The Book of Genesis
Day 438
Ge 47:28 And Jacob
lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob's life was
one hundred and forty-seven years. 29
When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said
to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand
under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in
Egypt, 30 "but let me lie with my
fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial
place." And he said, "I will do as you have said." 31 Then he said, "Swear to me." And
he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed.
By our culture’s
standards, this method of oath taking would be called “awkward” at best. But we
have seen this kind of oath taking before in the book of Genesis. (24:2-9) When
you think about it, this kind of oath taking makes perfect sense since children
are called the fruit of the loins or thighs, a hand placed on that part of the
body was a charge to posterity to carry out the terms of the oath. Jacob was
getting a guarantee from Joseph that he would be buried in the land of his
fathers, and that oath was carried out years later by Jacob’s posterity.
I am always amazed
at the apparent fascination of people with burying places. Throughout history,
we read of elaborate burials. Archaeologists still dig up old burial sites for
clues of ancient civilizations. Even today, we insist on being buried in family
plots, side by side with loved ones, or we may even look for cemeteries with
scenic views and locations. Many
churches have cemeteries located on their land, perhaps serving as a reminder
that believers are all in one family.
On one hand, this
preoccupation with burial seems kind of
silly to me. What difference does it make where you are buried? You’re dead!
The real question is, were you alive in Christ before you went under the sod?
1Th 4:16 ,17 tells
us what will happen when the Lord returns: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And
the dead in Christ will rise first. 17
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Burial locations
weren’t exactly high on the list of Jesus’ priorities either! When responding
to a man who wanted to delay following Him while he buried his father, He said
to the man, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." (Mt 8:22)
Having said that,
remember to not make it an issue. Burial is very important to some people. That
burial plot is a tangible connection to someone important in their life. Honor
that! A little grace can go a long way when the matter of burial comes up.
Joseph honored his father’s request and gave him comfort while he was still
alive and able to receive it. Should we not do the same for our loved ones?
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