Genesis 46
God, in the historical records of the Bible, has the ability of changing tragic and difficult times and circumstances into times of great blessings. God loves to bless His people and cause them to be happy and joyful.
This occurred in the life of Joseph in two very personal ways. After experiencing twenty years as a slave and prisoner, God promoted Joseph to become Pharaoh’s prime minister in Egypt. Joseph immediately became a powerful and very prosperous man. He was given a wife and began to raise a family. He lived very comfortably and had a lot of good food to eat. These were all personal blessings that he experienced before being reunited with his father and family.
Because of a famine, Joseph was reunited with his brothers. Joseph personally revealed himself to his brothers and made it possible for his father Jacob to move his entire family from Canaan to Egypt (Genesis: 46:5-27). Joseph sent his brothers back to Canaan to inform their father that he was truly alive and, as the prime minister of Egypt, was able to provide food and care for the needs of his father and his entire family. Their circumstances of severe difficulty would be changed into prosperity.
As Jacob started his trip to Egypt, God met with him and told him that He would make his family a great nation and to not be afraid because Joseph would provide everything he needed (Genesis 46:1-4). God exalted Joseph so that he could preserve and prosper Israel as a nation in fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3).
It is hard to imagine the great anticipation of joy that was in both Jacob’s and Joseph’s heart at being reunited. This reunion took place in the land of Goshen, where Jacob’s family of seventy people will live. When Joseph saw his father Jacob, he fell on his neck and wept for a long time (Genesis 46:29). After being separated for over 27 years, they were reunited and never separated again until Jacob’s death. Jacob and Joseph spent the remaining years of Jacob’s life in peace, prosperity, joy, and happiness.
What a wonderful end of life Jacob experienced. God caused both Jacob and Joseph to become very happy men. God’s divine plan promoted their joyous reunion.
Lessons to Be Learned
- God will preserve His people thru the tragedies and difficulties of life.
- God is almighty and has the power to change the difficult circumstances of life immediately so that joy and happiness can be experienced.
- God loves to display His grace, goodness, and care toward His people. He does this thru the wonderful plan He has for every believer. This truth is clearly seen in the lives of Joseph and Jacob.
