Reading: Genesis 46-48
And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night,
and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. And He
said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down
into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: I will
go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring
thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine
eyes(Gen. 46:2-4).
Two days ago, we read of how Jacob’s focus had fallen away
from God and the despair that had enveloped him. Today, we
joyfully bear witness as both Jacob’s focus and his hope are
restored by the Lord who never gave up on him, even when
Jacob appeared to forget God. When Jacob learned of Joseph’s
survival, his first instinct was to immediately go to his son (Gen.
45:28). Yet instead of blindly following that impulse, Jacob first
journeyed to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices to God. Scripture does not go into detail about Jacob’s motivation
for the sacrifices, but it was likely two-fold. First, and probably
foremost in his mind, Jacob came before the Lord in celebration.
He made sacrifices of praise and worship, thanking the Lord for
Joseph’s miraculous return. The second reason might not have
been as prominent in Jacob’s thoughts, but it would have been
even more important to his well-being. Jacob came to reconnect
with God. He had allowed his grief and anger to anchor him to
the world and draw him away from his Lord, and now he was
attempting to rectify that to the best of his ability. With an open
heart, Jacob knelt before God. And God spake unto Israel in
the visions of the night…And He said, I am God, the God
of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there
make of thee a great nation: I will go down with thee into
Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again. Well over a century earlier, the Lord had promised Abraham,
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed
shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall
serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge:
and afterward shall they come out with great substance
(15:13-14). The time had now come for that plan to be put into motion. Did Jacob know of this promise? Did he understand
that his family’s sojourn in Egypt would extend well beyond the
lifetimes of his children and grandchildren and would gradually
fall to the level of servitude and slavery? Scripture does
not contain the answer to this question. What Jacob knew or
guessed of the future is unknown. What we do know is that
Jacob entered Egypt confidently, without fear or regret. For the
first time in years, he knew beyond any shadow of any doubt
that he was walking in the will of the Lord, and he was content. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God(Heb. 12:1-2). Thought For Today:We can never stray far enough from the
path God has set for us that it cannot be found again. Christ Portrayed:By Joseph, who was placed by God second only to Pharaoh
(Gen. 41:39-40) in order to sustain life and give provision (47:15-17).
Jesus said: The Bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33). Word Studies:46:4 shall put his hand upon thine eyes = will close your
eyes when you die; 47:4 sore = severe; 47:6 of activity = skillful at their
craft; 47:13 fainted = suffered, were exhausted; 47:18 not ought = nothing;
47:20 prevailed over them = continued to be severe; 47:21 removed
them = moved them as servants; 48:6 issue, which thou begettest =
your children Pray For Country:Niue (1,190) South Pacific Ocean • Major Languages:
Niuean, English • No legislative restrictions on religious belief or practice,
or legislation which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, nor
guarantee of freedom of religion • 61.2% Ekalesia Niue; 8.8% Latter-Day
Saints; 7.2% Roman Catholic; 2.4% Jehovah Witness; 1.4% Seventh-Day
Adventist; 8.4% Other; 8.7% Unspecified; 1.9% None • Prayer Suggestion:
Fast, sanctify yourself, and unite in prayer with others as you cry unto the
Lord (Joel 1:14). Optional ReadingMatthew 16