Joseph, Part 11
The coat of many colors.
In part 11, We see that Joseph, in order to survive, finally moves his family to Egypt, which was to be their home for the next 400 years. Click here for the recording of this 9/15 Service, and you can fast-forward to 29:22 to get to the start of the sermon.
Our text comes from Genesis Chapter 46.1-7
1 So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3Then He said, “ I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also assuredly bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes.”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6They also took their livestock and their possessions, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him: 7his sons and his grandsons with him, his daughters and his granddaughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.
Introduction…
There are times in the lives of God’s people that circumstances mandate decisions previously unheard of.
Nothing happens by accident in the life of a biblical Christian - slj
The decisions we make, do not just impact us, but often all who come behind us as well.
That is why we need to be led of the Lord in our decision making.
Prayer, Scripture, and wise counsel come into play here.
In the text…
V1- Israel (Jacob) set out “with all that he had” (possessions, livestock, family) and comes to Beersheba (the southern most city in the ancient Hebrew lands); as a God-fearer, he offered sacrifice, the Hebrew form of worship going back to Adam.
V2- God spoke to Jacob in a vision/dream during the night, which Jacob acknowledged .
V3- “I am the God (el) of your father”- notice the sense of history here- “don’t be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there”- in one verse, God tells him to look backward (the God of your father) and forward (I will make of you…).
V4- “I will go down [southwest to Egypt] with you; I will bring you up [northeast to the Promised Land] again; Joseph will close your eyes [he will be with you at death] .
V5-6- Jacob and his clan with all their possessions left Beersheba in wagons provided by Pharaoh.
V7- his entire family left with him- sons, daughters in law, grandchildren (70 people total, v27).
Applying this to your lives… 6 points
Jacob started to move (South to Beersheba) even before he offered sacrifice; movement/action and sacrifice (worship) go hand in hand.
During times of transition it is important that God gets our attention, and that we give our attention - prayer, Scripture, and wise counsel.
He is the God of our past - ”I am the God of your father”- and He is the God of your future- “I will go down with you”; thus, He is trans-chronological.
The decisions we make influence those who come behind us, both for good and for ill, for which we will give account to them, and to God- that family of 70 would grow to 4-6 million over the next 400 years.
Egypt was to be their home for the next 400 years, but it was not their final home; their location, and their identity, were two different things; don’t confuse the two; this world is not our final destination; thus, we need to pray into our grandchildren’s future.
“Life is a series of choices, and we [and others] live with the consequences of our choices.”- Dr. Richard D. Dobbins
