Genesis 49 contains Jacob’s final words to each
of his sons before his death. These words act both as a foretelling of the future and as a
summary, in a way, of what has happened in the book of Genesis. The line that
stood out to me the most in reading this morning was: “I wait for your salvation,
O Lord.” Waiting on God is perhaps what we have the hardest time doing in life.
Yet, if we wait on God, he will bless us in the end.
I like the Lewis quote here dealing with death
and our pilgrim status here on earth. The last two lines are the best: “All joy
(as distinct from mere pleasure, still more amusement) emphasises our pilgrim
status: always reminds, beckons, awakes desire. Our best havings are wantings.”
(Letter to Dom Bede Griffiths OSB, November 5, 1954)
Genesis 50 wraps up the story of Jacob, of
Joseph, and of Genesis (the beginnings) as a whole. In this reading, the
emphasis on the embalming of both Jacob and Joseph’s dead bodies really struck
me. Embalming was not the normal burial practice for the Jews, but it was for
the Egyptians. Thus, embalming would have been the characteristic thing for
Joseph, a prominent member of the court of Pharaoh, to do. It amazes me how
some Christians are convinced that only one type of burial practice is right
and others are wrong. Of course, attitudes are changing. However, why certain
Christians are so committed to following an Egyptian practice of embalming
their dead remains a mystery for me. If we wanted to follow ancient Jewish
practice we would wrap our dead in linens and spices and then later put the
bones in a bone box. Of course, such a practice would not even be allowed in
many places in the world today. Personally, I cannot see why one particular
burial practice should be viewed as Christian and the others not. Some
Christians view cremation as a denial of the resurrection. I do not see it so.
God can raise ashes as easily as he can resurrect bones. Thus, whether one
chooses embalming, cremation, green burial, or some other practice, seems
largely irrelevant to me and merely a matter of personal choice.
Joseph’s words to his brothers in Genesis 50:20
sum up the spiritual lesson of his life: “Even though you intended to do harm
to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he
is doing today.” This verse also sums up a very important theological
principle, that of dual agency. God acts and we act. God chooses and we choose.
Neither choice cancels out the other, but what humans mean for evil, God can
turn around and use for good.
The beginning of chapter 1 of Exodus was, no
doubt, written by one of the final editors of the Pentateuch in order to tie
together what has gone before in Genesis with what will follow in the next
book. The key verse is: “Now a new king arose
over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” It occurs to me that many of us have
experienced this same thing in our lives. A new boss, a new teacher, a new
parent, let alone a new leader of a nation, can change everything in our lives,
either for good or for bad.
Exodus 1 also ties into Genesis with its emphasis
on the multiplication of the people of Israel, in this case, despite suffering
and persecution.
Exodus 2 introduces us to the main character of
this book: Moses. He is a fascinating character right from the get-go. His life
is miraculously preserved in infancy. He is a Jew growing up in the household
of Pharaoh, like Joseph in some ways. Yet, the first real action we see him
committing is an evil and rash one—that of murder. Still, at the same time, we
feel sympathy for Moses because he is standing up for his people who are being
treated harshly. Before long, Moses is running from the wrath of Pharaoh and
establishes himself in the desert, marrying into a Midianite family. What an
amazing cultural amalgam we see in one man!
All of this sets the stage for the story to
unfold beginning in Exodus 3. However, I like the way chapter 2 ends. We have
the death of one Pharaoh, the one who was pursuing Moses to kill him. Was this
Seti I? Was his son, the next Pharaoh, Ramses II, the step-brother of Moses,
and one of the main characters of the rest of Exodus? I am not certain that
anyone knows for sure.
What we do know is that God heard the groaning of
his people in slavery. God remembered his covenant with the Patriarchs. God
looked upon Israel and God took notice of them.
In the same way, I believe God hears your
groaning and mine. God remembers his covenant with us. God looks upon us, and
takes notice of us, and that is truly amazing.
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