---This is the last lesson in the book of Genesis- thank you for sticking it out with us...
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” (I Peter 3:15 ESV)
The abandoned North Pitcher NY community church (picture by me)
Chapters 46-47 (the condensed version)
In chapter 46 Jacob leaves the Promised Land and heads toward Egypt. A genealogy of Jacob’s entire family is also given.
In Chapter 47 Jacob arrives in Egypt with his seventy family members and Joseph introduces the entire group to Pharaoh. Pharaoh tells them that they can settle in Goshen- the fertile land of Egypt."And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,
but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” (Genesis 47:29-30 ESV)
Jacob has Joseph swear an oath to him by putting a hand on his thigh (much like Abraham had Eliezer do) and Joseph promises his father that Jacob will be buried in the Cave of Machpelah.
He could have had one of the Pyramids but chooses the cave instead.
In Chapter 47 Jacob arrives in Egypt with his seventy family members and Joseph introduces the entire group to Pharaoh. Pharaoh tells them that they can settle in Goshen- the fertile land of Egypt."And when the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal kindly and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt,
but let me lie with my fathers. Carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place.” He answered, “I will do as you have said.” (Genesis 47:29-30 ESV)
Jacob has Joseph swear an oath to him by putting a hand on his thigh (much like Abraham had Eliezer do) and Joseph promises his father that Jacob will be buried in the Cave of Machpelah.
He could have had one of the Pyramids but chooses the cave instead.
Genesis 48
Jacob is coming near his death and so where Joseph would go in the brotherly inheritance line Joseph’s two sons get their blessing from their grandfather as Jacob adopts the two as his own.
Joseph walks forward and holds Manasseh near Jacob’s right hand(the blessing hand) and holds Ephraim near Jacob’s left hand.
Jacob in turn blesses Ephraim as the first born just as he had held the first born status over his older brother.
Joseph walks forward and holds Manasseh near Jacob’s right hand(the blessing hand) and holds Ephraim near Jacob’s left hand.
Jacob in turn blesses Ephraim as the first born just as he had held the first born status over his older brother.
Genesis 49:1-50:26
—Reuben- lost his firstborn and preeminent position due to sleeping with one of his father’s maids.
—Simeon & Levi- Two brothers who are “cut from the same mold” both have descendants who will live scattered around instead of in set boundaries because of the actions of these two brothers. Your sin (although forgiven) will still make you pay the consequences.
—Judah- The tribe that holds the place of leadership among the others and perhaps is best known by the descendant of the tribe of Judah; Jesus Christ.
—Zebulon- His descendants would have land that bordered the Mediterranean Sea.—Issachar- A large tribe that enjoyed their inheritance but they were also lazy and they were pressed into slavery.
—Dan- The greatest of the judges (Samson) came from the tribe of Dan. What made them the tribe with the serpent in the way was because Dan was also the tribe that introduced idolatry to the Israelites.
—“I wait for your salvation, O Lord.” (Genesis 49:18 ESV) Whether he knew it or not, Jacob was pausing here to call out for Jesus.
—Gad- In the times of Jeremiah the land of Gad was oppressed by foreign troops, but the tribe was famous for their tough troops.
—Simeon & Levi- Two brothers who are “cut from the same mold” both have descendants who will live scattered around instead of in set boundaries because of the actions of these two brothers. Your sin (although forgiven) will still make you pay the consequences.
—Judah- The tribe that holds the place of leadership among the others and perhaps is best known by the descendant of the tribe of Judah; Jesus Christ.
—Zebulon- His descendants would have land that bordered the Mediterranean Sea.—Issachar- A large tribe that enjoyed their inheritance but they were also lazy and they were pressed into slavery.
—Dan- The greatest of the judges (Samson) came from the tribe of Dan. What made them the tribe with the serpent in the way was because Dan was also the tribe that introduced idolatry to the Israelites.
—“I wait for your salvation, O Lord.” (Genesis 49:18 ESV) Whether he knew it or not, Jacob was pausing here to call out for Jesus.
—Gad- In the times of Jeremiah the land of Gad was oppressed by foreign troops, but the tribe was famous for their tough troops.
Let the blessings continue
Asher- Later on during the kingdom period of Israeli history the people of Asher were known to live in luxury.
Naphtali- The land of Naphtali is the land that Jesus would do much of his Galilean ministry so to say that the land would bear beautiful fawns was speaking about Jesus’ ministry.
Joseph (Ephraim & Manasseh)- Because Joseph was a fruitful bough his descendants were already blessed because they were his offspring. Jacob uses five different titles for God when speaking to Joseph- The Mighty God of Jacob, The Shepherd, The Stone of Israel, The God of your father, The Almighty Benjamin- The descendants of Benjamin were known for being viscous and this can be seen in the Old Testament in Ehud (Judges 3) and Saul (I Samuel 9) and in the New Testament with Paul.
Finally all the sons received their blessing and Jacob breathed his last breath. When Jacob dies it is the end of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) but the Bible does not end here- it has only just begun!
Let all that has happened remind us that the Lord does not make things up as he goes along but instead has his plan all drawn out ahead of time.
Naphtali- The land of Naphtali is the land that Jesus would do much of his Galilean ministry so to say that the land would bear beautiful fawns was speaking about Jesus’ ministry.
Joseph (Ephraim & Manasseh)- Because Joseph was a fruitful bough his descendants were already blessed because they were his offspring. Jacob uses five different titles for God when speaking to Joseph- The Mighty God of Jacob, The Shepherd, The Stone of Israel, The God of your father, The Almighty Benjamin- The descendants of Benjamin were known for being viscous and this can be seen in the Old Testament in Ehud (Judges 3) and Saul (I Samuel 9) and in the New Testament with Paul.
Finally all the sons received their blessing and Jacob breathed his last breath. When Jacob dies it is the end of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) but the Bible does not end here- it has only just begun!
Let all that has happened remind us that the Lord does not make things up as he goes along but instead has his plan all drawn out ahead of time.