Genesis

ALTHOUGH hitherto the story of Joseph has been full of great detail we are now reminded that Jacob is still the head of the family, and that everything in the record is to be regarded as subservient to the development of the promises of God concerning him and his house. The message from Joseph, as we have seen, proved successful, and Jacob decided to go down into Egypt.

We are not surprised to find in this later period increasing references to the name of Israel rather than to that of Jacob, though the latter is not altogether displaced. "Israel took his journey with all that he had." It was a very definite change and transplantation. He had been many years in Canaan, with all that it meant of settlement and stability. Besides this, the grave of his beloved wife was not far away from his home, and it must have meant a real up rooting to leave the land. Above all, it was the Land of Promise which God had assured to him and to his father and grandfather before him. We can well understand therefore the mixed feelings with which he left a country so full of blessed memories and strong ties.

On his way he halted at Beersheba, and it would seem as though the memory of the place impelled him to offer sacrifices and worship to the God of his father. It was in Beersheba that Abraham had had a special revelation of God (Gen 21:23), and where he lived after the offering of Isaac (Gen 22:19). It was there also that Isaac his father lived, and where he too received a manifestation of the Divine presence (Gen 26:24). It was also the place of Jacob’s own home in those early days before he set out to Haran (Gen 28:10). We can therefore fully appreciate the reasons which prompted him to approach God on this occasion.

The Divine revelation was quickly given in response to his worship. God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob." Observe how God uses the old name of Jacob, and calls him twice, just as He had called His grand father before him (Gen 22:11). The prompt answer of Jacob is also noteworthy, "Here am I." It was a phrase that sprang spontaneously to the lips of those who were in true and full fellowship with God (Gen 22:11; Exo 3:4).

God revealed Himself by a twofold name. "I am EL" ("the Mighty One") and "I am the God of thy father." Thus was Jacob encouraged by a revelation of the Divine character and attitude, and this encouragement was further emphasized by the words, Fear not to go down into Egypt, followed by a fourfold promise of what should happen there: (a) I will there make of thee a great nation. (b) I will go down with thee. (c) I will also surely bring thee up again. (d) Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. This fourfold promise is very striking, and, as we shall see, extends far beyond the temporary circumstances connected with the famine and the need of going into Egypt for food. The real object of Israel going down into Egypt was much more than temporary and accidental; it was a definite and very significant step by which the family became transformed into a nation. For many years the chosen race had been a mere handful of people. Abraham had long to wait before

Isaac was born, and Isaac had only two sons. One of these was still only the father of a comparatively small number, and if the promise to Abraham about being as the stars of heaven for multitude was to be fulfilled, something very special and definite must take place. Although many years had elapsed since the promise of the land and the seed had been given to Abraham, there was as yet no sign of the one, and not much of the other. Added to this there was the constant danger of attack from the Canaanites, and the possibility of the comparatively small number of the chosen seed being entirely destroyed. To obviate all these difficulties, and at the same time to allow the family to grow in safety, events were overruled to bring about the journey into Egypt, where they would have all possible safety and all necessary separation from others. Not only this, but these plain, simple, pastoral men would in Egypt come in contact with civilization, established government, and the administration of law. Every advantage of training and discipline would be theirs, and we cannot help observing in the light of the subsequent history how true were the words of God, I will there make of thee a great nation. It was to be done there, or, humanly speaking, it would not have been done at all. (Cf. Dod, Genesis, pp. 321 ff.)

With these promises ringing in his ears, Jacob rose up, and all his family with him, and journeyed towards Egypt.

At this juncture the compiler of Genesis felt that it would be appropriate to give a list of the names of the children of Israel which came into Egypt. The enumeration includes some who were doubtless born in Egypt. The number is seventy, and we cannot help observing the symbolism of this figure when we recall the seventy nations into which the earth was divided according to the Jewish view, the seventy Elders of Israel, and the seventy Disciples of our Lord. The number seventy seems to suggest a completed development, and it is probably for this reason that the complete list of Jacob’s descendants is given in this section.

"It is clear that our list contains not only Jacob’s sons and grandsons already born at the time of the emigration, but, besides this, all the sons that formed the ground of the twelve-tribed nation or, in general, all the grand and great-grandchildren that became founders of mischpa-hoth, or in dependent, self-governing families. Thus only can the fact be explained the fact otherwise inexplicable that in the days of Moses, with the exception of the double tribe of Joseph, there were, in none of the tribes, descendants from any grandson or great grandsons of Jacob that are not mentioned in this list (Keil)."

According to the Septuagint the number of those who came with Jacob into Egypt was seventy-five, and this number was used by Stephen (Act 7:14). The additional five seem to be the grandsons of

Joseph, who are mentioned in the Septuagint version from which he quoted.

We can well imagine the feelings both of Jacob and of Joseph as the time drew near for the meeting. Jacob sent Judah before him to direct his face to Goshen. Judah was once again honored. He had proved his worth in his attitude to Joseph in the matter of Benjamin, and his father was now able to trust him and lean upon him as the firstborn.

And then Joseph came to meet Israel his father, and presented himself unto him, and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. This loving reunion after all the years that had elapsed, and in view of all the circumstances of Joseph’s life, is one of the most beautiful episodes recorded in Holy Scripture. No wonder that Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. How much there is summed up in these touching words! They show, among other things, that the general idea of death ushering the soul into the gloom of the unseen world was not the sole conception of the patriarchs. Jacob clearly implies by these words that there was nothing further to live for and that he was perfectly ready to depart, having once again seen his beloved son.

As we review the entire circumstances of Jacob’s life from the moment that Joseph was taken away from him and sold into Egypt we cannot but be impressed with the wonderful revelation of God’s providence, grace, and truth to his servants.

1. The greatness of God’s purpose.

When Jacob was told in Beersheba that God would make of him a great nation in Egypt he was also given the Divine promise, I will also surely bring thee up again, and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. We cannot help wondering whether Jacob fully understood these words. We feel that he naturally expected soon to return out of Egypt when the famine was over; and yet his family was there for at least two, if not for four, centuries. I will also surely bring thee up again. God did so, but it was his dead body that was brought up, and the promise about Joseph putting his hand on his father’s eyes doubtless refers to his closing the eyes in death. We clearly see from this the importance of taking large views of God’s purpose. While Jacob and Joseph naturally thought that the family was in Egypt as a protection against famine, God was using these temporary circumstances to bring about His own wonderful purposes concerning Israel. The love of God is broader than the measures of man s mind. Thy judgments are a great deep, and yet the obscurity is not in God but in ourselves. As we contemplate the stretch of God’s providence and the width of His wonderful purpose, shall we not continually pray, "Open Thou mine eyes?"

Whether we think of Joseph or of Jacob, God was leading them step by step, sometimes by outward circumstances, sometimes by special visions. The guidance was the same all through, and as real as it was precious and blessed. When Jacob put himself into God’s hands at Beersheba, the assuring vision came that God would be with him, guide him to Egypt, and bless him there; and Jacob, as we know, realized at every step of his journey that it was not man but God Who was guiding. The guidance of God is as real, as certain, and as precious to-day as ever. "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it." It is for us to remember that the Word is behind us, and that we are therefore not to go on too far, or too fast, lest we should fail to hear the Divine Voice." When He putteth forth His own sheep He goeth before them. As someone has well said, "You can always tell the way by the fact that the path is smoothed." I will guide thee with Mine eye is the promise for every believer; and if he will abide closely with God, the meek will He guide in judgment, the meek will he teach His way.

Mark carefully this thought. Sometimes we are tempted to think that God’s love is not wise. Circumstances happen to us which we find very difficult to reconcile with the love of God. Jacob had had the promise of the land of Canaan, and yet he was called upon to depart into Egypt. Not only so, but his family were out of that land for centuries; and as the days and years went on, it must have been a problem how to reconcile their continuance in Egypt with the assurance of Canaan for a possession. But they did not see the end of the Lord. There was nothing arbitrary in God’s dealings. Jacob yielded up his possessions in Canaan temporarily, to receive them permanently a hundredfold. Before he could inherit the land he and his must be trained and disciplined to enjoy it. They were called upon to forego a partial possession in order afterwards to value a complete possession, and in all this we see the wisdom of God’s love. The Divine promises were unchangeable, the Divine love to Abraham and his seed was unalterable, and yet the Divine wisdom knew how best to fulfill those promises and to manifest that love. What a call this is for unbroken and enthusiastic faith! Let us trust where we cannot trace. Let us rest our hearts upon the wisdom of God’s love. The pathway may sometimes be hard, but God still lives and loves. Experiences may often be trying and testing, but God abides faithful. Our life may be shadowed by sorrow and suffering, but the cloud will always have a silver lining, since God will never leave nor forsake His own.