The events of Jacob\u2019s life read like a sweeping, action-packed drama, filled with trickery, exile, chase scenes, horrible family dynamics, loss, famine, and the salvation of his family at the unlikely hands of his long-lost son, Joseph. In the end, Jacob finally laid eyes on the son who had paved the way for the survival of their entire family. It\u2019s a warm ending to an epic story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As his life drew to a close, Jacob acknowledged who is the ultimate driving force behind all that had happened\u2014and it was not himself or Joseph. It was another, far better Shepherd. In his final earthly blessing of Joseph\u2019s sons, Jacob says it was, \u201cGod before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day….\u201d (Genesis 48:15). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We see the theme of the shepherd highlighted throughout the passage. Ironically, it was the Egyptians\u2019 loathing of shepherds that guaranteed the settlement of Israel\u2019s family in Goshen. God\u2019s chosen people were willing to do the job that the Egyptians despised. While the Egyptians looked down on shepherds, Jacob declared that it was God, the true Shepherd, who had loved, led, and delivered His people throughout all generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the start, God\u2019s care for people who were deemed lowly in society was evident. In due time, God elevated this unlikely family and kept His promises by making them a great nation. This story reminds us that God loves the ones whom society might despise. He is delighted to associate with the humble and weak. We are proof of this! If we truly understand this, then let\u2019s be eager to show the same love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is crystal clear is that God is the great rescuer and deliverer of His people. This Shepherd regards not the self-sufficient and exalted but those who fear and take refuge in Him. The gospel tells us that the same astonishing goodness and protection is available for those who put their full trust in Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The perfect candidate for God\u2019s goodness is the one who knows their need for it. Let every day serve as an opportunity to acknowledge our need for Him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just as the Lord kept His promise of an inheritance to Jacob\u2014that his people would one day return to their land\u2014He will keep his promise to prepare a home for us as well. One where we will be reunited with Him in glory. Our eternal and unfading inheritance is not based on our merit or goodness but on Christ\u2019s alone. All glory be to God, the One who shepherds us to this very day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The events of Jacob\u2019s life read like a sweeping, action-packed drama, filled with trickery, exile, chase scenes, horrible family dynamics, loss, famine, and the salvation of his family at the unlikely hands of his long-lost son, Joseph. In the end, Jacob finally laid eyes on the son who had paved the way for the survival […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":71769,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[294],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesis25"],"acf":{"hero_background_image":false,"related_plans":[71878],"weekly_truth":false,"grace_day":false,"share_text":"#SheReadsTruth","devotional_text":"JACOB COMES TO EGYPT<\/b>
\r\nby Beverly Berrus<\/i>
\r\n
The events of Jacob\u2019s life read like a sweeping, action-packed drama, filled with trickery, exile, chase scenes, horrible family dynamics, loss, famine, and the salvation of his family at the unlikely hands of his long-lost son, Joseph. In the end, Jacob finally laid eyes on the son who had paved the way for the survival of their entire family. It\u2019s a warm ending to an epic story.<\/p>
\r\n
As his life drew to a close, Jacob acknowledged who is the ultimate driving force behind all that had happened\u2014and it was not himself or Joseph. It was another, far better Shepherd. In his final earthly blessing of Joseph\u2019s sons, Jacob says it was, \u201cGod before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day....\u201d (Genesis 48:15).<\/p>
\r\n
We see the theme of the shepherd highlighted throughout the passage. Ironically, it was the Egyptians\u2019 loathing of shepherds that guaranteed the settlement of Israel\u2019s family in Goshen. God\u2019s chosen people were willing to do the job that the Egyptians despised. While the Egyptians looked down on shepherds, Jacob declared that it was God, the true Shepherd, who had loved, led, and delivered His people throughout all generations.<\/p>
\r\n
From the start, God\u2019s care for people who were deemed lowly in society was evident. In due time, God elevated this unlikely family and kept His promises by making them a great nation. This story reminds us that God loves the ones whom society might despise. He is delighted to associate with the humble and weak. We are proof of this! If we truly understand this, then let\u2019s be eager to show the same love.<\/p>
\r\n
What is crystal clear is that God is the great rescuer and deliverer of His people. This Shepherd regards not the self-sufficient and exalted but those who fear and take refuge in Him. The gospel tells us that the same astonishing goodness and protection is available for those who put their full trust in Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The perfect candidate for God\u2019s goodness is the one who knows their need for it. Let every day serve as an opportunity to acknowledge our need for Him.<\/p>
\r\n
Just as the Lord kept His promise of an inheritance to Jacob\u2014that his people would one day return to their land\u2014He will keep his promise to prepare a home for us as well. One where we will be reunited with Him in glory. Our eternal and unfading inheritance is not based on our merit or goodness but on Christ\u2019s alone. All glory be to God, the One who shepherds us to this very day.<\/p>","share_image_height":"640","day_number":"32","scripture":"Genesis 46:1-34, Genesis 47:1-31, Genesis 48:1-22, Psalm 31:19","available":true,"ad_banner_name":"","ad_banner_image":false,"ad_banner_url":"","songs":"","key_verse":"","key_verse_reference":"","background_image":false,"background_color":"#FBF7F3","scripture_references":false,"share_image":false,"author_name":"","author_bio":"","guest_social_media":false,"show_ad":true,"ad_override":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=72035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/72035\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=72035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=72035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shereadstruth.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=72035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}