Genesis 46 – 47 and One for the Money Again

Genesis 46 – 47

On his way to Egypt with all his possessions, Jacob comes to Beersheba and offers sacrifices to God. While resting overnight, Jacob hears the voice of God telling him not to be afraid to go to Egypt, that God will make Jacob’s family a great nation and bring him back again, but that he will die in Egypt with Joseph attending him.

Pharoah had provided wagons for Jacob and the little ones and the wives. They took with them everything they had. Seventy members of Jacob’s family end up in the land of Egypt. Since the wives of Jacob’s sons were not counted, there were a few more than seventy.

We learn that not only did Egyptians hate Hebrews, but they also despised shepherds. When Joseph settled his family in the land of Goshen, he very wisely told Pharoah and told his family to tell Pharoah that they were shepherds. As it turned out, it’s a good thing he told them this because Pharoah asked Joseph’s brothers their occupation. This may have been a way for God to keep Jacob’s family from intermingling with Egyptians.

When Jacob me Pharoah, he blessed him, not once, but twice. Hebrews 7:7 says, “And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.” Here was Jacob, father of Joseph (servant of Pharoah), placing not one, but two blessings on Pharoah, probably the greatest ruler of the greatest nation of that day.

I think this chapter is a cautionary warning to us. As the food continues to become scarce, the people offer their land and themselves “as slaves for Pharoah.” From that moment on, one fifth of all of their crops belonged to Pharoah.

Is that what’s going on today with 46 million citizens on food stamps? Would you trade your liberty and possessions for food? Since most of us probably would, it’s imperative that we prepare as much as possible for troubles, whether man-made or an act of God.

Jacob, who was 130 years old when he arrived in Egypt, lived another 17 years there. Joseph swore an oath that when Jacob died, his body would be taken out of Egypt and buried with his ancestors. Note that Jacob asked Joseph to put his hand under his thigh when he made the vow. If you will recall, this is what Abraham had his oldest servant do when he made the oath that he would get Isaac a wife, not a Canaanite woman, but one from Abraham’s family. This seems much more solemn and serious than crossing your heart and hoping to die.

Tomorrow, it’s Genesis 48 – 50, the end of the book of beginnings. Another of my favorite books follows that: Exodus.

One for the Money Again

I went to see One for the Money again and enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than the first time. I may even go see it again next week. I was pleased to see that AMC had to move the movie to a bigger theater since it was better attended than Man on a Ledge.

Until next time…