Joseph - Genesis 46
- In verse 1, Israel/Jacob sets out with all of his family for Egypt, and stops along the way at Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God in worship. How often do you worship the Lord?
- Then God speaks to Israel/Jacob in a dream in verses 2-4 and: 1) Gives His approval for their going to Egypt. 2) Says He will go with them and be with them there. 3) That this is His plan because there He will make them into a great nation. (For one reason why, see verses 45:18, 46:34, and 47:5-6.) 4) That He will also bring them out of Egypt and back to the Canaan area. 5) Israel/Jacob will see, and then live with his son Joseph before he dies.
- For God revealing himself in our dreams, see the bible study on Joseph - Genesis 40. Has God revealed himself to you in any of your dreams? If so, what took place?
- God revealed His plan to Israel/Jacob for His family for generations to come. Do you know God's plan for your life? If so, what is it? How was it revealed to you? If not, how can we know God's plan for our life?
- In this chapter Joseph and his father are finally reunited again. Joseph "wept for a long time." Why? His father said, "Now I am ready to die." Why?
- Have you had a major family reunion or reconciliation in your life? What was it like?
- Israel/Jacob's family are to tell Pharaoh that they are shepherds when they meet him, be-cause then they will be told to settle in the Goshen area of Egypt, because shepherds are detestable to Egyptians. Why was this important to their future and God's plan for their lives?