You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. - John 15:16
This morning’s sermon is the final one of “The Chosen Church” series. I have titled it, appropriately enough, “The End of an Era”. It covers the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, which marked the end of the Patriarchal Age.
At the conclusion of last week’s message Jacob had just finished blessing his sons. His blessings prophetically described the tribes that would emerge from each of them. Remember, Jacob was extremely ill and at the point of death when he spoke these words.
I. JACOB DIES (Gen. 49:29-33)
With his last fleeting breaths, Jacob commanded his sons to bury him in Canaan. He wanted to be laid in the Cave of Machpelah which was located in the field that his grandfather Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite many years earlier. His grandparents Abraham and Sarah, his parents Isaac and Rebekah, and his first wife Leah were all already buried there. Jacob wanted his body to rest with them in the family grave. He had already asked Joseph to do this once before, and was now repeating his last request to all of his sons. After voicing these words, Jacob laid back in his bed, drew his feet up, and died at the age of 147.
Jacob was the last of the patriarchs. All of his sons were mutual recipients of God’s promise. They were known collectively as the Hebrews. Though each had their own distinct tribal identity, together they made up the nation of Israel. God’s covenant, which began with Abraham, was established through the lines of Issac and Jacob.
II. RETURNED TO CANAAN (Gen. 50:1-11)
Joseph wept when his father died. He ordered his physicians to embalm Jacob’s body, a tedious process that took 40 days to complete. Meanwhile the Egyptians mourned Jacob’s death for 70 days. Afterwards, Pharaoh gave Joseph permission to go bury his father in their ancestral homeland.
Joseph and his family, along with many Egyptians, left for Canaan. Along the way they stopped at the threshing floor of Atad, which some suggest was located on the border between Egypt and Canaan - its exact location remains unknown. There they lamented the death of Jacob for another 7 days. When the Canaanites who lived in the area saw the extent of their sorrow, they named the site Abel-Mizraim which means “mourning of Egypt”.
Jacob’s body was embalmed according to the Egyptian custom. The Jews do not typically embalm their dead. In fact, it is against their law to do so. Instead, they bury the deceased within 24 hours after their death, before the natural decaying process begins. Because Jacob’s body was embalmed, it was preserved for a much longer period of time. This allowed it to be transported many miles from Egypt to Canaan intact and without decomposing.
III. BURIED IN CANAAN (Gen. 50:12-21)
Upon their arrival at the Cave of Machpelah, near the city of Hebron, Joseph and his brothers buried their father. When the burial was complete, they all returned to their homes in Egypt. In the days that followed Joseph’s brothers feared that he might seek vengeance against them now that Jacob was dead. They again sought his forgiveness and bowed in humble servitude before him. However, Joseph was not angry with them at all. He knew that everything they’d done during his youth, though it had been intended for evil, had worked together for good in accordance with God’s perfect plan.
IV. JOSEPH DIES (Gen. 50:22-26)
Joseph lived in Egypt for the remainder of his life, roughly 54 more years. The Bible doesn’t record any information about what happened during this time. Eventually, Joseph died at the age of 110. He lived long enough to meet his great grandchildren, the offspring of Ephraim and Manasseh. Near the end of his life, Joseph reassured his brothers that God would care for them and someday lead the Hebrews back to the land of Canaan which He’d promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He asked them to take his body back there, just as they’d done for their father Jacob. When Joseph died, the Egyptians embalmed his body and placed it in a coffin. It would remain there for almost 400 years, until the time of the exodus.
Joseph was not one of the patriarchs. Nevertheless, several chapters in the book of Genesis are dedicated to him. There are likely multiple reasons for this. First, Joseph’s story explains how the Jewish people wound up in Egypt, thereby providing the backdrop for the Egyptian captivity to follow. Second, as we’ve pointed out throughout this series, Joseph’s life presents many similarities to the ministry and experiences of Jesus Christ. I see Joseph's story as a preview, in many respects, of the coming Messiah.
CONCLUSION
Prior to the age of the patriarchs, there were no designated people of God. Instead the LORD revealed Himself to individuals and families who were scattered across the earth, including faithful men such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Job. Believers were, for the most part, largely disconnected from one another. This approach starkly changed when God chose Abraham to become the father of His people. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were set apart to serve as God’s representatives on the earth.
In keeping with this new arrangement, God established the Abrahamic Covenant. It consisted of 3 main parts. First, God would bless Abraham and his descendants and grow them into a populous and successful nation. Second, God would give these Hebrews the land of Canaan as an eternal possession from which they could live and serve Him forever. Third, God would work through His people to bless the entire world. It was the LORD’s intention for Israel to become a spiritually fruitful and morally righteous nation that made His name famous in all the earth. Unfortunately, the Jewish people didn’t always rise to this lofty expectation.
Following the age of the patriarchs, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were enslaved by the Egyptians for almost 400 years. During their captivity several generations passed and they multiplied into a large ethic group - estimated to be in the millions by the time of the exodus. Their growth as a people, despite severe hardship, was consistent with God’s covenant promise. All of these things took place just as God had predicted (Genesis 15:12-16).
In closing, we have seen again and again in this series that the patriarchs were sinners just like you and me. They were not chosen because of their moral excellence or superiority. Rather, God chose then solely based upon His own sovereign will for reasons that we don’t fully understand. By faith they trusted in His promises and obeyed His directions. In the same way, we as Christians today (the church) do not choose to follow God by our own prerogative. Rather, He chooses us through the finished work of Jesus Christ and we simply accept or reject His invitation (John 1:12).
This morning’s sermon is the final one of “The Chosen Church” series. I have titled it, appropriately enough, “The End of an Era”. It covers the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, which marked the end of the Patriarchal Age.
At the conclusion of last week’s message Jacob had just finished blessing his sons. His blessings prophetically described the tribes that would emerge from each of them. Remember, Jacob was extremely ill and at the point of death when he spoke these words.
I. JACOB DIES (Gen. 49:29-33)
With his last fleeting breaths, Jacob commanded his sons to bury him in Canaan. He wanted to be laid in the Cave of Machpelah which was located in the field that his grandfather Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite many years earlier. His grandparents Abraham and Sarah, his parents Isaac and Rebekah, and his first wife Leah were all already buried there. Jacob wanted his body to rest with them in the family grave. He had already asked Joseph to do this once before, and was now repeating his last request to all of his sons. After voicing these words, Jacob laid back in his bed, drew his feet up, and died at the age of 147.
Jacob was the last of the patriarchs. All of his sons were mutual recipients of God’s promise. They were known collectively as the Hebrews. Though each had their own distinct tribal identity, together they made up the nation of Israel. God’s covenant, which began with Abraham, was established through the lines of Issac and Jacob.
II. RETURNED TO CANAAN (Gen. 50:1-11)
Joseph wept when his father died. He ordered his physicians to embalm Jacob’s body, a tedious process that took 40 days to complete. Meanwhile the Egyptians mourned Jacob’s death for 70 days. Afterwards, Pharaoh gave Joseph permission to go bury his father in their ancestral homeland.
Joseph and his family, along with many Egyptians, left for Canaan. Along the way they stopped at the threshing floor of Atad, which some suggest was located on the border between Egypt and Canaan - its exact location remains unknown. There they lamented the death of Jacob for another 7 days. When the Canaanites who lived in the area saw the extent of their sorrow, they named the site Abel-Mizraim which means “mourning of Egypt”.
Jacob’s body was embalmed according to the Egyptian custom. The Jews do not typically embalm their dead. In fact, it is against their law to do so. Instead, they bury the deceased within 24 hours after their death, before the natural decaying process begins. Because Jacob’s body was embalmed, it was preserved for a much longer period of time. This allowed it to be transported many miles from Egypt to Canaan intact and without decomposing.
III. BURIED IN CANAAN (Gen. 50:12-21)
Upon their arrival at the Cave of Machpelah, near the city of Hebron, Joseph and his brothers buried their father. When the burial was complete, they all returned to their homes in Egypt. In the days that followed Joseph’s brothers feared that he might seek vengeance against them now that Jacob was dead. They again sought his forgiveness and bowed in humble servitude before him. However, Joseph was not angry with them at all. He knew that everything they’d done during his youth, though it had been intended for evil, had worked together for good in accordance with God’s perfect plan.
IV. JOSEPH DIES (Gen. 50:22-26)
Joseph lived in Egypt for the remainder of his life, roughly 54 more years. The Bible doesn’t record any information about what happened during this time. Eventually, Joseph died at the age of 110. He lived long enough to meet his great grandchildren, the offspring of Ephraim and Manasseh. Near the end of his life, Joseph reassured his brothers that God would care for them and someday lead the Hebrews back to the land of Canaan which He’d promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He asked them to take his body back there, just as they’d done for their father Jacob. When Joseph died, the Egyptians embalmed his body and placed it in a coffin. It would remain there for almost 400 years, until the time of the exodus.
Joseph was not one of the patriarchs. Nevertheless, several chapters in the book of Genesis are dedicated to him. There are likely multiple reasons for this. First, Joseph’s story explains how the Jewish people wound up in Egypt, thereby providing the backdrop for the Egyptian captivity to follow. Second, as we’ve pointed out throughout this series, Joseph’s life presents many similarities to the ministry and experiences of Jesus Christ. I see Joseph's story as a preview, in many respects, of the coming Messiah.
CONCLUSION
Prior to the age of the patriarchs, there were no designated people of God. Instead the LORD revealed Himself to individuals and families who were scattered across the earth, including faithful men such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Job. Believers were, for the most part, largely disconnected from one another. This approach starkly changed when God chose Abraham to become the father of His people. The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were set apart to serve as God’s representatives on the earth.
In keeping with this new arrangement, God established the Abrahamic Covenant. It consisted of 3 main parts. First, God would bless Abraham and his descendants and grow them into a populous and successful nation. Second, God would give these Hebrews the land of Canaan as an eternal possession from which they could live and serve Him forever. Third, God would work through His people to bless the entire world. It was the LORD’s intention for Israel to become a spiritually fruitful and morally righteous nation that made His name famous in all the earth. Unfortunately, the Jewish people didn’t always rise to this lofty expectation.
Following the age of the patriarchs, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were enslaved by the Egyptians for almost 400 years. During their captivity several generations passed and they multiplied into a large ethic group - estimated to be in the millions by the time of the exodus. Their growth as a people, despite severe hardship, was consistent with God’s covenant promise. All of these things took place just as God had predicted (Genesis 15:12-16).
In closing, we have seen again and again in this series that the patriarchs were sinners just like you and me. They were not chosen because of their moral excellence or superiority. Rather, God chose then solely based upon His own sovereign will for reasons that we don’t fully understand. By faith they trusted in His promises and obeyed His directions. In the same way, we as Christians today (the church) do not choose to follow God by our own prerogative. Rather, He chooses us through the finished work of Jesus Christ and we simply accept or reject His invitation (John 1:12).