We shall continue with
the study of the Book of Genesis this week.
Note: Many biblical scholars speculate that the Pharaoh of Joseph’s time was of the Hyksos Empire which experienced political instability and was not of true Egyptian blood (but of Canaanite origin).
(1) How did Joseph help Pharaoh achieve political stability for his empire?
(2) Was Joseph’s shrewd management a bit high-handed and inhumane? Why or why not?
(3) Did the people, in general, show resentment or gratitude towards Joseph? Why?
(4) As much as Joseph consolidated the power of Pharaoh, did he show compassion to the people? How?
(5) Can we learn any ethical lesson from Joseph’s political administration?
(6) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) In contrast to the Egyptian people, how did the Israelites fare during this most difficult time of severe famine?
(2) What can we learn about God’s treatment of those who belong to Him?
(3) Should we be concerned as these Israelites began to accumulate property as a sign of permanency outside of the Promised Land? Why or why not?
(4) Why did Jacob insist on being buried with his forefathers? Was it purely an Oriental tradition?
(5) Why did Jacob make Joseph swear?
(6) What message might he be sending to his descendants?
(7) Jacob was recounting God’s promise to him in Bethel. Compare his account and the record in Genesis 35:11-12 and see how he understood God’s promise.
(8) Why did Jacob give Joseph preferential treatment and how special was it?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) In the blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, how do we know that Jacob was not making a mistake due to his old age or illness? Was it a deliberate one?
(2) What does it say about the way of God or how He works?
(3) In blessing Joseph (or rather his sons), how did Jacob address God?
(4) Why did he so address God and what might be the significance in the blessings so bestowed?
(5) What were the blessings he pronounced? What did they mean?
(6) Why was Joseph so upset with Jacob?
(7) What prophecy did Jacob make concerning Joseph?
(8) The ridge land could be translated more literally as “Shechem” (Gen. 33:18-19; 37:12, 14) which, as we know now, was taken from the Amorites by Jacob. What might be the significance of it being “given” to Joseph now?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
Although Jacob was losing his sight, he was given spiritual insight to prophesy about the future of his sons and that they would be blessed as a tribe of Israel.
(1) Do you want to know about your “days to come”? Why or why not?
(2) These “days to come” of the sons of Israel refer not only to their future as a tribe, but to their lives as the Chosen People and hence to their impact on God’s Kingdom and His plan. With this in mind, what do you want your “days to come” to be?
(3) Reuben:
a. Being the firstborn, what honor was supposed to be his?
b. How did he treat his honored position? (35:22)
c. What would his fate be?
(4) Simeon and Levi:
a. Was either of them conscious of God’s Covenant which made them the descendants of the Abrahamic covenant?
b. What were their lives marked by? (34:26)
c. What would be their fate?
d. As much as Levi would be scattered, God did use their scattered state for His purpose. How did God use them as a very unique tribe in Israel?
(5) Judah: The blessings he received were very significant.
a. What would be his status among the brothers?
b. What kind of animal was he likened to? What kind of blessing did it denote?
c. What would be his status among the nations?
d. Who might be the “He” who comes and to whom it belongs? (vv. 9-12)
e. What other blessings were accorded him and why?
(6) What is the main message to you today?
(1) In giving each son their blessing, v. 28 says the blessing was appropriate to each.
a. What might be the immediate purpose of pronouncing the blessing for each son?
b. What might be the long term purpose of pronouncing the blessing (and future) of each tribe?
(2) It might be helpful to know that Jacob was pronouncing his blessing first to the sons of Leah, then the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah and finally the sons of Rachel:
a. Zebulun was Leah’s 6th son (Jacob’s 10th), but he was listed before his older brother Issachar (Leah’s 5th son). While the contents of the blessing were rather bewildering due to the eventual location of the tribe, but Zebulun was again given preeminence here (v.13); so it was in Moses’ blessing (Deut. 33:18), even in Joshua’s allotment of land (Jos. 19:16-17) and in many incidents in the OT. Zebulun also contributed the largest military contingent to David’s army; it was described as experienced and loyal (1 Chr. 12:33). Read through these references and those in Judges 5:14, 18; 6:35, and form your own opinion on the “blessing” of this lesser-known tribe.
b. Read Judges 4 and 6, Judges 5:15 and 1 Chronicles 12:32 and see how they might fit the contents of the “blessing” pronounced by Jacob.
(3) Dan was the 1st son of Bilhah and 5th son of Jacob. What were the short but rather significant blessings he received from Jacob? Why did Jacob follow his blessing to Dan with a prayer?
(4) Gad (Zilpah’s 1st and Jacob’s 7th), Asher (Zilpah’s 2nd and Jacob’s 8th) and Naphtali (Bilhah’s 2nd and Jacob’s 6th) received a rather brief mention by Jacob.
a. What kind of life was prophesied of Gad’s tribe? (See Jdg. 10-12, Jer. 49:1-6; 1 Ki. 22:3; 2 Ki. 10:32-33; 15:29)
b. What kind of life was prophesied of Asher’s tribe? (See Deut. 33:24; Jos. 19: 24-31)
c. What kind of a life was depicted by a doe for the tribe of Naphtali? (See Deut. 33:23; Jdg. 4:6, 10; 5:18b)
(5) Joseph’s blessings were received on behalf of his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. The length and the blessedness could almost be compared to that of Judah.
a. Why?
b. Describe the blessing in terms of the following.
- Prosperity
- Adversity
- God’s help
- The various names of God being used (list them one by one and consider why Jacob chose to use these names and how meaningful each was)
(6) Using the analogy of a ravenous wolf, what kind of a tribe was Benjamin’s? (See Jdg. 3:15-30; 5:14; 20:14-21; 1 Sam. 9:1; 13:3, 1 Chr. 8:40; 12:2-27, 29; Est. 2:5).
(7) As you finish reading the “blessings” pronounced on the tribes of Israel — the Chosen People of God, what might your feeling be?
(8) What is the essential message of today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) As Jacob’s life occupies half of the book of Genesis, his life was obviously of significance to God’s plan of salvation. At the account of his death, let’s use some time reflecting on the life of Jacob: His birth; his being chosen over his brother; his scheme to cheat; his life of self-exile and life under Laban; the forming of his family; his return home; his re-union with his brother; the death of Rachel; his family feud; God’s use of Joseph; the famine and his last years in Egypt. Try to write a brief eulogy of Jacob.
(2) What kind of a burial did Jacob receive? Try to list the features of his burial and its procession.
(3) How important was it from the perspective not of him as a person, but as an important patriarch whose name is often associated with the name of God (the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)?
(4) Even in this moment of grief, Joseph approached Pharaoh diplomatically and carefully. See if you can detect the tactics he used.
(5) How did Pharaoh respond to Joseph’s request?
(6) What might be the importance of Jacob’s burial back in Canaan?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how can you apply it to your life?
(1) Now, we come to the end of the Book of Genesis. Use some time to recap the main events recorded in Genesis, leading up to the death of Jacob and Joseph, with Israel beginning their four centuries of settlement in Egypt, resulting in their most important historical event, the Exodus.
(2) What comments might you have concerning the hands of God in human history, Israel’s history and in the life of individuals who belong to Him?
(3) Why did the brothers doubt if Joseph’s forgiveness was complete?
(4) Was it a reflection of the person of Joseph or that of the brothers? Why?
(5) Do you think Jacob had really left the words so alleged?
(6) Why did Joseph weep? Would you also weep (if you were Joseph)?
(7) In comforting his brothers, what might be the most significant words that Joseph used? Why?
(8) How long did Joseph live? Compare his days to those of Jacob:
a. Were his days few and difficult?
b. Reflect on the life of Joseph. What do you appreciate most?
c. Write a brief eulogy of Joseph.
(9) It appears that Joseph died before his brothers. What were his last words? What was their significance?
(10) What is the main message to you today?