Genesis 45
February 26, 2023
Pastor Martin teaches on Chapter 45 of Genesis
Let’s talk a bit about Pharaoh.
Gen 45:15 Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him.
Gen 45:16 Now the report of it was heard in Pharaoh’s house, saying, “Joseph’s brothers have come.” So it pleased Pharaoh and his servants well.
Gen 45:17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and depart; go to the land of Canaan.
Gen 45:18 Bring your father and your households and come to me; I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.
Remember, they are only 2 years into the famine, there are still 5 years of famine left when this promise is given!
Pharaoh promises Joseph that he will give Joseph’s family the BEST of the land of Egypt, and they will eat of the fat of the land, in other words, they will enjoy the most blessed blessings, prosperous prosperity, and the greatest level of provision. This is the highest blessing Pharaoh can offer!
Gen 45:19 Now you are commanded—do this: Take carts out of the land of Egypt for your little ones and your wives; bring your father and come.
Gen 45:20 Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’ ”
At this point Pharaoh doesn’t even know what Joseph’s family does for a living. They could be slave traders, builders, farmers, whatever else, but to Pharaoh it didn’t matter!
Pharaoh blessed Jacob and his sons because of and for the sake of Joseph.
Pharaoh told them not to worry about their goods (possessions), “for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours”; Don’t worry about what you have, what is waiting for you is better
Personal speculations… Had Joseph shared his family betrayal? Did he share his history?
Back to Pharaoh.
Most of our attitudes and thoughts of “Pharaoh’s” in general come from the Exodus period where Pharaoh was cruel and hard on the Hebrews. We find it hard to reconcile the seemingly caring Pharaoh of Joseph’s day with the iron fisted murdering Pharaoh of Moses’s day.
But would it surprise you to know that Moses’ Pharaoh was unusual?
Exo 1:8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.
Exo 1:9 And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; The children of Israel did not assimilate into Egyptian society. They remained separate, set apart…
Exo 1:10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”
Exo 1:11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.
Exo 1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.
Exo 1:13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.
Exo 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.
Exo 1:15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah;
Exo 1:16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”
This “new king” who did not know Joseph was threatened and terrified by the Hebrews and set about to enslave and diminish them to reduce their threat level to an acceptable level.
Act 7:17 “But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt
Act 7:18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph.
Act 7:19 This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.
Act 7:18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph.
“another”-
ἕτερος
heteros
het’-er-os
Of uncertain affinity; (an-, the) other or different: – altered, else, next (day), one, (an-) other, some, strange.
“Heterosexual” Sexual relations with another human of a different kind.
Pen example:
English use of another…
Stephen tells us in Acts 7 that a king of a different kind who did not know Joseph arose to oppress the people.
Isa 52:4 For thus says the Lord GOD: “My people went down at first Into Egypt to dwell there; Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
Now read Isaiah 52….
Refresher:
Gen 15:12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.
Gen 15:13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
Gen 15:14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
Gen 15:15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.
Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
The Hebrews went down to Egypt in order to grow into a nation. They were protected, blessed, prospered, and multiplied exceedingly until the time of their departure was at hand.
God orchestrated “Another Pharaoh” so that they would leave the “comfort” of Egypt and return to the land of promise!
Babylonian return…
Whining in the wilderness…
Pro 26:10 The great God who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
Pro 26:11 As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.
2Pe 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
2Pe 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
So let’s break this down to contemporary application.
The children of Israel struggled to exit Egypt because they did not hold to the promise given to Abraham. They got comfortable and settled in Egypt and needed some fire under their feet to get going. Meanwhile, Egypt (the Assyrian) sought to minimize them to a comfortable level.
The Israelites ALSO struggled to leave Babylon and return to the land of promise because they too had become settled and comfortable. They had houses, lands, vineyards, and perhaps businesses. The thought of leaving what was familiar and comfortable was too much.
In both cases, the faithful were obedient, the weak in faith were brought through trials and tribulations to bring them back into the covenant.
But what about the Church?
Like the Assyrian of Egypt, the world will ALWAYS seek to minimize Christ’s Church to an acceptable threat level! The enemy seeks to reduce our effectiveness, enslave us, squash the Gospel, and keep their gates shut and fortified against His Church.
How are we to operate in times of comfort as well as times of trouble?
REMEMBER THE PROMISE!!!
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