Canaan to Goshen

Wednesday 09/20/17

Message – From Canaan to Goshen

Series: Thru the Bible – Genesis 42-46

Podcast: Download (54.5MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS

***Video is HERE***

From Canaan to Goshen

Chapter 42

Jacob expected his sons to be proactive – “Why are you just staring at one another? Go to Egypt and buy us some food!”
All the brothers except Benjamin traveled to Egypt.
- Jacob was fearful for Benjamin’s safety.
Joseph was now at least 38 years old (30 at Royal appointment plus 7 years of plenty plus the beginning of 7 years of famine). It had been at least 21 years since he had seen his brothers. Joseph had lived MORE years apart from them than with them – yet when he saw them, he recognized them.
- They did not recognize him…
  - He had matured from 17 so much had changed concerning his physical appearance.
  - He was, more than likely, wearing makeup (Egyptian)
  - They, on the other hand, had largely been adults when he was sold into slavery so they would not have changed nearly so much.
Upon seeing his brothers bowed down to the ground – he remembered the dreams of his youth – the dreams they had hated him for.
Joseph used the opportunity to his advantage – that he might gain access to al his family.
- Accused them of being spies.
- Nakedness is used symbolically for shame and disgrace.
Without the blood of Christ, the guilt of our sins follow us throughout our lives to the grave. These brothers realize their sin against their brother and believe it is why they were in this trouble…and in a way it was!
Joseph is still tender of heart. He hears and understands their words though he had been speaking through an interpreter and is moved to tears over both their loss and his own.
- Simeon is chosen and bound.Perhaps in a personal pun, since Simeon means “heard”.
People do not change – upon finding their money in their bags, the first thought in their minds was, “What is this that God has done to us?”
- All of them were afraid.
- Each person saw the tragedy from their own eyes as if it were only they who were affected. Jacob says, “All these things are against me.”
Ever noble Reuben, offers the lives of his own two sons if he does not return Simeon and Benjamin back safely to his father.
- Jacob at first refuses, willing to lose Simeon entirely rather than risk Benjamin and possibly lose both.

Chapter 43

TIME PASSES
- They go through all the provisions from Egypt and grow hungry.
- Judah reminds Jacob of the threat and refuses to obey Jacob is Jacob does not send Benjamin with them.
- Jacob accuses them of mistreatment due to their mentioning of Benjamin.
- Judah, now assumes the blame if Benjamin is not returned (Reuben and Judah were the only two with a shred of nobility before Joseph was sold into slavery as well).
- Jacob still trying to buy his safety with gifts.
They are brought to Joseph’s house and confess all about the money.
Here is the 2nd time they bow down to Joseph. The first time it was for food which agrees with the first dream, this second time and the third they bow down before him as royalty – which agrees with the second dream.
Joseph is still moved to tears over his love and longing for his brothers – especially Benjamin the brother he watched over in his youth.
They were astonished – possibly because they had been seated in order from oldest to youngest.
Joseph divided the food and gave 5x’s as much to Benjamin as to the other brothers.

Chapter 44

Same song different dance – grain with money and this time a silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.
Joseph has it discovered and seeks to retain Benjamin.
Judah again shows his nobility and gives us insight into Jacob’s affection for the lad.
- Judah actually draws near to Joseph and begs audience and mercy.
- Gen 44:27-31, “(27) Then your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons; (28) and the one went out from me, and I said, “Surely he is torn to pieces”; and I have not seen him since. (29) But if you take this one also from me, and calamity befalls him, you shall bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.’ (30) “Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad’s life, (31) it will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.”

Chapter 45

Joseph loses it! He commands all to leave him save his brothers.
Gen 45:4-5, “(4) And Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near to me.” So they came near. Then he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. (5) But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.”
Jacob rejoices and offers sacrifice to God.
God reassures Jacob His servant’s heart that he will live, that it will be Joseph’s hand that closes his eyelids in death and that they will all eventually return to this land he calls home.

Chapter 46

They return to Egypt all 66 plus Joseph and his two sons made 70 in the household!

There is more information in the audio/video of the actual message. I hope you listen, learn and enjoy!

…Blessings!

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

You have a special place in God’s family & kingdom. If you do not know Him, please use our ‘Contact Us‘ page and reach out so we may have the privilege of introducing you to the Lord. Neither money nor attendance at our church will be mentioned.

If you have been spiritually fed by this ministry and wish to give, we truly appreciate that and you may do so here, but all outreaches of this ministry are FREE for you and anyone to enjoy at no cost.

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!