King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Chapters: Genesis 46-47
Message: Genesis: Jacob Reunites With Joseph
Hello My Friend,
Yesterday we learned that, after thirteen long years of believing his beloved Joseph was dead, Jacob (Israel) discovered that his son was alive. Joseph sent for his father and the entire family to come to Egypt and endure the remainder of the famine under his care. As we continue in the reading of Genesis, Jacob did not hesitate; he gathered his household and all his possessions and prepared to depart. Before taking another step forward, he stopped at Beersheba, where he had built an altar, and spent the night there in the presence of God.
[Genesis 46:1-6 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. 3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. 5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.]
Jacob addresses the Lord as “the God of his father Isaac.” That phrasing reveals something about the state of his heart. For years he had lived under the shadow of grief, believing that God had taken Joseph from him. Perhaps he wrestled with anger toward God, followed by guilt for what he had done years ago. Yet God’s response sweeps away every fear and every false conclusion. God calls Jacob by name, reassures him, and reaffirms that the covenant still stands, and that He will be there with him. This is the promise that He gives all His children, [Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.]
I can attest that I have done this very thing myself. In fact, I spent two years convinced that God was punishing me for a past failure and that I simply needed to deal with it. We must understand that, although sin does bring chastening, those of us who have received Christ as our Saviour are saved by grace, and nothing can overturn that. Now, after receiving God’s assurance, Jacob gathered his family and continued the journey to Egypt. Sixty‑six souls, not counting the wives of his sons traveled with him. And when they arrived, Jacob embraced Joseph for the first time in fifteen years.
[Genesis 46:26-30 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six; 27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten. 28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.]
Did you ever hug someone for so long that you did not want to let go of them as though it was some dream? At that point Jacob was finally at peace. The grief he had carried for so long was finally lifted, replaced by the joy of restoration that only God could have orchestrated. I can picture us doing this with Jesus when we meet Him face to face, and with our loved ones in heaven, [Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.]
This was to be a temporary home until the famine ended, not a permanent one. God promised that He would be with them in Egypt, that He would care for Jacob’s entire family while they lived there, and that He would one day bring them back to their own land. In the meantime, they needed a place to dwell and way to live peaceably among the Egyptians. However, because they were shepherds, this could have created tension, for shepherds were considered an abomination to the Egyptians. Joseph understood this cultural divide and devised a plan that would preserve peace between the Hebrews and the Egyptians. His wisdom ensured that his family could settle safely, maintain their identity, and live without conflict during their time in Egypt.
[Genesis 46:31-34 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 34 That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.]
Remember when Abraham went down to Egypt and told Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister because he feared for his life? [Genesis 10:12-20] God sent a plague upon Pharaoh’s household until Sarah was returned to Abraham. That incident left a lasting impression on Egypt. Shepherds, especially nomadic ones, came to be viewed with suspicion and contempt. Their lifestyle, animals, and association with foreign tribes made the Egyptians uneasy. By presenting themselves first as cattle traders, Joseph’s brothers could speak freely before Pharaoh without immediately triggering that cultural prejudice.
[Genesis 47:1-3,5-6 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen. 2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers. 5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.]
Notice that they were not ashamed to call themselves shepherds, even though the Egyptians despised that occupation. Yet Pharaoh received them with respect, and he even entrusted them with the care of his own cattle. Do you see how God works? When we walk in obedience and trust Him, He is able to turn hearts, remove hostility, and give us favor in places where we would naturally expect rejection. It is a reminder that, when we trust God, He can cause us to be at peace even with those who might otherwise stand against us, [Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.]
God goes with His people wherever they go, and if He needs to relocate us for a season, then that is exactly what He will do. Yet even in those transitions, it remains essential that we stay separated from the world in heart and conduct. We may face challenges along the way, but it is often those very challenges that become the means through which God blesses us. When Jacob met Pharaoh, that is precisely what he expressed.
[Genesis 47:7-11 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? 9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage. 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. 11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, 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.]
Jacob acknowledged that his life had been filled with difficulties, yet God had preserved him through every one of them. Even though Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old, he described himself as a mere child compared to the long lives of his father and grandfather. That humble comparison stirred his memory, prompting him to reflect on the years he had lived. His life had been long, yet it had been marked by both sorrow and blessing, quite bittersweet. When God promised us salvation by grace He never promised that life would not be bittersweet, but He did promise to always be with us and that even through sorrow we can be at peace, [Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.]
We can still have peace in the midst of our greatest struggles, but that peace comes only from God. Do you think God desires His people to beg for food or sleep on the streets? He does not. We are capable of far more than we imagine when we place our faith in Him and trust His guidance. Yet how often do we sell ourselves short when the famine lingers longer than we expected? But this is how bondage begins—when people place their trust in men, systems, and money rather than in God. During Joseph’s time, the famine had stretched on for five more years, and the Egyptians were beginning to panic. Their resources were failing, their security was slipping away, and they were desperate for someone to save them.
[Genesis 47:13-15 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.]
This reminds me of how nearly every other commercial on television urges people to buy gold or invest in cryptocurrency, as though such things could save them from a famine like the one in Joseph’s day. The world is utterly clueless, placing all its confidence in possessions and financial security, yet failing to grasp that the most valuable possession they have is their soul. And wherever the soul goes, nothing on this earth will follow it. All the wealth people cling to so tightly will be left behind, but the condition of their soul will matter for all eternity, [Luke 12:20-21 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.]
Remember, Joseph had all the corn harvested when the land was plenteous, they had seven years to prepare for this, and now they could only go to the government to get food. It only took a year for them to realize that their money was worthless to which Joseph suggests that they give their cattle.
[Genesis 47:16-18 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. 17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year. 18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:]
They not only gave their cattle, they gave their entire livestock, only to realize they only they had was their land, and it was worthless. And we thought that Esau selling his birthright over a bowl of soup was bad, but what they were about to do the next in order to get some food was unthinkable. They sold their land to the government and now were under their possession.
[Genesis 47:20-23 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. 22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands. 23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.]
Do you see what Joseph gave them? Seed. Think about that. They had money earlier in the famine. They could have bought seed long before this point. And by the time Joseph handed them seed, it appears the famine was nearing its end. Yet they never thought to prepare. They spent everything trying to survive day by day, never considering what they would need when the famine finally broke. And yet here they were selling their very souls for some seed that they would have to plant, harvest and give one fifth of what they received to them.
[Genesis 47:25-28 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants. 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part; except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh’s. 27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.]
Joseph did not just give them food; he gave them the means to rebuild. Seed represents future provision, future harvest, and future stability. It is almost as if God was showing them—and us—that even when people exhaust every earthly resource, He can still provide what is needed to start again. If we put our sole trust in man or the government to provide for us we will become enslaved to them. And this is not just about the world selling themselves out, many Christians are quick to do so too. All we need to do is trust God and He will provide the rest, [Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.]
Today’s Prayer: God, You are God, the only living and Almighty God, You have placed us on a journey of faith, one where we learn to trust You for all that we have need of, for the present and the future. Whether it is in our relationships, health, provisions, or our spiritual needs, without You we are slaves to this world. I am so glad that I learned to trust You with my life, now, help me learn to trust You in every area of my life, through all the pandemics I face, even when things look hopeless, I know that You are with me and will always take care of me. Lord, all that I have is Yours, lead me and guide me, give me Your mercy, grace, let me not live in fear, only trust that You will supply my every desire when I come to You in full faith. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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