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Day 43…Genesis 47:

Genesis 47: Joseph & the famine

v.1-4, Joseph along with 5 of his brothers go to Pharaoh and tell him his family has arrived in Goshen. That they have come with all their possession, specifically their flocks and herds. Pharaoh asked them what their occupation was. Unfortunately the 5 brothers told Pharaoh they were shepherds and ignored Joseph’s advice in chapter 46 to down play that they were sheepherders and focus on the cattle part of their job [stubborn to the end]. They also requested permission to stay in the land in the form of a plea…”no pasture in Canaan…the famine is severe there.”

v.5-6, it’s almost as if Pharaoh ignored their plea and went on to talk to Joseph about his family and told him they can choose any where they want in the land…best of the land of Egypt. And if any of his family/bros have special skills, they can be in charge of HIS livestock–managers!

v.7-12, then Joseph brought his Dad to see Pharaoh. Jacob blessed him, not once but twice. They had a chat about his life, age (130) and travels. Then Joseph gave the best of the land of Egypt (region of Rameses) to his Dad and family as commanded by Pharaoh. Joseph provided food for all his family, right down to the youngest baby.

MEANWHILE…the famine gets worse

v.13-22, the food was all used up in Egypt and people were starving. By selling food (grain) to all the people in Egypt during the famine Joseph had collected ALL the MONEY in the land (both Egypt & Canaan). Now the money had run out they came to Joseph hungry and wanting food. They told him they needed food but had no money to pay for it. So Joseph told them to bring their livestock to trade for the food–that only lasted another year..then the were back. They told Joseph now they have nothing to barter with…money’s gone, foods gone! They only had their bodies and their land. So they bartered their land and their bodies as slaves to Pharaoh so they could have grain to live on. So Joseph took all the people and all the land and EVERYTHING belonged to Pharaoh except the land of the Priests and the Priests themselves. The Priests rec’d food and a salary from Pharaoh so they didn’t need to sell their land.

v.23-26, Joseph told the people that since he owned them and all their land [Actually Pharaoh did]. He will provide them with seed to grow crops and in exchange they have to give Pharaoh 1/5 of their crops to Pharaoh and they can live on the rest (4/5). They were so thankful and were pleased to be Pharaoh’s servants because Joseph had saved their lives! So Joseph issued a law in Egypt (still in effect today) that for now on Pharaoh should receive 1/5 of all crops grown in Egypt, except for the Priests land.

MEANWHILE…

v.27-31, Jacob and his family (children of Israel) settled in Goshen and they acquired lots of property and their population grew rapidly. Jacob lived for 17 years after his arrival in Egypt. As he was ready to “go” he sent for Joseph and told him to promise to bury him in Canaan with the rest of his family. “Don’t bury me in Egypt. When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.” - NLT.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME? Even though Joseph had every right to treat the people of Egypt as dirt or low life he continued to provide for them. Even after they had no money, livestock and land he continued to provide for them so that they could survive. I think he treated them with dignity and showed them respect most overlords wouldn’t show to their subjects. Even when they were Pharaoh’s slaves he gave them a reasonable way of paying Pharaoh so that they could live off the land. It’s kind of like the tithe we give God.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? I am continually happily surprised at Joseph’s treatment of those who doesn’t deserve it. He is a true man of grace. I want to be that man. No matter what people truly deserve I want to extend grace every time.

November 21, 2010 at 2:36 PM 2 comments

Day 42…Genesis 46:

Genesis 46: Jacob & family travel to Egypt

v.1-4, After finally believing Joseph was definitely alive and in Egypt Jacob (Israel) sets out for Egypt with all his possessions. He stopped for the night in Beersheba and offered a sacrifice to God. During the night he had a dream/vision…

God said, “I am the God of your father. Don’t be afraid of going down to Egypt. I’m going to make you a great nation there. I’ll go with you down to Egypt; I’ll also bring you back here. And when you die, Joseph will be with you; with his own hand he’ll close your eyes.” - MSG

v.5-7, Jacob left Beersheba to go to Egypt with all his possessions, family and livestock–the things they acquired will living in Canaan. They travelled in the wagons Pharaoh gave them.

v.8-27, these verse state Jacob’s descendants who went to Egypt with him. The total number of descendants that went with Jacob to Egypt, not counting his sons’ wives was 66 and Joseph had two sons born in Egypt. So altogether there were 70** members of Jacob’s family in the land of Egypt. **this number probably included Joseph’s grandsons from Ephraim & Manasseh**

v.28-30, as they were getting close to Goshen Jacob sent Judah ahead to get Joseph and get directions to this region. When the finally arrived Joseph  had already left by way of his own chariot to meet them. He embraced his father and cried holding him for a very long time. Then Jacob said to Joseph he was now ready to DIE since he had seen his son’s face and knows he is alive!

v.31-34, Joseph then told his whole family that he is going to tell Pharaoh they are all here in Egypt to live for good and that they are shepherds and they have brought their own flock along with everything they own. Then Joseph warned his family that when Pharaoh asks what kind of work they do to tell him they have always kept livestock for as long as they can remember–as their parents have and their parents’ parents–long time. Then Pharaoh will let them stay in Goshen because the Egyptians hate shepherds. Joseph’s advice was both a warning about the Egyptians attitude towards strangers and a way of not upsetting the customs of the Egyptians. So he told his family to de-emphasize that they were sheepherders but that they were cattle ranchers and they were not an ambitious group that wished to rise above their occupation.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME? God again reminds Jacob that he is going to make him a great nation and it happens to be exactly where he is uprooting his family to–Egypt. God continues to make his promise or oath a reality in Jacob’s life. God shows great care for Jacob and his family every step of the way from Abraham, to Issac and now Jacob.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? This lets me know that God will continue to keep his promises to me and he cares for not just me, but my whole family–De-Ann and Faith and my family I grew up with. I know this is true because he has proved himself so many times. And I need to say thank you over and over again.

Thank you God for constantly providing for us as a family and thank you for selling our home. I am so glad I am your child.

November 20, 2010 at 10:50 PM Leave a comment