Jacob and Joseph Reunite

I. God is Faithful (v. 1-7)

Beersheba’s Background

Southernmost boundary of Israel’s cultivated land. Everything beyond that was essentially dessert.

“From Dan to Beersheba” was a phrase used to describe the whole of the promised land.

Significant in the life of Abraham

Treaty with Abimelech

Disputes over the wells

Worship

Significant in the life of Isaac

Reopened the wells his father dug

God confirmed the covenant there

Isaac built an altar there

Another treaty with Abimelech

The town Beersheba that would later be built was built in relation to the wells that Abraham and Isaac dug.

Isaac, Jacob, Hagar and Elijah were all in Beersheba when God spoke directly with them.

It later become the place were Samuel’s wicked sons served as leaders.

During the reign of Uzziah it became a center of Idolatry. The prophet Amos warned against going there.

But in Jacob’s this is a place that would make sense for him to go when he is seeking God’s will. Jacob associated Beersheba with worship and guidance.

God’s Guarantee

God speaks (v. 2)

“Jacob, Jacob!”

“Here I am.”

This is the same way that Jacob responded to God in chapter 31 and it also reminds us of when God stayed Abraham’s hand from sacrificing Isaac in Genesis 22:11 “But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.”” It also reminds us of the interchange between God and Samuel in 1 Samuel 3.

There is something to be said for this kind of intimidate response. It implies a desire to obey.

While God will not call you with this same kind of vision our response should be similar to Jacob when God requires something of us.

God Promises (v. 3, 4) - God does 6 things in this interaction with Jacob

God Identifies Himself (v. 3a)

“I am the God of your father...”

Why does God identify Himself in this way?

A promise is only as good as the one making it and God revealing Himself in this way connects what He is about to promise to the faithfulness He has already shown to Jacob’s ancestors.

God Encourages Jacob (v. 3b)

“Do no fear to go down to Egypt”

This is an encouragement that Jacob no doubt would have needed.

Jacob’s question: Should I leave the promised land?

Abraham didn’t exactly do well when he went to Egypt

God at one point forbad Isaac from going to Egypt (Genesis 26:2 “Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you.” )

It makes sense why Jacob would be hesitant to make this journey.

This encouragement is also important to us the reader, because without it we would be left wondering if Jacob’s journey to Egypt was against the will and plan of God.

God Reestablishes a Part of the Covenant (v. 3c)

“I will make of you a great nation there.”

Genesis 12:2 “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.”

There is a new element to the covenant revealed here; that the transition from one family to a great nation would be achieved not in Canaan, but in Egypt.

God Promises His Presence (v. 4a)

Once again the theme of God’s presence comes to the forefront.

However, this time it is not in the context of Joseph but that of his father Jacob.

This is a promise made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, the people of Israel generally, the church and you.

For the sake of our study in the life of Joseph we have defined God’s providence as “God’s active participation in your life.”

Do you crave it? Do you pray for it? Do you watch for it?

God’s providence changes everything. When God called Moses at the burning bush Moses gave every excuse he could think of, but God response was always “I will be with you.” If I am with you what can stop you?

God Reestablishes a Second Part of the Covenant (v. 4b)

“I will bring you up again”

Again it is always helpful to pretend like you are reading this for the first time.

We might be thinking, “what about the land?” That was a major part of the covenant, the promise.

God allays Jacob’fear and ours by promising that He will one day bring them back into the land.

God Gives Jacob a Personal Promise (v. 4c)

You will see Joseph again.

He will be the one who lays you to rest.

“Joseph will put his hand on your eyes.” The idea of this phrase is that Joseph will be the one to close Jacob’s eyes when he dies.

For the last 23 years this is all that Jacob has wanted.

Jacob’s Journey (v. 5-7)

They leave Beersheba bound for Egypt in the cart that Pharaoh had provided.

They take with them:

Wives

Children

Livestock

All the goods acquired in Canaan

Does this sound like a vacation or does this sound like they are moving in? That is why it was so important that Jacob recieved clear permission from God to make this move.

II. God is Merciful (v. 8-27)

Mercy Earned

This is actually a question. Is God’s mercy earned?

Consider the names on this list

Jacob the deceiver

He deceived his Father

He deceived his brother

He deceived he Father in law

Reuben the adulterer

Simeon and Levi the murderers

Judah who committed incest with his daughter in law

Issachar, Zebulun, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, little is known about their personal lives but they were at least complicit in the selling of Joseph into slavery.

The question is, as we consider the character of at least half the fathers on this list did they do anything to earn the mercy of God? No

Verse 10 is interesting as one son of Simeon is revealed to be the child of a Canaanite woman.

Why take the time to point that out in this list of names?

Well it does reveal one thing, the sons of Jacob were being influenced by the Canaanites. Which may also give us some indication why God is leading them out of the land temporarily.

Moses also takes the time to not only list the sons of Judah but also two of his grandchildren through Perez. Why? because this is the messianic line.

Mercy Revealed

God’s mercy is revealed in the lives of this family in what God does not do. We often define mercy as “not getting what we do deserve.”

He doesn’t abandon them.

He doesn’t wipe them out.

Mercy Given

God’s mercy is also clearly given to this family.

They go into Egypt as a group of 70.

They come out of Egypt as a group of millions.

III. God is Sovereign (v. 28-34)

Jacob and Joseph’s Reunion

Judah is still being portrayed as the leader in v. 28

Why Goshen?

It was the part of Egypt that bordered the promised land.

It was fertile land thanks to the Nile Delta.

It was sufficiently separate from the people of Egypt to help prevent pagan influence on the family.

When it was time for Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt the land of Goshen was spared from the plagues of Egypt.

So, why Goshen? For all the reasons we have seen it was clearly a part of God’s providential plan.

Presented to Pharaoh

Why was Joseph so insistent that they present themselves as shepherds?

Especially when Joseph points out that shepherds are loathsome to the Egyptians at the end of v. 34.

Even the focus on shepherding was a part of God’s providence. The fact that shepherding was loathsome to the Egyptians was another layer of protection from pagan Egyptian influence on the family and nation.

Conclusion

God is faithful - He was faithful to this family and He will be faithful to you.

God is merciful - He was merciful to this family and He will be merciful to you.

God is sovereign - He was sovereign then and He is sovereign now.

So what does this mean? It means that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph is more than worthy of our trust today.