Day 29, January 29 Bible Reading
Day 29, January 29
Gen. 45:1-20 Joseph reveals himself to his brothers / Pharaoh’s invitation
Gen. 45:21 – 46:27 The second return / Jacob and his family move to Egypt
Gen. 46:28 – 47:12 Joseph and Jacob are reunited / Jacob meets with Pharaoh
Gen. 47:13-27 Joseph and the famine
Gen. 45:1-20
45:1-8 Could you imagine the emotional release occurring here? If Joseph was a different man (ok like me), emotion would be held in check until I gave them a good “come to Jesus” lecture. But sometimes as a man, a good cry to release all the inner hurt, can help with the reconciliation and inner healing. What if estranged brothers, siblings, did this? It is one thing to see a woman cry, but a man? That should happen more often.
As I write this (Jan 20), Biden was inaugurated. A man who was about to be President weeps publicly, just as Christ weeped publicly for Jerusalem. More men of God should be like this.
It is interesting to compare Job’s and Joseph’s suffering and it’s conclusion for why it occurred. Joseph arrived at the conclusion that God allowed it to happen to allow for such a time as this. Job realized that also. Thankfully Joseph did not have friends to let him “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. “ [Gen 45:5]
45:9-13 Joseph instructed them to bring back their father and all their household to Goshen where he will take care of them. Joseph tearfully reunites with his brother, I am sure Benjamin only had a faint memory of his brother. Such a teary reunion.
45:14-20 This is what happens when your reputation as one of an excellent spirit and full of wisdom, precedes you. Even though Hebrews could not mix, the news please Pharaoh. When Pharaoh says the best of all the land of Egypt was theirs, you know they would be well taken of.
Gen. 45:21-46:27
45:21-28 Did you chuckle whenJoseph sent his brothers loaded with gifts, money etc, and told them, don’t give any trouble along the way? Who is the big brother now.
46:1-3 Abraham dwelt in Beersheba after he was told to sacrifice Isaac. Isaac also met the Lord at Beersheba after his running into Abimelech. God told Isaac his father, to not fear, but he will be blessed and his descendants would be multiplied for Abraham’s sake.
So how fitting God, identified as the God of Isaac appeared to Jacob there, on his way to Egypt. He reassured Jacob, once again, that He would go down with Israel to Egypt and bring him back up again, and told him, to not fear, but he will be made a great nation, and Joseph will see him die.
Interestingly, even though it is recorded that God said he would be brought back up again, back to his land, Jacob never did, personally, alive. It could also have meant that God will bring Israel, the company, not the man, back to the land.
46:4-27 Notice it says here there were 70 people in Jacob’s household. However Steohen said in Acts 7:14 that there were 75 people. Exodus 1:5 said 70. Why the discrepancy? Are you ok with mistakes in the Bible? Does that shake you? The discrepancy was because the Septugaint, the Greeek version of the OT said 75.
Let’s analyze the genealogy in order of birth
From Leah - 6 sons, 23 grandsons, 2 great grand sons; 1 Daughters - Dinah; Total 33 Persons
Reuben Jacob’s first born - 4 sons
Simeon - 6 sons, one from a hot Canaanite woman
Levi - 3 sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Judah - 3 sons out of 5 alive; remember Er, and Onan were killed, and Perez and Zerah were born from Tamar, Er’s wife. Note Christ the Messiah descended from Perez, and his son Hezron; Judah got the Kingship/ Dominion portion of the Birthright from Adam.
Judah had 2 grandsons: Hezron and Hamul
Issachar - 4 sons. One named Job but not the same Job as the Biblical character.
Zebulun - 3 sons were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel.
From Zilpah [Leah’s handmaiden]; 2 sons, 11 grandsons, 2 great grandsons, 1 Daughter; Total 16 Persons [ Looks like Zilpah had died]
Gad - 7 sons
Asher - 4 sons, 1 daughter
2 grand sons
From Rachel - 2 sons, 12 grandsons, 0 great grand sons; 0 Daughters; Total 14 Persons [remember Rachel died]
Joseph - 2 sons; Ephraim and Manasseh; Ephraim got the Fruitfulness Kingdom portion of the birthright from Adam.
Benjamin - 10 sons
From Bilhah [Rachel’s Handmaiden; , who also slept with Rueben] - 2 sons, 5 grandsons, 0 great grand sons; 0 Daughters; Total 7 Persons [seems Bilhah died also]
Dan - 1 son
Naphtali - 4 sons
Total Jacob + 33 + 15 + 14 + 7 = 70 Persons; Seems Leah was the only wife still living; Good for her, especially knowing her history. She who laughs last, laughs best.
Notice from the genealogy, Benjamin was a stud. He already had 10 sons. He cuts a lot of wood.
Gen. 46:28-47:12
46:28-34 I would just let this scripture speak for itself and muse on one of the greatest reunions in the Bible “So Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to Goshen to meet his father Israel; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck and wept on his neck a good while.”
Joseph made sure that they tell Pharaoh they were shepherds to be able to live in Goshen. What's up with these Egyptians? First they don’t like Hebrews and now shepherds are despicable to them? Can you name who are the despicable ones in the American society today? Muslims? Palestines? Chinese? Immigrants? Field workers? People on welfare? What is the despicable “other” designation in your heart? You can’t marry a white man? A black man? A white woman? A black woman? None of this type of thinking is Christ worthy.
47:1-12 Jacob finally meets Pharaoh. I will let his words speak for himself. Hear the pain in his voice “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
Gen. 47:13-27
47:13-15 Here we see the devaluation of the Egyptian dollar. Joseph brought it all into Pharaoh's house which severely decreased the supply; that monetary policy by Treasurer Joseph did not work out. He could not circulate the money back as there was no economy, no productive capacity to return it to. This is also capitalism to its extreme, which money supply moves to the very rich, leaving the poor, really poor. In 2020, The Richest 500 People in the World Added $1.8 Trillion to Their Wealth in 2020.
47:16-22 Joseph is one intelligent and wise man. He was shrewd also. When Egypt ran out of money because of the famine, he had the Egyptians use livestock as legal tender in exchange for bread. When that was done, land was exchanged for bread. When that was done, he gave the people seed to plant in exchange for 20% of the harvest as a tax.
47:23-27 Once again, the wisdom of Joseph shines through, to preserve the lives of his family and the nation of Egypt. He negotiated for a win-win situation where Pharaoh got ownership of the livestock and land, and 20% income tax of future productivity, while the nation was saved.
When we study the law later we would observe that adding one fifth to the value of something means that thing was redeemed. One fifth means redemption. The people were and land were redeemed by Joseph
Notice though the children of Israel's possessions grew and they multiplied. It seem Joseph did not take any of their livestock nor land during this time.
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