In Genesis 50, we come to the conclusion of the book, which focuses on Joseph. All of Genesis focused on God’s promise to send a savior and His faithfulness to keep that promise by preserving his people. And there isn’t a person in all of Genesis that prefigured that savior more than Jospeh. So as Genesis concludes we highlight two theme in Joseph’s last days: 1) sorrow and 2) hope. Two themes that really faithfully summarize the entire story of Genesis.

In Genesis 49, we find Jacob continuing to bless his sons on his death bed. The most important thing Jacob does before he passes is to pass on God’s covenant blessings, promises, and obligations to his sons.

In Genesis 48, Jacob is on his deathbed and for the next two chapters, he will be passing down the covenant blessings and obligations to his sons But here, he begins by blessing Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

In Genesis 47, God demonstrates his covenant faithfulness and providential care for Israel by providing for them and prospering them as they sojourn in Egypt.

In Genesis 46, Jacob and his family begin their pilgrimage into Egypt. There they’ll remain strangers and aliens outside the land of promise for over 400 years. As they begin this journey, we find God strengthening Jacob in three main ways: 1) God revives Jacob’s worship, 2) God reassures Jacob of covenant promises, and 3) God restores Jacob’s relationship with Joseph.

In Genesis 45, Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers. By God’s grace peace is restored to them and Joseph sends them back to retrieve their father. There are two big ideas this story: 1) God reconciles the sons of Jacob and 2) God revives the soul of Jacob.

Real change is hard to come by. But in Genesis 43-44, that’s what we find in the sons of Jacob. Genuine repentance over sin that is willing to humbly embrace the providential discipline of God. True change is one of the clearest indicators that someone belongs to Christ. We walk through this story in four scenes: 1) Jacob sends his sons to Egypt, 2) Jospeh welcomes his brothers, 3) Joseph tests his brothers, and 4) Judah offers himself in place of Benjamin.

In Genesis 42, through his providential hand, God exposes the guilt of Joseph’s brothers and father. The reason God does this is because he loves his people too much to leave us in our sins. In love, he will always come for us and restore us to himself. We walk through this story in 3 parts: 1) Confronted by the LORD, 2) Convicted by the LORD, and 3) Afflicted by the LORD.

In Genesis 41, Joseph is finally exalted out of his affliction. God sovereignly providentially works on Joseph’s behalf to raise him up out of the pit and seat him at the right hand of power in Egypt, thereby saving the nations from global calamity. This text reminds believers that we too will be exalted and reign with Christ. We walk through this story in three parts: 1) The impotence of Pharaoh, 2) the exaltation of Joseph, and 3) the realization of divine-promises.

In Genesis 40, we continue to walk through the darkest times of Joseph’s life. Although Joseph might be forgotten in prison by men, he is never once forsaken by God. This is important because we’re all tempted to allow our view of God’s character and purposes to be determined and influenced by how poorly or how well our circumstances go, but like Joseph we must steady our hope on God alone. We walk through this story in three parts: 1) Joseph Ministers, 2) Joseph Interprets, and 3) Joseph’s Forgotten.

In Genesis 39, we are reintroduced to Joseph and his extreme sufferings as an Egyptian slave. Yet, in the midst of his affliction, God remains with Joseph, blessing Joseph and causing all that he does to succeed. Instead of being overcome by his sorrow and suffering, by God’s grace Joseph is transformed and is enabled to flourish in the midst of injustice and affliction. We walk through this story in 3 parts: 1) God’s blessing in Potiphar’s house, 2) God’s protection from Potiphar’s wife, and 3) God’s blessing in Pharaoh’s prison.

In Genesis 38, we find one of the strangest and most shocking stories in Genesis. Judah proves himself to be self-righteous, hypocritical, and deceptive. But God is gracious to Judah and through him and his failures will ultimately bring the savior into the world. We walk through this story in two parts: 1) Judah’s Sons and 2) Judah’s Shame.

In Genesis 37, we find God’s wise providential hand working through the worst of Joseph’s experiences. God is always working in every detail of human history to accomplish his purposes for redemption. This will be abundantly clear through Joseph’s life and it is clear in our lives as well. We comfort ourselves and comfort one another in the providence of God. There are three main parts to this story: 1) Joseph’s dreams, 2) Joseph’s death, and 3) Jacob’s deception.

In Genesis 36 we find the genealogy of Esau. Genealogies have always helped to preserve the history and identity of ancient people. Esau’s lineage helps us remember that God is ultimately Lord over the nations. There are four features of this genealogy: 1) Esau’s wives, 2) Esau’s departure, 3) Esau’s multiplication, and 4) Esau’s Conquest.

In Genesis 35, God’s grace is very clear towards Jacob as the story of Genesis transitions our focus off Jacob onto his sons. We walk through this story in two parts: 1) gracious-renewal and 2) heartbreaking-sorrow.

In Genesis 34, we find the desecration of of Dinah and the vengeance of Israel. This text is meant to anchor our hope in the perfect justice of God and to work for as much righteousness as possible with the short life that we’ve been given. We also consider three applications: 1) we should respond appropriately to evil, 2) we should run from the wrath of God, and 3) we should rest in the justice of God.

E kala mai, last week’s sermon on Genesis 32 was not recorded. This Sunday in Genesis 33, we find the reconciliation of Jacob and Esau. We all know the pain and sorrow of unreconciled relationships. What happens here between Jacob and Esau is supposed to fuel our gratitude for reconciliation with God and motivate us to guard our reconciliation with one another. We walk through this text in two parts: Jacob’s Repentance (1-11) and Jacob’s Separation (12-20).

In Genesis 31, Jacob flees from Laban by returning to the land of Canaan. Jacob begins his own exodus-like experience and through it all his faith continues to mature as he recognizes all the ways God has been faithful to his covenant. This text reminds us that every believer also experiences a New Exodus as we journey our way home to heaven and we must remember our identity as spiritual-pilgrims. We walk through this text in three parts: 1) The Procession to Canaan, 2) The Pursuit of Laban, and 3) The Protection of the LORD.

In Genesis 29.31 - Genesis 30, we find that sin has plagued Jacob’s household. And yet, through all the mess, God continues to prove that he is trustworthy and faithful to his covenant promises. We walk through this story in two main parts: 1) the multiplication of Jacob’s offspring and 2) the multiplication of Jacob’s possessions.

In Genesis 29.1-30, we find one of the most humiliating moments in the life of Jacob. And yet God sovereignly providentially works through this situation to both humble Jacob and to continue his plan to bring messiah into the world through his unwanted bride, Leah. So that ultimately, Jacob's humiliation points us forward to the humiliation of Christ. We walk through this story in two parts: 1) Jacob meets Rachel and Laban (1-14) and 2) Jacob marries Rachel and Leah (15-30).