The End of the Beginning

Introduction

Transition

Illumination

The Death of Jacob, 49:29-33

Genesis 49:29–33 NKJV

29 Then he charged them and said to them: “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite as a possession for a burial place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” 33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

The Burial of Jacob, 50:1-14

Embalmed and mourned in Egypt, 1-3

Embalmed for 40 days

Mourned for 70 day (included the days of embalming)

Egypt joined Joseph in his mourning

Reminder of Joseph’s position, 4-6

Genesis 50:4–6 NKJV

4 Now when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ ” 6 And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”

Holding the Funeral, 7-14

Jacob’s children, accompanied by a large group of Egyptians left Egypt

They apparently went around the east side of the Dead Sea, crossed the Jordan and paused for seven days

Genesis 50:10–11 NKJV

10 Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father. 11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a deep mourning of the Egyptians.” Therefore its name was called Abel Mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.

The Legacy of Jacob, 50:15-21

Fear of Joseph by his brothers, 15-18

Jacob’s life, and the life of his family, was marked by intrigue: there was a constant attempt to secure and improve position that would have made for a fair degree of infighting and insecurity. This is demonstrated after Jacob’s death.

Genesis 50:15–17 NKJV

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” 16 So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, 17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Fear of God by Joseph, 19-21

Genesis 50:19–20 NKJV

19 Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

The Death of Joseph, 50:22-26

Genesis 50:24–26 NKJV

24 And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Conclusion

Such a great contrast between the beginning of Genesis, “In the beginning, God created” to the end of Genesis, “in a coffin”. That such a grandiose beginning could have such a morose ending is both tragic and unsatisfying. It is essential to remember that the end of Genesis isn’t really the end: it is the end of the beginning. There are still many years that followed until God fulfilled the promise He made in Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 NKJV

15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

And even that is not fully fulfilled. The Serpent’s head may have been bruised and his defeat assured but the final battles have yet to take place. Messiah’s final victory remains in the future-tense even to us.

Application