I can only imagine the emotion of this scene of meeting. Can you see Jacob and Joseph scrutinizing each other's faces? The embraces ... the tears ... the incredulity. Amazing ...
I want to focus on the scene when Joseph takes Jacob into the presence of Pharaoh. Just imagine it. There is the splendor of the palace of Pharaoh. This is the wealthiest country in the world at the time. The Pharaohs were surrounded by servants. Their cups were made of alabaster. Chairs were made of gold. The elegance and splendor had to have been staggering. Also, this is the most powerful ruler in the world at the time. This is a ruler that was considered to be the earthly embodiment of the great sun god, Ra, not just a man. Enter Jacob. An aged Hebrew shepherd. He would have had a beard most likely. I wonder if he had a staff? I probably have seen too many movies, but I can picture Jacob walking in to that splendid palace with a coarse robe blowing in the wind, staff in hand, beard long and free. We can learn some things from Jacob as he encounters Pharaoh.
First, Jacob blesses Pharaoh. He was not intimidated by the wealth and power in front of him. He passes on a Hebrew blessing. And the "greater blesses the lesser". Would you consider Jacob to be greater than Pharaoh? The world would not. It is the principle we first saw when Melchizedek blessed Abraham (Genesis 14: 18 - 20; Hebrews 7:7) You and I have a tendency to be so impressed and dazzled by worldly wealth and power - so impressed by politically powerful people - that we tend to go mute when in their presence. Not Jacob. Robert Candlish in his Studies in Genesis, says:
Lifting up his hands at the full height of his stature, without one preliminary word of salutation or gesture of compliment to the king, the old man pours out his soul in prayer - asking God's blessing on the royal head - and in God's name, pronouncing the customary blessing of Abraham's house and seed.
The question for you and I - do we speak up when in the presence of worldly power? Or are we intimidated into silence? Do we really believe that we have something to offer this old world of ours?
No greater wealth exists that what you and I, as believers in Jehovah and the sacrifice of Jesus, have to offer our circles of influence. Speak up! Jacob was not intimidated. I don't want to be either!
The second thing that impresses me about this encounter is that Jacob describes himself as a "pilgrim." A pilgrim is a traveler, a person with no present land to claim as their own. Jacob calls himself, and his fathers before him, pilgrims. They were on a journey. I must remember that. I am on a journey. This is not "home". I, too, am a pilgrim. We get so attached to our place ... our country ... our homes ... we can forget that we are but pilgrims here. We do well to remember the words written by the author of Hebrews in Hebrews 11: 13 - 16:
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
The final thing I would have you notice
We are but pilgrims here. Jacob understood. Jacob defined himself that way. Do you? Do I? In reality ... "this world is not our home ..."
about Jacob's exchange with Pharaoh: he described his years as short and difficult. So what do we take from that? Life is short. It flies by, does it not? As I write, my daughters, my little girls who filled this house with laughter and energy and play, are all grown up with homes of their own. My house is quiet. Where did those years go? Life is short. I don't want to miss a day. I don't want to neglect a moment. I don't want to overlook a joy or a glimpse of beauty. Life is short.
Jacob also reminds us that life is difficult. Living this side of eternity, in this fallen world, is more than difficult. Jacob has had his share of trauma and pain and loss. I know that you have too. And we can echo this old patriarch as he says that his years are few and his days difficult. It should be no surprise to us. I wonder why it seems to keep surprising us - the brevity, the difficulty of life? Jacob reminds me that I long to be faithful through my short years and difficult days!
Lord, help us walk beside You all along our pilgrimage here. Help us be faithful to our Lord through each of our days - the ones that are easy and the ones that are difficult. May we have the courage of Jacob to give testimony, to give blessing, even in the presence of people the world would call "great". I don't want to be dazzled by the glitz of the world ... I want to be dazzled by the eyes of my Lord. And through Your Spirit ... may it be.
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