THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

THROUGH THE BIBLE COMMENTARY

This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears.

Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

GENESIS
CHAPTER 46
1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. 3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

Jacob was on his way to Egypt, and he had to pass right by Beersheba. Jacob was
familiar with this place. It was here his father Isaac had received reiteration of
"the covenant of Israel" from God. It was from this place that Jacob had once fled
when Essau was angry with him.
Jacob stops here to thank God for completing his promise. We should always take
every opportunity to give thanks to God.
God comes to Jacob in a vision and restates "the covenant of Israel" with him.
When we speak to God, He will speak to us.
God promises Jacob His presence. A Christian can go anywhere, under any
circumstances, as long as he has God's PRESENCE.
Notice that God promises to make a "great nation" of Jacob's descendents.
And God promises to bring Jacob back out of Egypt again.
But God also tells Jacob that he will die there! (see vs 4)
In Genesis 49 we will see where Joseph carried Jacob's body back to Canaan land
to be buried.
God ALWAYS fulfills His promises!
It is a HIGH POINT when we meet God! But God always tells those
who meet him and are saved to go back and be witnesses for Him. That is
bondage to God for His purposes. And He promises to "bring thee up again."
We will be resurrected from the place of slavery (the world), and come "face
to face" with God in Glory!!

5 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: 7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.

Jacob did as God said, and took his whole family and everything transferable
to Egypt. Keep in mind, Jacob is an old man (130) and travel is a difficulty
for him.

8 And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn. 9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi. 10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman. 11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul. 13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. 14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel. 15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three. 16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli. 17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel. 18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls. 19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin. 20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. 21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard. 22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen. 23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim. 24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem. 25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven. 26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; 27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten. 28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

This is a list of all Jacob's descendants to this point in time. Sixty-six came with Jacob (vs 26),
and 3 were already in Egypt: Joseph, Manasseh, and Ephraim. Add Jacob to the
number and there are 70 total.
This is some 200 - 220 years after God promised Abraham seed "as much as the sand." But 400 yearslater, this family would be 3 and 1/2 MILLION!! (or more)
Judah was sent by Jacob first. Judah would receive directions as to where
Jacob is to settle his family.

29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

Jacob was so happy to see Joseph he said he was ready to die! His desire had been
completed! He was fulfilled. Sorrow and joy are very close kin.
The difference between this story and you and I meeting Jesus is that we might
find FULFILLMENT in meeting Him, but we still desire to live and know Him more.

31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have. 33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

Joseph has learned much in the land of Egypt. And now he shares some of this
knowledge so that it will be beneficial to the family.
Egyptians think very little of "shepherds." But they NEEDED them.

Let us take heed to this lesson. Our Lord, Jesus knows us and knows
that the world thinks little of us. But the TRUTH is: the world NEED US!
Let us be faithful to our Lord, seeking only His PRESENCE to guide us; and let
us ALWAYS be witnesses for Him in this world.

Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.