Mourned as a Leader
Genesis 50: Then Joseph fell on his father’s face
and wept over him, and kissed him. 2 And
Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the
physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were
required for him, for such are the days required for those who are embalmed;
and the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
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When Jacob died, Joseph wept and kissed him. He told the
Egyptian physicians, who were “his” servants, to embalm his father. This would
take forty days. After that, all of Egypt mourned for seventy days.
My Observations:
- Egyptians
were known for mumification, whereas Jacob simply buried Rachel and Leah.
- Embalming
took forty days because it was extremely important to the Egyptians who
believed in gods.
- Mourning
was ceremonious to the Egyptians, similar to a coronation.
Jacob, known as Israel was celebrated as an Egyptian leader
because of his relationship with Joseph. Neither Joseph or Jacob were Egyptians,
yet they celebrated him as one of their own. GOD put Joseph in a position of
power and he was seen as Pharaoh.
Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years. My guess is that the
Egyptians heard of the stories of Abraham and Isaac during his stay. He was not
one to remain silent. He may have had some affect on their beliefs. GOD made
Jacob a leader in the middle of a culture who would, otherwise, not accept him.
Challenge
- Why
does GOD tell Moses about the Egyptian’s mourning of Jacob?
- Is
your faith strong enough to affect the culture around you?
- Can
you be the salt GOD has called you to be so you can transform the people
around you?
