Wednesday January 16

Genesis 48-50; Proverbs 7; Matthew 14

Genesis 48: What is surprising about the blessing of Joseph’s sons? Which of Joseph’s sons received the larger blessing from Jacob?

Genesis 49: What sins did Reuben, Simeon and Levi commit?

Genesis 50: Describe Jacob’s funeral.  Where was he buried and with which wife?  What was the concern of Joseph’s brothers after their father died?  What happened to Joseph after he died?

Proverbs 7: What is the result of giving in to the temptation of an adulteress? (v. 27)

Matthew 14:  Why was John the Baptist beheaded?  What did Jesus do upon hearing the news?

Journal Prompt:  What miracle do you desire to see?

Answers:

Genesis 48:  He conferred the blessing upon theI found it surprising that it doesn’t appear that Jacob had met his two grandsons.  It seems that Joseph and his family may not have had much contact with his brothers and father who were living in Goshen.  Also, Jacob chose to give the larger blessing to the second born son, Ephraim.

Genesis 49: The twelve tribes (sons) are Jacob ‘blessed’ each of his sons, but some seemed to receive a much more favorable blessing than the others.Reuben slept with his father’s concubine, Bilhah (Gen. 35:22) and Simeon and Levi were responsible for murdering all of the inhabitants of Shechem (Gen 34:25-29)

Genesis 50:  Jacob was embalmed and his funeral was elaborate –  he was given great honor – both in Egypt (70 days) and in Canaan (7 days). All of the Pharaoh’s officials accompanied the entourage to Canan.   He was buried in Hebron in the cave of Macphelah – his wife Leah had also been buried there.  He had buried Rachel in Ephratha – Bethlehem.

Joseph’s brothers were afraid that Joseph would seek revenge and mistreat them once their father had died, but Joseph treated them with kindness and told them that he would provide for their needs and those of their children.  He pointed out that the evil they had done to him, God had turned it around and used it for good – to save many people.

Joseph was embalmed and placed in a coffin.  He wasn’t buried – at least no mention was made of a burial.

Proverbs 7: If the temptation of the adulteress is not resisted, the tempted one could end up in Hell.

Matthew 14: John the Baptist was beheaded because he condemned the relationship between Herod and Herodias (his brother’s wife).  When Jesus learned that John had been executed he went away in a boat by himself.