Chapter 48 - 50: The death of Jacob and Joseph.
When Jacob fell ill, Joseph visited him with his two sons. Jacob declared that both of Joseph's sons should be considered his sons, and each should get a full share when Israel apportioned the land promised by God. So in place of Joseph, Israel named Manasseh and Ephraim among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph should be given the mountain slope which Jacob took from the Amorites.
Jacob told the sons that Egypt was not their home. God would bring them to the land of their own, promised to their forefathers.
Jacob's eyesight was poor and could not see clearly. When he wanted to bless the boys he placed his hands wrongly. Joseph tried to correct this. He placed Jacob's right hand on Manasseh, the first born, and the left on Ephraim. Jacob told Joseph that this was intentional. "For God had made you as Ephraim and Manasseh." So Ephraim would inherit his own share and that of Joseph.
Jacob then blessed his other sons.
- Reuben, although born to power and glory, had forfeited this right because of fornication with Bilhah. So in the history of Israel, no prophet, judge, or hero came from this tribe.
- Simeon and Levi, had dishonoured Israel by their massacre of the Hivites in Shechem. For this they shall have no proper inheritance. (Simeon was given an inheritance within Judah and Levi was given cities scattered all over Israel).
- Judah the leader shall rule Israel, and the Messiah shall come from him.
- Dan was Judas Iscariot to the twelve tribes of Israel. A judge (Samson) shall come from Dan, but in the process of claiming their Promised Land they ended up in adulatory (Judges 18). For that their place in the chosen nation of God is in doubt. Notice that in Rev 7:4-8 the tribe of Dan was not mentioned.
- Joseph will be a blessing to Israel. Strong, mighty and blessed by God. Joshua and Deborah were from the tribe of Ephraim and Gideon and Jephthah from the tribe of Manasseh.
- Benjamin will be the fierce warrior.
Jacob then told his sons that he wanted to be buried in the cave of Machpelah where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah and Leah were buried. Machpelah was just east of Mamre (the local name for Hebron).
When Jacob died Joseph had his body embalmed. There was 70 days of national mourning in Egypt. Joseph sought permission from Pharaoh to go and bury Jacob at Mamre. Pharaoh sent all the senior officials to accompany him. Everywhere they passed through they were accorded the respect awarded to the great nation of Egypt. And Jacob was buried at Machpelah.
Now that their father was dead, the brothers were afraid that Joseph would treat them badly for the evil they have done to him. They came to ask Joseph for forgiveness and offered to serve him. Joseph told them whatever happened was the plan of God. He assured them that all was forgotten and he would continue to provide for them and their families.
When Joseph was 110 years of age and knew he was dying, he again reminded his sons that, "God will visit you, and bring you to the land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob". He wanted his bones to be moved out of Egypt on that day.
JOSEPH
The doctrine of salvation was illustrated by Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Believed in God and His covenant and you become His people. Now that you have believed, what next?
The life of Joseph taught Christians how to trust God. Christians must believe that God has a plan for every one of His people. In the case of Joseph, it was to save the ancient world from starvation.
Joseph taught us that the plan did include hardship, but God would be in full control. He would give you all the help you needed.
All that Joseph did was to be faithful to God and lived a life God would approve. He was ethical, moral, kind, helpful, forgiving, and always looking for opportunities to give glory and honour to God. God did the rest, turning disadvantages into achievements, crisis into opportunity.
Joseph never forgets that he was a stranger in Egypt. "He was God's people and his remains should rest in God's Promised Land."
