Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.
Title: Death of two great patriarchs
Theme: Show the faith of these two great patriarchs.
Text: Genesis 49:28-50
Genesis 49
28. All these [are] the twelve tribes of Israel: and this [is it] that their
father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he
blessed them.
29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my
people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that [is] in the field of Ephron the
Hittite,
Why do you think that Jacob wanted to be buried in Canaan? He was looking forward to the day when he would be raised and fully possess what God had promised him.
30 In the cave that [is] in the field of Machpelah, which [is] before Mamre,
in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite
for a possession of a buryingplace.
31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and
Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that [is] therein [was] from the
children of Heth.
I want you to notice the detail that he takes in naming the land. I believe all that was on Jacobs mind was thinking about the promise and the covenant of the Lord. He had no other desire but to live and die for the Lord.
If we would only wrap ourselves up in the Lord's promise to us. The promises that he gives us here on earth such as salvation and sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The gifts and the life. All these are promises that we have from God and then the promise of Eternal life and rewards in heaven. Oh we are so sidetracked with this world. We complain and fuss but God wants us. Oh that we would just lose track and gain God.
One description that I have heard to receiving the Holy Spirit or even a renewal of it from the Lord was that you must lose all sight of you surroundings and get focused on the Lord.
33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his
feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
Do you see maybe an analog here by Jacob putting his feet in the bed and yielding up the Ghost?
Jacob had begun his own walk on his own two feet. Looking out for Jacob and know one else. But God did something in his life that reminded him that he must depend on the Lord. Do you remember?
Genesis 32:25-AV And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched
the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he
wrestled with him.
He in a sense crippled him and ever sense he had a limp. He now walked with the help of a Cain. He now was dependant.
Jacob's life could be summed up in the words used for the great patriarchs in Hebrews 11.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Before we begin with chapter 50 I want to make a note here. What was Genesis 1 all about, let us try to sum it up in one word? Life Now if you have read Genesis 50 what was it all about? Death. The death of Jacob and Joseph. Genesis begins with Adam and Eve in a perfect utopian society. Free of all worries, sickness, sin. No death. But ends with a coffin in Egypt.
Genesis 50
1. And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
In this chapter we are going to see many sad emotions expressed. Mainly over death. But I believe we will see some highlights and we may even learn our ownselves about dealing with death. Joseph had deep feeling for his father so he wept over him. But there was more.
2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.
So they embalmed him. The process took forty days of doing but Joseph took the care to do this. There is nothing wrong with morning and grief or even caring for the body after death. It helps us to deal with our grief instead of just holding it in or hiding it.
4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,
5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged
for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go
up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee
swear.
7. And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants
of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,
Here we see two faithful testimonies. One of Jacob who was respected by all so much that they mourned for his death and also of Joseph.
4) Faithful Testimony
Here we see the faith of Joseph. How he like his father believed in God and in what the Lord had promised.
I believe that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph could testify just as Paul testified in
Philippians 1:21. For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain.
There is no fear of death because I am ready for the alternative. But if we are not ready for the alternative then we should fear death.
8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only
their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of
Goshen.
9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very
great company.
10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which [is] beyond Jordan, and
there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a
mourning for his father seven days.
11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in
the floor of Atad, they said, This [is] a grievous mourning to the Egyptians:
wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which [is] beyond Jordan.
12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them:
13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the
cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a
possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
Now remember Rachel, Jacob's favorite wife , was buried in Bethelem. But Jacob wanted to be buried with his fathers. He was looking forward to the resurrection.
14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up
with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
15. And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said,
Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil
which we did unto him.
16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command
before he died, saying,
17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy
brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee,
forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept
when they spake unto him.
Why do you think Joseph wept? Maybe because of mistrust. or Maybe it was for compassion or Maybe this is the first real acknowledgment of guilt and repentance
18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said,
Behold, we [be] thy servants.
They bowed before him. In obeisance to him. They wanted forgiveness
19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for [am] I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good,
to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.
I talked about this not to long ago when I spent one Wednesday night discussing the Providence of God. What man cannot understand God has a way.
21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he
comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
22. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an
hundred and ten years.
23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third [generation]: the children
also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.
So Joseph was a great-great- grandfather.
24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you,
and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob.
25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely
visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
Here is faith. When you leave. When you go to Canaan take my bones.
Hebrews 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the
children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
26 So Joseph died, [being] an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed
him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph's body did finally make it to the land of Canaan we see this in
Exodus 13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
John spoke of our promise in a vision he saw.
Revelation 21:1. And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
