Verse of the day:
Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said
to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the
days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the
years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”
In
this chapter, Joseph presents his brothers, and father, before Pharaoh (v. 1-2).
Here, Joseph and his brothers is a picture of us and Christ before our Heavenly
Father. Joseph’s brothers do not deserve anything but condemnation for what
they had done to Joseph; yet, he is here presenting them before Pharaoh, who
has the earthly authority to grant them a place in Goshen. That request is
granted, not based on the brothers’ favor with Pharaoh, but because of Joseph’s.
Jesus, our Savior, Lord, and Advocate, presents us before our Heavenly Father, knowing
that we have found favor because we are in Him, and it is Jesus’ righteousness
before the Father that makes us acceptable, and makes us a citizen of heaven (2
Corinthians 5:21). Jacob in being presented to Pharaoh, again shows due
respect, and blesses Pharaoh, both at his meeting him, and his departure from
his presence (v. 7, 10). However, what I would like to focus on is the answer
that Jacob gives Pharaoh when he inquires of his age. Jacob refers to his life
on earth as a pilgrimage, or a temporary stay. He viewed his life on earth as a
place that he was passing through on the way to his true home with God. The Word
of God is very clear that we, who are born again followers of Jesus, are
pilgrims, strangers, and aliens here on earth. This place is not our home.
Philippians 3:20 tells us, “For our
citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ”. As pilgrims and strangers here on earth, we are urged to abstain
from fleshly lust, and live a life that honors God before those who are unsaved
(1 Peter 2:11-12). Remembering where our true citizenship truly lies also helps
us to endure the suffering that we face here on earth. Regardless of how many
years God gives us here, it is of no comparison to eternity spent with Him (2
Corinthians 4:17; 1 Peter 1:6; 5:10). Jacob, in his one hundred and thirty
years of life, suffered much. In his early years he had to flee from his
brother Esau who sought to kill him (Gen 27). While in his uncle Laban’s house,
he had to suffer hardships (Gen 31). At Shechem his daughter was raped and his
sons put him in a difficult situation when they murdered the men of Shechem
(Gen 34). Not long after that, his wife Rachel, whom he loved, died (Gen 35);
and finally, one of the greatest pains he suffered was the thought that his son
Joseph was dead (Gen 37). When we stop and think about Jacob’s sufferings, a
good portion of them came as a consequence of his own decisions. Esau was angry
with him because he deceitfully stole his birthright and blessings which landed
him in his uncle’s house. Part of the reason Joseph was hated and betrayed by
his brothers was Jacob’s outward demonstration of his favoritism for Joseph.
Yet, when it was all said and done, God was still with Jacob, and kept His the
promise He made to him, his father Isaac, and grandfather Abraham. The bottom
line is that we will all suffer in this lifetime, and some of the suffering may
even come as a result of our own decision-making. Nonetheless, God’s goodness
in spite of us, and the fact that we are only here for a short time and our
real home is Heaven, should give us the hope and strength to endure whatever
God allows us to suffer for His sake, and for His glory. Let us hold on to our
Living Hope, Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3), as we travel this short journey on our
way home.
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