Bible Reading Plan

Author: Jon Green

  • Exodus 4

    Exodus 4

    Read Exodus 4

    Signs for Moses

    1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

    2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

    “A staff,” he replied.

    3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

    Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believethat the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

    6 Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

    7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

    8 Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

    10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

    11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

    13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

    14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. 17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

    Moses Returns to Egypt

    18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.”

    Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”

    19 Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

    21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”

    24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

    27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

    29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites,30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31 and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

    Go Deeper

    One of the most influential leaders in history didn’t want to be a leader. Moses objects to God’s appointment for him several times. He voices the first two objections in chapter 3–he’s a shepherd, not the appropriate person to go in front of Pharaoh, and he doesn’t even know God’s right name or how to refer to the deity who is sending him. Now, in chapter 4, he reminds God that he’s not very eloquent (as if God is surprised by any of Moses’s shortcomings). Moses asks all the questions we’re thinking, right? We can’t blame him for his hesitancy. After all, he doesn’t feel like he has the ability or talent to do the job God is asking him to do. In verse 1, he says the two debilitating words we often ask God: what if? 

    Those two words wreak havoc on our faith. What if You don’t come through for me, God? What if obedience to You requires a sacrifice I’m unwilling to make? What if they reject me? Rebuke me? Ridicule me? What if...? And we’re left holding the bag of questions without answers and steps of faith left untaken. Missing out on the work God has prepared for us and prepared us for. 

    Moses wasn’t chosen for his charisma or eloquence, he was chosen because God saw fit to use him. He wasn’t chosen because he sounded good, he was chosen because God is good and God uses the foolish and ordinary people of this world to declare His excellencies and advance the Kingdom. God was neither surprised nor hindered by Moses’ deficiencies. And God is not surprised or hindered by ours. 

    Like Moses, God has prepared work for us. Will we believe and trust that He will be faithful to prepare us for the work? He will not leave us nor forsake us. He is with us wherever we go. Let’s quit making excuses and get to work. The harvest is plentiful.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about the character of God in this passage?

    2. What do you learn about the character of Moses in this passage? Do you relate? Why or why not?

    3. Is there an area in your life that God is asking for obedience and you are answering with objections and “what ifs”? What is keeping you from trusting God?

    Did You Know?

    In verse 17, we read that God tells Moses to “take this staff” with him. That staff will accompany Moses for the rest of his life, as a link to his first encounter with God and a reminder of his humble beginnings as a shepherd. The symbolism reminds us that Moses will still be a shepherd, but with a new flock—the Hebrew nation.

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  • Exodus 3

    Exodus 3

    Read Exodus 3

    Moses and the Burning Bush

    1 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

    4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”

    And Moses said, “Here I am.”

    5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

    7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

    11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

    12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

    13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

    14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

    15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’

    “This is my name forever,
        the name you shall call me
        from generation to generation.

    16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

    18 “The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wondersthat I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.

    21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

    Go Deeper

    This is one of the most pivotal passages in all of Scripture. As Moses was tending his flock one day, God appeared to him as a burning bush with very clear instructions for what He wanted him to do. Think about that sentence. It was just a normal day when God appeared and audibly told Moses where to go and what to do. 

    So often, we get stuck trying to determine God’s will and we just wish God would appear to us and tell us exactly where we should go next. We all want our own “burning bush” moment, as we try to discern what God is calling us to do. Sometimes, God makes it explicitly clear for us  (albeit maybe not through burning bushes). Other times, it takes a whole lot of prayer, discernment, and wise counsel (and even then we may feel unsure about proceeding).

    The task God gave Moses was no small one–and Moses was fully aware of that. In verse 11, Moses, in an incredibly relatable moment, makes his first of many excuses why he’s not the guy to accomplish this task. But God reminds Moses that He will be with him. He’s not being sent out to figure it out on his own. In the same way that God was with Moses, the Holy Spirit is with believers in Jesus (Matthew 28:20).

    In the rest of the chapter, we see God lay a theological foundation, both for Moses and for us. We see God’s love for the Israelites and His commitment to them. Then, in verse 14, God says to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

    God is responding to Moses’ asking, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” by making it clear that it’s not about who Moses is, but who God is. God is, always has been, and always will be. Moses was inadequate for the task at hand. Any mortal man would be. But I AM was sending him. I AM was with him. And I AM was going to deliver His people again.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about God in this passage? What about Moses?

    2. God gives Moses very specific instructions. Why do you believe that is?

    3. Sometimes God calls us to things in different ways. Have you ever had your own “burning bush” moment where it was explicitly clear what God was calling you to do?

    Did You Know?

    This was not just the first recorded instance of God appearing to Moses, but to anyone in over 400 years. Later, God would use another 400-year period of silence before first raising up John the Baptist, and then ultimately Jesus, to lead His people out of bondage and misery once again.

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  • Exodus 2

    Exodus 2

    Read Exodus 2

    The Birth of Moses

    1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.

    5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.

    7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”

    8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother.9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”

    Moses Flees to Midian

    11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”

    14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”

    15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their flock.

    18 When the girls returned to Reuel their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”

    19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”

    20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”

    21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

    23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he rememberedhis covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.

    Go Deeper

    Today’s reading introduces us to Moses, one of the main characters in the Old Testament. He was born an Israelite, but was raised an Egyptian. Moses grew up privileged in Pharaoh’s house but never forgot where he came from. We see that today, as he rushed to defend a fellow Israelite and, in the process, ended up murdering an Egyptian. 

    Acts 7:25 says that “Moses thought that his own people would realize God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.” He must’ve seen himself as the rightful savior of the Israelites. After all, he was an Israelite, but with the wealth, power, and resources of the Egyptians. That unique combination made him fit to be the one to rescue the Israelites from slavery, or so he thought. Once he realized the Israelites didn’t see him that way, however, he fled the country in shame. 

    While things looked hopeless for Moses and the Israelites, at the end of today’s chapter, we see who the true Savior for the Israelites is. “God heard their groaning and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” (v. 24-25) God will use Moses to deliver His people, but don’t overlook who the true Deliverer is: God. He uses people, but He, and He alone, is the One who rescues, delivers, and saves. 

    Moses tried to take matters into his own hands and ended up a murderer and a fugitive hundreds of miles away from the people he was trying to save. We end up in similar places when we try to play God. When we try to be the savior for a friend in need, or try to take on a burden not meant for us to carry alone, this leads to nothing more than burnout and more problems. We’ll see Moses learn this lesson and begin to allow God to work through him, and as a result, save an entire group of people. We need to learn that same lesson. Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” Instead of acting out of our own strength, let’s humble ourselves, allow God to work through us, and be amazed at what He does.

    Questions

    1. How does Moses’ unique upbringing set the stage for what God has planned for him? How does your unique perspective set the stage for what God might want to do through you?

    2. How have you been tempted to rely on your own strength before? How does that turn out?

    3. Why is it so hard to trust and rely on God’s power rather than our own? Is there an area in your life that you’re relying on yourself and not God? How can you surrender that to God today?

    Did You Know?

    Scripture and other historical sources give us some insight into Moses’ background. In Acts 7:21-22, Stephen says that Moses was a man of power. Josephus, the ancient historian, claimed that Moses was a general in the Egyptian army that conquered the Ethiopians. While we can’t confirm that for sure, we do know that Moses was influential in Egypt but became an outsider once he arrived in Midian.

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  • Exodus 1 + Preview

    Exodus 1 + Preview

    Exodus Preview

    The book of Exodus is foundational to understanding God’s redemption plan in the Old Testament, and really throughout the rest of Scripture. Exodus begins where Genesis left off. Joseph and all his brothers in that generation died. Abraham’s family were in Egypt, and they grew large after God promised it would grow large. They grew so big that they found themselves in slavery to the Egyptians. There was a new pharaoh in charge, who did not know about Joseph, and he saw the Israelites as more of a problem than a provision. The word “exodus” means exit, and the book is all about the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt and journey towards the Promised Land. 

    Exodus can be split thematically into two, with the first half covering the redemption from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1-19) and the second half covering the revelation of the Law and God Himself to His people (Exodus 20-40). God reveals himself through His words and His works. Exodus is full of memorable stories that are referenced back to in the books of Scripture that follow. We see the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt through the plagues, the Passover, and the parting of the Red Sea. The Passover points to a future and ultimate “passover lamb” whose blood would cover God’s judgment towards sin. We see salvation through substitution. Later, God gives His people the Law at Mount Sinai, which was meant to reveal God’s holiness and man’s brokenness and regulate conduct and behavior. The three parts of the law are: moral, civil, and ceremonial. This instituted the Mosaic covenant which was a conditional covenant that God made with His people. If they believed and obeyed God’s commands, they would prosper. If they disobeyed, they would perish. 

    God also gives instructions for the Tabernacle, which is a tent where God would dwell with His people as they headed towards the land. The tent was divided with the outer courts, the holy place, and the holy of holies where the Ark of the Covenant was placed and God’s presence lived. This is the first time that God is dwelling or “tabernacling” with His people since the Garden of Eden. Each piece of the tabernacle is significant pointing to a need, a temporary provision, and a greater fulfillment to the coming Messiah. We can revel at the fact that through Christ, we have a righteous standing before God and His presence dwells within us! 

    The Exodus storyline points to a greater exodus where God will bring people out of slavery in sin into the abundant life found in Christ. The greater Moses and the greater redeemer is Jesus. Look for glimpses of God’s big redemption plan throughout the pages of this book!

    Read Exodus 1

    The Israelites Oppressed

    1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher. 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all; Joseph was already in Egypt.

    6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.

    8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”

    11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor,and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly.14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

    15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

    19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”

    20 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

    22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”

    Go Deeper

    Exodus is a continuation of the storyline of Genesis. Genesis ends with the descendants of Joseph numbering seventy, and Exodus begins with that same number. This chapter starts telling us, “Here are the names of Israel’s children who went to Egypt with Jacob” (v. 1). This is repeating what we were told back in Genesis 46:8, which shows us Israel’s journey to Egypt. The book begins with a problem. There was a new Pharaoh in charge who did not know the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Pharaoh believed that God’s people were too many and too mighty, so he needed to find a way to keep them from increasing in number. It tells us that the Egyptians “made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly” (v. 14). 

    Pharaoh came up with a plan to tell the midwives to kill the firstborn of every Hebrew boy in the land. However, the midwives had a greater authority. It says the midwives “feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live” (v. 17). God blessed their obedience, and the people became even more numerous. The chapter ends with this order from Pharoah: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile but let every girl live.” We see the story continue in the next chapter and beyond as God preserves a Hebrew boy named Moses and raises him up to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt.

    It tells us that the midwives feared God more than they feared Pharoah. What does it mean to fear God? Proverbs 9:10 says that “​​The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” The fear of God leads to our obedience to Him as our ultimate authority. In our own lives, we will either choose to fear God or we will fear something else. While our decisions might not feel as costly as the one in this chapter, any decision that is made apart from God will similarly lead to destruction. Be reminded today that we can always choose obedience to God because He is trustworthy, and His commands are for our good. 

    Questions
    1. Why do you think these women were able to choose to trust God in the face of Pharaoh?
    2. What does it mean to fear God? What keeps you from fearing God?
    3. When is a time you feared God over fearing people?
    Watch This

    As we begin this study through the book of Exodus, check out this video overview of the first 18 chapters from The Bible Project! 

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  • Genesis 50

    Genesis 50

    Read Genesis 50

    1 Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.

    4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court,“If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’”

    6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”

    7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.

    10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day periodof mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim.

    12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.

    Joseph Reassures His Brothers

    15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

    18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

    19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

    The Death of Joseph

    22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children.Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees.

    24 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” 25 And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”

    26 So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

    Go Deeper

    Genesis means “origin,” which makes sense, because the book of Genesis is the origin story of our faith. The characters and stories we’ve been following the past 50 days are the founding fathers and mothers of our faith. Their story is where our story begins.

    But in all reality, as influential and compelling as these patriarchs and matriarchs of the faith are, this book isn’t just telling their stories. The book of Genesis tells us God’s story. And the overall story He’s telling in Genesis is that He is in control. Sin may be in the world, but He is not thwarted by it. He’s more powerful than sin. And even more than that, He is able to redeem it for His good plan.

    Joseph says this perfectly in today’s reading. His brothers are worried now that Jacob is dead that Joseph will get them back for their ill treatment of him many years ago. But Joseph says this in verse 20: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” This verse could very well be the theme verse for the entire book of Genesis. All the evil that has been done, all the wrong choices that have been made, all the lies, deception, and deceit have been evil, indeed, but God has worked through it all to accomplish His good purpose.

    God didn’t want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit off the tree and usher sin into the world, but He knew it was going to happen. How comforting that from the very beginning of our faith story, when all seemed lost, God set a plan in motion to bring good from evil. Genesis shows us how very wrong it all can go and how very broken people can be, but more than that, it shows us how very powerful God is. Nothing can stop His redemption plan. Do you trust that God will redeem all the hurt, pain, and evil you’ve gone through? Just watch Him; He’s proven in all 50 chapters of Genesis that He can and He will. 

    Questions

    1. Why is it important to both Jacob and Joseph that their dead bodies be returned to Canaan? What can we learn from their insistence about this?

    2. As we wrap up the story of Joseph and his brothers today, who do you connect with most? Where do you find yourself in their story?  

    3. In your life, how has God redeemed the pain, sin, and brokenness you’ve experienced?

    Watch This

    Now that we have completed our journey through Genesis, go back and check out The Bible Project’s overview videos of the book!

    Part One: Genesis 1-11
    Part Two: Genesis 12-50

    Now that we’ve completed the book, what would you describe as the overall theme of Genesis? 

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  • Genesis 49

    Genesis 49

    Read Genesis 49

    Jacob Blesses His Sons

    1 Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

    2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob;
        listen to your father Israel.

    3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn,
        my might, the first sign of my strength,
        excelling in honor, excelling in power.
    4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel,
        for you went up onto your father’s bed,
        onto my couch and defiled it.

    5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—
        their swords are weapons of violence.
    6 Let me not enter their council,
        let me not join their assembly,
    for they have killed men in their anger
        and hamstrung oxen as they pleased.
    7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce,
        and their fury, so cruel!
    I will scatter them in Jacob
        and disperse them in Israel.

    8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you;
        your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
        your father’s sons will bow down to you.
    9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah;
        you return from the prey, my son.
    Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
        like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?
    10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
        nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
    until he to whom it belongs shall come
        and the obedience of the nations shall be his.
    11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,
        his colt to the choicest branch;
    he will wash his garments in wine,
        his robes in the blood of grapes.
    12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
        his teeth whiter than milk.

    13 “Zebulun will live by the seashore
        and become a haven for ships;
        his border will extend toward Sidon.

    14 “Issachar is a rawboned donkey
        lying down among the sheep pens.
    15 When he sees how good is his resting place
        and how pleasant is his land,
    he will bend his shoulder to the burden
        and submit to forced labor.

    16 “Dan will provide justice for his people
        as one of the tribes of Israel.
    17 Dan will be a snake by the roadside,
        a viper along the path,
    that bites the horse’s heels
        so that its rider tumbles backward.

    18 “I look for your deliverance, Lord.

    19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders,
        but he will attack them at their heels.

    20 “Asher’s food will be rich;
        he will provide delicacies fit for a king.

    21 “Naphtali is a doe set free
        that bears beautiful fawns.

    22 “Joseph is a fruitful vine,
        a fruitful vine near a spring,
        whose branches climb over a wall.
    23 With bitterness archers attacked him;
        they shot at him with hostility.
    24 But his bow remained steady,
        his strong arms stayed limber,
    because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob,
        because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
    25 because of your father’s God, who helps you,
        because of the Almighty, who blesses you
    with blessings of the skies above,
        blessings of the deep springs below,
        blessings of the breast and womb.
    26 Your father’s blessings are greater
        than the blessings of the ancient mountains,
        than the bounty of the age-old hills.
    Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
        on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

    27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;
        in the morning he devours the prey,
        in the evening he divides the plunder.”

    28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

    The Death of Jacob

    29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”

    33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

    Go Deeper

    We’ve all heard the phrase (and tried to believe it!), “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” It’s something you say over and over again as a kid to help you forget what was just said about you. But the longer you live, the more you realize how inaccurate that statement is. Words create memories. Words have a long shelf life. Words are powerful.

    It’s amazing how long you might hold onto words that someone spoke over you. Whether it was a teacher telling you about your potential, or a boss that was proud, or conversely, a parent who was disappointed. We latch onto words, and they have the power to strengthen or to tear down. It’s almost like Solomon was right in Proverbs 18:21, when he wrote, “The tongue has the power of life and death.”

    This chapter is such a beautiful picture of how to use your words well. Jacob’s last gift to his children are these words that he chose to speak over them. They would no doubt remember these words for the rest of their lives. The act of blessing someone in the Old Testament carried a great significance and the importance was not lost on Jacob’s sons. 

    What words do you think people will remember from you? Will they remember your sarcasm? Will they remember your gossip and cynicism? Or will they remember your encouragement? This chapter should be a reminder to us to leave a legacy of wise and thoughtful words. Jesus even warns against careless speech, saying in Matthew 12:36 that “everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Our words are impacting those around us, whether we know it or not. Speak with intentionality today!

    Questions

    1. Which blessing is your favorite? Why?

    2. Who has spoken into your life? How has it helped you in your walk with Jesus?

    3. How can you learn to speak with intentionality?

    Did You Know?

    Jacob’s words over Judah are now seen as a prophecy of what Jesus would later accomplish. Jesus would come from the line of Judah and have the “ruler’s staff” and the “obedience of the nations will be his.” It’s amazing that God used Jacob’s blessing to foreshadow His plan that would come true generations later.

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Genesis 43-48)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Genesis 43-48)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Dig Deeper

    Joseph, along with several others that we’ve read about so far in the book of Genesis, is listed in Hebrews 11 in what’s known as the “Hall of Faith.” 

    To learn more about the Hall of Faith and why it’s significant, click here to read this article from GotQuestions.org!

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Genesis 43-48 Family Guide!

  • Genesis 48

    Genesis 48

    Read Genesis 48

    Manasseh and Ephraim

    1 Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he took his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim along with him. 2 When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up on the bed.

    3 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me 4 and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’

    5 “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6 Any children born to you after them will be yours; in the territory they inherit they will be reckoned under the names of their brothers. 7 As I was returning from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan while we were still on the way, a little distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

    8 When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

    9 “They are the sons God has given me here,” Joseph said to his father.

    Then Israel said, “Bring them to me so I may bless them.”

    10 Now Israel’s eyes were failing because of old age, and he could hardly see. So Joseph brought his sons close to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

    11 Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too.”

    12 Then Joseph removed them from Israel’s knees and bowed down with his face to the ground. 13 And Joseph took both of them, Ephraim on his right toward Israel’s left hand and Manasseh on his left toward Israel’s right hand, and brought them close to him. 14 But Israel reached out his right hand and put it on Ephraim’s head, though he was the younger, and crossing his arms, he put his left hand on Manasseh’s head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.

    15 Then he blessed Joseph and said,

    “May the God before whom my fathers
        Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
    the God who has been my shepherd
        all my life to this day,
    16 the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
        —may he bless these boys.
    May they be called by my name
        and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
    and may they increase greatly
        on the earth.”

    17 When Joseph saw his father placing his right hand on Ephraim’s head he was displeased; so he took hold of his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. 18 Joseph said to him, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

    19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said,

    “In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing:
        ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”

    So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.

    21 Then Israel said to Joseph, “I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers. 22 And to you I give one more ridge of land than to your brothers, the ridge I took from the Amorites with my sword and my bow.”

    Go Deeper

    We have two more chapters of Genesis after today. Our study is coming to a close, which means we have to say goodbye to yet another patriarch, Jacob. Genesis 48 is the beginning of his final words and his final work. Legacy is a word we don’t use often in our culture. Its definition reads: “anything handed down from the past.” Anything? Anything. For Jacob, he wants to hand down blessings and inheritance, not only to Joseph, but to Joseph’s sons as well. It may seem strange or peculiar that Jacob formally adopts Joseph’s sons as his own, but this is actually a very generous act. 

    What we would be wise to think peculiar is that Jacob intentionally passes ruling power and blessing to Joseph’s younger son, rather than the rightly due older son. This law of primogeniture (the firstborn’s right to inheritance) keeps getting violated. And by Jacob, nonetheless. He was intimately acquainted with the complications, implications, and blessings that result from this. 

    This is an important theme for us to acknowledge. This is the story of the Gospel: our Older Brother, Jesus, laid down His rights and privileges to share His inheritance with us. Remember, all of Scripture points to Jesus. We are the younger sons and daughters who received blessing and inheritance when none of it was rightly ours. We didn’t deserve it, but we were given it. Jacob finally understands this grace and faithfulness of God Almighty. With great clarity, he recounts the story of God and God’s faithfulness to Joseph and his sons. Though his physical vision was dim, his spiritual vision was the clearest it had ever been. He had stunning clarity. Age does that to a person. 

    It’s emotional to think about the men gathered around the bedside of their frail father. A father they’d seen miss it and blow it too many times to count. A father they’d also seen surrender to El Shaddai. These men, listening to the final words of their deeply flawed patriarch as he recounts God’s faithfulness in his own life, even when he wasn’t faithful himself. When we lay these frail bodies down, what God has done with our obedience will be all that matters. That is our legacy. 

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about God in this chapter? 

    2. What is the story you will recount to your children and grandchildren? Will it be one of obedience and surrender to Christ? Why or why not?

    3. What comfort do you take from the life of Jacob? What challenges you about his life?

    By the Way

    The blessing Jacob passes on to Ephraim (the younger brother) instead of Manasseh (the older brother) continues the reversal of the traditional blessing of the older son for the fourth consecutive generation. If you fast forward to the book of Judges, Ephraim’s tribe goes on to be the most superior amongst the ten northern tribes, which can be traced back to this blessing.

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  • Genesis 47

    Genesis 47

    Read Genesis 47

    1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh.

    3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?”

    “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.”

    5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you,6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”

    7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

    9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

    11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.

    Joseph and the Famine

    13 There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine.14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”

    16 “Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.

    18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

    20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.

    23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

    25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”

    26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.

    27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.

    28 Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. 29 When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.”

    “I will do as you say,” he said.

    31 “Swear to me,” he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter has several different “scenes,” but one common theme: God’s favor remains on Jacob and Joseph time and time again, and it’s evident to the people around them. Think about the visual of Jacob, a feeble old man, blessing Pharoah. That could only happen because Pharoah knows that Jacob worships the Living God. As Joseph navigates a famine that’s destroying crops, he continues to come up with creative ways to keep people alive and fed as the supply of food diminishes. 

    Towards the end of the chapter, it’s evident that Jacob is near the end of his life. He has spent the last 17 years in Egypt under Joseph’s care (the same amount of time Joseph spent under Jacob’s care at the beginning of his life), and he’s starting to think through where he should be buried. Jacob makes it clear he doesn’t want to be buried in Egypt–he wants to go home. At first glance, this can seem like a simple case of nostalgia, but it’s actually much more complicated than that. Because of Joseph’s position, Jacob could have been given an elaborate funeral and burial in Egypt. But that’s not what faithfulness looked like for Jacob. Even in his death and burial, Jacob wanted to show that he wasn’t an idol-worshipping Egyptian, but instead a worshipper of the one true God. 

    It’s interesting how the things you care about change as you get older. Jacob’s entire life has been a rollercoaster of following God for a season, then trying to “play God” immediately after that. But here at the end of his life, it seems like he’s focused on one thing: worshipping the God who proved faithful time and time again. That’s a powerful lesson that we can learn today. The things of this world (status, power, possessions) will ultimately mean very little to us. Faithfulness was the goal for Jacob, and it should be the goal for us, too. 

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about God in this passage? 

    2. Why was it so important to Jacob to be buried with his ancestors, as opposed to in Egypt? 

    3. How can you prevent yourself from being consumed with earthly, temporal things? How can you have a long-term, eternal mindset instead?

    Keep Digging

    It’s important to remember that these narrative stories in scripture unfolded in real time and space. Here, we see that Joseph and his family are given land in Goshen, a part of Egypt that bordered the Promised Land. 

    To learn more about Goshen and its significance towards the end of Genesis and into Exodus, check out this article from GotQuestions.org! 

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  • Genesis 46

    Genesis 46

    Read Genesis 46

    Jacob Goes to Egypt

    1 So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

    2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”

    “Here I am,” he replied.

    3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

    5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.

    8 These are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt:

    Reuben the firstborn of Jacob.

    9 The sons of Reuben:

    Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.

    10 The sons of Simeon:

    Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

    11 The sons of Levi:

    Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

    12 The sons of Judah:

    Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez and Zerah (but Er and Onan had died in the land of Canaan).

    The sons of Perez:

    Hezron and Hamul.

    13 The sons of Issachar:

    Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron.

    14 The sons of Zebulun:

    Sered, Elon and Jahleel.

    15 These were the sons Leah bore to Jacob in Paddan Aram, besides his daughter Dinah. These sons and daughters of his were thirty-three in all.

    16 The sons of Gad:

    Zephon, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi and Areli.

    17 The sons of Asher:

    Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah.

    Their sister was Serah.

    The sons of Beriah:

    Heber and Malkiel.

    18 These were the children born to Jacob by Zilpah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Leah—sixteen in all.

    19 The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel:

    Joseph and Benjamin. 20 In Egypt, Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On.

    21 The sons of Benjamin:

    Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

    22 These were the sons of Rachel who were born to Jacob—fourteen in all.

    23 The son of Dan:

    Hushim.

    24 The sons of Naphtali:

    Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem.

    25 These were the sons born to Jacob by Bilhah, whom Laban had given to his daughter Rachel—seven in all.

    26 All those who went to Egypt with Jacob—those who were his direct descendants, not counting his sons’ wives—numbered sixty-six persons. 27 With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family, which went to Egypt, were seventy in all.

    28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.

    30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”

    31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you should answer, ‘Your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”

    Go Deeper

    Today, we read about Jacob’s journey to Egypt. Keep in mind Jacob’s age here–he wasn’t quite a youngster anymore, but rather a solid 130 years old. Moving over 500 miles away probably wasn’t on the list of things he most wanted to do. This was a long journey; he knew when he headed to Egypt that he wouldn’t be headed back (alive). Not to mention, he was leaving the land that God had promised to his family, to head into enemy territory (i.e. Egypt). 

    So, why go? The answer is simple: God told him to. He promised that He would go with him, make him into a great nation there, give him the chance to see his beloved son, Joseph, and, most of all, bring him back one day. God was kind to give Jacob such assurance of His presence and His plan at the start of such a long, arduous journey. Oftentimes, we want this same kindness from God–to hear His voice, see His plan, and feel His presence surrounding us in such an obvious way. However, while God may not speak to us in a vision as clearly as He does to Jacob here, He does speak to us and give us similar promises through His word.

    God promises to go before us and to be with us (Deuteronomy 31:8), to instruct and teach us in the way we should go (Psalm 32:8), to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), to give us peace that transcends understanding (Philippians 4:7), to work all things for our good (Romans 8:28), to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9), and, most importantly, to give us eternal life in Him (John 3:36). 

    Jacob obeyed God and followed Him faithfully to Egypt because he took God at His word and believed His promises. What about you? Do you take God at His word? Do you believe what He’s promised you? Like Jacob, are you walking in faithful obedience because you believe that what God has promised you will come true? 

    Questions

    1. Is there a promise of God’s that is difficult for you to believe? Why is that?

    2. How could you more faithfully obey and follow God by believing what He’s promised you?

    3. Seeing Joseph again was a dream Jacob had given up on, and yet God was faithful to give them this reunion (and 17 years together). Is there a dream you’ve given up on? How does this story encourage you and build your faith?

    Did You Know?

    Joseph was 17 when he was taken away from his father, and they were separated the past 22 years. When they’re finally reunited, even though Jacob thinks he’s at the end of his life, he lives for 17 more years. God was kind to bless Jacob and Joseph with this extra time to be together after such a long period of separation. And, like He promised Jacob, Joseph was there to close his eyes at the end of Jacob’s life.

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