Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

• What question does Pharaoh ask Jacob?
• How does Joseph portion out the food to his family?
• In verse 16, what does Joseph tell the people to use as payment for food?
• What is the system that Joseph establishes for the future harvest?
• How long did Jacob live in the land of Egypt?
• What is Israel’s dying request of Joseph?

Prayerfully Meditate

• What has been the significance of “blessing” in the book of Genesis? Where have we seen blessings before?
• Why do you think Jacob refers to the years of his life as “few and unpleasant?” What events may he be referring to?
• Pay special attention to the language of verse 27. Where in Genesis have we seen this kind of language before?
• How does the description of Israel in verse 27 contrast with that of the Egyptians in the previous section?
• Looking at chapter 47 in its entirety, how do you see God’s providential hand upon Joseph and Israel?