Day 12: Genesis 45-50

Genesis 45：Joseph Reveals His Identity 

[Summary]

Joseph and his brothers, who had lived in such deep conflict for so many years, finally meet again and become one in reconciliation and love. This chapter records the most dramatic and touching scene in Joseph’s life. Joseph, unable to control his emotions any longer, reveals to his brothers that he is Joseph and weeps with joy (verses 1-8). He then urges his brothers to quickly go and bring back their father Jacob, sending them to Canaan with many gifts (verses 9-24). When Jacob hears that Joseph is alive, he is delighted and wants to go down to Egypt immediately to see Joseph (verses 25-28).

Judah’s earnest appeal and desperate plea of ​​self-sacrifice for Benjamin, who was branded a sinner according to Joseph’s plan, made Joseph unable to control his emotions. As a result, Joseph shed tears of emotion and revealed his identity to his brothers. And he knew that his brothers were afraid of his revenge, so he told them to reassure them that it was not their fault that he had sold him into Egypt, but that it was God’s providence to avoid the famine. In the end, Joseph confessed that God, the master of providence, had turned evil into good to fulfill His plan, and that their separation was part of God’s plan of salvation.

Genesis 46： Jacob's Family Migrate to Egypt 

[Summary]

God, who had been leading the history of redemption centered on a single individual, the patriarch, is finally opening up a new dimension of redemption centered on the nation of Israel. This chapter is about the descendants of the covenant entering Egypt to grow into a great nation. On the way to Egypt with his family, Jacob offers a sacrifice to God at Beersheba, and God promises the blessing of Bethel again (verses 1-7). At this time, the total number of family members who migrated to Egypt together was 70 (verses 8-28). After Jacob arrives in Goshen, Joseph comes up and they have a dramatic reunion after 20 years, and Jacob's family prepares to settle in the land of Goshen (verses 29-34).

Jacob was very happy when he learned through his sons that his son Joseph, who he had thought was dead, was alive and that he was the prime minister of Egypt. This chapter mentions Jacob's family migrating to Egypt at Joseph's invitation during a famine.

Genesis 47：Jacob's Family and Pharaoh 

[Summary]

This chapter shows Jacob's family settling in the land of Goshen and the prosperity of Egypt through Joseph's reign, thereby telling us about God's providence in leading and blessing the chosen people. After arriving in Egypt, Jacob met Pharaoh and his family settled in the land of Goshen (verses 1-12). At this time, the famine became more severe throughout the land and the people gave their livestock and land to Pharaoh in exchange for food. From this time on, all of Egypt's land, except for the priests' property, became Pharaoh's property (verses 13-26). Meanwhile, 17 years after settling in Goshen, Jacob felt that his death was imminent and left a will to Joseph to bury him in the prosperity of his ancestors (verses 27-31). This shows Jacob's redemptive hope for the land promised by God as the lineage of the covenant.

Jacob and his family, who moved to Egypt at Joseph's invitation, settled peacefully in the land of Goshen thanks to Pharaoh's special consideration. The last part of this chapter contains Jacob's will to Joseph regarding his funeral before his death.

Genesis 48： Jacob Blesses Joseph's Two Sons 

[Summary]

The patriarchal history that began with Abraham and continued through Isaac and Jacob is slowly coming to an end, and now the era of the Israelite community centered on the twelve tribes is opening. This chapter is the prelude to this, with Jacob passing on the covenant to Joseph's two sons before his death. Jacob passes on the covenant to Joseph before his death and accepts his two sons as his own sons (verses 1-7). Then, he places his hands on the heads of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, and passes on the same covenant blessings, accepting them as members of the Israelite community (verses 8-22). As a result, later in Israel, there was no tribe of Joseph, but the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim. Now, the era of the patriarchs is coming to an end with Jacob's death and the formation of the twelve tribes of Israel by Joseph's two sons, and a new environment called the era of the Israelite tribal community is beginning.

Following chapter 47, Jacob passed on God's covenant regarding the land of Canaan and his descendants to Joseph. And the blessing given to his two grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, whom he visited while he was sick, led to Joseph's two sons forming the two tribes of Israel and playing a major role in the history of redemption.

Genesis 49: Prophecy of the Twelve Sons 

[Overview]

This chapter is about Jacob's future for his twelve sons who will lead the new era of redemption. This implies that just as he led the patriarchs up to this point, the future Israelites will also be led by God's plan and sovereign providence. Jacob called his sons together for the last time and prophesied about their future (verses 1-27). After all the prophecies, Jacob finally asked to be buried in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan, where his ancestors were buried, not in Egypt, and ended his eventful life (verses 28-33).

This chapter is a record of the prophecies, blessings and curses, judgments, and promises about the future mentioned in Genesis. These prophecies were all fulfilled in the future, and God's redemptive history unfolded in the midst of them.

Genesis 50：Jacob's Funeral and Joseph's Death 

[Summary]

The era of the patriarchs, who lived as a prelude to the history of redemption, ended with Jacob and Joseph. However, it was not the end, but also the starting point for the more magnificent and dramatic history of redemption of God. This chapter ends Genesis, which began by announcing the beginning of the world, by heralding a new era with the death of the patriarch. After Jacob died, Joseph buried him in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan (verses 1-14). At this time, Joseph once again lovingly forgives his brothers who feared Joseph's revenge after their father's death (verses 15-21). Finally, the last patriarch, Joseph, ends Genesis with his eventful life by making a will asking his descendants to bury him in the land of their ancestors with their father when they leave Egypt (verses 22-26). This also implies that the era of the patriarchs will end and a new turning point will unfold with the Exodus.

This chapter is the grand conclusion to Genesis. That is, this chapter mentions Jacob's funeral, the solidarity of the Israelite community after his death, and Joseph's death. Genesis begins with the grand theme of the beginning of the beginning, but ends with sad events of death. Jacob was a great pioneer of faith, and Joseph was also an excellent priest, but they could not avoid the end of their lives as finite human beings. This is because all life is nothing more than grass before the Almighty God. Chapter 50 of Genesis allows us to examine Jacob and Joseph's excellent faith and the grace of God who blessed their lives.