Christ-Light Connections: Jacob in Egypt & The Birth of Moses

These two stories mark the end of the time of the patriachs and transition to a new era, the birth of Israel the nation. God speaks to Jacob one more time and then is silent for 400 years.

The book of Genesis ends like a good novel that is setting the reader up for the sequal.

Jacob’s family is together again. They are safe, secure and reconcilled, but they are in the wrong country. What about the promises connected to the land of Canaan? 

As Exodus opens, the dismal fate of the children of Israel is revealed. Why has God allowed his children to suffer in such a way for so long? In faith we can embrace the theme of the week: God moves in mysterious ways to perform his wonders.

OT Set 1 12A

Jacob in Egypt (Genesis 46-50)

Context

It must have been bewildering to Jacob as he experienced God’s promise to build a nation through his family fall apart and then suddenly and miraculously get put back together again. He had just sent all of his sons back to Egypt to likely face imprisonment or death. Then they all return with great gifts and the news that Joseph was alive!

As Jacob pondered whether or not to leave Canaan and go to Egypt, no doubt he wondered what this would mean concerning the promises God had given to him that were connected to the land.

Big Themes

Leaving the Promised Land (Genesis 46:1-4)

Here, Jacob is called Israel. The man, Israel, represents the entire embodiment of a nation. Beersheba is located near the southern border of Canaan and was where Abraham had lived and Isaac had built an altar. Offering this sacrifice was the last thing he did before leaving the Promised Land.

God’s response to Israel is the last recorded revelation for the next 400 years. He gives him permission to go down to Egypt and one last time, he repeats his promises to:

• make Israel a great nation
• be with them
• bring them back to the Promise land

One of the major themes that is significantly deepened in the book of Exodus is a longing to be in the Promised Land.

Settling in Goshen (Genesis 46:31-47:6)

Jacob’s entire family had left Caanan. Now Joseph negotiates the location for their stay in Egypt. Since shepherding was detestable work to the Egyptians (Genesis 46:34) it served as a barrier between cultures and protected the Israelites from mixing with the Egyptian people and religion.

“My years have been few and difficult”(Genesis 47:9)

Think back through Jacob’s life and the difficulties he faced. Each chapter of his story contains temptation, fear, hardship, hard work, family strife, heartbreak or death. Although Jacob did all he could to change and manipulate his situation, he could not escape difficulties. Jacob’s life was filled with a longing for things to be better.

No matter how hard we try, pain and toil fill our lives and our world. These sufferings drive us to look to our Rescuer and the fulfillment of his promises.

Conversation Starters:

• Refer back to Genesis 3:17-19; how had this prophesy come true in Jacob’s life? How do we see it in our own lives?
• Check out Revelation 21:4-5. To what promise do we look forward?

Interesting tidbits about Jacob’s final words (Genesis 48-49)

• Joseph’s sons: Jacob gives Joseph a double portion of his inheritance by adopting his two sons, Ephriam and Manasseh. Remember they were half Egyptian. Jacob’s blessing upon them secured their status as full Israelite children who would each become a tribe of the nation.
• Rueben, Simeon, and Levi: These three were disqualified to receive the blessings of the firstborn because of previous sins.
• Judah: He received the blessing of the firstborn. The Messiah would come from his line. Hey! Wait a second! He wasn’t a good guy either! It was his idea to sell Joseph into slavery and he did some other nasty stuff too! Weren’t the first three brothers passed over because of their sins? Yes, all of this is true. God does not choose to bless his people based upon anything they do or don’t do. Sometimes his grace seems scandalous to us.
• Jacob’s burial: Jacob made Joseph swear to bury him in the Promised Land. The long and public process emphasized the Israelites did not intend to stay in Egypt. Their home was elsewhere.

Joseph reassures his brothers (Genesis 50:15-21)

The death of Jacob uncovered the guilt and fear the brothers still felt for their crimes against Joseph. Now their father was no longer there to protect them from the punishment they deserved. Joseph’s answer bookends his story and reminds us that God is always working behind the scenes to accomplish his purpose.

Conversation Starters:

• What did Joseph mean when he said, “Am I in the place of God?” (Genesis 15:19)
• Why was Joseph able to forgive his brothers?
• What prevents us from fully forgiving others?

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Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith episode focuses on Jacob’s death and burial.

A whole bunch of episodes covers the content in 40 Minutes in the Old Testament. I wouldn’t use most of this information to teach younger children. If you have the time, the commentary is enriching and will broaden your understanding of the significance of these last few chapters in Genesis. 

• Episode 57: the last time God will speak for 400 years, eating holiness and the silence of God during exile.
• Episode 58: Jacob and Joseph being reunited with many tears, Pharaoh accepting Israel into Egypt and there is a whole lot of talk about sojourning.
• Episode 59: Jacob on his deathbed, the oath he makes Joseph swear to him and a radical twist of blessing and adoption.
• Episode 60: Wrapping up the book of Genesis. Blessings are given, Jacob dies, forgiveness is everywhere.

OT Set 1 12B

The Birth of Moses (Exodus 1:1- 2:10)

Context

It had been 400 years since God had spoken to Jacob. At that time, things were looking up for Israel. The 12 sons of Jacob had been reconciled, Joseph was in power, wealth abounded and the nation was beginning to take form. Now this nation of millions was enslaved and tormented and their hope was in a God who had been silent for centuries.

The book of Exodus becomes a backdrop for the rest of Scripture. The prophets and psalms repeatedly refer back to Exodus and there are over 200 references to Exodus in the New Testament. This book continues and enhances the biblical themes of exile, slavery, rescue, and restoration.

Big Themes

Shiphrah and Puah (Exodus 1:15-21)

The nameless king of Egypt has enslaved God’s people and has commanded these two midwives to serve him through infanticide. In risky obedience to God, Shiphrah and Puah defy Pharaoh. To honor these God-fearing women, the names of these two ordinary and common slaves are recorded in scripture. This is in contrast to the lack of name given to the Pharaoh who is the most powerful man in the world and even regarded to be a god by his people.

Conversation Starters:

• How is God glorified through the lowly?
• Can you name others who have obeyed God rather than men?

Infanticide (Genesis 1:22)

The oppression of the Israelites climaxes as babies are torn from the arms of their mothers and tossed into the Nile. It is impossible to imagine what God’s people were enduring. Israel is now a nation of a few million. How many babies were sent to a watery grave?

This portion of Exodus sets the stage for what would happen during the last plague in Exodus 12. It is also part of the backdrop for the birth of Christ as Herod murders the baby boys in Bethlehem. Keep it in mind when studying those portions of scripture.

Conversation Starter:

• How and why is infanticide committed in modern times?

The birth of a son (Exodus 2:1-2)

The birth of this child also brings a quiet birth of hope. In the NIV, Moses is called a “fine” child. The word in Hebrew is “tov”. Which is the same word that God used to describe his creation, “and it was very good.”(Genesis 1:31) This word would give the reader a clue that the creative work of God was about to take place.

Basket

The Hebrew word used for basket here is the same word used for Noah’s ark! Take a moment to think about all of the parallels between Noah’s ark and Moses’ basket and all that these boats meant for God’s people.

Conversation starters:

• What do the floodwaters and the Nile river have in common?
• What did the ark and the basket have in common?
• Now, can you make any baptismal connections?

Moses (Exodus 2:5-10)

Hope ignites and ironies abound as the baby is rescued from the Nile. The whole situation completely undermines Pharaoh as the women thwart his plans. Instead of killing the baby boy, he is saved, adopted into a high position, and is placed back into the hands of his own mother who even gets paid to nurse him!

The prophetic name, Moses, given to him by Pharaoh’s own daughter, means “to draw out.” He would be the one who would “draw out” God’s people from slavery in Egypt.

Conversation Starters:

• How did God set the stage to begin his plan of setting Israel free?
• Do you see any similarities between the birth of Moses and Christ?

Digging Deeper

The Seeds of Faith connects Moses to our salvation story.

Two episodes in 40 Minutes in the Old Testament cover the content this week:

• Episode 61: A thorough introduction to the book of Exodus.
• Episode 62: Pharaoh plots to have all the male babies of the Israelites killed, the midwives obey God rather than man and Moses is born and hidden.