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Weekly Message | June 13th, 2010
Passage: Genesis 49:1-50:26
Key Verse(s): 50:24-25
This is about Joseph’s final years. Joseph is like a fruitful vine near a spring. He has abundant fruit. His life was bitter with many sufferings but God made him fruitful and prosperous all the more. Here we see another core lesson of stewardship. Stewardship is about this life. This life is about beginning and the end. Jacob described Joseph as a fruitful vine. It was Jacob's vision of a good life. A good life is a life with God. A good life has God's fruit and his blessings. In the book of Genesis we read about many stories of God's judgment—God's expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the Flood Judgment on Noah's generation, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. But the book ends with God’s goodness displayed in Joseph’s life. The message is clear: with God there is a good ending.
Then, why do need to think about the ending of Joseph’s life? Ending well is the result of our habits. Ending well requires God’s grace in our lives. Too many people do not learn this habit of ending well. Many start college and do not complete. Many lives are filled with unfinished projects. With proper ending new projects are started. However, this is not the way we live. The righteous live by faith from first to last. To end well is an important life habit we may learn from the very early years of life. The time to learn such habit is now—no matter what stage of life we may be in .
First, Joseph received Jacob’s blessings (49:1-28). Just before his death Jacob called all his sons and blessed each of them. Jacob's blessings to his sons were prophetic. Jacob's blessings were neither random nor pointless. Jacob gave each the blessing appropriate to him (49:28). Jacob's blessings of his sons were more or less about the future of the twelve tribes. For example, Reuben was the firstborn son. He excelled in honor and power. But he violated the sacred trust of his father Jacob when he slept with Jacob's other wife, Bilhah. Reuben remained indecisive. That was true with his tribes. When Barak and Deborah asked desperately for help, the Reubenites kept searching their hearts but took no action (Judges 5:15-16). They were hesitant and timid. Later, they quickly settled beyond the Jordan River. Simeon and Levi would be scattered in Israel. Zebulun would be settled in Galilee.
Jacob gave the most prominent blessing to Judah. Jacob said, "Judah, your brothers will praise you…. You are a lion's cub, O Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his" (49:8-10). Judah inherited from Jacob the promises given to Abraham: "all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Ge 12:4). Judah became a bearer of God's covenant promise. Our Lord Jesus Christ was born through the lineage of Judah. Jacob's blessings upon Judah were messianic. The Savior of the world would be coming through the lineage of Judah.
Jacob also blessed Joseph with deep personal love. To Jacob Joseph provided most comfort, hope and joy in his last years. Jacob did not hide his love for Joseph. Therefore, when Jacob blessed him, it reflected Joseph’s labor of love for his father Jacob. Jacob said, "Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel." God brought Joseph out of his father's house and put him in Egypt near the Nile River. There he prospered. In fact, Jacob wanted to bless him with all the blessings he had.
Hebrews 11:21 summarizes the life of Jacob in this way, "By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff." At the point of his death, Jacob leaned on nothing but a staff. That's all he could take. By faith Jacob blessed his sons one by one, then he worshiped God. In that way, Jacob truly fulfilled God's command and promise, "You will be a blessing." Jacob ended his life by blessing others. This is the way we end our lives on this earth.
God has called each of us with the promise, "You will be a blessing" Then how should we live? We should live as a blessing. As a blessing we receive blessing first, and then we pass this blessing to many more others. Christian life is not to live as a single seed but a seed that falls to the ground and bears much fruit. Some people live in this world as a single seed. They neither have any real mentors. Nor do they receive any blessings from others. Should we live like orphans in this world? On the other hand, people who bear much fruit have one thing in common. They receive blessings. Their relationships grow. They receive their blessings from their parents. Why does God command people to honor their parents? Children’s joy is to receive and thrive on the blessings of their parents. Here are mothers of prayer. Their presence and blessings are so important for us. They learn to develop constructive relationships with their mentors. They thrive on such blessed relationships. I know a man who from his early years of Christian life decided to learn from his mentors and serve and comfort them. In this way he received solid mentorship and blessings from many of God’s servants. This has been his habit in both spiritual world and the work world. Because of this simple habit he now has many friends that bless us. Besides our combined effort Toledo UBF’s renovation and remodeling was possible through the goodwill of God’s servants around the world who blessed us. In the Open House they all came. They blessed us in the form of interest free loans, offerings and great encouragement. May God help us to grow in the wonderful pattern of spiritual relationship as between Jacob and Joseph in our life of faith as well. If you are old enough, then ask, “How have I lived? Am I willing to bless others? Who is my Joseph?” If you are young enough, ask, “Who is my Jacob that knows me and blesses my life richly?”
Second, Joseph buried his father Jacob (49:29-50:14). Jacob finally died. Before his death he asked Joseph to take his body to the Promised Land and bury him in the tomb of his father Isaac and his grandparents Abraham and Sarah. He said, “‘I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.” When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Then, what is the meaning of Jacob’s request to his sons about his burial? In Hebrews 11:14-15 we read, “People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.” Jacob was looking for the better country that is God’s own. Jacob’s hope was ultimately in the kingdom of God where his fathers were all gathered.
Joseph mourned for his father’s death. He involved the Pharaoh—the king of Egypt—and received his blessings as well. In this way, Joseph buried his father in the Canaan land.
What does this mean? The young bury the old. The living buries the dead. This is an honorable thing to do. This is what we do in our last years of life. We bury others. In funeral services we attend we affirm that truth that this life is fleeing. This world is not our permanent home. Rather, we look forward to the better home. We also participate in honoring those who have served us in labor of love. Through such ceremonies we teach our children the meaning of life.
Third, Joseph assured God’s goodness and hope (50:15-26). After the death of Jacob, Joseph's brothers became fearful. So, they sent word to Joseph in the words of their dead father, "Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father" (50:17). When their message came to Joseph, he wept. Why did he weep? Joseph had great compassion for the sufferings of his brothers. They were still under the bondage of sins. He wept for them.
His brothers came and threw themselves down before him, saying, "We are your salves." These brothers were begging for mercy. But Joseph said to them, "Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, bur God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives…"(50:20). What does this mean? Joseph comforted them. Don’t be afraid. This is what God says to his people. These are comforting words. Too often we are afraid. So we do not try. Don’t be afraid. How wonderful it is for us to hear these words of assurance from God and those who love God. This is what God’s people who know the goodness of God say to others. Joseph believed that judgment belongs to God. So he did not focus on the sins of his brothers. Rather, he remembered God's wonderful work of saving many lives.
Joseph humbled himself before his brothers. He said, “Am I in the place of God?” He was a humble servant. He was also a sinner who was in need of mercy. He simply recognized that judgment belongs to God. He did not exalt himself beyond who he really was.
Joseph spoke the truth to them. “You intended to harm me” It was a very short phrase. But he said, “bur God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives”. This is the work of God. God intends all for good. In all things God works for the good of those who love him and who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). Then, Joseph said, “So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. Joseph spoke words of comfort and displayed kindness. This is the kind of old man and woman we may strive to become. As we get older, the wounds of this life are such, many become hurt, wounded and damaged. From their mouths instead of kind words many speak words of grumpy old men and women. However, this is not the way we end. Rather, the goodness and mercy are the mark of old men and women.
Joseph served God's will in his generation. In his death Joseph said, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Then he instructed the Israelites to carry his bones with them back to the Promised Land. Joseph planted in the hearts of the Israelites a sure hope, and firm and confident faith in God who keeps His promises.
Why did Joseph entrust his bones to his brothers? He wanted to share the sufferings with his people. He also wanted to depart the land of Egypt and enter the Promised Land with them. It was also the direction to his sons—Ephraim and Manasseh—to live along with God’s people. In fact, 400 years later, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh joined with other Israelites. They lived as God’s people.
Here is Joseph’s legacy. He had effective succession. After Joseph’s death, the Bible does not record any of the details about the Israelites. During these silent unknown years the Israelites multiplied. They maintained their identity as God’s people. Leadership was certainly there. People lived and died. Generations after generations came and departed. Life went on. The work of God continued.
Persons like Joseph arise as a real exception—one in every thousand years. But the patterns of his life inspire many people throughout the ages. In this life we all experience many bitter arrows. Yet, with God we do not become bitter and yet good. God’s goodness and love always follow us all the days of our lives.
Joseph served God's will in his generation. Joseph' life points to Jesus clearly. Our Lord Jesus left His Father's house to prepare a eternal foundation for our salvation. Joseph left his father's house to prepare a place for his brothers in Egypt. Our Lord Jesus obeyed God's will even to the point of death on the cross. Joseph obeyed God throughout his many ups and downs in life. Jesus did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. In a similar way, Joseph was first and foremost a servant of all. He did all to save many lives. Christ's love is to call sinners to repent. Joseph practiced tough love in leading his brothers to repent. Joseph's life of suffering reminds us of Jesus' sufferings. Joseph's life of victory also reminds us of Jesus' resurrection—victory over death. Indeed, Joseph bears the image of Jesus. Praise God who used Joseph greatly in His redemptive history. May God help each one of us to live like Joseph so that we may bear the wonderful image of Christ in this world.
June 13, 2010. Toledo UBF
Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.
