Today’s passage: Genesis 46:1-34

Helpful thoughts:

• Once again, before Jacob leaves the Promised Land, the Lord meets with him and confirms His promise, “I will go down with you…and I will also bring you up again.”  The nation that comes from Jacob’s descendants would once again return to the Promised Land.
  • See Genesis 28:15.
• A great nation was promised to come up out of Egypt centuries later.  But the group (The family) that went down to Egypt (Including Joseph’s) was approximately seventy.
  • Jacob chose a specific son to lead the way for the family to go down to Egypt.  He chose Judah.
• Joseph continued to show his ability to manage situation with great wisdom.  By informing Pharaoh of his family’s work as shepherds, they would remain distinct (Separate) from the Egyptians so not to be assimilated into the culture (They were to be God’s chosen nation who worship Him alone).  It also provided them a great area of land so that they and their flocks could flourish.

Questions to consider:

1. What was different about Jacob’s stay in Beersheba before he left for Egypt in contrast to his stay in Beersheba before he left for Haran in Genesis 28?  What did he do before God communicated his promise in today’s passage?
2. What is significant about Judah’s new role as the leader of the family?  Who chose him for this role?  What evidence have we seen that Judah has become a servant leader?
3. Knowing that Christ is building His church from every tribe, tongue and nation on the earth, we can be sure that separation from the world does not refer to race or location or other things like that.  So, what then does separation from the world refer to?  In what ways is the church to be separated from the world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)?

Today’s passage: Genesis 45:1-28

Helpful thoughts:

• Joseph had tested his brothers intensely.  When they (Especially Judah) refused to give their brother up, he couldn’t contain himself any longer.  It was time to let them know who he was.
• Joseph makes it clear, he believes God put him in Egypt to save their family.
  • “It was not you who sent me here, but God.”  This is a statement of Joseph’s faith and belief in the providence of God.
• There was only one man in all of Egypt who could tell Joseph what to do.  Pharaoh commanded Joseph to bless his family and bring them to Egypt in order to prosper.

Questions to consider:

1. How many things did Joseph attribute to God in this passage?
2. How did Jacob take the news of Joseph’s survival and new job?  Remembering the “Heart” can refer to the inner man (The immaterial spirit or mind of a man), what would it have been like for Jacob’s “heart” to go numb and then for him to “revive?”
3. Previously, we have considered how Judah pictured Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice.  Now we look to Joseph.  How did Joseph’s humbling journey into a place that was not his home to save/preserve a remnant of people point forward to Jesus?

Today’s passage: Genesis 44:1-34

Helpful thoughts:

• Now that the brothers had seen Benjamin was clearly favored, they were given an opportunity to leave him behind in Egypt and lie to their father all over again, just as they’d done with Joseph.  They wouldn’t make the same mistake.
  • According to the deal they’d struck with Joseph’s steward, the brothers were free to leave Benjamin behind as soon as the cup had been found.  They were free to go.  Instead, they saddled up and went back to Egypt, all of them!
  • They were given this offer again from Joseph once in Egypt, but they wouldn’t leave their brother behind.
• Judah continues to evidence his repentance.  He offers (Pleads) to take the place of Benjamin.

Questions to consider:

1. In what way was Joseph’s dream realized again in verse 14?  What was the spirit of the brothers in this instance of their bowing before their brother?
2. How is the response of all the brothers different than it had been when they had sold Joseph into slavery?  Contrast their sale of Joseph with their protection of Benjamin.  What does true repentance look like?
3. In what way does Judah, once again, picture what Jesus would later do for us?  In what way was Christ offered as a substitute for us?

Today’s passage: Genesis 43:1-34

Helpful thoughts:

• The brothers has asserted their honesty by voluntarily sharing information about Benjamin to Joseph when they were last in Egypt.  Now, prior to their second journey they dishonestly convince their father they only shared about Benjamin’s existence because of intense questioning.
• Judah’s transformation is beginning to be seen in verse 8.  He is willing to protect what would have been a source of jealousy in the past.  He is thinking sacrificially for the benefit of others (Love).
• The Egyptians were not fond of shepherds (Genesis 46:34).  This could have been the reason they would not eat with them.  Joseph couldn’t eat with the Egyptians, but he didn’t want to give his brothers any clue to his identity, so he ate alone.

Questions to consider:

1. Why were the brothers sitting in amazement at this meal?  What all had transpired which seemed beyond belief?
2. In what ways was Joseph’s affection for his full brother Benjamin expressed?  How could this have increased the testing of the rest of his brothers?  What had they done with Joseph when it was clear he had been favored?
3. In what way is Judah beginning to be a picture of the coming Lion of Judah (Jesus Christ)?  How did Christ offer himself in our place, taking our blame?

Today’s passage: Genesis 42:1-38

Helpful thoughts:

• After 20 years, Joseph’s prophetic dream was fulfilled in verse 6.  His brothers (unbeknown to them) have bowed down to Joseph.
  • Verse 9 ensures we remember that, just as Joseph did at that moment.
• In order to prove just how “honest” they were to this powerful “stranger” from Egypt, the brothers shared far more information than they would have needed to.  Joseph uses it to test them.
  • The brothers saw the whole ordeal as a judgment from God for their sin against Joseph.  In their attempts to show just how honest they were, they were confronted with their sin and lies.  Their consciences were troubled.
• Reuben’s attempt to earn his father’s trust probably accomplished the opposite.  Reuben had been impetuous and foolish before (Genesis 35:22).  His offer to slay his own sons just further proved his carelessness.  He could not be trusted.

Questions to consider:

1. What is the irony of the brothers’ claim to be honest men?  How could their attempt to prove they were honest have been a sign they were still up to their old scheming tricks?
2. Why did Joseph weep when he heard his brothers’ assumption concerning the judgment of God?  What did he learn when he heard them talking with each other in the prison?
3. Is this passage descriptive or prescriptive?  Meaning, are there any commands for us in this passage?  How do we differentiate the ways we see God providentially moving Israel to Egypt and the kinds of things we should be doing in obedience to him?

Today’s passage: Genesis 41:37-57

Helpful thoughts:

• Joseph was the wisest and best able to discern because God was with him.  Pharaoh wouldn’t have understood this the way we do, but it was written in a way we would easily understand.
• Pharaoh clothed Joseph, gave him the royal signet ring, a new name, and even an Egyptian wife to assimilate Joseph into Egyptian culture.
  • Though Joseph had been made as Egyptian as possible, he never forgot who he was.  His sons’ names were in the Hebrew language and recounted God’s work in Joseph’s life.
• God gave Pharoah the dreams.  God gave Joseph the interpretation and the wisdom to resolve the issues.   God gave Joseph power over Egypt.  God did all of this to bring about His decreed will.  Pharoah wasn’t in charge.  Joseph wasn’t in charge.  God was, is, and always will be in charge.

Questions to consider:

1. Being a polytheist in Egypt, what might Pharaoh have thought about the spirit of God (Or the spirit of the gods) being in Joseph to give him this wisdom?  What would his perspective probably have been?  What do we know was happening?
2. How long had Joseph been in Egypt as a slave and/or inmate (Genesis 37:2, 41:46)?  Which years of his life did he give to this service while he waited for God to bring about the fulfilment of his own dreams?  How would cultural expectations of our day have made it hard for him to wait on the Lord’s timing?
3. In what ways has God’s power been on display in today’s and the previous day’s passages?  How is He showing his sovereignty over all (Even the most powerful kings)?

Today’ passage: Genesis 41:1-36

Helpful thoughts:

• The reason the baker and cupbearer had their dreams in prison is revealed.  God was establishing the path that would put Joseph before Pharaoh, the path that would bring him to second in command in all of Egypt.
• It could be argued God also used Joseph’s time overseeing Potiphar’s house and the jail to sharpen his administrative abilities, preparing him to have a plan to save Egypt from the oncoming famine.
• Pharoah (Who was viewed as a god) and all the cult “Magicians” in Egypt could not divine or discern the meaning of the dream.  Joseph made it clear, “It is not in me, God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Questions to consider:

1. What was Joseph’s journey in this passage (Verse 14 and then look ahead to Verse 40)?  How does the place where they brought Joseph from in the jail remind us of where his brothers had thrown him in 37:24?
2. In what way was Joseph’s “victory” really a declaration of the glory of God over the false gods and worship of the Egyptians?  How did these events bring glory to God?
3. How can your relationship with the Lord help you to be a greater servant and asset to your workplace?  Your school?  Your community?  How could you display God’s greatness in your conduct and service?

Today’s passage: Genesis 40:1-23

Helpful thoughts:

• This chapter shows the reader God is still with Joseph.
  • God gives these dreams to the baker and the cupbearer so that Joseph is able to interpret them.
    • It’s important to differentiate God giving the dreams from God just giving Joseph the ability to interpret them (As if God didn’t put them there in the first place).
  • Joseph’s interpretation becomes the way he will eventually be released from prison and put exactly where God intended him to be.
  • Just as he was initially in Potiphar’s house, Joseph is given responsibility and trusted within the jail.
• The cupbearer forgot about Joseph (For a time).  God never did.

Questions to consider:

1. Why did these men have these dreams?  What was God doing?  How was He putting all the pieces in place to bring about His will?
2. What encouragement can we receive from Joseph’s walk through these strange years of his life in Egyptian slavery and imprisonment?  What did he continue to do?  How did the people respond to him?  What was his responsibility before God and what wasn’t?  How could this help us to fight anxiety throughout life?