Tawa Baptist

Grieving With Hope

Scripture: Genesis 49:29-50:14

Video Link: https://youtu.be/___6tWI6qGM

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Grief
  • Hope
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

If you have ever been on a long road trip with children you will have heard the chorus, ‘Are we there yet’. Some journeys seem to take forever. More than a few of you are probably thinking, are we there yet, with this current sermon series on the life of Joseph.

We started back at the beginning of February and now, nearly six months later, we are still going. Fear not. Today’s message is the second to last in this series. This week’s sermon focuses on the death and burial of Joseph’s father, Jacob. It’s about grieving with hope. From Genesis 49, verse 29, we read… 

29 Then he [Jacob] gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. Joseph threw himself on his father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father, Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3 taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. 4 When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favour in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, 5 ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” 6 Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and horsemenalso went up with him. It was a very large company. 10 When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. 11 When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim. 12 So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: 13 They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

In this reading we are shown how Joseph and his brothers grieve for their father Jacob and how Jacob binds his sons to hope. Let us begin with Joseph’s grieving process.

Grief:

Grief is the natural response to loss. If you lose someone or something important, then you will experience grief in proportion to the magnitude of your loss. Or, to say it another way, grief is the price we pay for love.

Grief is like a vomiting bug. Except with grief, you are not throwing up the contents of your stomach. You are throwing up the contents of your soul. Your anger and pain, your hurt and sadness. Releasing these feelings is necessary to the healing process, but it’s not pleasant.

Grief comes in waves. You are not in control. Just when you think you are okay, you throw up again, ambushed by tears or rage or both. After a while, you feel empty, tired, exhausted, spent. It takes time to recover your strength. Time before you are ready to risk enjoying life again.

When Jacob dies, Joseph throws himself upon his father and weeps. Joseph knows Jacob’s death is coming and so he skips the initial shock that often accompanies the news of significant loss. There is no stiff upper lip with Joseph. He lets his feelings out in the form of tears.

Tears are a kind of natural anesthetic. They are nature’s pain killer. If you cry for several minutes, from emotional pain, the body releases feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins.

Sobbing also helps to improve your mood by reducing the temperature of your brain. It calms you. More than this, when other people see you crying, they are likely to give you support or at least not be mean to you.       

After having a good cry, Joseph directs the physicians to embalm his father. Embalming was more of an Egyptian thing than a Hebrew thing.

It was a way of slowing the rate of decay, to preserve the body. From a practical point of view, this was necessary for transporting Jacob’s body to Canaan. 

When we experience significant loss, it can feel quite scary, like we have no control in the situation. To prevent ourselves from being overwhelmed by fear it helps to do something that gives us a feeling of mastery or control. Like mowing the lawns or cleaning the shower or baking a cake.

By directing people to embalm his father’s body, Joseph was able to buy a little more time and regain a quantum of control in the face of death.

Can you remember what you were doing on the 31 August 1997? It was the day Princess Diana died. It seemed like the whole world stopped. Yes, we were sad for Diana’s loss and for her sons, William and Harry. But it was more than that.

Diana’s death touched something in our collective unconscious, so that people everywhere felt they had permission to grieve their own personal losses. It was a time of lament for all the things in this world that are not as they are meant to be.

In verse 3 of Genesis 50, we read how the Egyptians mourn for Jacob for seventy days. That’s ten weeks. Whenever one of the pharaoh’s died, the nation would mourn for 72 days. Jacob gets almost the same honour and respect as a pharaoh.

It seems that Jacob’s death touched something in the collective unconscious of the Egyptian people. Most of them would not have known Jacob personally but they knew Joseph had saved them and without Jacob there would be no Joseph.

Jacob’s passing was not untimely, as Diana’s was. But perhaps, like the passing of Diana, it provided an opportunity for people everywhere to mourn their own losses.   

Grief is a heavy weight to carry. Honouring the people we have lost is an important part of the grieving process. It is necessary to acknowledge the truth that this person matters to me. Their loss is no small thing.

We honour the people we have lost by taking time to plan their memorial service. By speaking good words, true words, in memory of their life. And by not rushing back to a busy schedule too quickly. Giving ourselves time to heal. Slowing down and leaving room to feel our loss and express our grief.   

After the 70 days of national mourning have passed, Joseph gets permission to bury his father in the land of Canaan, as Jacob had requested.

It is difficult to know what to say when someone dies. We want to give words of comfort to those who are grieving, but no words are adequate.

Sometimes all we have to offer is our presence, which is precisely what Pharaoh’s officials give. They take time to accompany Joseph on his journey, so he is not alone. They show up to the funeral.

When Joseph and his brothers finally arrive in Canaan to bury Jacob’s body they lament loudly and bitterly, observing a seven-day period of mourning. This is at least three months after Jacob has died. Grief isn’t something we get over quickly. Grief keeps its own unpredictable schedule. It is a process punctuated by deeply felt emotion. 

Verse 13 of Genesis 50 gives a very specific location for Jacob’s burial plot. This is the second time in today’s reading we are given this geographical reference. It shows that Jacob’s sons were obedient in carrying out Jacob’s dying wishes.

It also provides a marker for future generations. This urupa (cemetery) is sacred ground. A symbol of Israel’s stake in the land.

Hope:

Some things on your dinner plate are not that pleasant to eat on their own. Take broccoli for example. You can eat broccoli by itself, but it tastes better with a bit of grated cheese on top. Likewise, mashed potato is okay on its own, but it really goes better with some gravy.

Grief on its own is like broccoli without cheese or mashed potato without gravy. Grief needs to be topped with hope.

We’ve heard how Joseph handled his grief. Now let’s consider how Jacob bound his sons to hope. 

Hope is like cherry blossoms in spring; reminding us that summer is coming. Or, to say it more plainly, hope is the belief that good things wait for us in the future.

Hope is not blind. Hope is a beautiful thing to behold. Hope sees the blossoms with the eyes of faith. While you can’t eat the blossoms, you know from experience they are a sign of summer fruit to come.

Hope is like a kite; it rises against the wind. Hope cannot fly without some opposition or difficulty. When life is easy, we have no need for hope.

Of course, for the kite to work, you need to hold on to it. Faith is the string that keeps us connected to our hope. When we believe that God has good things in store for us, our heart dances with joy, like a kite on the breeze.   

Hope is like a sail; it moves you forward. But for the sail of hope to work, you must raise it. Just as sailors need to take care of their sails, so too we need to take care of our hope.

Wise faith is the act of raising and trimming your sails to suit the conditions, so the boat doesn’t capsize and the sail doesn’t tear.

Hope is like a harness; it catches your fall. If you are abseiling down a rock face or being winched to safety by a rescue helicopter or gliding to earth with a parachute, the harness holds you and keeps you secure.

Obviously, for the harness to work, you need to stay attached to it.

Faith is wearing your harness. Faith and hope save you.   

As we heard earlier, Jacob instructs his sons to bury his body in the land of Canaan, where his parents and grandparents were buried. Jacob is living in Egypt at this point. A journey by camel to Palestine is no small thing. It would take weeks; it would be tiring and it would involve risk.

So why does Jacob put his sons out like this? Well, Jacob means to bind his sons to God’s promise.

You see, God had promised Jacob he would give the land of Canaan to Jacob’s descendants. In Genesis 48 and 49, Jacob speaks words of blessing and destiny to his sons. These words were intended to bind the next generation and those that follow to God’s promise.

Jacob’s request to be buried in Canaan is another way in which he harnesses his family to God’s promise and the hope that gives.

Death is an ending and it is often sad and emotionally painful for those left behind. What Jacob’s sons need, at this time, is to see the blossoms of hope. They need to know that God has good in store for them. And that good is the land of Canaan.

It’s like Jacob is handing the kite of hope to the next generation and saying, ‘Take this and hold on. Let the joy of what is to come dance in your heart, even as you grieve my passing’.

The people of Israel would live in Egypt for another 400 years before leaving that country in a great exodus. Hope is the sail that would transport them. Jacob wants his descendants to raise the sail of hope and keep it trimmed through the long years that lie ahead.

Some of you may have seen a film called The Way. The movie tells the story of Dr Thomas Avery who goes to France to collect the body of his son, Daniel, who died in the Pyrenees while walking the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St James).

Tom’s initial purpose was to retrieve his son’s body. But once over there he decides to walk the Camino, taking his son’s ashes with him. While on the trail Tom meets other pilgrims all looking for greater meaning in their lives.

Sometimes when we are grieving, we can isolate ourselves (emotionally) from others. We may become more grumpy and irritable than usual. More cold and prickly. This has the effect of driving people away.

It’s a self-protection thing. When we are in pain, we don’t want to let people get too close in case they touch our sore spots or remind us of our loss. What we really need though is some tenderness and love. We need people who will understand and see passed our changing moods. 

Tom starts the journey cold and closed off to his fellow travelers. He is distant and pushes them away. But they seem to understand, and they hang in with him until eventually he opens up. The pilgrimage through Spain becomes a way for Tom to work out his grief. 

A pilgrimage, such as Jacob asked his sons to take, can be a powerful thing. It changes the soul somehow. Grief is like a pilgrimage; it’s the journey of letting go of our hurt, pain and anger and taking hold of hope. The destination is acceptance.

By asking his sons to repatriate his body in Canaan, Jacob is (perhaps) giving his family a way to process their grief and find a common hope, together. Jacob is showing his sons, this is your homeland. This is where you belong. This is the purpose and hope for your descendants.

The word land is the fourth most common noun used in the Old Testament, after God, Yahweh and Israel. Clearly, real estate was important to the people of Israel.

But when we get to the New Testament, the word land hardly gets mentioned. Jesus had more to say about the kingdom of God and eternal life.  

As followers of Jesus, our destination, our hope, is not to own a quarter acre section in the middle east or even in Tawa. Our hope is to fully enter God’s kingdom, the kingdom of heaven.

We are bound to that hope by faith in Jesus. Faith and hope in Jesus are our sail and our harness. This life is our Camino.    

Conclusion:

As I look out at this congregation, I am conscious of the losses many of you have experienced and the grief you carry.

Many of you have outlived husbands or wives. Some of you have lost parents, at a young age, and others have lost children. A number of you have survived divorce or cancer or something else. It seems none of us are untouched by suffering in this life.

In preaching on a passage like this I don’t mean to open old wounds.

We each need to know we are not alone in our grief. Although grief pierces the human heart in different ways, the experience of loss is felt by everyone eventually. Others before you have walked the way of grief and have found hope.  

Jesus is a witness to your grief and pain. He sees what others don’t see. May Jesus (who himself suffered more than we can imagine), may he honour you for the grace and the courage and faithfulness you have shown. And may the joy of resurrection fill your sails and bring you home. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What losses have you experienced in life? How have these losses affected you?
  3. How did Joseph handle his grief? How do you handle your grief?
  4. What did the Egyptians do to support Joseph in his grief? What can we do to support other people in their grief?
  5. Discuss / reflect on the images of hope offered above. That is, hope is like cherry blossoms in spring, like a kite, like a sail, like a harness. What other images come to mind when you think about hope?
  6. Why did Jacob ask his sons to bury his body in Canaan?
  7. Israel’s hope was bound up with the land. As Christians, what (or who) is our hope bound to? 
Tawa Baptist

Character

Scripture: Genesis 49:1-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/qYC-7kvaLCY

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Jacob’s character
  • Reuben, Simeon & Levi’s character
  • Judah’s character
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

The philosopher and poet, James Allen once wrote…

“The law of harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit and you reap a character. Sow a character and you reap a destiny.”  

When we talk about character, we mean the mental and moral qualities distinctive to a person. Character can be life giving and good or not.

As a general principle, if you are in the habit of being honest and kind, then you will develop an honest and kind character. And if you have an honest and kind character people will trust you and you will find yourself on the path to friendship and respect. Generally speaking, you will reap what you sow.   

Today we continue our series in the life of Joseph. We have come to that part in the story where Joseph’s father, Jacob, is on his death bed. Jacob knows he doesn’t have long and so he calls his sons together to speak with them.

Jacob gives each son an insight into their character and the destiny of their descendants. This is the future Jacob sees for each of the tribes of Israel. From Genesis 49, verses 1-12, we read…

Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come. 2 “Assemble and listen, sons of Jacob; listen to your father Israel. 3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honour, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it. 5 “Simeon and Levi are brothers—their swordsare weapons of violence. 6 Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly, for they have killed men in their anger and hamstrung oxen as they pleased. 7 Cursed be their anger, so fierce, and their fury, so cruel! I will scatter them in Jacob and disperse them in Israel. 8 “Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. 9 You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10 The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongsshall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. 11 He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Jacob had twelve sons originally, before he adopted Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. We are not going to cover Jacob’s words for all twelve sons this morning. Just the first four, who were born to Jacob by his wife Leah.

Before we look more closely at what Jacob had to say about the character and destiny of Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah, first let’s consider Jacob’s character.

Jacob’s character:

The American author, H. Jackson Brown, is quoted as saying…

“Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.”

Are you the same at church as you are at work or at home? Would you be okay with someone checking the search history on your computer? Have you ever walked out of a restaurant without paying? Or made a mess and left someone else to clean it up?

Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking.

As a young man, Jacob was inclined to deceit. He tricked his older brother Esau out of the birth-right and he lied to his father Isaac to secure a blessing. Jacob did not always demonstrate good moral character.    

Sow a character and you reap a destiny. Jacob’s deceit resulted in him having to run away from home to his uncle Laban. And Laban tricked Jacob out of seven years free labour. Jacob got a taste of his own character and he didn’t like it.  

Fast forward a few years and Jacob’s sons get rid of Joseph, then lie to Jacob to cover their tracks. Eventually the truth came out though. It always does.  

Jacob learned the hard way to be honest. Now, at the end of his life, Jacob does everything out in the open, for all to see and hear. Jacob calls his sons together. His words to them are not spoken in secret. Jacob does not fudge the truth. He speaks with absolute candor.

And as we have heard, some of what Jacob has to say about his sons’ character and destiny is not easy or pleasant.

The point here is that God transformed Jacob’s character. God changed Jacob from being a fraudster and a liar to being a prophet and a truth speaker. God wisely and patiently used the crucible of consequence to teach Jacob and refine his character.

God is able to do the same with us. God gives us the Spirit of Jesus, a Spirit of grace and truth, to help us in our character formation. Jesus’ Spirit gives us insight into the truth about ourselves and strength to form new habits that reform our character and put us on a path to a better destiny.

Okay, so that’s Jacob’s character. Let’s take a closer look now at Jacob’s three eldest sons, Reuben, Simeon and Levi. What did Jacob see in their character and destiny?

Reuben, Simeon and Levi’s character:         

John Locke, the 17th Century physician and philosopher, had this to say about character, “The discipline of desire is the background of character.”

John Locke is talking about self-control here. The ability to exercise restraint is essential to developing good character. Without self-control we can’t sow healthy habits that lead to good character.  

Let me tell you a tale from the Jungle Doctor stories. A small monkey called Tichi was fascinated by the curved beaks of vultures. One day, a vulture landed near Tichi in the family tree. Tichi stared at the bird and, when no one was looking, he threw it some food. Then he clapped and shouted, ‘be gone’.

The vulture flew off but the next day it returned with another vulture.

Again, Tichi threw the birds some food before clapping and shouting, ‘be gone’. This continued for a few days until there were so many vultures, Tichi was scared and started throwing stones at the birds.

The vultures grew bolder and bolder until, eventually, they closed in on Tichi who clapped and screamed in vain. In minutes the vultures had devoured the small monkey. Sadly, Tichi was not able to discipline his desire.

In verses 3 and 4, Jacob addresses Reuben, his eldest son. Reuben showed promise at first, excelling in strength and honour. Jacob had high hopes for Reuben. But those hopes were not realised. Reuben did not discipline his desire. Consequently, his character proved to be turbulent.      

The Hebrew root word, translated as turbulent, means to be insolent, proud, undisciplined, reckless, uncontrollable or unstable.

Reuben forfeited his rights as first-born son because he slept with one of his father’s concubines, Bilhah, the maid servant of his stepmother Rachel.

In other words, Reuben committed adultery with one of his father’s wives.

Reuben’s act of adultery didn’t happen by accident. Adultery doesn’t work like that. Reuben kept feeding the vultures of desire until one day he was overcome.

Reuben’s turbulent undisciplined unstable character resulted in him losing the privilege and responsibility of leading the family. From the perspective of Jacob’s other sons, this was a blessing. You don’t want people with a turbulent character in charge.

What about Simeon and Levi, Jacob’s second and third sons? Well, they didn’t fare much better. Verses 5-7 tell us Simeon and Levi shared a similar character, one shaped by violence and cruelty. Fair warning, what I’m about to say is not easy to hear. 

Simeon and Levi had a sister called Dinah. Back in the land of Canaan, Dinah made friends with some of the local girls. A young man by the name of Shechem took a fancy to Dinah and forced himself on her. Afterwards, he approached Jacob asking if he could marry Dinah.

Dinah’s brothers acted deceitfully. They insisted that Shechem and all the males in his family be circumcised first, before Shechem married Dinah. So, the men of Shechem were circumcised and, while they were still in pain, Simeon and Levi took their swords and killed every male in the town.

Then they carried off all their wealth and their women and children. This was an evil thing to do. Simeon and Levi did not discipline their desire for revenge and so they too forfeited the privilege and responsibility of leadership.

Now at the end of his life, Jacob says of Simeon and Levi, ‘Let me not enter their council, let me not join their assembly…’ Jacob wants nothing to do with that kind of behaviour.

Jacob was so disgusted with his sons that he cursed their anger. Notice though that Jacob does not curse his sons. He curses their anger and cruelty. Jacob is sending a clear message of what is acceptable for the people of God and what is not.   

Simeon and Levi had ended Shechem’s family line and so their own descendants would be scattered. This in fact happened. Centuries later, the Simeonites ended up living in various places throughout Canaan, while the Levites were dispersed throughout the land, serving as priests.

Two things we note with Jacob’s words to Reuben, Simeon and Levi. Firstly, Jacob does not cover up his sons’ crimes. Jacob does not sweep their evil deeds under the carpet. Nor does he excuse them.

Jacob brings what they did out into the open. As painful as this must have been it was necessary, like draining an abscess to prevent the infection from spreading.

We are reminded of the Royal Commission of Inquiry who, this past week, delivered its final report into abuse in care. This report is about bringing the truth into the open. Through pain and trauma. From darkness to light.

The second thing we note, is that despite Reuben, Simeon and Levi’s poor choices, Jacob did not exclude them or their descendants from the family or the nation of Israel. They still belonged to the people of God. This is grace. Truth with grace.

Judah’s character:

When Jacob comes to his fourth son, Judah, we note a positive change. Reuben, Simeon and Levi get five verses between them. Judah gets five verses all to himself. And it is good stuff too. Top shelf. No reprimand.

Kahlil Gibran once wrote, ‘Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars’. Is Kahlil Gibran saying that suffering develops character? Or is he saying that suffering reveals character?

Hmm? I’m not sure we can make a formula out of it. Too much suffering, at the wrong time, risks destroying good character, rather than building it. That said, God is able to use suffering to shape a person to serve his purpose.

Judah was a massive character, seared with scars. Some of those scars were his own doing, like when he sold Joseph into slavery and had to live with the guilt of causing his father Jacob untold grief.

Or the time he slept with his daughter-in-law (Tamar) thinking she was a prostitute. Judah tried to cover it up, but the truth came out and he was humiliated.

Other scars were not his doing though. Judah’s wife died before her time and then he lost two of his sons in short succession. Not his fault. But instructive all the same. Now he knew how his father felt losing Rachel, then Joseph.

Perhaps this was why Judah offered himself as a slave in Benjamin’s place, to save his father (Jacob) from further suffering. Would Judah have done this if he hadn’t suffered personal loss and humiliation? It is beyond our knowing.

What we do know is the future looked bright for Judah and his descendants.

Jacob’s words, in verses 8-10, make it clear that the tribe of Judah will lead the nation of Israel. In verse 8, Jacob says Judah’s brothers will praise him and bow down before him.

Also, that Judah’s hand will be on the neck of his enemies. This literally happened with king David, one of Judah’s descendants. David killed the Philistine, Goliath, cut his head off and lifted the giant’s head in victory.

The leadership imagery continues in verse 9 where Jacob refers to Judah as a lion. A lion is the king of the jungle, symbolic of sovereignty, strength and courage. Judah’s descendants (through the line of David) would become the ruling tribe among the southern tribes of Israel.

Jesus is the greater descendant of Judah though, for Jesus is the King of kings. In the book Revelation (at the end of the Bible) the apostle John has a vision in which one of the elders says to him, ‘Do not weep! See the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed…’  The Lion of the tribe of Judah refers to Jesus who has triumphed over sin and death.

Returning to Genesis 49, we find more leadership metaphors in verse 10 where Jacob says, ‘The sceptre will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongsshall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his’.

Many commentators believe this verse refers to Jesus, the Messiah, who will reign over all the nations of the earth. These words are pregnant with hope. Jacob foresees a time when people everywhere will obey God. This will be heaven on earth.     

The donkey in verse 11 is an image of peace. To ride a donkey (as opposed to a war horse) was a sign that the king comes in peace. David rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as did Jesus many centuries after him.

Tethering the donkey to a vine speaks of a settled life. The vine is often used as a metaphor for Israel. So, the idea here is that the people of God will one day enjoy stable peaceful government through the Messiah.

The picture of washing his garments in wine indicates abundance, like bathing in milk or feeding eye fillet steak to your dog. Excess wine also points to a time of great joy and celebration. 

We are reminded of Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding in Cana, where the Lord transformed over five hundred litres of water into fine wine. Jesus’ coming heralded abundance and joy.

In verse 12 Jacob says, ‘His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk’. This is poetry. If your eyes and teeth are healthy then you are in good shape inside and out. Jacob is painting a picture of good health and vitality.

Not just good physical health but spiritual vitality as well.

Conclusion:

When we consider the character of Jacob and his sons we notice two things.

Firstly, character is not one dimensional. Human character has layers. We are a mixture.

When we are young, we don’t always know our own character very well.

We may think we are decent enough human beings until circumstance throws us a curve ball and we respond in a way that proves we are not as good as we thought we were. Most people as they get older have fewer illusions about their character. We call this process, ‘growth in self-awareness’.

In those moments, when you realise some flaw in your character, try to be kind to yourself. Know that God’s grace is sufficient for you. Yes, we each have shortcomings and gaps in our character. But we also have a basic God given goodness, for we are made in the image of God.

The second thing we learn from Jacob’s insights, in Genesis 49, is that character is not fixed. Human character is malleable, it can change, like clay in the potter’s hand. God in his wisdom is able to reform and refine our character. But it will probably hurt.

To be a Christian is to be on a journey with Jesus. This journey will inevitably change us if we stick with it. Our destiny is to become more Christ-like in our habits and character. To be transformed into his likeness, without losing our uniqueness.  

While some effort is required of us, I don’t believe we can achieve Christ-like character in our own strength. We need the help of God’s Spirit and God’s people. More than that, we need to rely on the goodness of Jesus’ character.

Let us pray…

Gracious God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What is character? How is character formed?
  3. How did Jacob’s character change over time? Why did Jacob speak his deathbed words to his sons in the open for all to hear?
  4. What role has suffering played (if any) in the (re)formation and refinement of your character? Can you think of a specific example?
  5. Discuss / reflect on the imagery of Jacob’s words to Judah, in verses 8-12.  In what ways do Jacob’s words here point to Jesus?
  6. What layers are you aware of in your character? Can you think of a time when you became aware of a character flaw? What happened? How did you deal with it? Would you handle things differently in future?
  7. If there was one thing about your character you would like to be different, what would it be? Is this something to change or something to accept? Give this to God in prayer.