01-102 Israel Moves to Egypt
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Genesis 46:1-34
Genesis 46:1-34
Change can bring a range of emotions (even in one person). There can be excitement and the thrill of what’s coming next. There can be reservation and doubt by not knowing all details/circumstances of a particular change. There can even be fear, trepidation and worry b/c of change (sometimes little change and certainly in major changes of life). What is familiar to us, surroundings, furnishings, people (friends and family) gives us a confidence and sense of control making us feel safe and generally happy. But when that is lost, the feeling of fear and dread often comes in as a real emotion.
I think of the many changes that are happening around here as the building project progresses. Our surroundings are beginning to change (maybe not so much in this room—but certainly the CE bldg)—our fellowship time, that SS class. This is no longer familiar to us and it can make us anxious, nervous and fearful of what is unknown. And I’ll tell you—there are plenty of unknowns at this point. We’re waiting to see a bit what the school needs are and the best thing we can do as a church is to show the love of Christ in the midst of our inconveniences. And that’s what they are—inconveniences. And in the scope of eternity, they are so minor in importance. So as we navigate these many challenges, commit yourselves along with me…and let’s demonstrate a great deal of patience toward the school, officials, teachers, maintenance and custodial crews. Let the light of Jesus be made known in your interactions with them and with one another. Pray for those who are part of the school and have decisions to make themselves.
We’ve been praying for the Lord’s hand to direct our building progress and we should include the school, our dealings with them, our own attitudes and even the children who will be learning in these facilities over the next couple of years. Though these are just buildings, perhaps there will be a softening in their hearts (and the teachers) to the love of Jesus so we can minister/share the grace of God with those in need of it.
Instead of fear and worry we can see these circumstances as opportunities to truly have an impact on this community (that’s the name of our church).
I mention this (as an application for us) b/c our passage today concerns a major change in the life of God’s people. Israel is moving to Egypt. This might not make any sense until you realize that Israel is the name for Jacob. That is the name the Angel of the Lord gave to Jacob after He wrestled with him. The name means “God strives” el is the name for God/Elohim. sara means to struggle, fight, to dominate, to strive. Hosea explains “He contended with God.” (Gen 32) The Lord Himself explains the new name “for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” The term “prevailed” has the sense of enduring. Not that Jacob/Israel overcame God but that in the struggle initiated by God Himself, Jacob endured b/c he was brought to the end of himself and by faith is seeking the blessing of God having been weakened by the Almighty. This is Jacob’s new name. His next move is Egypt.
I have 4 details to show you that outline ch 46 and all of these things reveal God’s activity in the midst of change.
1. God’s Promise
1. God’s Promise
1-4
“So Israel set out…” He had been living in Hebron and “journeyed” to Beersheba. This is where Abraham dug a well and secured the rights to that well thru a covenant with Abimelech (lit well of the oath). This is where Abraham lived after offering Isaac on Mt Moriah. This is a very special place for Jacob and he makes his way here and “offered sacrifices…” It would have taken about a week. Once there, we have insight in the heart of Jacob/Israel when he makes an offering to God. This really is an act of worship by Jacob. It is a spontaneous expression of gratitude even before God makes any promise to him. This is good for us as Chrysostom writes “let us learn in whatever we do, whether embarking on some project or beginning a journey, first of all to offer a sacrifice to the Lord in prayer and, by calling on his help to address the matter in hand, thus also imitate these good people’s godliness.”
At this point God speaks. It is nighttime, there is darkness, and God appears to Israel in a “vision of the night.” We’ve talked about dreams and visions before. Dreams were a way God revealed His purposes to people when they were sleeping. Earlier Jacob had a dream (stairway), Joseph had a couple of dreams. Jacob now has a vision. A vision was something that happened while the person was wide awake. It was as if they were watching a scene play out before them in panorama. That’s what the word describes “to see with the eyes.” And this is how God begins: “Jacob, Jacob…”
I’ve only see a few other times when God is addressing someone that He begins with a repetition of the name. And it happens at major points in the lives of those God is speaking to.
At Mt. Moriah at the point he is stretching out his hand with a knife to plunge it into the chest of Isaac:
11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
Moses, at the encounter with the Burning Bush:
4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Samuel as a little boy heard his name called and thought it was Eli and so he runs to Eli and said “Here I am…you called me.” Eli said I did not—go back to bed. This happened a 2nd time and a 3rd time. Eli told him—if you hear the voice again this is what you should say…
10 Then the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
The beginning of that chapter said “a word from the Lord was rare in those days.” This was a major turning point for Samuel and Israel.
The I found 2 in NT…
The Lord had a special relationship with 1 family: Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus. As they were preparing for the Lord’s visit Martha was very busy/distracted with the work to be done and complaining that her sister wasn’t helping:
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
This at the regeneration of the Apostle Paul. So God speaking to Jacob here is a major point in his life. ‘I am God…do not be afraid…” So many causes for fear. God told Abraham that 400 years of slavery is what his descendants would be facing in a foreign land (Gen 15:13). Now Jacob is about to travel to a foreign land without knowing what’s coming. He is an old man, Egypt is a pagan country. Many reasons to be afraid (from man’s perspective). But God made His promise, His covenant, many years before this, to Abraham. He repeated it to Isaac. And it is reaffirmed here once again.
“I will make you a great nation there…” This was the 1st time God expressed that the nation of Israel would become great in Egypt. And indeed it would. 600K men will leave Egypt during the Exodus, not including the women or children. Israel would flourish in Egypt—this is God’s promise.
But God would also promise that He would be with Jacob and would initiate Israel coming up again (fulfilled in the Exodus). The final promise is very tender for Jacob who is 130 years old. “Joseph will close your eyes.” First, you will see your son before you die (what Jacob wanted more than anything else). Not only will you see your son, but you will die in complete peace and experience the fulfillment of life as he places his hand on you (lit). Jacob didn’t know he would be in Egypt for 17 years but this is what he needed to hear so that he wouldn’t fear the journey to Egypt. God is merciful in His promises—even to us.
Whatever circumstances you encounter, God is with you.
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
28 For the Lord loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
14 For the Lord will not abandon His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.
2. God’s Blessing
2. God’s Blessing
5-27
This section is list of Jacob’s descendants who are making this journey to Egypt with him. It is evidence of God’s hand of blessing upon 1 man—Jacob. It is a lengthy list with remarkable symmetry. Leah and Rachel each bear twice as many descendants as their maids. Leah has 33 (vs 15) her maid Zilpah has 16 (vs 18). Rachel has 14 (22) and her maid Bilhah has 7 (vs 25). Add those up (33+16+14+7)=70 persons (vs 27).
But note, only 66 made the trip b/c Er and Onan had already died (vs 12) and Joseph and Manasseh and Ephraim were already in Egypt (27). That equals 65 so apparently Dinah is added to get 66 (vs 15).
If that leaves you a bit confused—hang on…
5 All the persons who came from the loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt.
This list excludes Jacob from the calculation but Dt 10:22 includes him in the 70. But the confusion doesn’t end there. The LXX translates Ex 1:5 as such “But Joseph was in Egypt. And all the souls from Jacob were 75.” Some chalk this up to an error of translation. Others say it is the Bible only rounding the numbers.
In his defense, Stephen explains what happened to Jacob and his descendants:
14 “Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all.
So which is it? 70 or 75? Gleason Archer (Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties)
“We therefore conclude that both totals are correct, though they were calculated differently. Jacob's own sons numbered twelve; his grandsons by them numbered fifty-two; there were already four great-grandsons born in Canaan by the time of the migration, for a total of sixty-six. Manasseh and Ephraim, born in Egypt, increased the total to sixty-eight; Jacob and his wife (whichever she was) brought it up to seventy. But the Septuagint added the seven grandsons of the prime minister (Joseph) and omitted Jacob and his wife from the tally.
This brings us to the result that Stephen correctly reported the number seventy-five, according to the Septuagint in Genesis 46:27 and Exodus 1:5. Likewise, Genesis 46:27, Exodus 1:5, and Deuteronomy 10:22 in the Masoretic text are correct with their total of seventy. Either figure is correct, depending on whether Joseph's grandchildren are included. (Four great-grandchildren of Jacob were included even in the Masoretic text tally of seventy.)
However you look at this—Jacob has a great number of descendants in only 2 generations. God certainly blessed him.
3. God’s Goodness
3. God’s Goodness
28-30
Joseph had already been reunited to his 11 brothers and now Jacob would finally set is eyes on his favorite son after 22 years. Why Jacob sent Judah ahead seems to indicate that he trusted his son and which also would indicate that the brothers had confessed to their father all they had done earlier to Joseph and they had been forgiven.
Now Joseph is going to arrive in style (vs 29). He came to Goshen: The land of Goshen was located in the northeast part of the Nile delta, an area of about nine hundred square miles, very fertile and excellent for grazing cattle. This is where he met his father. They embrace and weep. The rest of the travelling party (11 brothers, wives, children, grand children) are all looking on this precious reunion.
This is God’s goodness to both Jacob and Joseph. Being reunited was good. And hear Jacob’s words of satisfaction—vs 30.
These parallel what Simeon spoke in the temple after Joseph and Mary presented Jesus for dedication.
25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
That is the nunc dimittis (now depart) and Jacob has the same expression. He is at peace. And this is what God’s goodness does. Let me ask you a question, “what would it take for you to die in peace?” Salvation of a loved one? Children loving and serving and walking with the Lord? Maybe you don’t have peace—b/c you need to be saved. Pray for these things, fall upon the goodness of God.
4. God’s Grace
4. God’s Grace
31-34
The account of Israel moving to Egypt has been spoken of by some as a parallel to Noah and the Ark—with Egypt being an ark of sorts. This is the place where there would be safety and salvation for God’s people. And Joseph is going to lead the way—vv 31-32. Joseph wasn’t covering up his family’s profession. He is going to tell Pharaoh that they practice animal husbandry. They have a pastoral vocation. But it is nuanced. Since they brought their own livestock they wouldn’t become an economic burden on the Egyptians. And Joseph was stressing to Pharaoh that the best place for his family with the flocks was the pastureland in Goshen (which would find no objection from Pharaoh since he was prepared to give the best of Egypt to Joseph’s family). But when Pharaoh asks they need to tell him “keepers of livestock” not shepherds (though they are essentially the same thing). Egyptians hated shepherds. They were an abomination to them b/c they saw them as invaders of the land. These were here by Pharaoh’s invitation (if not command). And Egypt would become their ark of safety.
Egypt is the picture of God’s grace. Kent Hughes explains:
Genesis—Beginning and Blessing Entering the Ark (vv. 31–34)
There at the fertile borders of Egypt, the people of Israel benefited from the prosperity and protection of Egypt without surrendering their distinctives. There they honed their spiritual and national identity. There they grew from a mere handful to a great nation. There they later fell out of favor with a new regime that “did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8) and underwent the sanctifying graces of suffering. There they birthed their greatest of all leaders, Moses. There they experienced the mighty power of God as he effected the exodus.
The exodus itself was a singular grace, as the metaphoric words of God through Moses so memorably declare: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19:4). The ark, the sojourn, the deliverance were all from God. So it is with the second Moses, the Messiah, Jesus. Just as there was no salvation outside Noah’s ark, there is none outside of Christ (cf. the Second Helvetic Confession, chap. 27). In Christ there is salvation and deliverance in the second exodus: “ ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’ ” (Matthew 2:15). Now, as then, it is all of grace.
430 years later, God will effect His promise to bring Israel up again and in the Exodus Moses would sing:
1 Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and said, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. 2 “The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.
God is the God of salvation—there is safety alone in the LJC our redeemer our Savior. Be sure that you are trusting Him now—this is the gospel of God’s grace.