Genesis 47:25-31: a reflection

25They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s. 27Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. 28Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years. 29The time came near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don’t bury me in Egypt, 30but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place.” Joseph said, “I will do as you have said.” 31Israel said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head.

As Jacob's life draws to its end in Egypt, he makes Joseph swear to carry his body out of Egypt and bury him with his fathers in the promised land. Please don't bury me in Egypt, he asks; when I sleep with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place. Though Jacob had lived his last years in Egypt, in comfort and provision, his heart and hope were fixed on the land God had promised; and even in death he wanted to be laid there, a sign of his faith in God's promise reaching beyond his life. Jacob died in hope, his heart set on the promise, wanting even his burial to point to it. Jacob's dying request showed his faith in God's promise. Even in death, Jacob's hope was fixed on the promised land. Jacob died looking beyond Egypt to God's promise.

Notice what Jacob's dying request reveals: a hope fixed on God's promise, reaching beyond his life. He had lived his last seventeen years in Egypt, provided for and at rest; he could have been content to be buried there. But his heart was set on the land God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and himself; and so he made Joseph swear to carry him back and bury him there, not in Egypt. Even in death, his faith reached toward the promise. This is a picture of dying in faith, with our hope fixed on what God has promised. Jacob did not let the comfort of Egypt become his final home in his heart; he looked beyond it to the promise, and wanted even his burial to testify to that hope. We too are called to live and die with our hope fixed on God's promises, not letting our present comforts become our final home, but looking beyond them to what God has promised, above all to the eternal home he has prepared. To die in hope, our hearts fixed on God's promise, is faith reaching beyond this life. We look beyond present comforts to the promise of God. Our final home is not here but in what God has promised. Fix your hope on God's promise, reaching beyond this life.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to fix our hope on God's promise, reaching beyond this life, as Jacob, dying in Egypt, set his heart on the promised land and wanted to be buried there. We can let our present comforts become our final home in our hearts, content to settle here; but Jacob, though at rest in Egypt, looked beyond it to the land God had promised, and made Joseph swear to bury him there, his faith reaching beyond his life. Our final home is not here. Do not let present comforts become your final home; fix your hope on God's promise, as Jacob did, looking beyond this life. Fix your hope on God's promise, reaching beyond this life, as Jacob, having lived his last years in Egypt in comfort and provision, set his heart not on Egypt but on the land God had promised, and even in death made Joseph swear to carry him out and bury him with his fathers there; for we can let our present comforts become our final home in our hearts, content to settle where we are, but Jacob did not let the comfort of Egypt become his final home, looking beyond it to the promise and wanting even his burial to testify to that hope, so that we too are called to live and die with our hope fixed on God's promises rather than on present comforts, looking beyond them to what God has promised, above all to the eternal home he has prepared, and not treating this life's comforts as our final home.

Lord, as Jacob's life draws to its end in Egypt, he makes Joseph swear to carry his body out of Egypt and bury him with his fathers in the promised land. Please don't bury me in Egypt, he asks; when I sleep with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place. Though Jacob had lived his last years in Egypt, in comfort and provision, his heart and hope were fixed on the land you had promised; and even in death he wanted to be laid there, a sign of his faith in your promise reaching beyond his life. Jacob died in hope, his heart set on the promise. Show me what Jacob's dying request reveals: a hope fixed on your promise, reaching beyond his life. He had lived his last years in Egypt, provided for and at rest; he could have been content to be buried there. But his heart was set on the land you had promised; and so he made Joseph swear to carry him back and bury him there. Even in death, his faith reached toward the promise. This is a picture of dying in faith, with my hope fixed on what you have promised. Jacob did not let the comfort of Egypt become his final home in his heart; he looked beyond it to the promise. I too am called to live and die with my hope fixed on your promises, not letting my present comforts become my final home, but looking beyond them to what you have promised, above all to the eternal home you have prepared. Take that to my heart, for I am called to fix my hope on your promise, reaching beyond this life. Keep me from letting present comforts become my final home; help me fix my hope on your promise, Lord, as Jacob did, looking beyond this life to what you have promised and to the eternal home you have prepared, not treating this life's comforts as my final home.