JOSEPH SERIES: THE REUNION

On his journey from Hebron to Egypt, after traveling about a week, Jacob arrived at Beersheba, where he offered sacrifices to his forefather’s God. Additionally, God spoke to Jacob in a night-vision and assured him not to fear, He would be with him in Egypt, his family would become a great nation, that he would return to Canaan, and Joseph, his beloved son, would be present at the time of his death.

Furthermore, chapter 46 revealed the sixty-six family members who accompanied Jacob down into Egypt, and it shared the names of Jacob’s wives, his wives’ handmaidens, his sons, daughter, grandsons, and granddaughter. The families rode in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent for them, and they took their cattle and goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan with them.

After twenty-two years, the long-anticipated reunion between father and son took place in Goshen, the Nile delta’s fertile northeast section. Joseph’s strong affection for his father was displayed as he copiously wept on Jacob’s neck. Happy to be reunited with his son Jacob said, “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.”

Finally, knowing the Egyptians disdain for all sheepherders, Joseph instructs his brothers to say to Pharaoh when they met with him, “Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers.”

So, once again, as I did in the previous blogs of this series, I will end this blog with points that I think are helpful for all of us to remember:

1. When given the opportunity, offer sacrifices to God.
2. Listen for the voice of God even in the night season.
3. Invite the true God of your father to also your God.
4. Your best assurance in life is knowing God will be with you; thus, you do not have to fear.
5. Don’t go anywhere the presence of God is not.
6. Please don’t leave any family behind; take them with you to the place of provision.
7. A forerunner’s responsibility is to lead you in the right direction.
8. It is a wonderful and emotional event to reunite with a person you know loves you dearly.
9. A wise person will instruct others about offensive things.