Thursday, March 7, 2024

March 7th - Age Five from Jacob to Egyptian slavery - Genesis 25 through Genesis 50

Isaac had twin sons named Esau and Jacob. God chose Jacob to confirm the covenant He had made with Abraham and Isaac when He spoke to him in a dream...

"He dreamed, and behold, there was a stairway set earthward, with its top touching the heavens...And behold, Yahweh was standing up over him and said: I am Yahweh Elohim of your Father Abraham and the Elohim of Isaac...the land on which you are lying down, to you I shall give it and to your seed. And your seed will become like the soil grains of the land...All the families of the ground will be blessed in you and in your seed." (Genesis 28:12-14) 

God later changed Jacob's name to Israel.

"Elohim appeared to Jacob again...and Elohim blessed him.  Elohim said  to him: Your name is Jacob; yet your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but rather Israel, it shall be your name." (Genesis 35:9-10)

Jacob's twelve sons became the leaders of twelve tribes who together form the nation of Israel. Their names, in the order of their age, are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin. 

Joseph was Jacob's favorite. That angered his older brothers so they sold him into slavery and Joseph was taken to Egypt. However, God blessed him there, and in time he became second in line to the Egyptian Pharaoh after interpreting a dream Pharaoh had about a great famine that was coming upon the land.

"Pharaoh further said to Joseph: See! I have set you today over all the land of Egypt." (Genesis 41:41)

Eventually, Jacob moved to Egypt with his family because of the great famine. There were about seventy of them at that time. They were welcomed by Pharaoh and given some of Pharaoh's best land to live on and tend to his livestock. Joseph forgave his older brothers when he realized that what they had done was part of Elohim's plan to save them from the famine.

"Then Joseph said to his brothers...I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold to Egypt.  And now do not be grieved nor let it be hot in your eyes that you sold me hither...Elohim sent me on before you to set up for you a remnant on earth and to preserve lives for you in a great deliverance...So now, not you sent me here, but the One Elohim..." (Genesis 45:4-8)

From the time Abraham moved into Canaan until Israel left Egypt was a total of 430 years. During their time in Egypt their numbers increased greatly until they had become a great nation of more than a million people. Because of their great numbers, another Egyptian Pharaoh feared them and made them his slaves.

"Then a new king rose over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph...Hence they placed over them chiefs of tributary service that they might humiliate them with their burdens." (Exodus 1:8-11)


December 22nd - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

“He’s making a list and checking it twice, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice...you better watch out, you better not cry, you better ...