Village Schools of the Bible

Genesis: A Devotional Study
by Max Frazier, Jr.

Well, our year in Genesis is drawing to a close. We have four chapters left. We will try to complete chapters 47 and 48 this week. The famine has been ravaging the entire Middle East for over two years. You will remember that Jacob had sent his sons to Egypt to purchase food. While there they had a reunion with Joseph. Now, in excitement, they return home to pack their belongings and move back to Egypt. That brings us to chapter 47.

Genesis 47

Key Words: "famine"

Key Verse: The hand of God was upon Jacob and Joseph so truly Pharaoh was blessed (verse 10)

Purpose Statement: The chapter tells how Joseph protected his people during the famine. The future of Israel was spared because of him.

Outline: Joseph Deals with the Famine

I. Joseph presents his family to Pharaoh (vs. 1-12)
II. Joseph deals with the famine (vs. 13-26)
A. He collects all the money for food (vs. 13-15)
B. He exchanges food for livestock (vs. 16-17)
C. He exchanges food for land (vs. 18-26)
III. Jacob approaches death (vs. 27-31)

Questions to Probe: I wonder which five of his brothers Joseph took with him to Pharaoh? I am sure that one of them had to be his own fleshly brother Benjamin.

Thoughts to Ponder: What Joseph required the Egyptians to do to obtain food would be severely criticized today. Where was his sense of compassion? Why not just give the people the food? This was not a good system of welfare. But Joseph did not want a system of welfare. Welfare produces dependency. It almost produces a worse kind of slavery than that which Joseph required of the people. Yes, these people were now servants of Pharaoh. But the life-saving food they had received had become theirs by sacrifice. They still had their integrity. They still could look at themselves in the morning in the mirror and feel good about who they were. Although what Joseph did may seem cruel to us by today's standards, he really showed wisdom and kindness toward the people and was able to help them prepare for the future when things would be restored.

Jacob blessed Pharaoh. One wonders whether this was just an expression for a greeting, such as "I am glad to meet you," or was it a blessing from God bestowed upon Pharaoh by Jacob? I think it might have been the later. Surely Jacob must have recognized the hand of God working not only through the life of his son, but also through the actions of this Gentile ruler. Yes, God had blessed Pharaoh and he was deserving of the blessing.

Genesis 48

Key Words: "blessed"; "bless"; "Ephraim and Manasseh"; "Jacob"

Key Verse: Verses 15 and 16 are an affirmation from Jacob of how God had worked in his heart. What a difference from the Jacob we saw earlier.

Purpose Statement: This chapter relates the maturing of Jacob and the blessings of sonship bestowed upon Ephraim and Manasseh.

Outline: Jacob Blesses Joseph's Two Sons

I. Jacob promises to include Joseph's two sons in the blessings as if they were his own (vs. 1-7)
II. Jacob blesses Manasseh and Ephraim (vs. 8-20)
III. Jacob gives an inheritance to Joseph (vs. 21-22)

Thoughts to Ponder: In his old age, Jacob fully realized that God had been his shepherd. It was God who had led Jacob to Laban's home in order to obtain a family. It was God who had guided him back to the land of his fathers. And now God had provided for him through his son whom he had given up as being dead. Another shepherd, centuries later, would write also of God, "The Lord is my shepherd." What a wonderful picture of God! I trust that I can look back upon my life in those moments before I die and acknowledge how the Lord has been my shepherd all the days of my life.

Sometimes God does things that are not exactly what we think to be correct. Joseph was somewhat frustrated that his father was bestowing the blessing upon Ephraim, although he was younger than his brother Manasseh. But God knew what He was doing. All we see is the present moment, but God does see into the future, a concept that is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend. As Joseph questioned his father's actions, so we question God's actions. But we must trust Him even as Joseph trusted Jacob.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Many of us cannot reach the mission fields on our feet, but we can reach them on our knees. (T. J. Bach)

Genesis 46 Return to Table of Contents Genesis 49-50