What To Learn From Joseph A Bible Character (Part 12)

 

Jacob prophesies over his sons

Jacob called his children to gather so that he would tell them what will happen to them in the future. He started with his first son Reuben and ended with Benjamin. And he blessed each one according to his own blessing.

 

Summary of the blessings

• Reuben - He will not excel because he defiled his father's bed by sleeping with his concubine Bilhah.
• Simeon and Levi - They're to be scattered in the midst of Israel because their anger caused them to kill Shechem and the Schechemites
• Judah - He shall be great among his brothers and the scepter of royalty and the ruler's staff will not depart from him
• Zebulun - he will be a haven for ships.
• Issachar - he saw a resting place that was good and pleasant, and he bowed his shoulder to bear burdens. And he became a servant at forced labour.
• Dan - He shall be a serpent in the way that bites the horse's heels so that his rider falls backward
• Gad - He shall raid at his enemies and assault them.
• Asher - He will have food in abundance.
• Naphtali - a swift warrior with beautiful words.
• Joseph - The blessings of his father up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills shall be on his head.
• Benjamin - He is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey and at night he divides the spoil.

Jacob's Death and burial

Jacob told his sons that he would soon die and that they should bury him in the family burial place in Canaan, which Abraham bought from Ephron, the Hittite. Read more...

 

 

What To Learn From Joseph A Bible Character (Part 11)

 

Jacob tells of God's blessing on him

When Joseph heard that his father, Jacob, was sick he took his two sons to go and see him. And when he got there Jacob sat up to receive them. Then he told Joseph the blessing God gave him at Bethel, that He would multiply him greatly and give the land of Cannan to him and his descendants as their everlasting possession.

 

Joseph's sons to be Jacob's sons

Jacob told Joseph that his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, born to him before Jacob came to Egypt, would be numbered as Jacob's children. But other children he would have later will be his own. So, Manasseh and Ephraim will be on the same level as Reuben and Simeon, and they will receive their inheritance as they would.

 

Jacob blesses Manasseh and Ephraim

When Jacob saw Joseph's sons, he was happy to see them. And Jacob blessed God that he not only saw Joseph again but also saw his sons. Then he called on God according to how he knew Him to bless the boys. And he said

 

"...The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked [in faithful obedience], the God who has been my Shepherd [leading and caring for me] all my life to this day, the Angel [that is, the LORD Himself] who has redeemed me [continually] from all evil, bless the boys..."Genesis 48:15-16 (AMP). Read more...

What To Learn From Joseph A Bible Character (Part 10)

 

Jacob's Family stands before Pharaoh

Joseph took some of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. And he told him that they were shepherds and are presently in Goshen. Then Pharaoh asked the brothers what their occupation was, and they affirmed that they were shepherds from the time of their forefathers. Then, Pharaoh asked Joseph to put one of his brothers in charge of his own livestock. Also, Pharaoh asked Joseph to give his father and brothers the best land in Egypt, which happened to be Goshen. And Joseph did so.

 

Jacob stands before Pharaoh

Then Joseph brought his father before Pharaoh. And Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was, and he said that the days of his pilgrimage were one hundred and thirty years, few and yet evil. Also, he told him that he hadn't attained the ages his fathers’ reached before dying. Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and left.

 

Joseph deals with the famine

The famine was too severe and got to the point that the people didn't have money again to pay for grains. So, they started buying food with their livestock. And when their livestock finished, the people asked Joseph to buy them and their land for food. So, Joseph bought them and all the land for Pharaoh, except the lands of the priests. And the people were okay with it because they said that Joseph had saved them, and they would be Pharaoh’s servants. Then, Joseph gave them seeds to plant and they were to give one-fifth to Pharaoh when they harvested the produce. So, four-fifth was theirs to do as they wished. Then Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt, that Pharaoh would have one-fifth of their harvests. This excluded the land of the priests, which did not become Pharaoh’s land. Read more...

What To Learn From Joseph A Bible Character (Part 9)

 

God visited Jacob as he journeyed to Egypt

As Jacob journeyed to Egypt, he stopped at Beersheba and offered sacrifice to God. Then, God visited him in the night and assured him that He was going with him into Egypt. Also, the Lord encouraged him not to be afraid of going to Egypt. Furthermore, He promised him that He would bring them up again from Egypt. And that Joseph was going to close his eyes in death.

Jacob's family who went to Egypt

Jacob went to Egypt with all his children, his children's children, both sons and daughters, and his son's wives. Also, he went with all his livestock and the goods he acquired in Cannan. They were sixty-six persons that came from Jacob's body and went from Cannan to Egypt. However, his son's wives were not included. Then Joseph, his two sons with Jacob made them seventy persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt.

Joseph meets his father

When Joseph heard that his father had reached Goshen, he went to meet him. And when he saw him, he wept for a while on his neck. Then, Jacob said to him that he should let him die now he had seen that he was still alive.

Joseph's brothers are to stay in Goshen

Joseph proposed to tell Pharaoh that his brothers and father's household were shepherds so that they would be allowed to stay in Goshen. This was because shepherds were abominations to the Egyptians, and they wouldn't want to live near them. Read more...

 

 

 

What To Learn From Joseph A Bible Character (Part 8)

 

 

Joseph revealed to his brothers

When Joseph couldn't control his emotions towards his brothers anyone, he asked others to leave the room. And when they did, he told his brothers that he was Joseph and that he was sent to Egypt by God to preserve their lives and posterity. Therefore, they shouldn't feel bad that they sold him to Egypt. This was because his brothers were dismayed by his presence. Furthermore, Joseph told his brothers to go and bring their father and families. Also, he told them that he would give them the best land in Egypt and cater for them. This he would do most especially because they still have five years of famine to come.

 

Pharaoh's generosity towards Joseph's brothers

When Pharaoh heard of the arrival of Joseph's brothers, he was pleased. And he asked them to go and bring their families, and that he would give them the choicest part of Egypt. In addition, he gave them carts to go and bring their families.

 

The brothers returned home

So, Joseph sent his brothers back to go and bring their families and all that belonged to them. Also, he gave them garments and provisions for their journey. However, he gave Benjamin, his brother money and more garments.

 

Jacob hears the good news

When Joseph's brothers got home, they told Jacob all that happened and that Joseph was governor over all of Egypt. However, Jacob initially didn't believe them, but when he saw all that Joseph sent to him he believed. As such, Jacob's spirit was revived and he was ready to go to Egypt to see his son Joseph again before his death. Read more...