Genesis 46: The Altar at Home
Scripture Focus:
“So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.”
— Genesis 46:1 (ESV)
Reflection:
Jacob, now an old man, is preparing to relocate his entire family to Egypt. But before doing so, he stops in Beersheba—the place of covenant, the place of worship, the place where his father Isaac also encountered God. And there, Jacob builds an altar and offers sacrifices to the Lord.
This moment is profound. After all the years, the trials, the blessings, and even grief, Jacob is still worshiping. He’s still laying his life before the God of his fathers. What a picture of legacy.
This verse gives us insight into the kind of home Joseph must have grown up in. Though Joseph’s character was tested in the pit and prison, it was formed in the home. Before Egypt, before Pharaoh, before famine—Joseph had a father who worshiped.
The Home Is the First Altar
We live in a time where so many men are lost, wandering, or incarcerated—not always because of their choices alone, but often because they didn’t have a father to model righteousness, integrity, or love. The home is meant to be the first church. The parent, especially the father, is meant to be the first priest before the Lord.
Jacob didn’t just pass on livestock or land—he passed on faith. And through that legacy, Joseph became a righteous man, not only favored in Pharaoh’s house but used by God to bless nations.
“The father shall make known Your truth to the children.” — Isaiah 38:19
Generational Blessing Starts at Home
The blessings of God flowed to and through Joseph because someone in his family set the tone spiritually. And because Joseph walked in righteousness, Israel was saved.
This is the pattern:
Worship at home → Faith in children → Influence in nations
We cannot expect our children to burn for God if we ourselves are spiritually cold. If we want our children to walk with integrity, purity, and boldness like Joseph, we must first model what it looks like to love God deeply and live for Him fully.
Legacy Beyond Our Lifetime
We’re not just raising kids. We’re raising generations of revivalists, reformers, missionaries, and kingdom carriers. If we live with hunger for God, that hunger can pass down—not just to our children, but to our children’s children.
Let this be our prayer:
“God, let the favor that rests on my life be multiplied on my children. Let them walk in greater intimacy, greater purity, greater authority. Let the altar I build in my home become the foundation for nations to be blessed through them.”
Prayer:
Father, thank You for the legacy of worship we see in Jacob and Joseph. Teach me to build an altar in my home. Help me model love, faith, and surrender before my children. Let my walk with You create a ripple effect of blessing that reaches generations. Raise up my children to carry Your presence and to bring salvation, healing, and favor to nations. Amen.