Genesis 46:1-34 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Genesis 46:1-34. Let’s go!
Genesis 46:1-4 (NIV)
1 So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”
On verses 1-4: Notice this: Did God speak to Jacob before or after Jacob went in faith and headed for Egypt (Hint: see Genesis 45:48)? Did God speak to Jacob before or after Jacob offered sacrifices to God (see verses 1-2)? In both cases, the answer is: after.
What can we learn from this? Sometimes people will refuse to move forward unless God first gives them some incredible sign or wonder. I believe that is a recipe for a stagnant, immature, irresponsible faith. While it is important to make time and room for God to speak into your life every day, don’t place the burden on God to have to give you sign after sign before you will move forward in faith, especially when God has already given you everything you need to take that next step. When you know the next step God wants you to take, take it without delay and without making any more excuses. After you take it, that’s when God will speak to you. That’s the activating power of faith.
Genesis 46:5-27 (NIV)
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him.
6 They also took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan, and Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt.
7 He took with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters–all his offspring.
8 These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.
9 The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.
10 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
11 The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
12 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul.
13 The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.
14 The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon and Jahleel.
15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.
16 The sons of Gad: Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.
17 The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah. The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malkiel.
18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah–sixteen in all.
19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.
20 In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.
21 The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.
22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob–fourteen in all.
23 The son of Dan: Hushim.
24 The sons of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.
25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel–seven in all.
26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob–those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives–numbered sixty-six persons.
27 With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.
On verses 5-27: Jacob and his family were a small group of 66 people when they arrived in Egypt. But over time this group would expand and multiply tremendously while living in Egypt (Exodus 1:6-7). God would eventually fulfill His promise to Jacob to make Jacob’s descendants like the dust of the earth (Genesis 28:14) and like the sand of the sea which cannot be counted (Genesis 32:12). But it would all start from humble beginnings. So don’t despise small beginnings, especially when you have God’s promises.
Genesis 46:28-30 (NIV)
28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen,
29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.
30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”
On verses 28-30: What a joy for a father and son to be reunited after decades of being apart. Reunion is a huge theme in the Bible and a huge theme in God’s heart. That’s why the business God is in is called “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).
Genesis 46:31-34 (NIV)
31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me.
32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’
33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’
34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
On verses 31-34: Because Joseph worked on the inside of Egypt’s government, he could advise his father Jacob on how best to answer Pharaoh. Praise God. Just as Jacob had Joseph as his inside man, you and I have someone on the inside of heaven: Jesus Christ. Jesus sends His Holy Spirit to tell us what we need to know. May you take time to listen closely to the Holy Spirit every day.
Heavenly Father, may I not delay in taking the next step You want me to take, especially when You have already given me everything I need to take it. Thank You that when I go in faith that way, miracles will follow me and Your Holy Spirit will speak to me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
