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Lesson 45

Jacob’s Last Days

Genesis 47:27- 48:22

None of us know the number of days we have been given. Even though long life has been prevalent on my grandmothers side of the family guarantees nothing. Jacob was given an additional seventeen years to enjoy with his beloved Joseph. As I contemplate getting older my thoughts often drift to what I want that time to hold for me and those I love.  One thing is for certain is I want to as useful as possible.  I have often said that when the day of passing comes my desire is to be closer to Christ than I have at any other time in my life.  As long as I can I want to study His word and teach it to others.  These precious days are not to be wasted. 

Over the years I have often wondered if I have made any impact in the lives of people.  If my life was reviewed and the future pronounced for me by someone like Jacob what would be said.  I will not go into the failures because there are many.  My hope is that along the path I have traveled that at least one person has been encouraged in their walk with the Lord.

What does the history of the church tell us about its impact in the community where it is located?  There are, of course Jacob like individuals outside our doors judging us every day.  The witness of our church in relationship to those people in way will determine the future.  When we stand before the ultimate judge will His words be ones that applaud our service or condemn us for not using the resources given to us to the fullest.  A church can be around for a long time just because there may be a faithful few holding it together. That is now how we want to be remembered.  For the sake of God’s kingdom the word on the street should be that under the influence of the Holy Spirit we did everything to proclaim the gospel to the world.

Genesis 47:27

The use of the name Israel now becomes connected to the descendents of Jacob.  As the family took root they began to purchase land in Egypt.  As God had promised they became numerous in number. 

There is no indication how Jacob spent the last seventeen years of his life.  Although left unsaid he probably enjoyed his time under the care of his son Joseph.  No longer did he have to concern himself with anything.  Moses gives one last terse sentence to describe Jacob’s time.  He said he was there for seventeen years and the total years of his life were one hundred forty-seven.

1. How did Moses begin to use the word Israel?
2. What did it describe?
3. What took place among Jacob’s descendents during the final years of Jacob’s life?
4. What are we told about those final years of Jacob’s life?
5. How differently might you want your life described?

Genesis 47:29-31

As Jacob came to the realization that his time was short he called Joseph to him.  From Joseph he elicited a promise that he would be returned to the land of Canaan to be buried.  This was way of making sure his wishes were carried out before he died.  Jacob never for a moment thought of Egypt was home.  It was the place where his beloved son lived and that was enough for him. Once plans for his burial were made he bowed in worship.

1. What indicated that Jacob’s heart was not in Egypt?
2. Why did he want to be buried in Canaan?
3. Why did Joseph agree to his father’s wishes?
4. What does this say about the future of the nation of Israel?
5. What did the time spent in worship mean to Jacob?

Genesis 48:1-2

When Joseph heard that his father was sick he took his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim with him to see their grandfather.  Joseph had no way of knowing if Jacob was about to die and wanted to make sure that he saw his grandsons for the last time.  Also it provided the opportunity for them to spend some time with him. Hearing the news that Joseph was coming to see him, Jacob’s strength was renewed and he was able to sit up on his bed.      

1. What was Joseph’s response to the news his father was ill?
2. What affect did Joseph’s visit have on his father?
3. Why did he take his two sons with him?
4. What did it mean for them and for Jacob?
5. What did Joseph expect to happen?

Genesis 48:3-6

As a prologue to what he wanted to say to Joseph, Jacob recounted the words that he had received from God when he was in Luz.  God had promised to enlarge his family and to give him the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession.  Having spoken of the promise he then told Joseph that the descendents of Ephraim and Manasseh would be named among the sons of Israel.  Joseph was to be given double the inheritance of the other brothers.  This was in line with Joseph receiving the birthright and the blessing from his father instead of Reuben.  He essentially gave him all the rights and privileges due the first born of the family. Jacob did one other thing.  He put the younger brother, Ephraim ahead of his brother Manasseh. Jacob adopted Joseph’s two sons as his own.  Any other children that may have been born to Joseph would take the name of their father.

1. Why did Jacob recount the promise made to him from God?
2. Why did he take Ephraim and Manasseh as his own?
3. By placing them alongside Joseph’s brothers what did Jacob do?
4. What rights and privileges did he give Joseph?
5. Why did he place Ephraim before Manasseh?

Genesis 48:7

Jacob then told Joseph about the passing of his mother Rachel.  He shared how her death had grieved him.  The site of her burial was given.  He possibly did this in case Joseph might have the opportunity to visit the grave of his mother.

1. Why did Jacob tell Joseph about the death of his mother?
2. What do we see in Jacob’s description?
3. Why did he specifically spell out where she was buried?
4. What would it mean to Joseph to know about the death of his mother?

Genesis 48:8-10

Beginning with this verse Moses reverts back to the name Israel which had been bestowed on Jacob by God. It appears that either he had not seen Joseph’s sons or had been so engrossed in his conversation with Joseph that he had ignored them.  He then saw two people with Joseph but did not know who they were because of his poor eyesight.  Joseph explained to his father that they were the two sons that God had given him in Egypt.  Israel then directed him to bring them close to him so he could bless them.

Moses indicates the reason that Israel did not recognize the boys.  He said that his eyes were dim because of old age. Joseph obeyed his father and brought them close enough for him to kiss and hug them.    

1. How is it that Jacob had not noticed the two sons of Joseph?
2. Why did Joseph need to explain who they were?
3. Why was it necessary for them to be blessed?
4. What did Israel’s actions indicate had happened to him over the years?

Genesis 48:11

One can read into Israel’s words all to the sadness of the years when he and Joseph were apart.  The other side is the joy that not only had he been able to spend seventeen years with his son but he had been allowed to live long enough to see his grandsons as well. Notice he gave God all the glory for the events that had taken place.

1. What is expressed in Israel’s words to his son?
2. What did the last seventeen years mean to him?
3. To whom did he give credit for bringing the family back together?
4. How does this reflect a change in his life?

Genesis 48:12-13

In order for Israel to be able to bless the children, Joseph took them from Israel’s lap.  Then in gratitude for all that had occurred he bowed in worship.  Rising from the ground, Joseph took the two boys and brought them forward that they might receive the blessing.  According to the tradition of the oldest receiving the blessing and birthright of the father, he moved them into a position where Manasseh would be at Israel’s right hand and Ephraim to the left.

1. Why did Joseph remove the boys from his father’s lap?
2. Why did Joseph fall down and worship?
3. What tradition was he following in positioning the boys before his father?

Genesis 48:14

Although Israel could not see which of the boys were before him crossed his arms and laid his right hand on Ephraim and his left on Manasseh.  By his actions he indicated that Ephraim would be the greater of the two sons of Joseph. He could not have known what would happen in the future but had a sense of what God wanted him to do even if it went against the conventions of man.

1. What did he indicate by crossing his arms and laying his right hand on Ephraim?
2. What had Joseph wanted done?
3. Who was in charge of Israel’s actions?
4. In what ways has God sometimes led you to do opposite of what the world would do?

Genesis 48:15-16

The blessing was really meant for Joseph. Through his sons would be the fulfillment of all Israel and God was planning for his people. He asked that the God of Abraham, Isaac and the one he had served bless the lads.  It was through them that Joseph’s name would continue down through history.  He then pronounced the same blessing on them that had been given to those who had gone on before them.  He said, “May they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

1. Why was the blessing really meant for Joseph?
2. Why did he include the names of Abraham and Isaac in his blessing?
3. What was the part of the blessing that had been given to his ancestors?

Genesis 48:17-18

Joseph became upset when he saw that his father was in the process of blessing Ephraim over his brother.  According to the ways of man that was not the proper thing to do.  The older brother was to receive the birthright and the blessing thus making him head over the family.  Joseph tried to stop his father but to no avail. Israel was carrying out God’s plan for the two boys and would not be thwarted.  As a prophet he let Joseph know that it was Ephraim that God had chosen to be greater of the two and father of many nations.  It was by the name Ephraim by which all of the family would be called in the future.

Once that was said he continued with his blessing. The blessing for all of Israel would occur as God made them like Ephraim and Manasseh.  He put Ephraim first as the example for the nation of Israel. 

1. What upset Joseph?
2. Why would he question his father?
3. Why did Israel refuse to head Joseph’s words?
4. How was God using Jacob at that moment?

Genesis 48:21-22

Israel had issued his blessings and then spoke to Joseph once again.  If the nation of Israel was like what he saw in Joseph’s sons then the nation would have a long and successful history.  His last words indicated that he knew he was close to death.  He spoke of confidence in God sure that He would fulfill His promises to His people.  Jacob knew that God would return the people to Canaan. 

By blessing both of Joseph’s sons he was giving him two portions in the Promised Land.  Verse 22 speaks of something that Jacob had not done.  It was a prophecy that would be accomplished after the Israel’s time in Egypt and the forty years in the desert. It was a true example of prophecy.  Israel saw an event that was in the future as if it was already accomplished.

1. What did Jacob see as the future for Israel?
2. Why could he die in peace?
3. What is prophecy?
4. What examples do we see of Jacob as a prophet?
5. By reading this chapter what confidence does it give us that God will accomplish what He has promised?

 

• View every day as the one when Christ may return for His people.
• Make sure that you are prepared by having confessed your sins and received forgiveness.
• Study God’s word to see how He has been faithful to His people.
•  Understand that He has always done what He has promised?
• Look for those who can provide leadership in the future and mentor them.

What a picture we have been given in this chapter of ending of one era and the beginning of a new one.  Every generation must prepare the next one for the future.  Without consistently doing so the church would not continue to growth and be an impact in the world.  The reason we are here today is because of the faithfulness of those who were willing to make the sacrifice necessary to keep the church moving forward.  God promised from the beginning to be with His people.  He has kept the church strong in every generation no matter what has happened in the world.  He has always had His committed followers, the remnant, working behind the scenes,  even when societies have opposed them. May we continue to be that remnant and remain strong in the faith so future generations will look back on us as its inspiration.

Additional Notes:

BL- We looked at chapters 48-50, which ends the story of Joseph and the Book of Genesis.  In chapter 48, Joseph brings his sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, to visit his father, Jacob.  Jacob, who can no longer see, realizes he is dying and is anxious to pass his blessing on to Joseph’s sons.  It turns out to be a very special blessing, because Jacob reckons Joseph’s two sons as his own, bypassing Reuben and granting them the double inheritance that normally belonged to the firstborn.  Jacob also bucked tradition by giving the richer blessing to the younger son–it is Ephraim, not Manasseh, whom Jacob says will be the greater of the two.  He prophesies in verse 21 that Joseph will return to Canaan one day, which came true in Exodus 13:19–Moses took Joseph’s bones with him when he left Egypt for the Promised Land.  Jacob also reiterates for Joseph the covenant that God has made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob–that He would be their God, that their descendants would be fruitful, their numbers increased, and the land of Canaan would be theirs as an everlasting possession. 

 

 C-Jacob recalls the changes in his life.  He remembered how God had led him throughout his lifetime. Even though he did not understand the experiences he had were to transform him into the man God could use. Like each of us it was a maturing process that brought him to acknowledge what God had done. (Gen. 48:3-4, 7, 15-16)

C-Jacob claimed Manasseh and Ephraim as his own.  They were to become two tribes in Israel in place of Joseph. (Gen. 48:5, 16, 22)

UE-Once again God put the younger in the position greater than his sibling. Jacob blessed Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. (Gen. 48:5, 14, 19-20)

TM-Sometimes a person spends years in preparation, doing things that at the point in time in which they occur do not make sense.  From retrospect he is able to see that God had been preparing His willing servant for a specific purpose.  Joseph could not have known this until his brothers came that the famine was about fulfilling God’s words to Abraham before all of these events took place. (Gen. 48:14-20)

TM-God’s ways are not man’s ways.  Joseph wanted Mannaseh to receive the blessing from Jacob, but it was to Ephraim that the blessing would be given. (Gen. 48:14-20)

M-The motivation for Jacob’s (Israel) life is wrapped up in the verse, “The God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.” (Gen. 48:15)

C-Ephraim was to become greater than his brother although he was the younger of the two.  In his blessing given to them he put Ephraim’s name first. (Gen. 48:19-20)

GC-Knowing that his time on earth was coming to an end, he now entrusted his family to God. (Gen. 48:21)