Genesis 47
-Joseph goes in before Pharaoh and informs him that his father and brothers are now in the land of Goshen and five of them are presented to Pharaoh. Pharaoh asks their occupation and after finding out that they are shepherds he gives them the best of the land and wants any capable men to be put in charge of his own livestock.
-Joseph brings his father Jacob before Pharaoh and Jacob blessed him. Pharaoh asks how old he is and Jacob replies that he is 130 years old, few and unpleasant have been the years of his life in his own estimation in comparison to his fathers.
-So Israel’s family settles in Egypt, in the land of Goshen, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered them. Joseph continues to provide everything they need for sustenance and well being.
-The earth now becomes a wasteland with no source of food as the famine intensifies. First, the people sell their livestock in exchange for food to the Pharaoh under Joseph’s care. Then, in the next year, the people have to give up their land and even themselves just to survive. Pharaoh now owns them and they set up a long enduring system of indebtedness where Egypt gets 1/5 of the produce of the land. People are moved to the cities in great quantity throughout the borders of the land except for the priests who had an allotment from Pharaoh. The people are thankful for this salvation of their lives during this time and willing become Pharaoh’s slaves.
-Now Israel lived in Goshen and acquired property in it and the family became fruitful and very numerous. God’s chosen people were prospering during a very difficult time period thanks to the LORD’s providence and Joseph’s obedience. *Application* In our tough economic times in which we live, God still can and will bless His chosen people who stay true to Him and obey what He is telling them to do. It may not even make rational sense sometimes, but God will direct our paths and give us what we need not only to survive, but to thrive!
-Jacob lives another 17 years in Egypt to the ripe old age of 147. He had lived a life full of grief and disappointment up until his sojourn down to Egypt, but here in a foreign land the LORD blessed him and took care of him the last portion of his earthly existence. He was revived by the company of his beloved son Joseph, whom he had thought to be dead, and he enjoyed some excellent golden years it appears from the biblical text. He asks Joseph near the time of his passing to bury him back in Machpelah near Mamre in the land of Canaan with his fathers. Joseph agrees to do this in the traditional hand under the thigh oath. Joseph deals with his father in kindness and truth as he was asked to do. *Application* We need to be people of our word. Can people count on the words which we say?
Verse to memorize: Genesis 47:27
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