Jacob Moves To Egypt Genesis 45:17-50:26

Lesson 033 Jacob Moves To Egypt Genesis 45:17-50:26

MEMORY VERSE ROMAN S 8:28 And w e know that all things w ork together for good to those w ho lov e God, to those w ho are the c alled ac c ording to His purpose. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Two small wagons (or large flat bottomed baskets with a short rope tied on so that it may be pulled like a wagon), enough stuff so that each wagon can be filled to overflowing, masking tape for a starting line, and two coffee cans to represent Egypt. Oyster crackers, and a set of cut-outs (money, livestock, land, myself) for each child. As many copies of the all things puzzle as the number of children in your class, scissors, glue and cardboard. ATTENTION GRABBER! Going to Egypt You will need two small wagons (or large flat bottomed baskets with a short rope tied on so that it may be pulled like a wagon), enough stuff so that each wagon can be filled to overflowing, masking tape for a starting line, and two coffee cans to represent Egypt. Just think of all the work it was for Jacob and all his family to move! Put a masking tape starting line on the floor of your class and pile half of the stuff beside each wagon. Divide your class into teams for a relay. When you say Travel to Egypt! each team can fill the wagon or basket but only one person at a time may pull the wagon to Egypt each time. If any of the stuff falls off, the person

pulling the wagon is the only one who may pick it up and replace it, and then he must return to the starting line with all of his stuff. Let each child have a turn to Go to Egypt. LESSON TIME! Over the past few weeks, we have been studying about the life of Joseph. In today s lesson, we see God s plan coming together with Joseph s father and all his family coming to live in Egypt with him. At this time, Joseph was second in charge to Pharaoh, the Egyptian King. It was during a time of great famine. A famine is a time when there is not enough food for everyone, so Joseph sent for his father and his family so that he might provide for them. God works all things together for good to those who love Him. We have seen Joseph go through an awful lot of problems and trials in his life. But through it all, we have seen how God has been faithful. God used Joseph even when it seemed like everything was going wrong. Let s find out more about how God has everything under His control and how He desires to help His children. G EN ES I S 45:17-20 An d Ph ar ao h s ai d t o J o s e p h, " S ay t o y o u r br o t h e r s, ' D o t h i s : L o ad y o u r be as t s an d d e p ar t ; go t o t h e l an d o f C an aan. ' B r i n g y o u r f at h e r an d y o u r h o u s e h o l d s an d c o m e t o m e ; I w i l l gi v e y o u t h e be s t o f t h e l an d o f Egy p t, an d y o u w i l l e at t h e f at o f t h e l an d. ' N o w y o u ar e c o m m an d e d --d o t h i s : T ak e c ar t s o u t o f t h e l an d o f Egy p t f o r y o u r l i t t l e o n e s an d y o u r w i v e s ; br i n g y o u r f at h e r an d c o m e. ' Al s o d o n o t be c o n c e r n e d abo u t y o u r go o d s, f o r t h e be s t o f al l t h e l an d o f Egy p t i s y o u r s. "

Joseph s brothers returned to Canaan to tell their father about everything that has happened. They may have been a little frightened to tell their father about what had happened, especially since they had lied to him. At the same time, they may have been excited to let their father know that Joseph was still alive--what a blessing that would be to their father! Israel (Jacob) sets out to go to Egypt. This is the beginning of the time that Israel dwells in the land of Egypt. The sons and families of Jacob prospered in Egypt for many years; however, we read in Exodus, that they eventually became slaves to the Egyptians. God will hear the cries of his people and, again, deliver them gloriously. God takes care of His people. God works all things together for good to those who love Him. G EN ES I S 46:1-6 S o I s r ae l t o o k h i s j o u r n e y w i t h al l t h at h e h ad, an d c am e t o B e e r s h e ba, an d o f f e r e d s ac r i f i c e s t o t h e G o d o f h i s f at h e r I s aac. T h e n G o d s p o k e t o I s r ae l i n t h e v i s i o n s o f t h e n i gh t, an d s ai d, " J ac o b, J ac o b!" An d h e s ai d, " H e r e I am. " S o H e s ai d, " I am G o d, t h e G o d o f y o u r f at h e r ; d o n o t f e ar t o go d o w n t o Egy p t, f o r I w i l l m ak e o f y o u a gr e at n at i o n t h e r e. " I w i l l go d o w n w i t h y o u t o Egy p t, an d I w i l l al s o s u r e l y br i n g y o u u p agai n ; an d J o s e p h w i l l p u t h i s h an d o n y o u r e y e s. " T h e n J ac o b ar o s e f r o m B e e r s h e ba; an d t h e s o n s o f I s r ae l c ar r i e d t h e i r f at h e r J ac o b, t h e i r l i t t l e o n e s, an d t h e i r w i v e s, i n t h e c ar t s w h i c h Ph ar ao h h ad s e n t t o c ar r y h i m.

S o t h e y t o o k t h e i r l i v e s t o c k an d t h e i r go o d s, w h i c h t h e y h ad ac qu i r e d i n t h e l an d o f C an aan, an d w e n t t o Egy p t, J ac o b an d al l h i s d e s c e n d an t s w i t h h i m. Jacob, who is also called Israel, headed to Egypt with his family. He made a sacrifice to God, and God spoke to Jacob in a vision. God gave Jacob the promise that he would make a great nation of Jacob in Egypt. God also promised he would bring the nation back again. (This promise, the exodus, would be fulfilled 400 years later.) Sometimes, God asks us to do new and difficult things, but He promises to be with us, to guide us, and to provide for us. God works all things together for good to those who love Him. G EN ES I S 46:31-34 T h e n J o s e p h s ai d t o h i s br o t h e r s an d t o h i s f at h e r ' s h o u s e h o l d, " I w i l l go u p an d t e l l Ph ar ao h, an d s ay t o h i m, ' M y br o t h e r s an d t h o s e o f m y f at h e r ' s h o u s e, w h o w e r e i n t h e l an d o f C an aan, h av e c o m e t o m e. ' An d t h e m e n ar e s h e p h e r d s, f o r t h e i r o c c u p at i o n h as be e n t o f e e d l i v e s t o c k ; an d t h e y h av e br o u gh t t h e i r f l o c k s, t h e i r h e r d s, an d al l t h at t h e y h av e. ' " S o i t s h al l be, w h e n Ph ar ao h c al l s y o u an d s ay s, ' Wh at i s y o u r o c c u p at i o n?' " t h at y o u s h al l s ay, ' Y o u r s e r v an t s ' o c c u p at i o n h as be e n w i t h l i v e s t o c k f r o m o u r y o u t h e v e n t i l l n o w, bo t h w e an d al s o o u r f at h e r s, ' t h at y o u m ay d w e l l i n t h e l an d o f G o s h e n ; f o r e v e r y s h e p h e r d i s an abo m i n at i o n t o t h e Egy p t i an s. "

Joseph and his father s family were all shepherds. The Egyptians did not respect shepherds, but Joseph made sure that the Egyptians knew his family tended sheep. This allowed Joseph s family to live apart from the Egyptians and establish themselves as a separate nation, just as God had promised to make of them. They maintained a separate identity and did not become like the Egyptians. Just like Joseph s family, we live around non-christians. We are called to share God s love with them, but not to live and act as they do. Joseph s family lived in Egypt, but they were not Egyptians. We should be identified with Christ and not with those who live as non-christians around us. G EN ES I S 47:13-16 N o w t h e r e w as n o br e ad i n al l t h e l an d ; f o r t h e f am i n e w as v e r y s e v e r e, s o t h at t h e l an d o f Egy p t an d al l t h e l an d o f C an aan l an gu i s h e d be c au s e o f t h e f am i n e. An d J o s e p h gat h e r e d u p al l t h e m o n e y t h at w as f o u n d i n t h e l an d o f Egy p t an d i n t h e l an d o f C an aan, f o r t h e gr ai n w h i c h t h e y bo u gh t ; an d J o s e p h br o u gh t t h e m o n e y i n t o Ph ar ao h ' s h o u s e. S o w h e n t h e m o n e y f ai l e d i n t h e l an d o f Egy p t an d i n t h e l an d o f C an aan, al l t h e Egy p t i an s c am e t o J o s e p h an d s ai d, " G i v e u s br e ad, f o r w h y s h o u l d w e d i e i n y o u r p r e s e n c e? F o r t h e m o n e y h as f ai l e d. " T h e n J o s e p h s ai d, " G i v e y o u r l i v e s t o c k, an d I w i l l gi v e y o u br e ad f o r y o u r l i v e s t o c k, i f t h e m o n e y i s go n e. "

When all of the food was gone, the people came to Joseph to ask for food. He sold them food for their possessions until Joseph had gained all the material wealth for Pharaoh. But Jacob and his family prospered and multiplied in number. We continue to see God working in these circumstances to help His people. God works all things together for good to those who love Him. Help! I m Hungry You will need oyster crackers and a set of cut-outs (money, livestock, land, myself) for each child. Seat children in a circle and pass out a set of cut outs to each child. You may want to choose a child to play Joseph or you could do it yourself. Ask your class what they think the Egyptians said to Joseph when all their food was gone. They probably said, We re hungry; please let us buy food with our money. Have Joseph take up all the money, and pass out one oyster cracker to each child. Then repeat with the livestock, the land, and finally the myself cutouts. This should reinforce the desperation of the famine. G EN ES I S 48:11-20 An d I s r ae l s ai d t o J o s e p h, " I h ad n o t t h o u gh t t o s e e y o u r f ac e ; bu t i n f ac t, G o d h as al s o s h o w n m e y o u r o f f s p r i n g!" S o J o s e p h br o u gh t t h e m f r o m be s i d e h i s k n e e s, an d h e bo w e d d o w n w i t h h i s f ac e t o t h e e ar t h. An d J o s e p h t o o k t h e m bo t h, Ep h r ai m w i t h h i s r i gh t h an d t o w ar d I s r ae l ' s l e f t h an d, an d M an as s e h w i t h h i s l e f t h an d t o w ar d I s r ae l ' s r i gh t h an d, an d br o u gh t t h e m n e ar h i m.

T h e n I s r ae l s t r e t c h e d o u t h i s r i gh t h an d an d l ai d i t o n Ep h r ai m ' s h e ad, w h o w as t h e y o u n ge r, an d h i s l e f t h an d o n M an as s e h ' s h e ad, gu i d i n g h i s h an d s k n o w i n gl y, f o r M an as s e h w as t h e f i r s t bo r n. An d h e bl e s s e d J o s e p h, an d s ai d : " G o d, be f o r e w h o m m y f at h e r s Abr ah am an d I s aac w al k e d, t h e G o d w h o h as f e d m e al l m y l i f e l o n g t o t h i s d ay, " T h e An ge l w h o h as r e d e e m e d m e f r o m al l e v i l, bl e s s t h e l ad s ; l e t m y n am e be n am e d u p o n t h e m, an d t h e n am e o f m y f at h e r s Abr ah am an d I s aac ; an d l e t t h e m gr o w i n t o a m u l t i t u d e i n t h e m i d s t o f t h e e ar t h. " N o w w h e n J o s e p h s aw t h at h i s f at h e r l ai d h i s r i gh t h an d o n t h e h e ad o f Ep h r ai m, i t d i s p l e as e d h i m ; s o h e t o o k h o l d o f h i s f at h e r ' s h an d t o r e m o v e i t f r o m Ep h r ai m ' s h e ad t o M an as s e h ' s h e ad. An d J o s e p h s ai d t o h i s f at h e r, " N o t s o, m y f at h e r, f o r t h i s o n e i s t h e f i r s t bo r n ; p u t y o u r r i gh t h an d o n h i s h e ad. " B u t h i s f at h e r r e f u s e d an d s ai d, " I k n o w, m y s o n, I k n o w. H e al s o s h al l be c o m e a p e o p l e, an d h e al s o s h al l be gr e at ; bu t t r u l y h i s y o u n ge r br o t h e r s h al l be gr e at e r t h an h e, an d h i s d e s c e n d an t s s h al l be c o m e a m u l t i t u d e o f n at i o n s. " S o h e bl e s s e d t h e m t h at d ay, s ay i n g, " B y y o u I s r ae l w i l l bl e s s, s ay i n g, ' M ay G o d m ak e y o u as Ep h r ai m an d as M an as s e h!' " An d t h u s h e s e t Ep h r ai m be f o r e M an as s e h.

Jacob took Joseph s sons to bless them and to make them his. He claimed them as his own sons and gave them his blessing. He blessed the younger first and said He would be great and a father of many nations. The older brother, Manasseh, was not to be as great as Ephraim, the younger, but he would be great and multiply also. G EN ES I S 49:1 An d J ac o b c al l e d h i s s o n s an d s ai d, " G at h e r t o ge t h e r, t h at I m ay t e l l y o u w h at s h al l be f al l y o u i n t h e l as t d ay s... Jacob called his twelve sons together, and he told them what was to become of them and their descendants. Jacob spoke prophecy concerning each of his sons. Each of his twelve sons became a tribe of the nation Israel and that which Jacob prophesied happened to the tribes. Jacob requested that he be buried in Canaan with his fathers, and he died. G EN ES I S 50:4-6 Wh e n t h e d ay s o f h i s m o u r n i n g w e r e p as t, J o s e p h s p o k e t o t h e h o u s e h o l d o f Ph ar ao h s ay i n g, " I f n o w I h av e f o u n d f av o r i n y o u r e y e s, p l e as e s p e ak i n t h e h e ar i n g o f Ph ar ao h, s ay i n g, M y f at h e r m ad e m e s w e ar, s ay i n g, " B e h o l d, I am d y i n g; i n m y gr av e w h i c h I d u g f o r m y s e l f i n t h e l an d o f C an aan, t h e r e y o u s h al l bu r y m e. " N o w t h e r e f o r e, p l e as e l e t m e go u p an d bu r y m y f at h e r, an d I w i l l c o m e bac k. ' An d Ph ar ao h s ai d, " G o u p an d bu r y y o u r f at h e r, as h e m ad e y o u s w e ar. " Joseph honored his father and buried him in Canaan as he had requested.

G EN ES I S 50:15-21 Wh e n J o s e p h ' s br o t h e r s s aw t h at t h e i r f at h e r w as d e ad, t h e y s ai d, " Pe r h ap s J o s e p h w i l l h at e u s, an d m ay ac t u al l y r e p ay u s f o r al l t h e e v i l w h i c h w e d i d t o h i m. " S o t h e y s e n t m e s s e n ge r s t o J o s e p h, s ay i n g, " B e f o r e y o u r f at h e r d i e d h e c o m m an d e d, s ay i n g, ' T h u s y o u s h al l s ay t o J o s e p h : " I be g y o u, p l e as e f o r gi v e t h e t r e s p as s o f y o u r br o t h e r s an d t h e i r s i n ; f o r t h e y d i d e v i l t o y o u. " ' N o w, p l e as e, f o r gi v e t h e t r e s p as s o f t h e s e r v an t s o f t h e G o d o f y o u r f at h e r. " An d J o s e p h w e p t w h e n t h e y s p o k e t o h i m. T h e n h i s br o t h e r s al s o w e n t an d f e l l d o w n be f o r e h i s f ac e, an d t h e y s ai d, " B e h o l d, w e ar e y o u r s e r v an t s. " J o s e p h s ai d t o t h e m, " D o n o t be af r ai d, f o r am I i n t h e p l ac e o f G o d? " B u t as f o r y o u, y o u m e an t e v i l agai n s t m e ; bu t G o d m e an t i t f o r go o d, i n o r d e r t o br i n g i t abo u t as i t i s t h i s d ay, t o s av e m an y p e o p l e al i v e. " N o w t h e r e f o r e, d o n o t be af r ai d ; I w i l l p r o v i d e f o r y o u an d y o u r l i t t l e o n e s. " An d h e c o m f o r t e d t h e m an d s p o k e k i n d l y t o t h e m. After the death of their father, Joseph s brothers feared that, perhaps now, Joseph would take revenge on them for selling him into slavery. But Joseph knew that all of the things that happened to him were part of God s plan to bless His people. Joseph reassured his brothers and promised to help provide for them and their children. God works all things together for good to those who love Him.

It is amazing how that God can turn the things that were meant for evil into things that are good. If we go through a difficult time, we can be confident, God will turn things meant for evil to things that are good for us too! Romans 8:31 declares, If God is for us, who can be against us? We can give Him all our cares and trust Him. If we have Joseph s attitude and realize that God is working for good in our lives, we will not be bitter about our circumstances. God works all things together for good to those who love Him. All Things Puzzle You need copies of the all things puzzle. You may want to make just a few of these for your class to work on together, or give each child one and let him cut it out and put it together. Point out that God works all things together for good to those who love Him. PRAYER Lead the children in a prayer of thanksgiving for God s grace and mercy and wonderful work in our lives. If there are any children who have not yet responded to the Gospel, give them opportunity.

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