HealingStrong's Around the Word

Episode 17 - The Joseph Series: A Father and Son Reunion (Genesis 46:1-7, 26-34, Galatians 6:9 NIV)

• HealingStrong • Episode 17

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Jacob and Joseph's emotional reunion in Genesis 46 mirrors our own longing to be reconciled with our Heavenly Father. God meets Jacob at a familiar place to reassure him about his journey to Egypt, promising to make his family into a great nation and confirming he will see his long-lost son again.

This quick episode covers:

• God calls Jacob by name twice, meeting him in a place of previous encounter to reassure him
• Joseph's continual concern for his father reveals the depth of their relationship
• The emotional reunion between father and son parallels the parable of the Prodigal Son
• Our hearts contain a "God-shaped void" that can only be filled through reunion with our Heavenly Father
• Waiting periods, though painful, often lead to the fulfillment of God's promises in His perfect timing
• God keeps His word, even when fulfillment takes years or decades

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Suggested Resources:

BIBLE PLAN - Trusting God's Plan in the Waiting: Lessons from the Life of Joseph

PODCAST - Genesis to Revelation Bible Reading

TOOLS - Refresh Your Spirit through God's Word




Speaker 1:

ultimately, I think that's what we're seeking in life is to be reunited with our Heavenly Father. That's why we have a God-shaped void in our hearts when we don't know Him, when we're still walking in our sin. Hey, my name is Cheryl and you're listening to Healing Strong's Around the Word. We're friends sitting around the table who love the Lord and we love digging deep into His Word. Each day you'll hear me reading a Bible passage and then you'll hear us discussing what we're learning from it. I'll be reading Genesis, chapter 46, verses 1 through 7, and verses 26 through 34, along with Galatians 6-9 from the NIV version of the Bible. So join us today around the word. Genesis, chapter 46, verses one through seven.

Speaker 1:

So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, isaac. And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said Jacob, jacob, here I am. He replied I am God, the God of your father. He said Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you and I will surely bring you back again, and Joseph's own hand will close your eyes. Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel's sons took their father, jacob, and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. Jacob brought with them to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters, all his offspring. Genesis, chapter 46, verses 26 through 34. All those who went to Egypt with Jacob, those who were his direct descendants, not counting his son's wives, numbered 66 persons. With the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob's family which went to Egypt were 70 in all.

Speaker 1:

Now, jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father, israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. Israel said to Joseph "'Now I am ready to die. "'since I have seen for myself that you are still alive'".

Speaker 1:

Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father's household I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and I will say to him. My brothers and my father's household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. The men are shepherds, they tend livestock and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own. When Pharaoh calls you in and asks what is your occupation? Own? When Pharaoh calls you in and asks what is your occupation, you should answer your servants have tended livestock from our boyhood on, just as our fathers did. Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.

Speaker 1:

And now Galatians 6, verse 9. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. And that was the reading of God's Word. Now let's listen into the discussion that Susie, angie Maren and myself had around the Word. Jacob hears that Joseph is alive in the previous chapter, sees some evidence of it with the carts and believes. But how kind of God to meet him back at a place he had met him before and to basically tell him you will get to see Joseph, like God himself reiterated this to Jacob. Get to see Joseph Like God himself reiterated this to Jacob. Because, as we first started this whole study. This is actually Jacob's story. It started with an account of Jacob. Joseph just happens to be his son. This is the saving of Jacob, who later becomes Israel, the nation of Israel. So we have the heavenly father meeting him at a place he had already met him before, and now this is a place where Jacob is revived again. You know his heart, his son is alive.

Speaker 2:

I think it's interesting at this point that we're using the name Jacob again instead of Israel, and of course that's the same person. But it was back at the Jabbok River when Jacob the scripture said wrestled with an angel all night and Jacob kept saying I will not let go until you bless me. And it was the angel of the Lord and the voice said Okay, finally, I will bless you, jacob, and I'm going to change your name to Israel. So I thought it was interesting here that God calls him Jacob, jacob, and then he's walking into Jacob is actually walking into the blessing that he was promised when his name was changed to Israel. He's being reunited with his sons, he's getting Benjamin back and he's learning that Joseph is alive as well. And this is his blessing, maybe part of his blessing that the Lord had promised him way back at the Jabbok River. It did take a while.

Speaker 1:

I also think it's so cool for all those waiters out there. This is like what we are waiting for your heart's desire to be met, and I feel like for Joseph. His heart's desire was always to be reunited with his dad you know even more so than his brothers to be reunited with his father, because he kept on asking about his dad, even when he was playing the part, when he was playing the part. And ultimately, I think that's what we're seeking in life is to be reunited with our Heavenly Father. That's why we have a God-shaped void in our hearts when we don't know Him, when we're still walking in our sin.

Speaker 3:

I think God actually puts a void in our heart that is the shape of I want to be more like you, daddy. We just long for that, even in human terms, when we are a part of a family, that's. You know the song Cats in the Cradle. I think it's a bittersweet song, but it's so true. You think you're busy, busy, busy and you don't spend time with the people that you love the most, and they're when you get to the end of your life. You want them to. They want to be just like you.

Speaker 1:

I feel also too like this. This is a reminder of the prodigal son story. Joseph wasn't a prodigal, but he was lost to the father for a while, and just this reunion of this enormous hug whenever they get to see each other again, reminds me. It makes me wonder if Jesus was referring to that when he was telling the parable of the prodigal son. At least the father waiting and hoping and wishing that his son would come back to him. That's what Jacob did all those years.

Speaker 2:

And then finally he did have that reunion, and what a sweet moment it was, can you imagine if our Heavenly Father treats us like that when we're reunited with Him, will he hug us like that and will we weep like that? I can only imagine.

Speaker 1:

That's the end of our discussion today and, wow, I have the strange urge to sing the song. I Can Only Imagine. I wonder why. Anyway, thank you so much for joining us around the Word for our podcast today. We hope you were encouraged to dig deeper into God's Word. We also hope you'll check out our website, healingstrongorg, where you can find out more about our mission and our community groups. Until next time, remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.