I Will Take You as My People

God sent Moses to deliver his people from slavery in Egypt and to bring them into the land that He had promised to Abraham. Moses, with Aaron as his spokesman, went into Pharaoh and demanded that Pharaoh allow the children of Israel to go and worship God. I don’t know what Aaron and Moses expected, but Pharaoh not only refused to allow the children of Israel to go worship God, he made the conditions of their slavery even worse! When Moses went to God asking why this happened, God assured Moses that it was all in His plan and everything was now set up for God to deliver His people.

 

The King Did Not Know Joseph

While Joseph lived and ruled under Pharaoh, the Hebrew people lived safely and prosperously in the region of Goshen in Egypt. But after Joseph died, things changed drastically. Joseph’s deeds were forgotten or dismissed. Instead of seeing the Hebrew people as those who brought deliverance in the time of famine, they were seen as threats. God had prospered the children of Israel as He had promised and the Egyptians are both jealous and afraid. This pattern has been repeated throughout history and continues today. It is the pattern of the future and the fulfillment of prophecy.

 

May God Make You Like Ephraim and Manasseh

At the end of Jacob’s life, he called his son Joseph to bring his grandsons Ephraim and Manasseh to his side so he could bless them before he died. As Jacob blessed them, he prophesied over them with these words.

Genesis 48:20 NKJV 20 So he blessed them that day, saying, "By you Israel will bless, saying, 'May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh!'" And thus he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

Why did Jacob single out Joseph’s two sons? What is the significance of this blessing and prophecy? Why is the younger son, Ephraim, listed first?

 

Joseph Wept

We are all familiar with the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Children in Sunday School classes like to memorize this verse to earn their gold star for memorizing a Bible verse. And it is a good verse for children to memorize demonstrating that Jesus experienced the depths of grief at the death of His good friend Lazarus, and compassion for the grief that Mary and Martha experienced at the death of their brother. In this teaching, we look at the five times that the Bible records that Joseph wept.

 

Judah and Joseph - Part 2: Brothers Reconciled

Jacob had twelve sons, but two of those sons, Judah and Joseph, end up with the birthright and the blessing of Abraham. As Judah and Joseph are introduced and begin to play a more prominent role in the Bible, the primary story line follows that of Joseph, but Judah’s story is inserted into the narrative. The story, then, reverts to Joseph. Finally, as the story of Joseph reaches a conclusion, Judah once more plays a prominent role. In part one, we examined Judah’s story. We followed along as Judah’s character was shaped by the loss of two sons and the unexpected gift of two others. Judah learned empathy and compassion for others. Now, in this second part of our teaching, we will examine Joseph’s story and how the refining of Judah and Joseph’s characters allowed them to be reconciled.


 

Judah and Joseph - Part 1: Brothers at Odds

Jacob had twelve sons, but two of those sons, Judah and Joseph, end up with the birthright and the blessing of Abraham. As Judah and Joseph are introduced and begin to play a more prominent role in the Bible, the primary story line follows that of Joseph, but Judah’s story is inserted into the narrative. The story, then, reverts to Joseph. Finally, as the story of Joseph reaches a conclusion, Judah once more plays a prominent role. How do the stories of Judah and Joseph compare? What does inserting Judah’s story into that of Joseph’s reveal about these two brothers?

 

Jacob Struggles with God and with Men - HD

As Jacob returns to the Promised Land after twenty two years of exile, he has a visitor in the night. Jacob was almost into the Promised Land; one or perhaps two more days of travel and Jacob would be able to cross the Jordan and enter into the land of his inheritance. But, he learns that his brother Esau is coming to meet him with four hundred companions. So, Jacob sent his family on across the Jabok River while he stayed behind by himself in the camp. That night, a man confronted Jacob and wrestled with him throughout the night. What is the significance of this wrestling match? Was the man he wrestled with just a man, a manifestation of God, or just a metaphor for Jacob’s own conscience?

 

Jacob Rose up Early - HD

As Jacob left the Promised Land, he had an encounter with God. Jacob was fleeing an enraged Esau leaving the land that was part of the blessing and promise he had just received from his father Isaac. Jacob was supposed to receive the land, yet he was on his way out of the land. Had he truly received the blessing? Would it really come to him instead of his brother Esau? When Jacob stopped for the night, God appeared to him in a dream. What does it mean that Jacob rose up early the next day? Why is this an important element in the account?

 

The Blindness of Isaac HD

Near the end of Isaac’s life, his plan was to bless his oldest son Esau and pass on to him the blessing and promise that God had made to Abraham. Isaac was getting older, and his eyesight deteriorated to the point where he could barely see. Isaac’s blindness allowed his wife Rebecca and his younger son Jacob to deceive him. We see the deceptive act of Rebecca and Jacob, but what was the real deception? The story is one of deception hidden in deception!

 

Hebron: The City of the Patriarchs

Abraham was a sojourner in the Promised Land. He didn’t have a permanent home, nor did he build cities. However, significant events in Abraham’s life happened in and around the city of Hebron. One of the most significant events is the death of his wife Sarah and her burial in the cave that Abraham purchased for that purpose. Abraham also purchased the land around the burial site. Later, he, his son Isaac with his wife Rebecca, and his grandson Jacob with his wife Leah would all be buried together in the same cave. What is the significance of the city of Hebron? Why is it important that Abraham purchased this land? Who were some of the famous residents of Hebron?