Mark continued his series on Joseph by looking at Genesis 45 & 46. The number 7 features on several occasions in these chapters. Joseph begins by telling his brothers to return home and bring Jacob back to Egypt, reminding them that there are still 5 years of famine to go (seven years of famine altogether…) and they will be provided for in Egypt. God’s provision was relevant then and is still relevant to us today! – and can come even through people who do not know God, such as Pharaoh.
Jacob’s spirits were revived once he was persuaded that Joseph really was alive and he journeys forth with his sons. Gen 46:1-7 shows us Jacob setting off with all that was his – a huge undertaking at any time – and offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. The fact that this happened at Beersheba (see Genesis 21) reminds us of the place where a covenant was made between Abimelech and Abraham, when 7 lambs were given as the ‘seal’ for the contract. Abraham re-opened a well there, planted a tree and worshipped God. It was a place of significance spiritually and the whole theme of sacrifice is crucial to our spiritual progress. In a time of famine, when every animal he possessed must have seemed extra precious, Jacob sacrifices to God, understanding that sacrifice shows our obedience to God.
After bringing the sacrifice to God, God speaks again directly to Jacob (Gen 46:2), speaking in a vision of night, continuing the dream cycle! This is the 7th time God has spoken directly to Jacob in his life and once more He calls him by name. Jacob’s response, as ours must be, is to offer himself freely: ‘Here am I.’
God gives fresh revelation of Himself and gives Jacob confirmation that he is to travel to Egypt, promising to make a great nation of his family there. God’s promises to past generations still apply, for He is a God of continuity who works through generations of families. God promised to be with Jacob and to deliver them from Egypt, and although this would take 400 years to fulfil, the seeds of many years of Israel’s history are shown here. Gen 46:7-27 lists the people Jacob took with him, and including Joseph and his two sons, that totalled 70. Of these, his son Levi had sons from whom Aaron and Moses, the famous Exodus deliverers, would be born. The God of dreams works through generations to fulfil His purposes… and continues to do so to this day and beyond.