Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness." Psalm 145:6
Text: Genesis 47:1-31
A SPECIAL AUDIENCE WITH THE PHARAOH
The first audience with the Pharaoh was a formality that had to be fulfilled. The second audience with the Pharaoh was specially secured for Israel.
“Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob
and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.”
GENESIS 47:7
The Pharaoh must have been impressed with the long life that Jacob possessed! He asked him about his age with great forthrightness.
“How old are you?”
GENESIS 47:8
Jacob, not awed by the Pharaoh, perhaps because of his great age, but perhaps even more because his spirit had been revived replied candidly.
” ‘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.’
So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.”
GENESIS 47:9-10
Imagine the Pharaoh humbling himself before Jacob! The ruler of the land willingly received a prayer of blessing from Jacob! God’s hand of blessing must be acknowledged!
SETTLING DOWN IN EGYPT
The next task was to settle the whole family in the land of Egypt. This was no mean task, for the flocks and herds of Israel were quite large, even though the family members only numbered 70 in round figures (Cf. Genesis 46:27).
“And Joseph situated his father and his brothers,
and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt,
in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses,
as Pharaoh had commanded. Then Joseph provided
his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household
with bread, according to the number in their families.”
GENESIS 47:11-12
A happy family scene is beautifully described! This is actually the first description of a well-settled family ever! Not even Abraham, Isaac or Jacob could be credited with in this way! Joseph stood out well against even the patriarchs in the family. The penultimate son was providing for his father and for his brothers who once plotted to do away with him! What an example of a son and brother Joseph is!