resurrection allows Jacob to die in peace. In fact, Jacob s words to Joseph are reminiscent of old Simeon s words in the Temple when he saw the baby Jesus: 29 Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation (Luke 2:29-30). Jacob can die at peace because Joseph was alive. For us, we also can die in peace, knowing that One much greater than Joseph is also alive, having triumphed over death and sin. C. Settling in Egypt (46:31-47:12) 1. Joseph s Instruction (46:31-34) Once the reunion is completed (and I m sure it took a while to catch up on all the news), Joseph gets down to business. Although the land of Goshen has been promised to them by Joseph in 45:10 and that promise has been repeated by Pharaoh in 45:18, they still have to make the title transfer official. An audience before Pharaoh is required. And so Joseph gives them some wise advice on how to present themselves at the Egyptian court. Interestingly, he encourages them to play the country bumpkins. They are to emphasize that they are shepherds and that they have their own flocks and herds. I think three ideas are in view here. First, the text tells us that every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians (46:34). We do not know why this is so. Commentators speculate that perhaps it is merely the difference of disdain between a city slicker and an agricultural nomad, much in the way that modern-day gypsies or hippies might be detested. Regardless of the origin of this class distinction, highlighting it will serve to separate the children of Israel from the rest of the Egyptians. The main purpose in their emigration to Egypt is to grow into a holy nation. In order to do so, they must remain separate from the influences of pagan cultures. Living in the deserted land of Goshen apart from the rest of the Egyptians fits that bill, and the cultural gap between the urbane Egyptian city dwellers and the Hebrew shepherds enforces the separation. Secondly, Joseph tells the brothers to emphasize that they have brought their own flocks and herds. In other words, they will be self-sufficient and not become wards of the state. These men are gainfully employed. They have a means of sustenance. They will not burden the crown by going on the welfare rolls. Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 107 DSB 9-Sep-05

9 When I or someone on my staff travels internationally, often to get a visa we have to write a company letter to the embassy of that country. The company letter states that the employee is gainfully employed, is going to work in that country for a limited and definite period, has tickets to leave the country, and will pay for all of his own expenses. In other words, we are reassuring that country that the person does not intend to stay and become a burden to the state. I think that Joseph is doing the same thing here. Finally, by emphasizing that they have been shepherds since their youth, Joseph is highlighting their resumes. Since Egyptians detested shepherds, most shepherds in Egypt were foreigners. It was a job considered beneath the average Egyptian. This meant that the animal husbandry skills in Joseph s family could be a valuable commodity in Egypt. As we will see in just a few verses, Pharaoh is interested in hiring competent men to be chief herdsmen over the royal flocks. 2. Pharaoh and the Brothers (47:1-6) After giving these wise instructions to his family, Joseph returns to court and prepares Pharaoh for the visit of his family. This visit comes in two stages. In the first stage, a delegation of five brothers comes before Pharaoh (47:1-6). Although we are not told who the five brothers were, I think we can safely assume that they were led by Judah. After the brothers visit, Joseph presents his father Jacob to the Pharaoh (47:7-10). Everything about the brothers visit to Pharaoh goes according to plan. Joseph sets it up, informing Pharaoh that his family has arrived in Goshen. The delegation of brothers comes before Pharaoh and they are ready for his question. What is your occupation? A nice softball question after Joseph s preparation, and they hit it out of the park. God in His providence gives Pharaoh an open and generous heart toward Joseph s family. He receives them kindly, officially grants them the land of Goshen, and authorizes Joseph to appoint royal herdsmen to watch over the crown s flocks. Wenham points out: The appointment of some of Joseph s brothers to supervise the king s cattle means that they are to be officers of the crown and thus will enjoy legal protection not usually accorded aliens. Surely God is being gracious to Jacob and sons! He has converted the hearts of the rebellious sons, He has restored fellowship in the family, and now He is granting them the best land to live in and royal protection as well. 3. Pharaoh and Jacob (47:7-10) In a second interview with Pharaoh, Joseph presents his father to the king. This interview proceeds very differently from the previous one. In that first one, the brothers are obviously inferiors seeking a boon from their superior. Pharaoh, as the superior, listens to the inferiors and then grants their petition. In this second interview, it is almost as if Pharaoh switches positions from superior to inferior. Pharaoh is deferential to this elderly man. Notice that it is Jacob who blesses Pharaoh, not once but twice. It is Jacob who is granting a privilege to Pharaoh. It is Pharaoh who is on the receiving end. In earthly terms Pharaoh was the superior, but in spiritual terms Jacob was greater (Eveson). Wenham says that this was not Jacob s audience with Pharaoh; in reality it was Pharaoh s audience with Jacob. Let s focus on three elements of this audience between Pharaoh and Jacob. First, consider the blessing of Jacob on Pharaoh as he arrives and as he leaves. Jacob, who in his youth cheated to obtain blessing, is now the source of blessing, not just to his family but to all the families of the Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 108 DSB 9-Sep-05

10 earth. And because the Pharaoh has acknowledged Jacob s special status by receiving him graciously and honoring his sons, he and his countrymen may expect to find blessing through Jacob and his descendants (28:14) (Wenham). The covenant of promise to Abraham is being fulfilled. Egypt shows kindness to God s people, and they are blessed as a result. It will not always be this way. Eventually there will arise a king who knew not Joseph, and that blessing will turn to a curse. But that s a story for another quarter. Secondly, notice Jacob s age. He is 130 years old, but he describes his days as being few and evil. Furthermore, he has not lived as long as his father Isaac (180) or grandfather Abraham (175). One hundred thirty years seems like a long time to us, and Jacob still had seventeen more years left to enjoy Joseph and the rest of his family in Egypt. Yet his words remind us of the truth about life because of sin, life is short and full of sorrow. Whether we have 130 years or 70 years, sin is a reality and death is the result. Listen to the prayer of Moses: Psalm 90:10, The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 12 So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Finally, notice that Jacob recognizes his life is a pilgrimage. A pilgrim is a traveler, a person with no present abode. It is not mere physical movement that Jacob has in mind but rather the spiritual truth that for God s people this world, however much we may settle into it, is not our true home. We are pilgrims here until we come at last to that heavenly home God has prepared for us (cp. Heb. 11:13-16). Jacob was telling Pharaoh that life is to be lived as a pilgrimage in which our eyes are set upon God s distant city (Boice). 4. Joseph Provides (49:11-12) Verses summarize the settlement of the children of Israel in the land of Goshen, later known in Moses day as the land of Rameses (cp. Ex. 12:37). Notice that they are given possession in the land. This likely indicates that it is a permanent holding of ownership, something that would have been uncommon for foreigners to receive. Again, this is another indication of God s blessing upon His people. Conclusion At the beginning of the class, I stated we would cover three main topics. Let s briefly review. First, the promises of God in 46:1-4 assured Jacob that he was following the will of God. Although Egypt on the surface didn t seem like the right place to go, in God s providence it was the perfect place for His people to be at that time. Second, the people of God are enumerated in 46:5-27, equaling seventy persons, representative of all the nations. It is through this group of people that God will work to bring forth the Seed Jesus Christ who will be the ultimate blessing to all the nations of the world. And finally, the provision of God gave Jacob and sons an isolated, bountiful land in which to live, and royal protection in which to thrive. God s providence has accomplished His will. Jacob and sons are exactly where they need to be at this stage of redemptive history as God prepares them for the next stage the development of a family into a nation. Close in Prayer. Next week: Lesson 11 Jacob Blesses Joseph s Sons Gen. 47:13-48:22 Genesis IV Notes. Doc p. 109 DSB 9-Sep-05