Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture: Genesis 45:25-46:7

July 26, 2026

Message: “A Happy Father!”

By Pastor George Gnade

Play to Listen

7:27

Introduction:

1. Today we are considering the story of how Joseph and his father Jacob were reunited. Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers and ended up in Egypt when he was 17.

a. He was released from prison in Egypt by Pharaoh because he interpreted the king’s dreams

when he was 30. Joseph said there would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.

b. That is why Pharaoh made him 2nd in command. Just as he said, this was followed by 7 years of

plenty and at least two years of famine before his brothers came seeking food. So if we add it all up, it was between 22 and 23 years before Joseph told his brothers who he was and arranged to be reunited with his father.

2. The passage we just read explains what happened next. Someone once said: “Life is what happens to us while we are planning something else.” That is a good way to look at this whole story (Gen. 37-45). Consider some of the lessons we could learn.

A. To begin with, the first lesson we will consider concerns how Jacob was convinced by the evidence.

1. We must remember that Jacob was told by his other sons that Joseph was killed by a wild animal. This had broken his heart and he could not be comforted.

a. Jacob had two wives and two concubines, but Rachel was his favorite. Joseph was her first son, but she died a number of years later giving birth to Benjamin.

b. So the loss of Rachel followed by the loss of Joseph was more than he could bear.

2. Now over twenty years later, imagine how he felt when his sons returned from Egypt to tell him his son was still alive and actually ruling over Egypt. He was stunned and found it hard to believe (45:26). This was like a resurrection from the dead.

a. He was shocked, shocked to learn the truth from his sons, shocked to learn the truth about

Joseph, and shocked to see all the food and clothes and carts and provisions that Joseph sent.

b. Finally in Gen. 45: 28, he says: “I am convinced!” This is one time when “seeing was

believing.”

3. It reminds me of the story of Thomas after Jesus was raised from the dead. When the other disciples tried to convince him, he couldn’t believe it.

a. He insisted on first hand evidence like putting his finger into the nail holes in Jesus’ hands. He was convinced they were seeing things.

b. But a week later, Jesus appeared to the disciples again. This time Thomas was there and

Jesus showed him his hands and his side. Finally he believed.

c. But Jesus said to him: “You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe” (John 20:29).

4. God’s Word is full of miraculous event. May God give us the faith to believe, especially the stories of Jesus and his resurrection.

B. Secondly, Jacob was not only convinced by the evidence, but by God himself (Gen. 46:1-4).

1. Accepting the good news about Joseph was one thing; going to Egypt was another.

a. Every time Abraham or Isaac went to Egypt, they got themselves into trouble. This was because

they stepped out of God’s will and took matters into their own hands (See Gen. 12, 16, 26).

b. Jacob was afraid he was being asked to do the same thing. This was the promised land God had given to him and his descendants. c. In fact, this is very relevant even in our present day. The Jews have come back to the land of Israel and never plan to leave it again.

2. So Jacob prayed before he went. God appeared unto him and said: “Do not be afraid to go down into Egypt, for I will make you a great nation there. And I will go down with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes” (Gen. 46:1-4).

a. Thus God confirmed Jacob was doing the right thing. And God confirmed to him that the

promises He had made to Abraham would certainly come to pass.

b. This was to affirm what God said to him in Gen. 15:13-14: “Know for certain that your descen-

dants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated for 400 year. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.”

3. Because of this promise, Jacob insisted on being buried when he died in the same place as Abraham was. And Joseph insisted that when this happened to him, they were to take his bones back to Israel and be buried there too. It is wonderful to know when we are in God’s will and that our troubles are still under His control.

C. Thirdly, Jacob was “satisfied by the presence of Joseph” during the last 16 years of his life” (Gen. 46:28-31).

1. This was God’s way of repaying him for all the years of sorrow that he went through. It was a

father’s dream come true. In Gen. 46:30, he said to Joseph: “Now I am ready to die since I have seen for myself that you are alive.”

a. Simeon said something similar when in answer to his prayers he saw the baby Jesus (Luke 2:28-29).

b. Both stories remind me of Ps. 37: 4 where it says: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” If we will commit ourselves to please the Lord, He can do that for us too.

2. Especially in the O.T., when God chose to work in a person’s life, He often changed his name. God

changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Gen. 32:22-32; 35:9-12).

3. Jacob had made a lot of serious mistakes before God called him. But God changed his name to Israel to show he had been called and chosen by the Lord. The older he got, the more his life reflected what God desired.

D. That is why he was used by God to bless Pharaoh (Gen. 47:7-12).

1. Old age was treated with great respect in the east. Pharaoh wanted to meet Jacob. As Jacob greeted him, the Bible says: “Jacob blessed Pharaoh.”

a. Some argue this simply meant he greeted him. There may be some truth in that. But I believe the deeper meaning of this word was intended. God used Jacob to bless Pharaoh.

b. He who had received the blessing of God was now here seen sharing that blessing with others.

A Christian who is truly living for the Lord is often used to bless important people.

c. Think of Billy Graham blessing one of our presidents. So Jacob blessed Pharaoh. When people see Jesus in us, He often uses us to be a blessing to others who may in other ways seem more important than us.

2. If we will seek the Lord and live to please the Lord, we will be surprised how God may use us too.