One need not be a believer for very long to realise that the Christian life is one of various tensions, particularly with reference to the ebbs and flows in our life. We read of God’s promises and then His providences seem to contradict those very words. We find ourselves being relocated from health to sickness, from marriage to widowhood, from singleness to marriage, or from marriage to singleness. We sometimes experience relocations from financial surplus to financial need, or from one job to another, or even sometimes from employment to unemployment. And then, of course, there is that perplexing issue of a physical relocation (of particular relevance to residents of South Africa): “To move or not to move? That is the question.”
Well when we are faced with any of these perplexing issues we need biblical answers and specifically we need to know when it is that God is relocating us. I believe that Genesis 46 has plenty of insight into how to properly know the answer to this question and thus how to face such relocations.
In this chapter we read of God’s relocation of Jacob and his family from Canaan to Egypt. This was a huge move for them, especially for Jacob. How would he know whether it was the right thing to do? How did this correspond with God’s covenanted promises to his fathers, and to him, regarding the seed? What did he need in order to make this move? What could he expect as the result of this relocation?
As we discover the answers to such questions may we be encouraged that when God relocates, then our move will be fruitful.
When God Relocates there is a Faithful Departure
Our text opens with the initial move of Jacob and his family. He travelled as far as Beersheba before God met with him. “So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac” (v. 1)
You can almost sense the excitement as Jacob and his many descendants loaded up the wagons to depart for Egypt. After 22 years Jacob would finally be reunited with his beloved son; the one whom he had assumed was dead all these years. Jacob’s faith had been revived by the show and tell of his sons upon their return from Egypt, and thus he is once again referred to as “Israel.” His faith moved him forward. He assumed that his life was about over (though in fact he would live another 17 years) but at least he was comforted in the knowledge that he would see his son one more time before he died (45:28). He did not face a sorrowful death after all.
As far as Jacob was concerned he was obeying the will of God as he packed up his belongings, organised his livestock and boarded the wagons for the journey to Egypt.
After a day or two of travel from Hebron toward the southernmost border of Canaan, Jacob reached Beersheba and dismounted to offer sacrifices to God. This is both a significant location and action on his part.
Beersheba was the last city between Canaan and Egypt. You may remember the common refrain used later to describe the boundaries of the Promised Land: “from Dan to Beersheba.” Jacob was about to leave the Promised Land for heathen land and thus his worshipful pause here was of great importance.
Beersheba was a very significant place, both to Jacob and to the patriarchs before him.
It was at Beersheba that Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech concerning the wells (Genesis 21). The Lord had given much grace to Abraham and he was emboldened to claim what God had given to him. He would not give up to the heathen what had been granted from heaven. To seal the deal, Abraham planted a grove of trees in Beersheba as a testimony that this land belonged to the seed of God.
It was also here that Abraham returned and settled upon his return from Moriah, where he had offered up his only son in loving obedience to God.
Later, Jacob’s father Isaac settled in this same region (26:23). It was here that Isaac redug the walls of his father and where God reaffirmed His covenant to Isaac and his seed (26:23-25). Isaac built an altar here and this is probably the same one on which Jacob offered these sacrifices.
It may also be remembered that Jacob had built an altar upon leaving Beersheba (28:10ff) as he went to Haran to secure a wife and to save his neck from an angry Esau!
The point that we need to see is that Beersheba had been Jacob’s boyhood home and was a place of covenantal commitment. It was a place where the chosen family was affirmed over and over again as God’s covenantal people. Thus we see Jacob here identifying with the family calling. Beersheba was his fatherland because his God and Father had covenanted there with him and with his forbears.
This event effectively marks the end of the patriarchal period. No longer will the focus be upon faithful individuals but rather the focus will be upon a nation called to be faithful. “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” is a phrase that would be used for centuries to encourage the nation of Israel to follow the Lord. As God entered into covenant with these patriarchs, He soon entered into covenant with their progeny. And so this final sacrifice of Jacob here in Canaan was of vast significance.
Jacob realised that he was leaving the land of promise for the land of heathens. And though he did not yet know this, he would never again see Canaan. His body would be carried back by his sons for burial some 17 years later. Canaan was certainly no friend of grace, but Egypt was even more of a threat to the worship of the true God. Though Canaan was a land of heathenism it must be remembered that it was a land with no cohesive government that united all of the peoples. Thus, though there was a multitude of pagan religions, at least there was the freedom for the Hebrews to practice their own without too much hassle. But in Egypt things would be different. There, the people all worshipped the same gods, and Pharaoh himself was deemed to be divine. You might say that the Egyptians practiced a kind of nationalised paganism. Thus, the monotheistic religion of the Hebrews would stick out like a sore thumb. They would truly be loners when it came to the worship of the true God.
Jacob understood this and thus he very significantly offered this sacrifice to God before he set foot on Egyptian soil. Jacob needed to remind himself and his family that, though they were relocating, they were not lapsing in their loyalty to the God who had led them thus far. They would be covenantally faithful—even in Egypt.
Thus it is that we see that Jacob departed for Egypt faithfully. He set out for this new land in dependence upon God and with a commitment to serve Him. And this is the way that we must set out on any and all of our journeys in life. When God moves to relocate us we need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness and we must faithfully worship Him as we depart. Let me attempt to flesh this out.
There are many “relocations” that believers face in life. You may relocate to a new school, or from high school to university. As you do so, it is important to remember that Christ is Lord of the university campus as much as He is of the high school, or your home school!
You may relocate from health to sickness, or from youth to middle age to old age. (As John Glenn once quipped, there is no cure for the common birthday!) A relocation may take place from singleness to marriage, from childlessness to the beginning of a family, from one job or career to another. These are natural and necessary relocations, but the move must always be made with a mindset of God’s covenantal faithfulness. As Jacob relocated on the heels of reaffirming his relationship with God, relocations are often a wonderful time for us to reflect on the same.
Of course, there is also the possibility (as with Jacob) of a physical, geographical relocation. As noted briefly above, the question of geographic relocation is one that looms large for many South Africans. Perceived instabilities—financial, political, educational, criminal, etc.—have driven many South Africans to “greener shores.” But this is precisely where the believer often ends in trouble. Many believers relocate without first considering God. They move without receiving confirmation (see below). They relocate without first considering their covenant relationship with God.
Jacob had been persuaded by the evidence but this decision was made within the context of worship. That is, his decision to relocate was both intelligent and worshipful.
In sum, let us learn from this episode the importance of relocating faithfully. We need to make sure to depart for new pastures only when our faith is healthy. Like Israel, we need to believe God as we move on. And related to this is the issue of understanding our generational responsibility.
When Israel offered these sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac he was sending a very strong message to his family: “The God of my father is my God and He is to be yours as well. Boys, there is a lot riding on your shoulders. Yes, we are relocating, but we are not lapsing in our commitment to Yahweh.”
A Namibian pastor once related to me the sad story of descendants of great missionaries in Namibia today who do not share the faith of their fathers. What happened? I don’t have all the answers, but I do know that somewhere along the way a generation was raised in which Beersheba was forgotten or neglected. And we need to realise that it only takes one generation for a believing, faithful heritage to come to a grinding halt. Let us make sure that this is not true in our generation by being sure that we thus pass our faith(fullness) to the next generation.
When God Relocates there may be Fearful Doubts
Upon offering his sacrificial worship to God Jacob turned in for the night. The first few days of the journey had been wonderful and Jacob had anticipated an emotional reunion with Joseph. He had seen wonderful marks of grace in the lives of several of his sons and the splendour of the Egyptian wagons had been a luxury! But all appeared well on the surface (at least to others) Jacob evidently had some doubts. On the threshold of Egypt he was actually rather fearful of what he and his descendants would face. Yes, he had offered sacrifices to God, thereby reaffirming the covenant relationship; and yet, as the night settled in, and the audience of his family departed for their own tents, Jacob was left alone with his thoughts and the forebodings began.
God had promised Canaan to his descendants and yet here he was leaving the land. In fact, besides his livestock, every earthly possession had been left behind. By now, the nearby Bedouins had probably helped themselves, and thus even if he was to return he would likely have nothing left. He was 130 years old and about to begin a new life! God had promised that this land would belong his descendants. Why was he leaving? How would the promise be fulfilled? Would it in fact be fulfilled? Was he doing the right thing?
Thankfully, God knew Jacob’s doubts, and so He appeared (as He always did when Jacob made a geographical location!) to assure him.
Then God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” And he said, “Here I am.” So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.”
(Genesis 46:2-3)
Jacob was faced with the predicament that believers throughout the ages have encountered: the apparent conflict between God’s providence and God’s promises. And he responded like we often do: with fear-fuelled doubt. With great gusto Israel offered his sacrifices of thanksgiving to God in the morning, but in the evening, he was back to behaving like Jacob. And thus the silence of the night is broken with God’s declaration: “Jacob, Jacob!”
Confrontation
As God appeared to Israel in the visions of the night He tenderly rebuked him, while at the same time encouraging him. And we who are His children experience the same from time to time. We need to be confronted with our unbelief so that we can believe again!
Consolation
God spoke to Jacob using his old name: “Jacob, Jacob” (that is, “schemer, schemer”). This is perhaps an indication that Jacob needed to stop worrying and rather be encouraged. He was in good hands. As God was faithful to his father (and to his grandfather) so He would be to Jacob and to his descendants.
There was no need to worry: God would take care of him and his family as they travelled to Egypt. “Fear not. I understand that you are fearful of forfeiting the promises by leaving the Promised Land. I know that you have been thinking about the time that Abraham went down to Egypt, nearly messed things up and how I was angry with him (Gen 12:10ff). I am well aware of your concerns that I had commanded your own father to not go down into Egypt when he too, like you, was facing famine in the land (26:1-5). But be assured that this situation is different. In this circumstance I indeed am all for this. This is part of my plan.”
Jacob needed this consoling confrontation with the Lord because he knew the promises that had been made to his forefathers. He knew that God had prophesied to Abraham (15:13-16) that his people would go down into a strange land for some four hundred years and there suffer great mistreatment. And no doubt Jacob saw this as being fulfilled in his move to Egypt. After all, to be leaving all his earthly goods behind was a certain testimony that he would not return to Canaan—and neither would his sons. And as he contemplated this he was overtaken by fear about the future.
Can you relate to this? I certainly can.
All too often I find myself struggling with the apparent contradiction between God’s promises and His providences. For example, God promises to meet my needs and then I get slapped with an unexpected request from the revenue services. God promises to be my Rock and then I am robbed. I read that He is “for me” and soon thereafter I feel like the whole world is against me. I read that by Christ’s stripes I am healed and then I fall ill and there seems to be no good health in sight. I read the promise that He will never leave me or forsake me and yet I find myself praying as if the heavens are brass. I read the promise that Christ will build His church and subsequently face the prospect of people leaving our membership. I read the promise that I have been glorified (Romans 8:28-30) and immediately I find myself falling and failing in sinful attitudes and actions. Have you not also found yourself in similar situations? What is the explanation? Is there a scriptural solution to these tensions? I believe that there is.
When we are fearful because confused by the apparent contradiction between what God says and what God is doing, let us see the big picture. Let us listen to all of God’s Word. Let us realise that God is God and we are not! That is, He knows what He is doing and is always on schedule. The problem is not with His promises but rather with our misreading those promises.
We need to realise that God’s promises have a context and that this context is not limited to this side of eternity. We are promised glorification, but not yet. We are promised perfect health, but we must be patient. We are promised that Christ will build His church, but this will take all of history to accomplish. God has promised to meet our needs, but in His way and according to His timetable.
This episode is of great comfort to us because it teaches us that God knows that we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). He thus comes to us speaking our name (see 22:11; Exodus 3:4) to encourage us that all is well. He tells us that, as we continue to follow Him, we are indeed on the right path and He will care for us.
Confirmation
It is vital that we grasp what the Lord was saying here to Jacob. He was declaring to him the promise that, if he remained faithful, he need not be fearful because God would make him fruitful. In v. 4 the Lord assured Jacob that He would one day bring him back to Canaan. We need to note that this is a plural “you.” That is, the descendants of Jacob—Israel proper—would one day come back to capture and conquer Canaan. The land that Jacob was leaving as a stranger would one day become the possession of his descendants. They were leaving behind a lot but this in no way compared to what they would one day inherit (see Joshua 21:43ff).
I want to make some practical applications here before moving on.
First, it is apparently quite a natural thing for believers to go from faith to fear; from certainty and joy to doubt and fear. We are sometimes Israel and sometimes Jacob. We may board the wagon of God’s promises with great faith only to soon disembark and face a dark night of the soul. We may find ourselves at worship on Sunday, full of joy and faith, only to face Monday wondering why God seems to be against us. We may find ourselves confused about the promises of God as we encounter the trying providence of God. This should not paralyse us but should instead drive us to the vision of God. It should drive us to the Word of God in which we may contemplate the character of God and be assured that His conduct is always faithful. This is what the visions of God did for Jacob. God assured Jacob that He had not changed. Israel may vacillate back and forth with Jacob but God is the Lord and He does not change. As He was with Isaac so He would be with Jacob!
God was with the previous generation as they faced economic hardship and He will be with us. God has helped generations of strained marriages within the church and He will help yours. God has provided for generations of Christian families and He will do so for ours. Jesus has been saving people for thousands of years and He will be doing so in our time too!
Second, we need to learn to be faithful and trust God to make us fruitful. The next four hundred years would be years of great fruitfulness for the nation of Israel. In fact, the family of Israel would only become the nation of Israel by going down into Egypt. The journey would become difficult but the destination was certain.
Over the course of the next four hundred years the people of Israel would be cruelly afflicted and yet it would be that very affliction that would prepare them to re-enter Canaan. And so it is that God’s providential afflictions make us more fruitful. Listen to these words of one commentator regarding affliction:
There is no saint in the Bible, of whose history we have any lengthened record, who was not called to endure trouble in some form; and very frequently the most eminent saints were the most tried. Those who were called to important services, were generally trained in the school of affliction.
We must realise that this is all a part of God’s plan and purpose for His people. And as we faithfully follow Him, as we relocate under His leadership, we will find ourselves fruitful with the result that His name is hallowed, His kingdom comes as His will is done. And this ultimately must be our supreme goal and thus prayer.
Third, let us admit the fact that we don’t like change. And the older we get, the less we like it. We like our comfort zones and thus we don’t like it when God relocates us to uncomfortable territory.
Consider the shock that this move would have been to Jacob. He was 130 years old and now he must leave everything except his livestock behind to move to a foreign land. This would not be an easy adjustment for anyone. But the change was necessary for the advancement of God’s redemptive purpose. And so are the changes that God brings into your life—even when you are old and settled.
May Sarton said, “I suppose that real old age begins when one looks backward rather than forward.” T. S. Eliot added, “I don’t believe that one grows older; I think that what happens early on in life is that at a certain age one stands still and stagnates.” And F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist, but in the ability to start over.”
I think of the reformations that have taken place here at BBC over the years. Change has proven difficult for many. But for those who focused on God’s Word the change has been fruitful. Doctrinal relocations are challenging indeed. But if they are Word-driven then they are fruitful in the end. He continues to mightily build His church here on the corner.
And let me suggest a related theme. When God providentially led Jacob to leave Canaan He did so in such a way that he left his baggage behind. When God moves us on He wants us to make the change without hanging on to the past. It is a sad thing when believing people continue to look backward rather than going forward. You can’t change past failures and past blessings, and though they should not be forgotten, neither should they be that in which we either bemoan or boast. Rather, we should look forward to new blessings and new opportunities for growth. God is with us in Egypt just as He was with us in Canaan. The God of Hebron is also the God of Thebes. The God of the youth is also the God of senior citizens.
It is interesting that Jacob lived another 17 years once he relocated to Egypt. For two decades he had lived like each day was his last. And I don’t mean this in a positive sense! The fact is that he had given up hope that things would get better and expected to die as a sad and lonely old man. Little did he know what God was doing in neighbouring Egypt and how He was preparing a place of fruitfulness for him and his family. Even as he considered the prospect of moving to Egypt, he assumed that his death was imminent (45:28). But he had nearly two more decades in which to live and in which to serve God.
We need to quit looking backward and assuming that all of the blessings are in the past. Yes, we as a nation are being relocated into some difficult times but blessings await us. You may have been relocated into widowhood and yet God has blessings ahead for you. You may be relocated into midlife but Goshen is ahead. Look forward by looking to Christ and be assured that fruitfulness awaits your entering where God has led you.
Fourth, we can die well because of God’s covenantal faithfulness. God comforted Jacob by telling him that his journey to Egypt would be secure and that indeed he would see his beloved Joseph. In fact, Joseph would be at his side when Jacob died. I find this interesting for it indicates that part of Jacob’s fears were related to the journey itself. Perhaps he felt that this was all too good to be true. But the Lord graciously assured him that indeed this blessed event would take place. The human saviour of the world would be with Jacob when he died. And you, believing reader, can make the obvious connection to your own death one day. Jesus, the Saviour of His people, will be with you when you die (John 14).
In summary, what is necessary in order for us to overcome the tempting fears that attend our relocation? The answer is found in the covenantal faithfulness of God. We need to hang on to the character of God. His name is the strong tower into which the righteous run for safety. So let us embrace the confrontation, experience the consolation and be energised by the confirmation that God is with us! Let us be encouraged by our Father’s claim, “I am God!”
When God Relocates there will be Fruitful Developments
The largest part of our text highlights the fruitful developments in Egypt for the family of Jacob under the leadership of Joseph.
Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the carts which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. So they took their livestock and their goods, which they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and went to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him. His sons and his sons’ sons, his daughters and his sons’ daughters, and all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt. Now these were the names of the children of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn. The sons of Reuben were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. The sons of Levi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The sons of Judah were Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. The sons of Issachar were Tola, Puvah, Job, and Shimron. The sons of Zebulun were Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. These were the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Padan Aram, with his daughter Dinah. All the persons, his sons and his daughters, were thirty-three. The sons of Gad were Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. The sons of Asher were Jimnah, Ishuah, Isui, Beriah, and Serah, their sister. And the sons of Beriah were Heber and Malchiel. These were the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter; and these she bore to Jacob: sixteen persons. The sons of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, were Joseph and Benjamin. And to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. The sons of Benjamin were Belah, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard. These were the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob: fourteen persons in all. The son of Dan was Hushim. The sons of Naphtali were Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem. These were the sons of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to Rachel his daughter, and she bore these to Jacob: seven persons in all. All the persons who went with Jacob to Egypt, who came from his body, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, were sixty-six persons in all. And the sons of Joseph who were born to him in Egypt were two persons. All the persons of the house of Jacob who went to Egypt were seventy.
(Genesis 46:5-27)
I remember a song that the church in which I was raised used to sing:
Little is much when God is in it;
labour not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it,
if you go in Jesus’ name.
That song is a fitting description for these verses as one considers the subsequent history. For though there were only some 70 people who comprised the people of Israel at this time, over the next four hundred years they would grow to be a nation of some two million!
Let me try to put this into perspective. At this point in history it had been approximately 230 years since God gave a son to Abraham. God had promised that through Abraham all the peoples of the world would be blessed, and that through Abraham a great nation would arise (see 12:2; 46:3). It had now taken nearly two and a half centuries for the seed to multiply to a family of 70 people. Things were not looking too hopeful. And to top it off, they were now forced to leave the land that God had promised them.
But again, God knows what He is doing and what He was doing was amazing. He would allow His people to be afflicted for centuries so that they would multiply. He would take these 70 people and make them fruitful to the point that they would become a threat to the established order of pagan Egyptian culture. In fact, they would become such a thorn in the side of these people that they would willingly let them return to Canaan. And just as Egypt would fund this initial trip of God’s people to Egypt, so the Egyptians would later fund their exodus out of Egypt!
We need to be encouraged by this that God does the most incredible things when His people simply obey Him. Indeed, “little is much when God is in it.”
As we develop this thought let us note that this small clan was already having some kind of an impact on the surrounding cultures, and it wasn’t because of their size but rather because of their unique worship.
In chapter 39 special mention is made by Potiphar’s wife that Joseph was a Hebrew, and again the butler makes the same reference in 41:12. When Joseph made reference to his being sold into slavery he said that he was sold out of the land of the Hebrews (40:15). The point being made is that the Hebrew people were clearly known as a distinct group throughout the region. That is pretty amazing for a group that comprised some 70 people in total! Yes, they had made a mark all because they served living and true God. It was a small group with a huge God!
David was little but God was huge; Moses was little but Yahweh was awesome; Joshua was small but God was big; twelve disciples were outnumbered but Jesus has all authority; Paul was short but God is tall; the church in Jerusalem was outnumbered but God holds the majority; Athanasius was one man contra mundum but Jesus Christ holds the world; Martin Luther was one frail man and yet God is Almighty.
Believer, be encouraged: Little is much when God is in it! Our worship is meaningful and to the degree that it is properly God-centred, to that degree it is powerful to impact a community. Yes, little is much when God is in it.
As we draw our study to a close, let me encourage you that our global assignment is indeed doable. But it will require affliction for us to make a proper impact. Consider with me the history behind the promises of God to Jacob both in Genesis 28 and here in chapter 46.
God had promised that the land of Canaan would one day be the inheritance of the children of Israel. But as of yet they only occupied a very small piece of it. And now they were in fact leaving it behind! But there was a purpose for this. The iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full (15:16). God was not in a hurry. Once the sins of the Canaanites had reached their full extent then God would send Israel into the land to conquer it—all of it. They needed to grow as a nation, both spiritually and numerically, before the land would be theirs. They would need to be able to populate the land so that they could regulate it. And this would take time. Thus God decreed that they would spend four hundred years being afflicted in Egypt in order to prepare them for conquest for His glory.
The same pattern holds true for the church of our day. We can expect both centuries and affliction to prepare the church to conquer the world. And make no mistake: The nations will be conquered! The Father has promised this to the Son who Himself was told to ask for them (see Psalms 2, 110).
We should not expect an easy ride. We can expect to face difficulties in Egypt while God prepares both the world and the church for global conquest by the gospel. Perhaps this will mean a time of Muslim captivity or economic oppression and depression. Perhaps it will require an increasing hostility from a secular world system. But make no mistake: God is covenantally faithful and thus one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father!
Nearly two thousand years ago the Father called His son out of Egypt (Matthew 2:15) in order that the nations would be conquered. The fullness of time had come for the King of kings and Lord of lords to take what was rightfully His. He has purchased this possession and now the church goes forth from century to century to collect the spoils of Jesus’ triumphant work on the cross. She goes through times of difficulty and affliction but these are only for the purpose of preparing her for greater conquests. For decades the church—at least in the West—has seemed impotent. But a new day seems to be dawning in which we can expect to be strengthened for a gospel-driven spiritual assault on the world.
May we hear God saying, “Fear not! I will use you to as I continue to build My great and glorious church.” And as we hear these words may we, like Jacob of old, respond submissively: “Here we are!” And, with Augustine, may we say, “Command as you will and give what you command!”