It's an Individual Thing: Genesis 46:1-27
God may call us as His people, but within that calling we all have freedom to interact with God as we desire. Our relationship with God is personal. God wants us all to come, but He knows we come in different ways.
Once Jacob decides to go and see Joseph, the Lord visits. God waited until after Jacob decides to go before affirming the decision. This shows God’s personal understanding of Jacob.
Some might argue God should have come before Jacob makes his decision. That way, Jacob could make his decision to go to Egypt knowing it had God’s blessing. The Bible contains stories of God intervening in this way. God does this when he calls Moses; He does this with Mary and Joseph to announce Jesus’ coming. Jacob, however, has a stubborn streak and makes his own decisions. He fights to do things his way. He is stubborn enough to do something differently than he’s told because he wants to make the decision himself. This is the man who wrestled with God!
God knows Jacob is stubborn. Thus, God affirms Jacob’s decision rather than helping him. Jacob weighs the evidence for himself and decides. Then, God comes. Not only does God affirm Jacob’s decision, He tells Jacob his offspring will become a great nation in Egypt. His people will be a blessing to all the people of the earth.
The blessing is two-fold. When the Hebrew people come out of Egypt, Moses receives the Law. This Law informs societies all around the world how civilized people treat one another.
Many centuries later, the world receives Jesus. He died to restore humanity’s relationship with God. That restoration is the biggest blessing the world could receive.
Why would the world be blessed? It happens because Abraham listened. He was the inspiration. Abraham listened to God, and God turned that act of obedience into a cornucopia of blessing.
Looking at Abraham’s lineage, though, all things are not equal. Abraham was huge; Isaac was much more subdued. Jacob had a very up-and-down role. Joseph was hugely influential. Significant Hebrew figures pop up here and there out of all tribes. Samuel, Joshua, Gideon, and Deborah come from Joseph. The kings and prophets like Elijah and Daniel come from Judah. Moses and Aaron come from Levi. Benjamin produces Saul and the apostle Paul. Some tribes, like Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Asher, and Gad don’t have many specific mentions.
What does this all mean? One’s heritage doesn’t indicate one’s importance. Our place with God is an individual status based on our interactions with God. I don’t have a great relationship with God because my father had a great relationship with God – which as far as I can judge, he did! My relationship with God is my own thing to grow or neglect as I choose. God may call us as His people, but within that calling we all have freedom to interact with God as we desire.
