Genesis and God’s Great Dilemma: Why the Story Doesn’t End in Egypt
Genesis and God’s Great Dilemma
Why the Story Doesn’t End in Egypt
June 25, 2022
Larry R Evans
Introduction
To say that there is a growing alarm regarding the state of our world is an understatement. Inflation, high gas and food prices, a falling stock market, corrosive politics, and a looming recession are all causes for serious concern. Two recent Gallup polls reveal an erosion of foundational principles that is even more troubling.
According to Gallup, 50 percent of those surveyed believe the state of “moral values” in America is “poor.” Thirty-seven percent say they are only “fair.” The trend is not headed in the right direction as 78 percent think they are getting worse.
One doesn’t have to look far to see the reason for this pessimistic outlook. Consider what is being taught (and not taught) in many public schools and universities. Things once considered wrong and immoral are now paraded as not only acceptable but values that “must be accepted”—and woe to those corporations, institutions, and individuals that claim otherwise. It is “cool” to not be identified with whatever is perceived by the establishment—society, government, or church.
The following examples I share are not meant to take political sides. They are reasons for moral concern. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi appeared on ‘Ru Paul’s Drag Race’ this week, telling viewers that ‘Drag is what America is all about!’
“It’s my honor to be here,” Pelosi said. Your freedom of expression of yourselves in drag is what America is all about.” While drag's main purpose has been for drag performance and entertainment, it is also used as self-expression and a celebration of LGBTQ+ pride.
The widespread promotion of so-called “gender identity and fluidity” is creating confusion. Facebook’s list of gender categories now totals 58. Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed a “Menstrual Cycle Dignity” bill that requires thousands of new tampon dispensers to be placed in boys’ bathrooms. A Washington, D.C. elementary school gave Pre-K through third-grade children a lesson on “anti-racism” that asked them to identify racist members of their family.
Moral decline—along with massive debt—has contributed to the collapse of great nations in the past. If a foundation is defective, any house built on it will experience distress. According to Gallup, belief in the existence of God has reached a new low although the majority still do believe. There is a principle we must remember: When society creates a vacuum, pressure builds from the outside to fill it. If growing numbers of people don’t believe in God, they will turn their belief to that which they do believe or feel they ought to believe. Our study of Genesis has come at the right time. In Genesis, we find not only our identity but our Source of identity.
We have drifted far from God’s original purpose for us and our world. Today we end our study of the book of Genesis, but we must not leave without seeing how Genesis continues to speak to us. As we’ve reviewed Genesis, we’ve seen the great dilemma sin has placed upon God. As we've seen the development of Genesis this quarter, we’ve come to realize that the words “In the beginning God” have a meaning that exceeds the world's creation. Our study ends with Israel in Egypt but Genesis does not leave Israel or us without hope. Genesis reminds us that even while Israel was in Egypt God never abandoned His people. In retrospect, we’ve seen that God created a foundation of understanding His purposes on which our fulfillment can be experienced regardless of the circumstances in which we may find ourselves.
Genesis falls into two unequal parts. In the first part, chapters 1-11, we see two themes emerge. In the first section of these introductory chapters, we see God’s orderly creation leading to man’s responsibility and being him being blessed by God. This is followed by the disintegrating work of God’s creation and plan by sin characterized by the folly of Babel (chapter 11).
In the second part of Genesis, from chapter 12 and onward, we see God’s covenant no longer as a general pledge to all mankind as in chapter 9:8-17 but narrowed to a single-family through which “all families of the earth” will be blessed (12:3). For some the idea of “remnant” is repulsive but in Genesis, we see how God uses a remnant to reach out to all.
We’ve learned that it is God who is telling us His story. This is important. It is a perspective lost by a world for it creates its own gods and one that is determined to chart its course.
God takes us back to the very beginning. We are reminded that He had a plan. At one time the earth may have been “formless and empty” but He filled it with everything that would be needed and enjoyed. Our value is clearly expressed, “Let us make mankind in our image” (Gen. 1:26). From the very beginning, our dignity, our sense of personhood, is directly linked to God and not to what we can do, our bodily form, our gender, or our past achievements—a lesson that is often forgotten. The biblical foundation we have seen in our study we will, we must take with us as we study other portions of Scripture.
God is telling us His story of how He is redeeming his original plan for us. To bring our study of Genesis to a close we will look at three pivotal closing events in Genesis:
1. When Jacob settled in Egypt--
2. When Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons
3. When Jacob and Joseph died with the Hope of the Promised Land
Egypt the Next Step in God’s Plan
(When Jacob Settled in Egypt)
As you may recall, Joseph’s brothers presented his blood-stained robe to Jacob. Grief-stricken Jacob said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave” (Gen. 37:35). Jacob was sure he knew the conclusion, but God still had chapters to add. In chapter 46:7 we find a dramatic contrast to Jacob’s anticipated troubled end.
Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.
Repeatedly in Genesis, we learn that when we place our faith in God, circumstances can and often do change. However, God is waiting for us to change so that He can change the circumstances. We pray that God will change some event or some person when the first step is often God is working to change us. God has a plan. Sometimes we are the interference with the very thing we are asking God to do. The story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph reveals the character of God.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
The LORD is good to all;
he has compassion for all he has made. (Psalm 145:8)
When God called Abram to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household and go to the promised land, it was with the assurance that “all peoples on earth would be blessed through [him] (Ge. 121:1-3).
When Jacob addressed God as the “God of his father” (Gen. 46:1) he was acknowledging the family calling. Jacob is depicted as a second Abraham. God will not only accompany Jacob to Egypt, but he will also bring him back to the Promised Land. However, when God spoke to Jacob in Genesis 46:3,4, a new detail was added—the growth to nationhood would take place while in Egypt! Jacob was called to leave the Land of Promise for, of all places, Egypt! In the long run, Egypt was a step toward Canaan but at the time it was not understood. Is there a truism here that we need to remember?
I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes. (Isa. 46:3,4)
The initial meeting between Joseph’s family and Pharoah’s helped set the stage for the fulfillment of God’s plan. Joseph instructed His brothers to identify themselves as workers with livestock. As such, they would receive the protection of the Pharoah. Thanks to the service of Joseph, Jacob, and his family were not only granted a part of the country as a home but they were exempted from taxation. They were given an abundance of food during the famine. Furthermore, while living in Egypt, they were in a land away from the Egyptians. They were in a different “neighborhood.” Joseph was wise. He knew there were others like Potiphar’s wife and other Egyptian allurements that could lead the family away from God.
When Joseph introduced Jacob to Pharoah Jacob was 130 years old. He would live 17 more years. He did not boast about his longevity but humbly recognized that they were difficult years and that his life was not as long as Abraham’s (175 years) or Isaac’s (180 years). Jacob saw his life as part of the promise given to Abraham before him.
We must keep in mind that the book of Genesis is not a hodgepodge of inspiring stories. As we recall the opening words of Genesis, “In the beginning God”, we can see better now that God was not only in the beginning, He remained with His people. He never abandoned the original plan. We may all fall and make mistakes and we may abandon Him, but He does not abandon us. The entrance of sin has forced Him to adopt a contingency plan to redeem those created in His image. The moment sin entered was the moment the plan of redemption was implemented. God was prepared!
In volume 6 of the Testimonies to the Church, p. 364 we find a principle we should remember and freely share with others.
The dealings of God with His people should be often repeated. How frequently were the waymarks set up by the Lord in His dealings with ancient Israel! Lest they should forget the history of the past, He commanded Moses to frame these events into song, that parents might teach them to their children.
The Bethel Experience Renewed
(When Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons)
A monumental spiritual experience for Jacob took place at Bethel, or “the house of God.”(Gen. 28). It was here that he had had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on earth with its top reaching to heaven. Ascending and descending on the ladder were angels of God.
At that time, the Lord promised to be with Jacob so that he could return and worship the Lord again in his homeland (Gen. 28:15). Jacob was reunited with Joseph, he found himself in the last days of his life. Just one problem! He was now living in Egypt and not Canaan! He knew he was dying. Word had reached Joseph and Joseph taking his two sons with him rushed to the side of Jacob seeking his blessings for Manasseh and Ephraim.
Out of Jacob’s long career, Hebrews 11:21 selects the blessing of Joseph’s sons as his outstanding act of faith. Why?
By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
QUESTION: Why would the author of Hebrews mention this act by Jacob as the one event to record in this chapter depicting the heroes of faith?
With failing eyesight, Jacob intentionally blesses the younger brother, Ephraim, first. Joseph tries to correct his father but Jacob knows what he is doing (Gen. 48:19) although he does bless both of them (Gen. 48:14,19) regarding things to come. What is important for us now is to recognize the 3-fold faith acknowledgment of God leading to this blessing. It is important as it links the narrative of the whole book of Genesis.
Then he blessed Joseph and said,
“May the God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully,
the God who has been my shepherd
all my life to this day,
the Angel who has delivered me from all harm
—may he bless these boys.
May they be called by my name
and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
and may they increase greatly
on the earth.” (Gen. 48:15-16)
As Jacob lies on his death bed his faith shines:
1. He recognizes that the leading of God preceded him—the covenant God
2. He recognizes that God has led him like a shepherd—caring for his best welfare
3. He recognizes not only God’s protection but that God had reclaimed him.
4. He recognizes that God’s plan will be active even after he is gone.
He is reflecting on the lessons learned from his Bethel experience throughout his life.
The View of the Promised Land from Egypt
The Promised Land could only be seen from Egypt with the eyes of faith and that is how Genesis closes. It does so with three events and three timeless truths.
Three Events Filled with Hope:
1. Death does not deter Jacob’s faith in God’s promise. He charges his sons to bury him in Canaan, at the cave of Machpelah, where Sarah was buried. (Gen. 49:29-31)
2. God can turn evil into good. Joseph’s brothers are concerned for revenge, but Joseph’s forgiveness sees beyond their acts of brotherly betrayal. This is seen when Joseph replied to their fear,
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Gen. 50:19)
3. God acts to save fallen humankind.
And Joseph made the Israelites swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
Three Reflections on the Life of Joseph
1. We must leave all the righting of one’s wrongs to God (Gen. 50:19; Rom. 12:19)
2. We must not allow the malice of man to destroy our faith. (Gen. 50:20)
3. We must not repay evil with only forgiveness but also with practical affection (Gen. 50:21)
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