Genesis

Genesis 46:28 “And he (that is Jacob) sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen ; and they came into the land of Goshen .” They were shepherds, a despised group in Egypt , so neither was it practical or desirous for them to live among the Egyptians. No, they must dwell in Goshen , not only to protect their business, but to protect their identity, […]

Their first trip to Egypt had been pretty devastating, but nothing to be compared to the second.  Right from the beginning, there had been a dark cloud hanging over their heads. Certainly Benjamin was there to prove they weren’t spies, but now there was a very good possibility that they would be taken as thieves. Oh, they

When Joseph looked out of the window and saw his steward and his entire family coming up the road, he had reason to hope. Yesterday, when he deliberately favoured his brother Benjamin, he had noticed their lack of animosity, but this was the first real sign of their solidarity. Genesis 44:14-15  “And Judah and his brethren

Slowly but surely the famine was doing its work. Joseph’s brothers, who thought they could hide their sin, had received a wakeup call. Yes, their dramatic experience in Egypt had awakened their sleeping conscience. And even Jacob had been awakened from years of spiritual lethargy. Israel , (a prince with God) and the inheritor of the Abrahamic Covenant, had

Famine had gripped the then known world, and Joseph opened the storehouses of Egypt to supply the tremendous need. Egypt wasn’t the only country affected, but it was the only country that was prepared.  Genesis 41:57  “And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.”  And, of course, Canaan was one

Genesis 41:41-44 “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt .42: And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;43: And he made him to ride in the second chariot which

Genesis 40:2-3  “And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.3: And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.” We don’t know why the butler and the baker

Genesis 39:1  “And Joseph was brought down to Egypt .“ Yes, he was brought down to Egypt in chains, with his hopes shattered, and his life in ruins. What had become of his dreams of exultation, and indeed what would become of Joseph himself? However, even though he had arrived on the bottom rung of Egyptian society, he couldn’t help

In last week’s lesson we noticed a growing problem in Joseph’s family. As his father grew older, he became aware of the fact that none of his 10 sons could be trusted to manage the family business. And although they were not openly rebellious in his presence, outside the home they were wild and self

It’s strange how God always seemed to use adversity in Jacob’s life to bring him back to Himself. Maybe adversity isn’t as bad as we think. Jacob had spent about 20 years of his life working for Laban, and might have spent the rest of his life in Padan-aram accumulating wealth had not God sent