Make Major Life Adjustments Gen. 46:1-7, 28-30; 47:7-12 May 18, 2008
1. Make Major Life Adjustments Through The . . Plan Of God. 46:1-7
A. Make Major Life Adjustments Through . .
Hearing The Plan Of God. 46:1-4
1 Israel set out with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, and he
offered sacrifices to the God
of his father Isaac. 2 That night God spoke to Israel in a vision:
"Jacob, Jacob!" He said. And Jacob
replied, "Here I am." 3 God said, "I am God, the God of your father. Do
not be afraid to go down to
Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. 4 I will go down with
you to Egypt, and I will also bring
you back. Joseph will put his hands on your eyes."
B. Make Major Life Adjustments Through . .
Heeding The Plan Of God. 46:5-7
5 Jacob left Beer-sheba. The sons of Israel took their father Jacob in
the wagons Pharaoh had sent
to carry him, along with their children and their wives. 6 They also
took their cattle and possessions they had acquired in the land of
Canaan. Then Jacob and all his children with him went to Egypt. 7 His
sons and grandsons, his daughters and granddaughters, indeed all his
offspring, he brought with him to Egypt.
God appeared to
Jacob in a vision and this makes the eighth time the Bible records such
an appearance to
him. One commentator tells of at least forty-four (44) total
appearances of God in the Bible. The Lord called
out to Jacob and he gave the same reply that Abraham gave when God
called to him. Jacob heard the voice of
God and by this time he must have been somewhat familiar with the
message that God continued to affirm. God's plan assures him of a safe
trip and the promise to make him a great nation. He receives the
message that
his long lost son will, "put his hands on your eyes." This is a promise
that Joseph will be present when his
father dies. Jacob heeded the plan of God as he took all of his family
and possessions and went to meet Joseph. This move certainly caused
them to Make Major Life Adjustments.
2. Make Major Life Adjustments Through The . . Preparations Of God. 46:28-30
A. Make Major Life Adjustments Through The . .
Details Of The Preparations. 46:28
28 Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to prepare for his
arrival at Goshen. When they
came to the land of Goshen,
B. Make Major Life Adjustments Through The . .
Delight Of The Preparations. 46:29-30
29 Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and went up to Goshen to
meet his father Israel. Joseph
presented himself to him, threw his arms around him, and wept for a
long time. 30 Then Israel said to
Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen your face and know you
are still alive!"
Jacob made the
decision to send his son, Judah, ahead of him to prepare the way for
them to meet Joseph. Don't you know Jacob was eager to see this son he
thought was dead. Eagerness certainly motivated Joseph as
he made the preparations to see his father. I would like to have seen
that meeting! What a sight as a father and
son meet after some 20 years who had not seen or heard from one another
in all that time. We must appreciate
the fact that they hugged and wept for a long time. Jacob pronounced
that he could now die since he knew this
lost son was alive. But he lived another 17 years.
3. Make Major Life Adjustments Through The . . Presentations Of Joseph. 47:7-12
A. Make Major Life Adjustment Through The . .
Facts Of The Presentations. 47:7-9
7 Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him before
Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
8 Then Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many years have you lived?" 9 Jacob
said to Pharaoh, "My pilgrimage has lasted 130 years. My years have
been few and hard, and they have not surpassed the years of my fathers
during their pilgrimages."
B. Make Major Life Adjustments Through The . .
Furnishings Of The Presentations. 47:10-12
10 So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh's
presence. 11 Then Joseph settled his father
and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best
part of the land, the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And
Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's
household with food for their dependents.
A blessing by Jacob to Pharaoh seems unusual since he came to Egypt to get the necessities of life. His blessing may have included a salute, thanks, and a prayer for his welfare. It is interesting that included in the exchange of facts that Pharaoh asked Jacob about his age. Jacob seems to bemoan his hard life and that it has been shorter than his fathers. He lived another 17 years but even at 147 his life is shorter than Abraham's 175 or Isaac's 180. Joseph, following the command of Pharaoh, made sure his family and their dependants received the property, food, and furnishings needed. Moving causes one to Make Major Life Adjustments, but finally settling in adds to the adjustment. This can be true even when the move is beneficial to you and your family. Amen? Amen!