(A) God’s wonderful plan to provide (Gen 47:1-6)
What has happened thus far? Joseph reconciles with his brothers in Gen 45 and invites them to come join him. Pharaoh does this too. Gen 46 then breaks into a side story about Jacob’s encounter with God. In the opening verses of Gen 47, Joseph's entire family moves out of Canaan into Goshen, which is part of Egypt, under the rule of Pharaoh (Gen 47:1). It was because of a severe famine in the land of Canaan that they had to make the move (v.4).
Joseph presented them to Pharaoh. What does Pharaoh do specifically for his entire family? In Gen 47:5-6, Pharaoh gives them the best of the and allows them to dwell in the land of Goshen. He also puts them in charge of his livestock. Though foreigners, they have royal employment and land thanks to Pharaoh. What a far cry from their bankrupt, penniless and desperate state that caused them to move from a foreign land! And yet, they did nothing to merit these which they received. Jacob's sons were murderers and liars, and now they now have everything thanks to Pharaoh, through Joseph. They have profited through the goodwill obtained through work of their brother and received blessing through a savior, though they did nothing at all.
If we pause and consider everything, it is not hard for us to see that God had a plan of provision. Looking back at the twists and turns of the previous chapters, we really see how God's sovereignty works out His perfect plans in ways we cannot imagine. What does this mean for us today? It humbles us when we realise how helpless we are. We could not choose our families or even some of our lot in life. We did not even choose our Savior. Yet for so many of us, we have received so much. In all our moments of blessings, it is not because we worked to achieve them, but this God of Jacob and Joseph worked to bring about all things.
(B) God’s wonderful plan to bless (Gen 47:7-12)
Joseph brings his father to Pharaoh and they start off with pleasantries (Gen 47:7-8). Notice how Jacob describes his life in verse 9. He describes it as "few and evil" in verse 9b. In the previous chapters, we have covered the events in Jacob's life. Who was he? Jacob was a liar and deceiver who tricked his brother out of his birthright and blessing, and had to run away from his family because his brother wanted to kill him as a result. Subsequently, he was exploited by his father-in-law and was the object of a conflict between his two wives. He had many sons no doubt, but his sons grieved him. They were mass murderers and sinned greatly. In his later years, his beloved wife, Rachel, died, and his son Joseph was sold by his other sons. What a life. This was the man God called, and chose to use.
But what did Jacob do for Pharaoh in Gen 47:7,10? Jacob blessed Pharaoh. This is a fulfillment of the covenant in Gen 12:1-3, where Abraham was told that his descendants will be blessed in order to bless the nations around them. It is also striking that in the ongoing narrative of Genesis, this is the first time that Egypt is blessed. Egypt stood for a place of trouble and evil in the preceding chapters. How would you describe this kind of God who makes a promise in Gen 12 and fulfills it time and time again, even here in Gen 47? This is a God that makes and keeps His promises.
God did not merely use Jacob and Joseph to bless Egypt. He also blessed his covenant people in Egypt! Verse 11 shows us the extent of their blessing. They were given land, though they were foreigners. What kind of land? The best that Egypt had to offer! Whose land? Rameses' (aka Pharaoh's personal name) portion of the land! Whose order? Under Pharaoh's commands! Thus through Joseph, Jacob, Jacob's sons, their household and wives and children were all cared for (Gen 47:12).
Do you see how this description of Joseph puts him at the centre of everything? His family received a secure inheritance and land because of who he is and what he had done. God blessed his people through the work of one man.
(C) God’s wonderful plan for wealth (Gen 47:13-28)
Gen 47:13-19 describes how Joseph bought three things from all the people of the land of Egypt. The people make 3 exchanges with Joseph for grain. Pharaoh gains money, livestock and the people legitimately as a result of Joseph's work. Now, he is the supreme ruler of all Egypt, the possessor of all things.
Pharaoh's gains was not merely due to Joseph's shrewdness or business plan. This was not written in just for us to adopt it as an economic policy. The writer of Genesis meant for us to link it to Jacob's blessings just a verse or two before. The Bible continues to remind us through verses like Deut 8:16-18 and Jas 1:17 that wealth and all good gifts come from God. We sing this same truth every week during the Doxology, where we confess that all blessings come from our Trinitarian God. In presenting our tithes and offerings, we merely giving back what He has given us. Do we remember this? Do you have a habit of acknowledging God's right over all of your wealth?
(D) God’s wonderful plan for the future (Gen 47:29-31)
At the end of this chapter, we read of a Jacob (referred to as 'Israel' in Gen 47:29) near the end of his life. He makes a request of Joseph to bring his bones out of Egypt eventually and to be buried with his fathers, in the cave Abraham bought for Sarah at Machpelah (c.f. Gen 23). What is the significance of this request? It was not merely the emotional significance of where his body is, but the covenantal significance. He remembers the promise and the promised land. Even on his deathbed, he is thinking about the future fulfillment of the promise.
Notice also how he spoke to Joseph. He did not command his son to remove his bones or presume that this request would be fulfilled just because he was the father. In fact, he plays up the sense of indebtedness he had to Joseph and speaks humbly of how much he owes his son. At the end of his life, Jacob understood two things -- a grace that humbles and removes all pretention (even in front of his son) and the promise of God. These are the two things that he takes to his deathbed. This dying man has a lesson for us. For many of us, as we grow older, we are more tempted be more self-reliant and take pride in our achievements. After all, isn't this how we are taught to function at work, and in society? The older we get too, it is easier to grow colder to God and assume that knowing more of the Bible is akin to knowing God more. Jacob in Gen 47, paints a picture of man who at 130 years old, has encountered many things in life, and has allowed these encounters to transform and mould him. Gen 47 helps us see a man who finished well, and remained so soaked and steeped in the grace of God, even to the end.
Gen 47 helps us to see a God who provides, gives all blessings and keeps His promises. He works to bless his undeserving people through the mediating work of one man who truly earned it, and his abundant blessings overflow into the world. As we finish this chapter, what is God saying specifically to you about who He is, and how does this change the way you live your life?