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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday May 19, 2019
JACOB’S
JOURNEY TO EGYPT
Genesis 46
And so at the ripe old age of 130 years, Jacob set out for Egypt
with his entire family, and all of his possessions. When he passed through
Beersheba, he stopped and offered sacrifices there to the LORD. That night GOD
spoke to Jacob in a vision and said, “I
AM GOD, the GOD of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I
will see to it that you become a great nation there. I will go with you down to
Egypt, and I will bring your descendants back again. But you will die in Egypt
with Joseph at your side” (Vs.3-4) (NLT).
This vision would serve, over the years, as
a source of encouragement and inspiration once the Israelites became deeply
embedded in chattel slavery there in Egypt, about a hundred years later. The
promise of GOD to Jacob that HE would bring them safely back to “the Promised
Land” would be to them, as the “Christian Hope” is to us in this day and age.
They looked forward with earnest expectation for GOD’s return to release them
from the pains of the world that they lived in, and we look forward to JESUS’
return, in this day and age, for the same reason.
Included in this chapter of Genesis
(Vs.8-27) is an account of the “horizontal genealogy” of Jacob’s family that
came with him to Egypt, and of course, the family of Joseph that was already
there, 70 members in all. It is from these 70 people that the nation of Israel
was established, and would grow into a powerhouse during the time of the
“United Kingdom” under David and Solomon.
Before leaving Beersheba, Jacob sent his
son Judah on ahead to Egypt to meet Joseph and get the directions to Goshen
from him. When they all arrived at Goshen, Joseph boarded one of his chariots
and made his way to Goshen to see his father. When he arrived he ran and
embraced Jacob, and he wept on his shoulder for a long time.
And so finally, after 22 years, Jacob was
able to hold his “favorite son” in his arms, and when he did, he uttered a
statement reminiscent of the one that Simeon would make, when he first laid
eyes on baby Jesus, many centuries later in the temple at Jerusalem (Luke
2:29-32 – now known as “the Nunc Dimittis” which means “now, let depart” - from
the Latin), here he declares, “Now let me die, for I have seen you with my own
eyes and know you are still alive”.
Then Joseph, the consummate diplomat, who
was always careful not to upset Egyptian customs, advised his family to stress
to the Pharaoh their prowess at being generational shepherds and livestock
breeders. Joseph said that when you tell him this he will allow them all to
live in Goshen, an ideal area to ply their trade.
For the Pharaoh was very fond of Joseph and
genuinely wanted to supply the very best for his family. And besides, the
Egyptians despised everything about shepherds, and really didn’t wish to
interact closely with them on a daily basis anyway. And so, placing them in
this fertile delta area of Egypt was a win-win situation for all concerned.
This advice by Joseph really demonstrates the GODly wisdom that he possessed,
and he knew exactly how to apply that wisdom in the world in which he lived.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
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