Genesis 76

 

 

JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH

(Genesis 47:1-10)

 

 

 

Introduction:

Jacob was a person who was particularly greedy for blessings. Jacob was born holding his older brother's heel. He plots to take away his older brother's

blessing as the firstborn, and deceives his father and older brother to take away the firstborn's blessing. Jacob was the one who sold his brother a bowl of

lentil porridge instead of just giving it to him. It was right for Jacob to value the blessing of his firstborn son, but it was wrong for him to deceive his father

and older brother and take away the blessing of his firstborn son out of greed. Jacob ran away from his older brother to his uncle Laban's house,

where he engaged in trickery while tending the sheep. He try to keep healthy, fat animals as his own. Jacob is truly persistent in his efforts to receive blessings. It was a life without satisfaction. Jacob, who worked so hard to receive blessings, now grows older and turns into a person who blesses others.

Living with blessings is a good thing. But blessing others is even more beautiful. In the text, Jacob goes down to Egypt at the invitation of Joseph

and meets King Pharaoh. Imagine the scene where King Pharaoh, who holds the power of the world in one hand, and Jacob, a shabby old man, meet.

What image comes to mind? You will immediately be reminded of bowing his head to the king and asking for help. However, a completely different

picture is recorded in the text. Jacob is blessing King Pharaoh.

 

Every event is the fulfillment of God’s covenant. Whether it is a bright part or a dark part, ultimately it is God’s will will be accomplished, and in the end,

the Lord who rules all nations and His will will be fulfilled on this earth, and it will lead all people to the new world.

 

1. Therefore, there is an important message in the Bible that believers must realize or suffer until they will realize.

  1) God’s people must receive new grace and new blessings from heaven.

    (1) To Abraham - Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house. Send Ishmael away. Offer Isaac.

    (2) God’s work occurred when new grace was realized (Genesis 22:1-13).

      v. 11. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.

      v. 12. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me

             your son, your only son."

      v. 13. Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering

            instead of his son.

  2) God wants His people to understand the covenant and pass this covenant on to their descendants and generations.

  3) Those who rely on God will win in the field. (Evangelism)

  4) We must spread the power of God throughout the world. (Mission)

 

 

2. One aspect of the text in which God’s will is fulfilled

  1) Fulfillment of Genesis 15:9-13

  2) Fulfillment of Genesis 37:1-11 (brothers’ ignorance)

  3) Fulfillment of discipline for those who do not realize

 

 

3. Another aspect of God’s will being fulfilled in the text

  1) Jacob blessed Pharaoh

  2) Fulfillment of Genesis 37:1-11 (Joseph’s faith)

  3) Fulfillment of Genesis 12:1-6

  4) Fulfillment of evangelism and world evangelization

 

 

4. God’s plan will definitely come true.

   Those who realize and those who do not realize.

  1) Jacob’s faith

  2) Joseph’s faith

  3) Brothers’ faith

  4) Plan for world evangelization

 

 

Conclusion:

In verses 8-9, Pharaoh asked Jacob how old you were. Then Jacob said, “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."” This is the same as Jacob’s confession of faith.

The reason he compares his life to a ‘pilgrimage’ means that he is like a traveler passing through this world for a short time. That's right. Life is a stranger.

We are a pilgrim who lives in this world for a short time. The traveler has no attachment or attachment to the world. We are not trying to live too well

in this world. Because Jacob had this faith, he was able to bless King Pharaoh. In Hebrews 11:13-16, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob testified that they were

“aliens and and strangers” while living in this world, and that they longed for a better homeland. When Joseph goes to Potiphar's house, Potiphar's house is

blessed. When Joseph goes to prison, the prison is blessed. Since Joseph becomes the prime minister of Egypt, the entire nation of Egypt is blessed.

That is the life of Jesus. We are blessed because of Jesus. We are saved because of Jesus. When people brought children to Jesus hoping to be touched,

Jesus held them, laid his hands on them, and blessed them (Mark 10:13-16). In 1 Peter 2:23-24, the Lord did not curse when he was reviled, nor did he

threaten when he suffered. The Lord did not curse others. He has always lived a life to bless others.

Paul also lived like this. 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 “And we toil, working with our own hands; when we are insulted, we bless; when we are persecuted,

we endure; when we are maligned, we encourage; we have been made like the filth of the world, the dregs of all things.” When he was insulted, he blessed,

and when he was criticized by others, he blessed. This is what people of faith look like. I hope that no matter what others do to you, you will always live

as a person who blesses others.