Gen 46:1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

I use to read over these passages about offerings without giving them much thought because I live in the day when animal sacrifices are no longer needed because Jesus made the final and supreme sacrifice by offering Himself once and for all for the sins of mankind. I want to take time to consider what is happening here when Jacob (Israel) offers this sacrifice to God.

Jacob is acknowledging God here with both thanksgiving and worship before he sets out on his journey. God is put first. When they made a sacrifice they were supposed to be worshipping yes but also acknowledging that they were sinful men (women) in need of salvation and forgiveness from God. The animal sacrifices were temporary until the one came who was to give Himself for our sins. It pointed toward that one who was to come. Sin can not enter eternity unpunished. If we die in our sins we will be lost forever in hell. That sin has to be cleansed, forgiven and forsaken. It has to be put away from us. Since we have no power to overcome sin ourselves, we need help. Old Testament animal sacrifices were a testimony that they knew they needed a savior. They knew they needed God and His mercy. It was a sign of faith. By faith we are saved in both the Old Testament and the new. In the New Testament we see a much better way. That which is perfect has come (Jesus Christ). The holy one of Israel was the very begotten Son of God who became human flesh to live among us perfectly without breaking the law in any point. He succeeded in this. He preached the gospel of salvation to all who would believe it. He came to reconcile us back to God from whom we were separated by sin. Jesus died without having any sin. He died though He had not sinned and didn't deserve the punishment of physical death. His death counts on our behalf if we believe this and repent of sin, turning to Him. In just believing, we acknowledge that we need a savior. Our sins are forgiven and we start anew with His Holy Spirit dwelling within us. His physical death on the cross gave us the power to receive victory over spiritual death. Our bodies only will die if the Lord doesn't return in our lifetime. Our soul and spirit will inherit eternal life and never die.

Every time an offering was given in the Old Testament, it was to point toward the one to come. That is why offerings were always the best without any spot or blemish.

Gen 46:2 And God spoke unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Gen 46:3 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:
Gen 46:4 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.

Notice that every time Jacob made a move to go on a journey, God would appear and direct his paths.

This is the beginning of the fulfillment of one of Abraham's visions:

Gen 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Back to chapter 46

Gen 46:5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: 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.
Gen 46:6 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:
Gen 46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
Gen 46:8 And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
Gen 46:9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
Gen 46:10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
Gen 46:11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Gen 46:12 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.
Gen 46:13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.
Gen 46:14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
Gen 46:15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bore unto Jacob in Padan-aram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
Gen 46:16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
Gen 46:17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
Gen 46:18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bore unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.
Gen 46:19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.
Gen 46:20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bore unto him.
Gen 46:21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
Gen 46:22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
Gen 46:23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
Gen 46:24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
Gen 46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bore these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
Gen 46:26 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;
Gen 46:27 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.

This small group of people grew into a group of millions later led my Moses back out of Egypt.
Egypt could have been blessed mightily and become the greatest country on earth if they had known who was among them. The Pharaoh in Joseph's day discovered this but later Pharaohs forgot.

However, this was not God's will. He wanted them in the land of Canaan.

Germany could have been the greatest nation on earth if they would have not thrust out the Jews and if they would have known who dwelled among them.

However, this too was not God's will. He wanted them back in their own land.

If we mistreat the natural Jews or born again true, and I emphasize true here, believers is Jesus Christ, we will suffer the judgment of God. Jews need to receive Jesus Christ and be saved as well as anyone else but we are still not to oppress these people who are children of Abraham and children of the promise, for God is able to graft them back into the vine from which they were broken off temporarily because of unbelief.

Any so-called Christian religion which oppresses anyone that does not believe as they do, is not doing what Jesus told us to do. He said to preach the gospel, not to force conversions. Forced conversions is for the heathens, false religions and those that do not know God. The true God does not need to use force because His salvation is only for those who willingly believe and come to Him by faith. The Holy Spirit cannot be forced upon anyone by the point of a gun or other weapon. The Holy Spirit is given to believers by Jesus Christ. This causes a sinner to become a believer. This causes us to be changed from death unto life. How can we possibly force this upon anyone. If any religion, church or group tries to convert by the use of force, they are not true believers in Jesus Christ, they are false. Only God can make a true convert. We are so stupid when we try to force someone into Christianity. It can't be done.

Gen 46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
Gen 46:29 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.

What touching story. This must have rejoiced the heart of God also.

Gen 46:30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.

My dad use to tell the story of Joseph to us at bedtime. Verse 30 used to bother me though because I didn't want Jacob to die. I now realize that it was their way of talking. Jacob didn't die right then and there like I thought he would as a child listening to the story.

Gen 46:31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and show Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
Gen 46:32 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.
Gen 46:33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation?
Gen 46:34 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.

They had to dwell separately because of being keepers of sheep instead of ordinary cattle. Sheep tear up the grass when they eat and other cattle do not. This causes problems. That is why they had to continually be on the move to feed in different places.

It sort of reminds me of one who constantly seeks greener pastures and better places until he find rest for his soul through Jesus Christ. Nothing satisfies the soul in this life. We are constantly looking for more excitement, more entertainment and more fulfillment. In vain do we search if we have left out God for only God can satisfy the inner longing in our souls. Jesus came to give us salvation from sin and the Holy Spirit to abide within us. This gift is freely given to all who believe in Him.

John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Genesis 47