Overview
Jacob was afraid to go down to Egypt because he had been raised knowing you do not go to Egypt in a famine, and God’s answer was not to remove the journey but to go on it with him: fear not to go down into Egypt, I will go down with thee into Egypt. Rev. Rico Magnelli walks Genesis 46, 35 and 50 to show freedom from fear working twice over. Jacob overcame his fear because God was with him, and Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, freed them from their fear of retaliation by forgiving them: ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good. Courage, the teaching says, is taking the right action even when you are afraid.
Transcript
Genesis 46: Jacob Learns That Joseph Is Alive
Please turn to Genesis 46. Freedom from fear, Jacob and Joseph. And we’re going to look at how Jacob learns that his son Joseph is alive after being missing and prospering in Egypt.
And Jacob is afraid to go. As you recall, Abraham went to Egypt during a famine and he wasn’t supposed to go. And God had told Isaac, Abraham’s son, during a famine, not to go to Egypt.
And yet here, now it’s right to go to Egypt. And God will go with Jacob.
Israel and Jacob: The Spiritual Lineage and the Natural Lineage
In Genesis chapter 46, it says in verse one, And Israel, that’s another name for Jacob, took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, which means the well of the oath, and offered sacrifices unto Elohim, unto God, of his father Isaac. And God, Elohim, spake unto Israel in the vision of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
What’s so interesting is that God’s word says in verse two, God spake unto who? Israel. He calls him Israel. Israel means God rules. Israel represents the spiritual lineage of this man. Jacob is his natural lineage.
And God changes his name. God spake unto Israel, but he calls him Jacob, Jacob, because Jacob, Jacob, his natural lineage is where his head was at. He’s going down to Egypt. He finds out that Joseph is alive, but he’s really hesitant.
Genesis 35:10: Thy Name Shall Not Be Called Anymore Jacob, but Israel
Keep your finger here and look at Genesis 35. Genesis 35. God is working with Jacob in order to elevate Jacob’s thinking about himself, so he gives him a new name. In Genesis 35, in verse 10, it says, And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob. Jacob means contender.
He’s always contending for stuff, trying to do it on his own. Thy name shall not be called anymore, Jacob, but Israel, which means God rules, shall be thy name. And he called his name Israel.
And God said unto him, I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
Courage Means Taking the Right Action Even When You Are Afraid
Back to Genesis 46. So Jacob, during the famine, has a little bit of a hesitation to go to Egypt, but Jacob took action. He’s still going, and even though he’s concerned about this journey, that’s a great example of courage, because courage means you take the right or the best action you know in the situation, even when you are afraid, even when you are afraid, because that action will overcome that fear.
Fear Not to Go Down Into Egypt: Go All the Way In
And look what we see here. Look at verse 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. Go all the way into Egypt. Don’t just go on the fringes.
Go all the way into Egypt. And in that situation, in that negative situation, I’m going to prosper you abundantly. That’s pretty powerful.
I Will Go Down With Thee: Partnering With God to Get Rid of Fear
Verse 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt. God will go with him. And this word means in companionship with, and that’s how we have the proper mindset to get rid of fear, is we partner with God. We partner with God. I will go down with thee into Egypt. He’s not going to send him by himself. I’ll go with you.
But God honors the action that he’s taking, but he still needs to remind him not to be afraid. And I will also surely bring thee up again. And Joseph, that’s his son, shall put his hand upon thine eyes. Put his hands upon thine eyes. What that’s referring to is Joseph shall close Jacob’s eyes in peace. What a comforting thought for this elderly man at the time.
The Sons of Israel Carry Their Father Down to Egypt
And Jacob rose up from Beersheba, 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. How interesting. The word calls them the sons of Israel, not the sons of Jacob. The emphasis is on the God ruling. So there’s some really positive things moving in this direction.
Seventeen Years in Egypt and Jacob’s Prophecy Over His Twelve Sons
And what happens is that they go down to Egypt. Look at Genesis 50. They go down to Egypt, and Jacob is in Egypt for 17 years. They pass through the famine, and his whole family and lineage is taken care of. And then in chapter 49, Jacob prophesies over his 12 sons right before he dies, in chapter 49.
Genesis 50: Joseph’s Brothers Fear He Will Retaliate
And then we pick it up in Genesis 50, and Joseph is now about 56 years old, somewhere around there. And Joseph’s brothers, who had mistreated terribly their younger brother Joseph, sent him into slavery into Egypt. Watch how this develops. Joseph’s brothers are concerned that Joseph will retaliate after their father, Jacob, is dead.
But Joseph has the right heart. After all the injustice done to him, he saw God’s hand through it all. What a lesson.
In Genesis 50, in verse 16, And they sent a messenger, the brothers of Joseph, sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, forgive, forgive. I pray thee now the trespass of thy brethren and their sin, for they did unto thee evil.
Yeah, they sold him into slavery and told Jacob, Joseph’s father, that he had been torn apart by an animal. He must have ripped his dad’s heart in half. How hurt he must have been, for they did unto thee evil. And now we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
Thirteen Years of Suffering Before Joseph Was Made Second in Egypt
Look at the heart of this man. He had been so mistreated for so many years, sold into slavery, sold into bondage, put in prison. For approximately 13 years, this young man suffered, starting at the age of 17. And then at 30, God brings him up and out and makes him second in command and responsibility in all of Egypt. It’s because he kept his heart right before God.
And this is a tremendous lesson. People are going to hurt you. People will do that. The world will do that. We cannot make that part of our identity. We have to move on.
Ye Thought Evil Against Me, but God Meant It Unto Good
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face. And they said, Behold, we be thy servants. Watch what Joseph responds in this situation. And this is not a rehearsed situation. We’re seeing what transpired centuries and centuries ago. God is unveiling to us what happened in this scene. In the critical life of the nation of Israel.
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not, for I am in the place of God. Meaning what he was going to do, he was going to carry out God’s will and God’s heart in this situation. And God’s heart was to forgive and move on.
But as for you, ye thought evil against me. And yes, people will do that against us at times. Sure, that’s going to happen. Don’t be surprised. But God meant it unto good. Joseph saw God’s hand a blessing. But God meant it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
God had to get the right man into that situation. And yes, that man did need to endure for a period of time. He did. But he needed to be in the right place at the right time. And he was. Now therefore, fear not, I will nourish you and your little ones and be comforted. And he comforted them and spake kindly unto them.
Forgiveness Is Key to Our Mental and Physical Health
This is such a tremendous record when it comes to having no fear. Because forgiveness is key to our mental and physical health, as well as our prosperity. Romans 12:8 says that we are to show mercy with cheerfulness. Show mercy with cheerfulness. Ephesians 4:32 says, and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. This is powerful.
This changed the whole course of a nation. This pivotal incident right here, among others, but this is a certainly a pivotal incident. Because he kind of wiped them all out out of vengeance. And he did not do it.
How We Help Others Overcome Fear: Mercy and Forgiveness
You see, Jacob overcame his fear as God was with him. And Joseph helped his brothers overcome theirs. And how we help them overcome their fear is through mercy and forgiveness. That’s how he did it. And it allowed them to move on.
These are great examples of freedom from fear. Jacob had been brought up knowing that you don’t go down to Egypt in a famine. You didn’t want to go. But it was a right time to go. And sometimes things change. Because God had the right man in that situation to help him.
God Will Have the Right Person for You in the Egypts of Life
And he will have the right person for you. No matter what the situation is in the Egypts of life, God will have the right person for you to help you. Even if it’s just a brief encounter with them. Sometimes they’re longer. And relationships are developed. But God will always have the right person you need in the Egypts of life to prosper.
And then we see the great example with Joseph and how they were so concerned. They were afraid that their brother was going to retaliate because of the evil that they had done to him. He forgave them. And that’s how they were able to overcome their fear. And we can do the same with people. Show mercy, forgiveness, and help people move on from their fear and their hurt and their shame. What a great privilege we have as sons of the living God. So that’s freedom from fear, Jacob and Joseph.
Key Takeaways
- Jacob was afraid to go down to Egypt because Abraham had gone there in a famine when he wasn’t supposed to, and God had told Isaac not to go, but this time it was right to go and God said he would go with him.
- God calls him Israel, which means God rules and represents his spiritual lineage, but addresses him as Jacob, Jacob, his natural lineage, because that is where his head was at.
- Genesis 35:10 records the new name: thy name shall not be called anymore Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name. Jacob means contender, always contending for stuff, trying to do it on his own.
- Courage means you take the right or the best action you know in the situation, even when you are afraid, because that action will overcome that fear.
- I will go down with thee into Egypt: the word with means in companionship with, and partnering with God is how we have the proper mindset to get rid of fear.
- Joseph, sold into slavery and imprisoned for about 13 years from the age of 17, told his brothers, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to save much people alive, and comforted them instead of retaliating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Jacob afraid to go down to Egypt?
Because he had been brought up knowing that you don’t go down to Egypt in a famine. Abraham went to Egypt during a famine and he wasn’t supposed to go, and God had told Isaac, Abraham’s son, during a famine, not to go to Egypt. But this time it was a right time to go, and sometimes things change. In Genesis 46 God tells him, fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation.
What did Joseph mean when he said, but God meant it unto good?
Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and feared he would retaliate once Jacob died. Joseph told them, but as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Rev. Rico Magnelli explains that God had to get the right man into that situation. That man did need to endure for a period of time, but he needed to be in the right place at the right time, and he was.
How does forgiveness bring freedom from fear?
Jacob overcame his fear as God was with him, and Joseph helped his brothers overcome theirs, and how we help them overcome their fear is through mercy and forgiveness. Joseph wept, told them fear not, nourished them and spake kindly unto them, and it allowed them to move on. The teaching cites Romans 12:8, that we are to show mercy with cheerfulness, and Ephesians 4:32, be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another.
Scripture References
Genesis 46; Genesis 46:1; Genesis 46:2; Genesis 35; Genesis 35:10; Genesis 35:11; Genesis 35:12; Genesis 46:3; Genesis 46:4; Genesis 46:5; Genesis 50; Genesis 49; Genesis 50:16; Genesis 50:17; Genesis 50:18; Genesis 50:19; Genesis 50:20; Genesis 50:21; Romans 12:8; Ephesians 4:32
This text was prepared from the teaching audio. Please verify scripture references against your own Bible.
