All for Good as God Had Planned

Transcript

GRS 12
?? Date ??
Old Testament Overview
Genesis 46-50
Gil Rugh

Genesis chapter 46 in your Bibles, the 46th chapter of Genesis. We move through the book of Genesis, we see God’s plan and program unfolding for preparing and developing the people that are going to magnify His name and be the vehicle through which he manifests Himself to the world. As the book of Genesis draws to a close, God’s plan for developing and building that people into a great nation are coming to completion.

In Genesis chapter 15 in verse 13, God had told Abraham that his descendants at a future time be taken into a strange land and there be held captive over a period of over 400 years; following which they would come back out of that land back into Canaan as a great nation to possess the land that God had promised them. So what he calls the Egyptians bondage of Israel was part of God’s plan form the call of Abraham. Now it was part of God’s plan from before that; but as far as the unfolding of God’s plan in giving the covenant to Abraham and so on why that’s even presented at the beginning.

Joseph has gone to Egypt and in chapter 45 Joseph has revealed himself to his family and he has sent for his father Jacob and the entire household to come down to Egypt. Joseph tells them that there are five years of famine left. So he encourages to come to Egypt where there’s abundance provision and I’ll see that you’re taken care of and you can live here in the land of Goshen and enjoy the blessings of the land of Egypt.

Chapter 46 picks up with Jacob’s family moving to Egypt. And that’s what chapter 46 is about. The first 7 verses talk about the move to Egypt, and verse 8 to 27 name the family, particularly the immediate descendants of Jacob who went down to Egypt with him. This becomes a key factor. You must remember Moses is writing this as he led the people back out of Egypt four hundred years later. And here he’s going back to that basic group that God had taken to Egypt in the first place. And that small group, seventy basic people, others in the group, seventy that will be named has become a nation of perhaps a couple million four hundred years later.

Then the chapter closes in verse 28 to 34 with the reunion with Joseph; Jacob and Joseph are reunited. Jacob has been called to Egypt by Joseph but I’m sure there’s something going through his mind, “Does God really want me to go to Egypt?” He’s accepted the call, but he has to also be aware that there were previous occasions where God had forbid the patriarchs to go into Egypt. God had promised him, personally promised him, the land of Canaan and now he’s going to take his entire family and leave that land. So as he prepares to leave having resided in Hebron he now goes to Beersheba – Beersheba is to the south, stops there on his way to Egypt. In verse 1 of chapter 46, “Israel came out with all that he had, come to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.”

Beersheba was a favorite worship spot for the patriarchs. Abraham in chapter 21 of Genesis worshipped here. Isaac in chapter 26 of genesis built an altar here and now Jacob stops to worship God here and offer sacrifice in this location. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “’Jacob, Jacob,’ and he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, “I am God the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt.’” So you see here perhaps some rendering hesitation in Jacob’s mind, “Am I doing the right thing? Am I perhaps trusting the arm of the flesh rather than God in leaving the promised land to go to Egypt?” Now God tells him, “Don’t be afraid. God to Egypt for I will make you a great nation there. I will go down with you to Egypt; I will also surely bring you up again and Joseph will close your eyes.”

Back in chapter 26 in verse 2, God had told Isaac, “Do not go down to Egypt.” Similar circumstances in the midst of famine, God said to Isaac, “Don’t go to Egypt.” But now He tells Jacob, “Go to Egypt – that’s my plan for building your descendants into a great nation.” And you note that God says in verse 4, “I will go with you down to Egypt and I will bring you up again.” Now I think that’s important to note because we call the sign of Israel stay in Egypt the Egyptian bondage that was the will of God, these people and not particularly a judgment on them. There’s no indication here that God says, I’m going to judge you, because you and your family and your father haven’t been as faithful as they ought to be. Notice this is simply my plan for you to take you into Egypt and build you there as a great nation and I’m sure Jacob was tremendously encouraged.

The assurance in verse 4 that Joseph will close your eyes is the assurance he’ll die in the presence of Joseph. That’s a comfort to know that he’s going to privileged to be with the favorite son and he’ll be there with him as leaves his life. God will bring him up again. Genesis 15 tells us that’ll be 400 years later.

Jacob arose from Beersheba, sons and they proceed down into Egypt. In verse 8 to 27 you have the family mentioned that go down and in this list are the actual descendants of Jacob. For example, the daughters-in-law are not mentioned. Only those who are the actual immediate descendants of Jacob are in the list even though the family group would be much larger.

Verse 26 tells us, “All the persons belonging to Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all.” Sixty-six, now if you just turn over few pages, Exodus chapter 1 and in verse 5, you’ll read, “And all the persons who came from the loin of Jacob were seventy in number.” And you’re told there Joseph was already in Egypt. So if you add sixty-six plus Joseph, Joseph’s two sons Ephriam and Manannesh and Jacob himself that brings you to the number seventy you have in Exodus chapter 1 in verse 5.

So that’s the core group going down there and 400 years later they’ll come out as a nation of millions built by God and preserved by God in that place.

The chapter closes verses 28 to 34 with the reunion with Jacob and Joseph being reunited. Verse 29, Joseph prepared his chariot, went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his neck and wept on his neck a long time. I find that when Joseph was with his father he was 17 years of age back in chapter 37. He’s now about 39 years of age. So twenty-two years have gone by. I assume there were great changes in both of these men. Verse 34 is to be a settling of the family in Goshen and Joseph speaks about their friendly meeting with Pharaoh with the Egyptian family settled he’s going to take them to meet Pharaoh. First they take some of his brothers, five of them and then his father personally. What they’re going to do is ask for permission to sojourn in the land of Goshen. Now to take that as their own permanent private possession, but to live there for a while particularly in the face of the famine.

Now I take in verse 33, Joseph tells them, “It shall come about when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation, that you shall say your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even unto now both we are our father that you may live in the land of Goshen where the shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians.’” Now Jacob has already said that he would tell the Pharaoh, up in verse 32 that his brothers were shepherds. Some say that he is now telling them in verse 34, ‘Just say you’re keepers of livestock.’ Don’t make them shepherds because the Egyptians don’t like shepherds. But it also may mean that Joseph is including here since he said that he himself in verse 32 would tell Pharaoh that they were shepherd, keepers of livestock, he wants his brothers to share with Pharaoh was their occupation is.

I think shepherds are loathsome to Egyptians so the Egyptians will be glad to have them gathered together in one spot in Goshen where they can be somewhat isolated and yet in an area that is fitting for a man of Joseph’s position to have his family. That isolation I think it’s important to note the end of verse34, ‘every shepherd loathsome to the Egyptians,’ is going to work and I use that expression to Israel’s benefit because in Israel in Egypt for 400 years Israel will maintain their identity. Now it would be easy for a family of 66 plus going into a mighty nation like Egypt with their family member who is second in command in the whole land to become assimilated into the land. And after a few years of intermarrying and so on, they would’ve just lost their identity. But after three or four hundred years, Israel maintains its separate distinct identity. Part of God’s plan to build them as a nation.

Chapter 47 deals with Joseph and Jacob in Egypt. Their time there in Egypt. First 12 verse, Jacob and Pharaoh. The brothers first and then their father. Then verses 13 to 26 will tell us about Joseph’s reign in Egypt. You get some insight into the brilliance of Joseph and he is the instrument to bring all the land and wealth in Egypt into the possession of Pharaoh of Egypt. Joseph plays a tremendous role here in bringing all the land of Egypt under the control of Pharaoh and making all the people of Egypt the servants or slaves of Pharaoh and then Joseph’s promise, the chapter closes with a promise by Joseph in verses 27 to 31. The promise to bury his father Jacob to bury him in the land.

The first six verse of chapter 47. Joseph takes five of his brothers, we’re not told which five, to have an audience with Pharaoh. And there they share their occupation and they tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds in verse 3. It causes me to think that they are not necessarily rebelling to what Joseph had told them, no indication at this point that the brothers would want to do that, they’re simply sharing their occupation. They ask if they could sojourn in the land of Goshen in verse 4. Pharaoh is happy to have them do that, the land is at their disposal, verse 6, settle in the best of the land – live in Goshen. And in you have any that are especially good, have them take care of my livestock as well.

Then in verse 7, Jacob is brought to meet the Pharaoh. And I think that this is a striking meeting, because here you have the aged patriarch Jacob, 130 years of age, God’s chosen man at this point in time on the earth meeting with perhaps the greatest ruler of earth at this time at this time at least one of the greatest rulers and yet the superiority of Jacob is recognized. Now that’s remarkable!

You talk about who is great! A man who has had to leave Canaan in the face of famine and starvation. He’s had to come down and buy food from the Egyptians of the mighty king of the mighty empire of the Egyptians in the face of is Jacob is the greater man. This comes because you read in verse 7, “Joseph brought his father and presented him to Pharaoh; Jacob blessed Pharaoh.” Verse 10, “Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.” He repeats in chapter 7, verse 7, we are told without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. And here we have that statement of grace, Jacob the patriarch is the greater and he gives the blessing to Pharaoh because Jacob is God’s chosen man and that gives him superiority over all and everyone.

Pharaoh is impressed with Jacob, impressed with his age and he asks him verse 8, “How many years have you lived?” Jacob has had a hard life, I take it the 130 years have told on him a little bit and Jacob tells him, “I’ve lived 130 years, few and unpleasant have been the years of my life.” So he had started out with problems way back when he was looking for a wife and his father-in-law’s land in Laban, all the problems that had plagued him over the years and yet he is God’s chosen and appointed man.

In verses 13 to 19 you have the first part Joseph reign. Joseph’s reign in verses 13 to 26. In verses 13 to 19 Joseph takes control of the livestock in Egypt and this is really the land, remember, and here we go back to see what he is doing.

The Egyptians use all their money. They had no more money to buy food. So now they give him all their livestock the next year to buy food. So now all the livestock becomes the possession of Pharaoh. Verse 16, Joseph says, “Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your livestock, since your money is gone.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph. And so on.

Verse 18, “When that year was ended they come to him the next year and said to him, ‘We will not hide from my lord that our money is spent, and the cattle are my lord’s. There is nothing left for my lord’s except our bodies and our lands.’” We don’t have anything else to give. The land and us they go together, because without land for work everything for them is slavery. They’ve got to become slaves to someone who has the land. So what they do here is a bargain. We’ll give you our land and ourselves in exchange for food. So in verses 20 to 26, all the land of Egypt except for the land that belonged to the priest of Egypt becomes Pharaoh’s land. It is interesting here that Joseph, the man of God, becomes an instrument to bring all the wealth, all the land of Egypt and all the people of Egypt into a position of servitude to the Pharaoh of Egypt.

Here you see a man of God functioning in effect in the world system in a way pleasing to God and yet consistent with that world system. My first thought, that’s terrible. Joseph becomes an instrument of enslaving the people of Egypt. Doesn’t seem like very high calling for a man of Joseph’s character and stature. We ought to understand, in ancient world, it hasn’t changed so much, in the ancient world it was a time it was understood that a person paid their own way as long as there were and kind of resources at all. The final option was they would sell themselves into slavery. It was always understood you were personally responsible to make your provision in making your own way. There was no idea that someone else was to carry me. Someone else was responsible for me. So if it came down to the bottom line, I didn’t have anything left of me. I sold myself into slavery. Incidentally, this very practice will be settled in the law of Israel when God brings the nation Israel out. Even the Israelites according to law might sell themselves into slavery if they had no option, no other way to pay; they had the year jubilee that kept that from being a perpetual slavery from generation to generation.

You ought to note here, the children of the people of Egypt are not mad at Joseph about this. In fact, they viewed him as a savior and as a deliverer. Joseph tells them, what you do – all your lands now belong to Pharaoh and you now are the servants of Pharaoh. You’re working Pharaoh’s land and here’s the deal, when you get a harvest one fifth of your harvest belongs to Pharaoh. 20 percent is Pharaoh’s, 80 percent is yours and that’s the way we work it. It’s Pharaoh’s land but you’ll get to keep 80 percent since you’re working it and he gets 20 percent.

Verse 25, “So they said, ‘You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my Lord and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.’” And you note here they are happy, they are pleased, they’ve used Joseph as their savior because he has worked out a plan whereby they can purchase the necessary food and still be able to continue to provide for their families and so on.

Chapter closes in verses 27 to 31 with Joseph making a promise to Jacob. Jacob anticipating his death and at the anticipation of his death, and it’s near because in verse 28, Jacob lives in the land of Egypt 17 years. So the length of Jacob’s life was 147 years. I don’t think he’s going to have any more information before he actually dies. He doesn’t die in chapter 47, but he’s making preparation for his death as he sees that time coming. And one of the things he wants from Joseph is a promise – not to bury him in Egypt. Makes him promise with a vow where he puts his hand under the thigh. A solemn promise here.

At the end of verse 29, “’Please do not bury me in Egypt.’” Verse 30, “’but when I lie down with my fathers you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.’ And he said, ‘I will do as you have said.’”. He says ‘swear to me’, so he swore to him. You see this is a matter of great importance to Jacob that he be taken back to Canaan and be buried in the family burial plot, the Cave of Machpelah and he makes Joseph sweat, take an oath that he will do that. Joseph of course promises and that’s what will happen. But you see here something of the faith of Jacob manifesting itself. He believes that’s his land and that’s where he belongs. He’s just visiting in Egypt.

Now in connection with his impending death, we have chapter 48. Chapter 48 is important because here Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons. That’s what the chapter is about, the blessing of Joseph’s sons. Really it’s a blessing on Joseph through these two sons. You ought to note chapter 48 is important because when you come to chapter 11 of Hebrews, that great chapter of the heroes of the faith throughout Old Testament history. In Hebrews chapter 11 in verse 21, Out of all the long life of Jacob all the experiences he had, all the things that he went through even wrestling with the Angel of the Lord, having his name changed from Jacob to Israel as the one who wrestled with God. You know the event that he selected out in Hebrews 11:21 that marked Jacob off as a great man of faith, worthy of inclusion in Hebrews 11 – his blessing of the sons of Joseph in Genesis chapter 46. So you read Genesis chapter 48, you ought to keep in mind that this is the event that God selects out, the great testimony of the man Jacob.

The first 7 verses, Jacob reviews with Joseph the promises that God has given. That he would be fruitful in verse 4, “And I will make you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an everlasting possession.” There’s going to be a mighty people possessing the land of Canaan.

Verse 5, “And now your two sons,” Jacob speaking to Joseph, “who were born in the land of Egypt, before I came to you in Egypt, are mine.” There is almost a formal adoption that takes place here. “Your two sons are mine, Ephriam and Manasseh shall be mine as Reuben and Simeon are.” So they’re going to be viewed as though they were my sons instead of my grandsons. And you note when he goes on in verse 6, “But your offspring that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called by the names of their brothers in their inheritance.” So you know what he’s saying, It’s the plan that these two children, they’re going to be viewed as the sons of Jacob. Now any other children you have will be your sons. They’ll be the sons of Joseph and so on. What he is doing here, he’s elevating Joseph to the position of first born. These two sons in effect give Joseph a double portion or a double blessing.

You remember the first born got a double portion; the double portion of the first born is given to Joseph by having his two sons, both be viewed as sons of Jacob. So in affect, Joseph’s two sons are now getting a portion each.

This will be developed later. Maybe you ought to jump over there. 1 Chronicles chapter 5 explains why this happens. 1 Chronicles chapter 5, verse 1, “Now the sons of Reuben the first born of Israel,” then an explanation about Reuben, “for he was the first born but because he defiled his father’s bed,” committed incest with his father’s concubine, remember, “his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel.” So you see the birthright would have naturally gone to Reuben, but Reuben forfeited it by his act of incest and now Jacob bestows in on Joseph giving him a double portion through his two sons. “So that he not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright.” Reuben is not in the genealogy as the firstborn.

“Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belongs to Joseph.” We’ll get to that in chapter 49. Interesting, Joseph gets the birthright – but Judah is really the leading tribe and from Judah will come the leader in Israel and ultimately the Messiah. So the birthright did not convey ultimately the Messianic Right. But it takes the place of blessing and honor among Jacob’s sons.

Come back to chapter 48 of Genesis. Verse 8 to 22, Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons. Now you remember the importance of this in biblical times. We’ve seen this with Jacob and his brother Esau as Isaac gave the blessing to Jacob through the deceit of Jacob. Very important what is going on here. We are passing on in a formal and binding way rights and blessings and honor and Joseph brings his sons, verse 14, and stands him before his father. His eyes now are blind with age. He puts him there so that the oldest son Manasseh is where the right hand of Jacob is because the right hand will convey the right of first born, and the left hand with Ephraim. What Jacob does is reach out and cross his hands. Put his right hand on Ephraim’s head, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head. You see here is for the fourth consecutive generation, God passes over the oldest and selects the younger. That happened he selected Isaac over Ishmael even though Ishmael was born before Isaac. Selected Jacob over Esau, even though Esau was older. He selected Joseph over Reuben. We saw that in 1 Chronicles 5. Joseph is getting the right of firstborn here replacing Reuben and now the sons of Joseph. Ephraim is being selected over Manasseh in the plan of God. Interesting how for four successive generations God bypassed the normal plan in the accomplishments of His purposes.

He blessed Joseph in verse 15 and Joseph here uses the collective term for his two sons. He blessed Joseph by blessing his two sons, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.” First time in scripture God is identified as the shepherd of his people; way for Jacob to put it. “God has been my shepherd,” even though he told Pharaoh in the last chapter, my children these have been a hard one, my life has been a battle. What he means here now is God has been my shepherd. All my life to this day. “The angel who has redeemed me from all evil.” Here we are talking about the angel of the Lord and here we see redemption brought in with him. The angel of the Lord has been the redeemer of Jacob from all evil. “Bless the lads; and may my name live on in them and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

Now there’s a problem, verse 17, “Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him.” Now here you see Joseph, mighty man of God that he’s been, but he fails to discern the plan of God as his father Jacob does. And he tries to take his father’s hand and tell him, ‘No, you got it wrong, we think he has an eye problem. You got your hand in the wrong place dad. This is the oldest over here.’ And typical parent, Jacob has to tell him in verse 19, “I know my son, I know.” Even back then the kids didn’t think the parents knew what they were doing. Jacob ways I know what I am doing, I know who is who here and really it’s amazing to see how God is leading Jacob. How Jacob knew you know here God has made clear to Jacob that the oldest here is not going to be as great as the youngest. And he says, “He also shall become a great people, he shall be great.” Manasseh your older son he will be great too. However his younger brother shall be greater than he. His descendants shall become a multitude of nations. “And he blessed them saying, By you Israel shall pronounce blessing, saying, ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.”

After fews later Ephraim will become the leading tribe in the Northern kingdom. In fact, the name Ephraim, for after years as a title for the entire Northern kingdom, the ten tribes of the north. Because Ephraim was such a dominant tribe and people and became much happier to the tribe of Manasseh. So then Joseph has received then the birthright and you come to chapter 49.

Now Jacob is ready to bless all his sons. He’s taken care of the birthright issue first passing that on to Joseph, established that of his sons, now he calls his sons together and is going to give his blessing if you will, which is mixed with prophecy for the future for each of these sons and their descendants. And we’ll have here is God’s perspective of what is going to happen to these tribes.

Much of what is related here will focus upon what will take place when they return to Canaan after the Egyptian bondage. Where they’ll be settled, the kind of position they’ll have in the land and so on. But some of prophecy here goes all the way down to the time of the Messiah when he will rule on the earth. Amazing the insight given to Jacob here as God is using him to speak of future destiny that which is over 400 years away for these children.

He starts out in verse 3 and 4 with Reuben. And we’re not going to go into detail on these obviously because of time and some of them we’ll just mention. Verses 3 and 4: Reuben and Reuben was the first born and Reuben became an example of squandered potential. You’re going to see some of this in the sons of Jacob. Such potential that lay unrealized. Reuben is an example of that; is a man of unstable emotions, he’s uncontrolled, in verse 4, as water. Like water that boils, it has no pattern, no stability, it’s unsettled. He’s a man that’s unsettled and unstable. He commits incest with his father’s concubine Bilah in chapter 35 and in verse 22 in Genesis. His failing leadership because of that condition. Show his lack of realizing his potential, no great leaders come out of Reuben. No great judges; no heroes of the faith come from the line of Reuben.

Verses 5 to 7 talk about Simeon and Levi together. Remember Simeon and Levi back in chapter 34 verses 25 to 29, they slaughter the Schemites because the son of the king had raped their sister. But hat act of violence and personal a=gains hangs over them and there is no blessing to Simeon and Levi. Now they’re going to be scattered throughout the other tribes. Simeon for all intents and purposes disintegrated as a tribe. They were scattered among the tribe of Judah. Not really having their own distinct identity.

Levi will become the priestly tribe. And he redeemed himself somewhat. They’ll be given 48 cities sprinkled throughout all the other tribes of Israel. So you see the fulfillment of prophecy that they’ll be scattered. The end of verse 7, “I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.” That’s exactly what happens after the character that is revealed here and the punishment on that character.

Verse 8 to 12, Judah: This is the most important prophecy that we have here because is carries us directly to the Messiah. The blessing given here is only matched by the blessing given to Joseph later on. And Joseph’s blessing does not match the blessing on Judah as far as its prophetic impact and importance. Now verse 8 and 9, the first part of 10, stress the dominance of Judah over the other side. Judah is going to be the dominant. Judah means praise so we have a play upon words here, “Judah you brothers shall praise you, your hands shall be on the neck of your enemies, your father’s sons shall bow down to you, Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up, He crouches, he lies down as a lion, he gazes – rouse him up.” The lion of the tribe of Judah. So dominance and powerful and ruling and it is the greatest tribe and continues to be. In fact he speaks of the Jews and that name or title evidently comes from Judah, so dominant were they.

In verse 10, you have an important prophecy and with verse 10 through verse 12, you switch not just to the time when they will be established in the land of Canaan after the Egyptian bondage but carries on through Messianic times. When the Messiah who will some through the family of the tribe of Judah will rule and reign on the earth. Verse 10, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, not the ruler’s staff from between his feet,” the scepter is the symbol of royal power. And so royal leadership is firmly entrenched in Judah; it will not depart from Judah “until Shiloh comes and to him shall the obedience of the people.”

Shiloh, the word, probably means and there’s quite a bit of discussion about the meaning of the word Shiloh, it probably means, him to whom it belongs. So what you have here is the scepter shall not depart from Judah, “until Him to Whom it belongs comes and to Him shall be obedience.” The Shiloh is a title for Messiah. He’s the one to whom rulership belongs and Judah will maintain the scepter, the position of rulership in Israel, until the line of the tribe of Judah, the Messiah himself comes and personally rules and reigns. And then you have a description of that time, as a time of prosperity and abundance in verse 11 and 12. There they tie the donkey to a vine, that pictures abundance because donkeys ate vines. But there’s so much abundance in the land that’s alright. You have to protect this vine there because there is overflowing abundance. We’re happy to tie our donkey to a vine and have him eat the vine that was there.

Issachar, dull from wine, his teeth white from milk is just an overflowing abundance of all things. I take it what we have here is a description of the characteristics of the Millenium. It fits some of the other passages like Isaiah chapter 11. Isaiah chapter 65 in their description. So remarkable prophecy here for Judah. Judah will dominate the other tribe and the Messiah shall come from Judah. Interesting revelation: It’s picked up in 1 Chronicles 5, remember, you would’ve thought it would’ve come through Joseph wouldn’t you? And especially when he gets the right of the firstborn.

The birthright is God’s plan will come through the tribe of Judah. Important prophecy here clarifies for us here where the Messiah will come.

Verse 13, Zebulum. Verses 14 and 15, Issachar. Issachar is going to possess when they get back into Canaan the fertile plain of Jezreal, that we call the plain of Armageddon. Fertile area but an area that was constantly invaded because of its position. Invaders of the land would come through this valley and so Issachar is constantly subjected by invading peoples. Verse 16 to 18 we have the tribe of Dan. Now Dan is said that he would be a judge of the people of Israel. He would judge his people. Verse 16, “Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel.” And that would partially fulfilled in the life of Samson. Remember Samson one of the judges of Israel. He ruled Israel for twenty years. Judges 13 verse 2 tells us that he was of the tribe of Dan. So that’s a literal fulfillment there. But Dan also fails to live up to his potential, so it’s described here a snake, by the way. Treacherous, violence, it lacks moral commitment, this tribe.

In fact, back in the time of the Judges, formal idolatry. The first major practice of idolatry, Judges chapter 18, is initiated by the tribe of Dan. So it is used to draw Israel away from its God. It’s a treacherous tribe. It is interesting in Revelation chapter 7, verses 5 to 6, when you have the list of the tribes of Israel, the tribe of Dan is the only tribe that is missing. There’s been a lot of discussion about that. Some believe that the anti-Christ comes in the tribe of Dan, were the false prophets and therefore Dan is omitted. To be guessed. What we do know about it was that Dan was the initiator of idolatry in the land of Israel. Another one who had potential to judge, to rule, but that potential was lost by that treacherous character.

Verse 18, Jacob interjects a statement of faith here. “For they salvation I wait, O Lord.” Perhaps after going through his sons here he realizes it all depends on God. You know his sons aren’t going to be able to do it. But a reminder here, that I’m waiting for your salvation, God. We’re talking about the future of my family, the nation that will come from it. But salvation is from God and I wait for your salvation, O Lord.

Verse 19, is Gad and we’re told as for Gad, raiders shall raid him but he shall raid at their heels. What happens, Gad settled, remember, in the Jordan River on the east side of the Jordan and that put them in a position of vulnerability for all the foes of Israel. So they were a constant battleground.

Verse 20, Asher, verse 21, Naphtali. Verses 22 to 26, Joseph – and the picture here is one of growth and prosperity for Joseph. There’ll be hostility but he’ll overcome the hostility and continue to grow and prosper. So extensive blessing promised to Joseph and then we come through the tribes known as Ephraim and Mannasseh. Two great peoples, particularly Ephraim. The last son to be blessed is Benjamin. Other child of Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife. “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf in the morning he devours the prey and in the evening he divides the spoil.” Benjamin compared to a wolf here probably because of his violent war-like character. He’s a ravenous wolf and the tribe of Benjamin was a violent tribe, a war-like tribe. Great warriors in the tribe of Benjamin. Some great men came from the tribe of Benjamin, the judge Ehud, in Judges chapter 3 verse 15 came from the tribe of Benjamin. The first king of Israel saw was a Benjaminite. The son of Saul, Jonathan, great man of God, a warrior and the great New Testament warrior, the apostle Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin and we appreciate in Paul his craftiness. He came from a tribe that was characterized as being battlers or fighters.

Verses 28 to 33, we have the death of Jacob. He has given his blessing to his family, his laying out by the revelation of God something of what the future held for each of his Son’s descendants; interesting to see how that worked out then as they move back into the land. Going even, to some cases particularly Judah, to the time of the coming Messiah. Now Jacob is ready for his coming death. He iterates to Joseph that he must not be buried in the land of Egypt, because his sons were taking him back to the land, verse 29. Because when they said to them, “I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burial site. There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, they buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, there I buried Leah.” That’s where I want to be buried. Back in the family burial cave in the land that God has promised.

Genesis chapter 50 and what I’m going to say is about the death of Joseph. Now that how the chapter concludes, but that’s the major event. The first 14 verses deal with the death and burial of Jacob, then you have a speech by Jacob in verses 15 to 21 on the providence of God. Jacob gives a talk on the mighty providence of God and this is one of them. And then verse 22 to 26, the death of Jacob the first 14 verses he dies and he’s embalmed according to the practice of the Egyptians. It’s interesting, we see that Joseph fits well with the framework of Egypt without sacrificing his personal character or faithfulness to God. Reminds you in that sense of the man Daniel. We sometimes as believers don’t’ fit for it is not for the right reason, here is a man who was faithful to God in every way and yet he can also live within the framework. We don’t find him saying, You can’t embalm my father. He says just because you embalm here, in Canaan we don’t embalm, in fact we don’t even believe in embalming because if God wanted us to embalm He would’ve told us to embalm. And we don’t’ embalm.

But he doesn’t, this is the practice of the Egyptians, fine, let’s embalm him. It would’ve been a slight to the Egyptians not to embalm him. So verse 3, “Forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for embalming.” And incidentally, Joseph will be embalmed as well. And one of the commentators said, ‘that brings some excitement to the whole matter of archeology for some day we may find the mummies of Jacob and Joseph. The rite of embalming took forty days. That was quite a process, you can get a book, buy the encyclopedia, or some textbook and read some interesting details if you like that kind of stuff. And what they did when they embalmed them, I didn’t bring any material for you, and I’m just satisfied to know that he was embalmed. “And the Egyptians wept for him for seventy days.” Now the normal mourning period was forty days while the embalming took place. The fact that the Egyptians mourned for Jacob for seventy days shows something of the honor he was held in in Egypt, probably because of Joseph’s position, because that is only two days less than the mourning period for Pharaoh. Average mourning period was forty days for a Pharaoh they mourned 72 days. For Jacob they mourned 70 days. So he’s held in honor and high esteem in the land of Egypt and probably because of his son’s positon.

In verse 7, Joseph takes a great entourage back to Canaan to bury his father. This is Joseph’s first trip back to Canaan in 39 years. We’re sure it was quite an experience they point an impact upon the people and it did because there’s some reference to that as the second highest ruler in the land of Egypt as an empire, now is coming into Canaan with the assembly of mourners and so on that would make that Journey.

Verse 15 to 21 Joseph speaks some on the providence of God. The brothers of Joseph are a little concerned. Now Jacob’s gone, maybe all this friendliness, the 17 years of kindness on Joseph’s part, if it had only been because our father was alive. Now that our father is gone, he’ll feel free to get rid of us too. So they stay, no indication that anything happens here except for us they made up the story, but he forgot to tell you, “Just before dad died, he wanted us to tell you Joseph please forgive the wicked sin of you brothers and treat them kindly.” And Joseph sees through this and the end of verse 7, and he wept, he’s moved to tears. But they still don’t trust him. They still don’t recognize he sees the hand of God in this. And Joseph says in verse 19, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?” See he has always had things in proper perspective; he hasn’t gotten a swelled head here. But he can rule in Egypt and everybody there can bow down to him, but I don’t stand in God’s place. God is the one who’s in charge. “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” A verse we often quote and refer to and we well should, you ought to mark, you meant it for evil and God meant it for good. That tells us something how God works in our lives as his children. You know there is nothing, but nothing that anyone can do to me or against me to frustrate God’s purposes for me. The worst offenses, the greatest evil that could be done in God’s gracious plan for me will be used for good. And that’s true for every one of us as children. What security, what confidence in a world that seems to run out of control, where people think they are doing right as they blow other people away. They slaughter people who have nothing to do with anything they’re involved in. As all the other things that go on in the world to know that no one can frustrate God’s plan for me. They may use for evil against me and the brothers did, all they wanted to do was to be rid of Joseph. That was their evil plan, but did that mean evil for Joseph? No, that was for good for Joseph. All because that was part of God’s plan to elevate him. Oh, good for us to remember that as believers.

That’s why we need not worry about vengeance, need not to have thought of getting even or none of that, why? Because the worse someone could do to me, I can appreciate God allowed that to come into my life because he wanted to use it for good in my life. They didn’t mean that, but God did. Now I say that now – it’s good to fix that in our mind now, because when we are going through it it’s much more difficult to have a Biblical perspective. Joseph can say this now; but I’m sure he struggled with it when he was languishing in a dungeon and wondered, “what good was all this.” What is being accomplished? How can God use this? Now we look back on it, so you fix it in your mind – God I know whatever you do in my life will be right. It will honor you. It will be for my good. I’m satisfied with that. No matter what anyone else does to me, I appreciate the fact Your purposes will be accomplished and I rest secure in that! Takes all the fear out doesn’t it? What do I have to fear? My God is in control of everything and I’m His child, so anything that he allows for my good will come into my life. “You meant it for evil, God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. So, therefore, don’t be afraid.”

Verse 22 to 26, the great man Joseph comes to the end of his earthly life. Verse 24 we’re told in verse 22 and 23, that he lived to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m about to die, but God will surely take care of you, and bring you up from this land to the land which he promised on an oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.” All the great life of the man Joseph. All the mighty things he did; the great position he was given by God in Egypt – you know what? When it comes to Hebrews chapter 11, the one event God selects out the life of Joseph to declare Joseph as a great man of faith is what he says here in verse 25.

He wanted his bones taken out of the land of Egypt. Hebrews 11:22. Again that’s remarkable to me. That puts things in perspective. Joseph – he’s a great man, a mighty man. Think of the faith it took to run Egypt and still be faithful to God. The fact that he should trust God so much that now at the point of death, he knows he’s going to die, he’s going to be embalmed, he’s buried in a grave in Egypt and he’s going to lay in a grave till there’s nothing left to him but his bones, but he still believes that God is going to take him back out to the land of Canaan just like he promised. Now that’s faith! That is faith! So he says don’t leave any of my bones down here, that’s faith. Don’t leave my bones down here, all the action is going to be in Canaan. But they say it won’t really matter to you Joseph, but it does matter, I just feel better knowing that I’m being buried there right in the middle of where God is going to drive His people. That’s a statement of faith. And you know what, when the children of Israel leave Egypt they stop and get Joseph’s bones. How did they know? You think when they buried Joseph he wasn’t buried in a significant place, a good grave marker for that to honor him? Sure! Part of God’s plan for 400 years later they’d know where to get his bones when it’s time to leave. Great man of faith going to the land that God had promised. What’s significant about Joseph? Faith! It’s in proper perspective. Great that he ruled Egypt, but really what makes him significant and what really counts about him is his faith in God. Isn’t that why we are studying in Genesis? We mentioned the name of the Pharaoh under which he ruled. Most of us don’t even remember it now. But we always remember Joseph, why? Pharaoh was greater, but Joseph was a man of faith. Point for me to remember that as a believer. What’s going to count as God evaluates my life? My faithfulness to him. That’s what will be the standard of measure. Not haw big my church, not how well known I am, not how important my job, how much money I have, but how faithful was I? Was I a man of faith? How can you be a man of faith in any and every situation? That marks true greatness before God. That’s what God selects out, that marks Joseph out as a great man.

The book of Genesis is closed verse 26, “So Joseph died at the age of 110 years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.” Boy that’s bound to make an “A” mark.

We start out in Genesis with glorious creation, man placed in a garden, sin enters, deterioration sets in, in chapter 12 God selects out a people for himself. The rest of the book of Genesis is about the developing and molding and shaping of God’s people. For even though he closes with Joseph in a coffin in Egypt, that’s a reminder of what sin has done. We’re also reminded that God’s gracious redemption is at work because in Egypt he’s going to build the people for himself as a testimony to the greatness of his redemption.

Let’s pray together.