Jacob’s Final Instructions

 

Jacob’s Final Instructions

Genesis 49: ²⁹ Then he charged them and said to them: “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 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 as a possession for a burial place. ³¹ There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. ³² The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” ³³ And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

 

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After blessing his sons, Jacob gave his final instructions on where to bury him. After giving the instructions, he immediately passed away.

 

My Observations:

• Ephron was a Hittite who lived in the land of the Philistines
• Abraham insisted on buying the land when Sarah died because he wanted ownership versus ambiguous terms that would eventually allow some other family to reclaim the property.
• Leah was the only wife buried in the cave with Jacob’s ancestors.

 

There are significant things going on with Jacob’s final instructions. First, he insisted on being buried in the cave with Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah. Abraham moved to the land of the Philistines and dealt with Abimelech. When Sarah died, he bought the land that had a cave on it. Jacob wanted to be buried there.

 

But in his dying statement, he mentions Leah. Wow! She is the mother of Judah which is the tribe of David and JESUS! Jacob did not want Leah for many reasons. He desired Rachel, who ended up dying in the birthplace of JESUS. Leah ended up being very special to Jacob and her prayers were answered.

 

The Philistines would become the ultimate enemies of GOD as they fought against the tribes of Israel over and over because of their belief in GOD. Samson would fight the Philistines and David fought Goliath, a famous Philistine. The Hittites believed in many gods. Ephron was a Hittite who owned land amongst the Philistines. GOD seemed to bring together the people who worshipped HIM and those who opposed HIM.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Jacob insisting to be buried with his ancestors?
• Are there some things that you fought against GOD that were beneficial to you?
• Will you surrender anything that you are fighting GOD for, to get your own way?

Gathered to His People

Gathered to His People

Genesis 35: ²⁷ Then Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had dwelt. ²⁸ Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. ²⁹ So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

 

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After Simeon and Levi took revenge on the men of Shechem, GOD told Jacob to leave. He went to Bethel whiner his mother’s nurse died. Jacob mourned her death. He then continued to Ephrath, otherwise known as Bethlehem where Rachel, his beloved, died giving birth to Benjamin. Jacob mourned her death He then came home to see his father. Isaac breathed his last breath.

 

My Observations:

• Isaac died at one hundred eighty years of age.
• Jacob made it to Isaac to see his last breath.
• Isaac was gathered to his people or joined his ancestors.

 

This is the second mention of ancestors being someplace else other than alive on earth. The first mention was when Abraham died. Jacob and Esau buried Isaac’s body, but the words “gathered to his people” implies that they only buried Isaac’s corpse.

 

Isaac was no longer in the shell that was walking on this earth. He was back with his ancestors. But who are they? Isaac was a link in the lineage of CHRIST. Men and women who had conversations with the LORD were alive after death. Isaac was “full of his days”, meaning he reached a high number of years on this earth, but was alive after death.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about Jacob being with his father to see him die?
• Do you believe in the afterlife?
• Do you know what will happen to you if you were to die today?

A Bigger Vision

A Bigger Vision

Genesis 13: ¹⁴ And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; ¹⁵ for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. ¹⁶ And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. ¹⁷ Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

 

¹⁸ Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.

 

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Lot was raised by Terah, Abram’s father. He knew how to manage wealth and recognized opportunity when he saw it. Unfortunately, some of the opportunity he saw was from people who despised the LORD. Lot seemed torn between wealth and his heritage of following the LORD. When he left, GOD appeared to Abram.

 

My Observations:

• GOD could have appeared to Abram and Lot, but HE waited.
• Abram thought the first little place GOD showed him was the final place.
• Abram seemed to have so much faith, that he moved without complaining.

 

Possibly seeing that GOD had something bigger than he realized, Abram did not question GOD by asking “Why didn’t you show me this in the first place?” Lot had to leave before the bigger vision was given to Abram. Everywhere Abram looked was given to his descendants. Abram’s name would become so great that no human could ever count his descendants.

 

This meant that the vision was supernatural in nature. “I will” meant that GOD made a promise that would happen. “From the place” where Abram was, where he thought was the end of the vision, GOD showed something far greater. Abram did not have to lift a finger or try harder to have a better relationship with GOD. He just had to have faith.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD waited for Lot to leave before HE showed Abram the bigger vision?
• Are you clinging onto a circle of people who may be keeping you in a smaller vision?
• Are you willing to open your eyes to a bigger vision GOD has for you that includes you in HIS plan?