Read Genesis
46-48 & Matthew
14v22-36
To discover:
As you read note how the fulfilment of God's promise to
Abraham is affirmed.
To ponder:
Genesis begins its conclusion with the great theme of the
book. It can’t be laboured enough: God is fulfilling his promise to Abraham.
The great nation is nicely on its way.
Previously,
leaving the land has shown a lack of faith. So as Jacob (now Israel)
offers sacrifices (perhaps to express thanks), God reassures him of his
presence even in Egypt,
and of the great nation he would form there (46v2-4). With Abraham’s dream
(15v1-14), this vision makes clear Israel’s
hardships in Egypt
were a step towards the fulfilment of his promises. As the family set out, we
see Judah
taking the lead, hinting at his future role (46v28).
In counting seventy persons, we remember
the seventy nations covering the earth in Genesis 10. This extended family is an
embryo of a new nation – in some senses a new humanity. God is providing the
best for them in Goshen. In Egypt,
it is stressed the mighty Pharoah is blessed (see again, 12v3). There the
Egyptians end up in bondage through Joseph. And there, with echoes of creation we
read they are “fruitful and increase in number” (47v27, 1v26-28).
By
achieving this God reassures us. We live out of our promised land, having
temporary residence in this world. Yet whilst here, Christ continues to form his
great nation, the new Israel,
ready for the world to come. Through us this world is blessed. But in the end,
those who are not God’s people will find themselves humbled as the new Israel
is exalted.
Jacob’s
death is important. He regards his life as relatively short, perhaps seeing
this as the result of how he treated his father (Deut 5v16). Nevertheless, he shows
faith in God’s promise by wanting to be buried in Canaan,
still looking for the better country (Heb 11v16, 21). He may have assumed he
would be raised to enjoy the land when all is fulfilled.
The blessing of Joseph’s sons
explains why later Israel
included tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh as well as the eleven other brothers. (This
made thirteen. But it remained twelve because Levi were put in charge of
worship and so given no land). Jacob is in no doubt who the angel he had
engaged with was, and is confident his God will be with his offspring. His
blessing affirms God’s choice again by placing the younger over the older. It
also reiterates God’s purpose (48v16).
Praying it home:
Thank God that he continues to build his church, and that
the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Pray for elderly Christians you
know, that like Jacob, they would have strong faith in God’s promise of
resurrection and new creation.
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