2021.03.06 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 47:13–27

Read Genesis 47:13–27

Questions from the Scripture text: What wasn’t there, and where (Genesis 47:13)? Why? With what result? What did Joseph gather up (Genesis 47:14)? For what? Where did he bring it? What happened where (Genesis 47:15)? Who asked for what? What did Joseph ask in return (Genesis 47:16)? With what result (Genesis 47:17)? At the end of that year, what did they say was the only thing left (Genesis 47:18)? What did they propose (Genesis 47:19)? For what two purposes? What did Joseph buy (Genesis 47:20)? What happened to the land? Where did he move the people (Genesis 47:21)? Whose land did he not buy (Genesis 47:22)? Why didn’t they sell? What did Joseph give the people (Genesis 47:23)? To do what with it? How much did they have to give Pharaoh (Genesis 47:24)? How did the people describe this arrangement (Genesis 47:25)? What did they ask to be? What became a permanent law (Genesis 47:26)? Who was doing what, and where, all this time (Genesis 47:27)?

Many who are first will be last, and many who will be last will be first. This passage would have been rather stunning to the Israelites under Moses. Nearly all of wealthy and powerful Egypt is being impoverished and enslaved (Genesis 47:14–26), while the comparatively poor and powerless Israelites are prospering and multiplying (Genesis 47:27).

The life they had been born into was very different. By the time their generation came, it was the Hebrews who had been impoverished and enslaved. But then again in the Exodus, as the Hebrews were being freed, they would again be suddenly enriched (cf. Exodus 3:22, Exodus 11:2–3, Exodus 12:35–36).

Here is something that the Lord has often done in history: brought great reversals to wean us off of prosperity and power in this world and warm our hearts to value the prosperity and power of the world to come. Indeed, in His great sermon on kingdom living (Matthew 5–7), the Lord Jesus teaches us to embrace our lowliness now as bringing great blessedness in the great reversal to come:

3    “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
        For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4    Blessed are those who mourn,
      For they shall be comforted.

5    Blessed are the meek,
      For they shall inherit the earth.

6    Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
      For they shall be filled.

7    Blessed are the merciful,
      For they shall obtain mercy.

8    Blessed are the pure in heart,
      For they shall see God.

9    Blessed are the peacemakers,
      For they shall be called sons of God.

10  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
      For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

(Matthew 5:3–12)

In what ways has the Lord surprisingly blessed you? In what ways has He surprisingly humbled you? 

Suggested songs: ARP1 “How Blessed the Man” or TPH464 “The Beatitudes”