Pilgrims in God’s Care
Text: Genesis 46:28-47:12
Core Idea: The God who provided for Jacob’s family has given us everything we ultimately need in Jesus Christ. Then, let’s trust Him with all our lives – holding loosely to the things of this world and sharing the hope of the gospel with the people He has placed around us.
INTRODUCTION
We’re continuing our journey through the Book of Genesis – discovering how God faithfully accomplished His purposes. And last week, we saw Jacob receive news that he never expected to hear: Joseph was still alive. For more than twenty years, Jacob believed that his beloved son was dead. But when his sons told him everything Joseph had said and showed him the carts sent from Egypt, his heart was revived. So, Jacob gathered his entire family and began the journey to Egypt. But when he reached Beersheba, near the edge of Canaan, he stopped to worship because leaving the land God had promised wasn’t an easy step to take. But God met Jacob there and said, “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt… I will go down to Egypt with you.” And with that assurance, Jacob continued forward. Now, in today’s passage, Jacob will finally come face to face with the son he thought he had lost forever. But he had no idea that this reunion would also mark the beginning of a new chapter for the whole family. Then, with that in mind, please turn with me to Genesis 46:28-47:12.
28 Now Jacob sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When they arrived in the region of Goshen, 29 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. 30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.” 31 Then Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and speak to Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were living in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they tend livestock, and they have brought along their flocks and herds and everything they own.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you in and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 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.” 47:1 Joseph went and told Pharaoh, “My father and brothers, with their flocks and herds and everything they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.” 2 He chose five of his brothers and presented them before Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?” “Your servants are shepherds,” they replied to Pharaoh, “just as our fathers were.” 4 They also said to him, “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan and your servants’ flocks have no pasture. So now, please let your servants settle in Goshen.” 5 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.” 7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?” 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence. 11 So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12 Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage:
TRUST HIS PROVISION
REMEMBER YOUR HOME
BE A BLESSING
1. TRUST HIS PROVISION
The passage begins with the reunion between Jacob and Joseph. Verse 29: “As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time.” Can you imagine what Jacob must have felt? For a long time, he had believed that Joseph was dead, and he expected to carry that grief to the grave. But now, the son he thought he had lost forever was in his arms. And can you imagine what Joseph must have felt? He was only seventeen when he was taken away. So much of his life had changed, but his love for his father hadn’t. And now, after all those years, he was able to finally embrace him. No wonder he wept for a long time. Then, Jacob said in verse 30, “Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.” Here, Jacob wasn’t really saying he wanted to die. He was just saying he could now face death in peace because he had seen Joseph alive. The sorrow he thought would never leave had given way to a joy he never expected to experience. But God’s provision went beyond the reunion. Remember, there was still a severe famine, and this family needed food and a place to live. So, Joseph immediately prepared his brothers to speak with Pharaoh. He told them to share that they had tended livestock all their lives because, verse 34, “For all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.” Because the Egyptians wanted little to do with shepherds, Joseph knew that Pharaoh would be more willing to let his family settle separately in Goshen. And that’s exactly what happened. The brothers asked for permission to live in Goshen. And Pharaoh granted their wish. In fact, he even offered to put them in charge of his own livestock. Do you see what’s happening? Jacob originally sent his sons to Egypt because he needed grain to keep his family alive. And later, when Simeon was held there, Jacob simply wanted to get him back without losing Benjamin. But now, Simeon had returned. Benjamin was safe. Joseph was alive. Their family was reunited. And they received food and the best part of the land. In other words, they went to Egypt looking for food to just survive, but God had prepared far more than they could’ve ever imagined. And what makes this even more remarkable is what Jacob had said earlier. Back in Chapter 42, when Simeon was in Egypt and the brothers wanted to take Benjamin, Jacob cried out, “Everything is against me!” From his perspective, that was exactly how it felt. Joseph was gone. Simeon was gone. And now, he thought he was about to lose Benjamin. But was everything actually against him? No. Even as Jacob said those words, Joseph was alive. Simeon was safe. Food was waiting. And Goshen was being prepared. Jacob thought everything was against him, but God was working for Jacob’s good. Jacob’s suffering was real – but his perspective was limited. He only saw what he had lost and failed to see what God was doing. But isn’t that often true of us as well? When something painful happens one after the other, we begin to think, “Nothing is working out. God must have forgotten me.” We look at what we’ve lost, what hasn’t changed, what God still hasn’t given us – and from where we stand, we conclude that everything is against me. But friends, our inability to see what God is doing doesn’t mean that He isn’t doing anything. Long before Jacob arrived, God had sent Joseph ahead of him and placed him in the exact position needed to preserve this family.
Then, what can we take away from this? That we can trust God to provide because He is faithfully carrying out purposes far greater than we can see. Now, this passage doesn’t promise that every earthly loss will be restored as Joseph was restored to Jacob. It doesn’t mean that every illness will be healed, every broken relationship will be repaired, or every painful season will end in the way we want. But it does show that God never stops working for the good of His people and the fulfillment of His promises. Even when we can’t understand what He is doing, He is leading us toward the future He has promised. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine… to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.” Think about what we want in this life. Most of us would be satisfied if we could just live comfortably, avoid too much suffering, enjoy our families, stay healthy, and retire early. So, we pray for those things. We long for those things. But through faith in Jesus, God gives us something far greater than an easier life: He gives us Himself. We who were separated from God by our sin are brought near to His presence. We who were His enemies are welcomed as His children. And we who deserved judgment are given eternal life with Him. Then, let me ask you: Have the things you’re still waiting for kept you from seeing what God has already given you in Christ? Maybe you’ve been so focused on the prayer He hasn’t answered that you’ve lost sight of the grace He has already shown you. And don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying you shouldn’t pray for those things. You should. But don’t allow what you’re still waiting for to make you forget what you already possess. If you belong to Jesus, you are forgiven. You’re loved. You’re adopted. God is with you. And your future is secure. You may not have everything you want, but in Christ, you have everything you ultimately need. Now, sometimes, God will provide by delivering us from the trial – but other times, He’ll provide by giving us strength to persevere through it. Sometimes, He’ll change our circumstances – but other times, He’ll change us through our circumstances. But whatever form His provision takes, we can know that He hasn’t forgotten us. How do we know? Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” Let that truth sink in. If God has given us His Son, we really don’t need to wonder whether He loves us. He loves you! So, bring your needs to God. Ask Him for healing, wisdom, reconciliation, and relief. But as you wait, remember that your present circumstances don’t tell the whole story. The God who has given you Christ can be trusted with your whole life.
2. REMEMBER YOUR HOME
Now, God didn’t simply provide food for Jacob’s family. He also provided a place for them to live – Goshen. But notice what the brothers said in verse 4: “We have come to live here for a while, because the famine is severe in Canaan.” That phrase, “live here for a while,” carries the idea of living as a foreigner or temporary resident. In other words, they were going to live in Egypt, but they didn’t consider Egypt their home. It’s true – Goshen was a wonderful place. It gave them pasture for their animals and food during the famine. It also allowed this small family to live together and grow into the nation God had promised. And living separately in Goshen would also help preserve their distinct identity rather than allowing them to be completely absorbed into Egyptian life. But as good as Goshen was, it still wasn’t the land God had promised them. If you remember, just before Jacob entered Egypt, God said, “I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will bring you back again.” In other words, Goshen was part of God’s plan, but it wasn’t the final destination of His promise. In fact, we see the same attitude in Jacob as well. In verse 8, when Pharaoh asked, “How old are you?” Jacob answered, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty.” Notice the way Jacob described his life. He called it a pilgrimage. In other words, he understood his entire life as a journey. His grandfather Abraham had been a pilgrim. His father Isaac had been a pilgrim. And now, Jacob was a pilgrim as well. They had received God’s promise, but none of them fully possessed what God had promised during their lifetime. And yet they continued to trust Him. Hebrews 11:16 tells us that they lived as foreigners and strangers on earth, “longing for a better country – a heavenly one.” Their deepest hope wasn’t ultimately a piece of earthly property. They were waiting for a heavenly country.
What can we take away from this? That God calls us to live faithfully where He has placed us without forgetting where we truly belong. Like Jacob’s family, we have received many good things from God in this life – families, homes, friendships, work, food, and a church family. And we should receive them with gratitude. There was nothing wrong with Jacob enjoying the gift of Goshen. In the same way, it’s not wrong for us to enjoy the life God has given us. We can enjoy a meal with our family. We can work hard and take satisfaction in doing something well. We can enjoy our friendships, take care of our homes, go on vacation, and thank God for the city we live in. Being a pilgrim doesn’t mean refusing to enjoy God’s gifts – but it does mean refusing to turn His gifts into our home. Now, that can be difficult because this world continually invites us to settle down as though this life is all there is. It tells us that if we can find the right career, earn enough money, purchase the right home, have the family we imagined, and experience enough comfort, we’ll finally be secure. So, without realizing it, we try to create our own little Goshen here – a place where nothing can threaten us, and everything will remain under our control. But friends, even the best part of Egypt is still Egypt. Even the best life this world can give us cannot become our true home. Our careers will end, our bodies will grow weak, and everything we build here is temporary. Again, that doesn’t mean these things are meaningless. But they were never meant to carry the weight of our hope. Then, let me ask you: Have you become so settled in this world that you rarely think about the one to come? What are you afraid to lose because it has become more than just a gift to you? Now, there’s an old saying that some people are so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good. I guess it’s possible for us to speak about heaven while neglecting the people and responsibilities God has placed before us. But that isn’t true heavenly mindedness. Those who are truly heavenly minded should be of the most earthly good. If I know my future is secure with God, I don’t have to spend my life desperately protecting everything I have. I can be generous because my lasting treasure is not found here on earth – it’s safe with the Lord. I can serve even if no one sees me – knowing my Father sees me. Heavenly hope doesn’t make us careless about this life – it frees us to live this life faithfully. 1 Peter 2:11-12 says, “I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires… Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.” Because we belong to another Kingdom, we don’t just accept the desires and values of the culture around us. But at the same time, being foreigners doesn’t mean we withdraw from our neighbors. No, we’re called to live among them in a way that displays God’s goodness – which is why we should all be known for our honesty, generosity, compassion, purity, patience, and love. Remembering that this world isn’t our home should change how we use our money, endure suffering, handle success, and treat people. Friends, receive the good things God has given you. Enjoy them. Thank Him for them. But don’t settle so deeply into this world that you forget where you’re going. Goshen may be a great place to live, but it’s not home. Our home is with God. Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us. And one day, He’ll return and bring us there. Until then, let your longing for that home shape how you live in this one. Receive God’s gifts without clinging to them. Remain distinct without withdrawing from others. And live faithfully where He has placed you while keeping your heart set on the home He has promised.
3. BE A BLESSING
After Pharaoh met Joseph’s brothers and gave them permission to settle in Goshen, Joseph brought his father before him. Verse 7: “Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked him, ‘How old are you?’” Now, there’s something surprising about this. On one side stood Pharaoh – the ruler of Egypt with wealth, power, land, and armies. On the other side stood Jacob – an elderly shepherd whose family needed Pharaoh’s help to survive the famine. So, reading this, we might expect Jacob to approach Pharaoh feeling small and insignificant. But what did he do? He blessed Pharaoh. Now, this doesn’t mean Pharaoh’s generosity was unimportant. No, Jacob genuinely needed what Pharaoh provided. But the person who appeared to have less still possessed something the more powerful person truly needed. Pharaoh gave Jacob land, but Jacob knew the God who had created the land. Pharaoh provided food, but Jacob knew the God who gives life. Pharaoh ruled Egypt, but Jacob belonged to the Kingdom of God. In other words, Jacob wasn’t just a poor shepherd standing before a powerful ruler. He was the bearer of God’s covenant promise. God had said to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3: “I will bless you… and you will be a blessing… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” God wasn’t blessing this family so that they could keep His goodness to themselves. He was blessing them so that His blessing would reach the nations. And here, we see a small glimpse of that promise beginning to unfold as Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And eventually, through Jacob’s family, Jesus Christ would come. And through Jesus, the blessing God promised to Abraham would reach people from every tribe, language, and nation.
What can we take away from this? That God has blessed us in Christ so that we can become a blessing to the people around us. Now, many of us don’t think we have much to offer. We compare ourselves to others and think, “What could I possibly give them?” They may be more educated, successful, confident, talented, or financially secure. And because we feel that we have less, we assume we have nothing to give. But Jacob didn’t need to be wealthier than Pharaoh to bless him. In fact, when Pharaoh asked his age, Jacob answered in verse 9, “My years have been few and difficult.” In other words, he didn’t pretend that his life had been easy. He was a tired man who carried many scars. And yet his difficult life didn’t make him useless to God. His ability to bless others didn’t come from how impressive his life appeared. It came from the God to whom he belonged. Some of us think, “God can use me once I have my life together. I can serve once I overcome this struggle. I can speak about Jesus once I know more.” But God doesn’t only work through people who appear strong. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says, “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” A jar of clay wasn’t valuable or impressive. Its importance came from what it carried. And in the same way, our confidence isn’t found in our own strength but in the treasure God has placed within us. We have the good news of Jesus Christ. We know that the Son of God came into this world, lived the life we failed to live, died for our sins, and rose from the grave. We know that everyone who repents and trusts in Him will be forgiven, reconciled to God, and given eternal life. Then, we ought to go and share this because this is the greatest blessing we can offer anyone. I was speaking with some of our Beacon leaders this past week, and we talked about how more people seem to be searching for Jesus these days. And as we talked, we came back to something very simple: Jesus really is our only hope. If Jesus isn’t our hope, what else in this world is strong enough to carry the weight of our lives? Money can help us, but it cannot forgive our sins. Success can give us recognition, but it cannot reconcile us to God. Relationships can bring joy, but even those who love us most cannot defeat death for us. Only Jesus can do that. Then, brothers and sisters, do we truly believe that Jesus is the only hope of the world? Do we believe that the people around us need Him even if their lives appear successful? Now, it can be difficult to see the spiritual need of someone who seems to have everything. So, we wonder, “Why would they need anything from me?” But a person’s earthly success doesn’t remove their need for Christ. They still carry guilt they cannot erase. They still experience fears they cannot control. They still face a death they cannot escape. They still need to be reconciled to the God who made them. Then, let me ask you: Who has God placed in your life whom you can bless? Who needs your prayers – your help? Who needs to hear about Jesus? One more thing. Notice where Jacob blessed Pharaoh. He didn’t wait until he returned to Canaan. He blessed him right there in Egypt – which means we don’t need to wait for some special ministry opportunity. God has already placed us among people whom we can bless. Your workplace, school, neighborhood, family gatherings, and daily routines are places where God has put people around you. Then, we shouldn’t just ask, “Where should I go to be used by God?” We should also ask, “How can I bless the people God has already placed before me?” Now, I wonder if some of you feel like Jacob today in that your life hasn’t been easy. Maybe you needed help from others just to get through your day. But let this passage remind you that needing help doesn’t mean you cannot help anyone else. Your weakness doesn’t prevent God from working through you. In fact, sometimes the very suffering that makes you feel inadequate becomes one of the ways God equips you to care for others. Because you’ve grieved, you may know how to sit quietly with someone who is grieving. Because you’ve struggled with fear, you may know how to speak gently to someone who is anxious. Because you know what it’s like to receive grace after failure, you may be able to point another sinner toward the grace of Christ. God doesn’t waste the difficult years of our pilgrimage. He can use even our scars to help others see His faithfulness. So, friends, don’t measure what you have to offer by your wealth, success, influence, or strength. You know Jesus Christ. You possess the good news of forgiveness, reconciliation, resurrection, and eternal life. There’s no greater treasure you could carry into the lives of others than this. Then, receive the kindness of others with humility. Seek their good through your words and actions. And when God opens the door, tell them about the hope you have in Jesus. God has blessed us so that through us, others might come to know the blessing of belonging to Christ.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, the God who provided for Jacob’s family has given us everything we ultimately need in Jesus Christ. Then, let’s trust Him with all our lives – holding loosely to the things of this world and sharing the hope of the gospel with the people He has placed around us.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
How does their experience in Egypt show that God was working for their good even when Jacob believed “everything” was against him? What unanswered prayer or difficult circumstance is making it hard for you to trust God’s care?
What does it mean to live as a pilgrim in this world? Have you become so comfortable in this world that you rarely think about the life to come? What would it look like for you to remain distinct from the world without withdrawing from the people around you?
What did Jacob do when he entered and left Pharaoh’s presence? Do you ever assume that you have little to offer because someone else appears more successful, knowledgeable, or confident than you? Who is someone you can bless today?
Questions for Youth: What is one good thing in your life that could become too important to you? How should knowing that heaven is our true home change the way you are at school and home?
