Knowing Where You're Going
It is clear Jacob knew where he wanted to be after his life on Earth had ended. He blesses his sons in Genesis 50 and then very descriptively tells them where his bones are to be buried.
Genesis 49:29–33 (ESV) Then he commanded 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 at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying 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 in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Notice how his view is to be gathered to those who had gone before him. He wanted to be in the only piece of land the Hebrews purchased thus far in the land of promise. Think of it. Genesis has come to an end and the narrative of these three great patriarchs finalizes with them owning a "toehold" in the entire land! 100s of years of faith and all they have is a cave. But here's what they all did: They truly believed there was more to come. And they planned on it.
Jacob is convinced that his family will return. He is convinced that God's promises will far out-live him. He has been making plans for this since Genesis 47. The next life matters and he KNOWS where he wants to be.
I wonder if you do the same? Are you concerned with what's hereafter? Are you making plans for what comes next? Are you putting your treasure in heaven? Or are you tied to the possessions of Earth? I see many Christians looking no different in their spending and consuming as their non-believing counterparts. They rarely deny themselves for the sake of others and act like You Only Live Once.
Paul told young Timothy to strongly preach against such attitudes:
1 Timothy 6:17–19 (ESV) As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Notice also this very interesting detail of Jacob's last wishes in Verse 31: "There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah"
Remember how Leah was the wife Jacob was forced to marry while his heart was truly with Rachel? Even in old age Rachel was Jacob's earthly love. But Rachel had been buried in Ephrath, near Bethlehem. The romantic thing would be to lay with her in death. But Jacob does not plan to do that. He plans to lay with those who fathered him (Abraham and Isaac) into believing the promises of God. He lays with Leah because Jacob's faith in God is stronger than his affection for Rachel. He wants to be associated with those who believed before Him.
I wonder if you do the same? Are your relationships and heart strings pulls by those in heaven or those outside the kingdom of God? Are you closer to fellow Christians or the people of this world? I hear a lot of Christians talking about how "cool" it is to be "friends with sinners" using Jesus as prime example. Jesus was a sinners friend, but not to keep them sinners but to welcome them into the family of God and change them to saints! Jesus didn't love sinners for the cool factor, He loved them for the compassion factor. I hear of many "Christians" who believe in Jesus but NEVER set foot in church? Jesus loved many people, but he called his closest disciples his friends and revealed to them his deepest truths.
Yes we are called to love sinners and welcome them in. But we are first to be IN the Church in self-less loving community whereby we lay down our lives for one another. A Christian who does not do this - who does not connect to other Christians in active serving community has either never truly studied Jesus or simply chosen to ignore Him.
Finally notice how Jacob's plans for the after life make a difference in those who come after him in THIS LIFE! A common criticism of Christians is that they are so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good. But that is just not true! In fact, the opposite is true. Because Christians know what happens in this life affects the reality of the next life, they are to care deeply for this life! They are to do good "here" to be rewarded "there"! A Christian who abdicates from loving service to others believing their reward is in heaven has lost touch with the incarnation. We follow the Savior who believed "down here" mattered enough to leave "up there" and give His life so that we could change "down here" while we await "up there"! It sounds a bit funny, but it's so very true.
Make plans for the next life.
Because you do NOT only live once.
Genesis 49:29–33 (ESV) Then he commanded 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 at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying 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 in it were bought from the Hittites.” 33 When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Notice how his view is to be gathered to those who had gone before him. He wanted to be in the only piece of land the Hebrews purchased thus far in the land of promise. Think of it. Genesis has come to an end and the narrative of these three great patriarchs finalizes with them owning a "toehold" in the entire land! 100s of years of faith and all they have is a cave. But here's what they all did: They truly believed there was more to come. And they planned on it.
Jacob is convinced that his family will return. He is convinced that God's promises will far out-live him. He has been making plans for this since Genesis 47. The next life matters and he KNOWS where he wants to be.
I wonder if you do the same? Are you concerned with what's hereafter? Are you making plans for what comes next? Are you putting your treasure in heaven? Or are you tied to the possessions of Earth? I see many Christians looking no different in their spending and consuming as their non-believing counterparts. They rarely deny themselves for the sake of others and act like You Only Live Once.
Paul told young Timothy to strongly preach against such attitudes:
1 Timothy 6:17–19 (ESV) As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Remember how Leah was the wife Jacob was forced to marry while his heart was truly with Rachel? Even in old age Rachel was Jacob's earthly love. But Rachel had been buried in Ephrath, near Bethlehem. The romantic thing would be to lay with her in death. But Jacob does not plan to do that. He plans to lay with those who fathered him (Abraham and Isaac) into believing the promises of God. He lays with Leah because Jacob's faith in God is stronger than his affection for Rachel. He wants to be associated with those who believed before Him.
I wonder if you do the same? Are your relationships and heart strings pulls by those in heaven or those outside the kingdom of God? Are you closer to fellow Christians or the people of this world? I hear a lot of Christians talking about how "cool" it is to be "friends with sinners" using Jesus as prime example. Jesus was a sinners friend, but not to keep them sinners but to welcome them into the family of God and change them to saints! Jesus didn't love sinners for the cool factor, He loved them for the compassion factor. I hear of many "Christians" who believe in Jesus but NEVER set foot in church? Jesus loved many people, but he called his closest disciples his friends and revealed to them his deepest truths.
Yes we are called to love sinners and welcome them in. But we are first to be IN the Church in self-less loving community whereby we lay down our lives for one another. A Christian who does not do this - who does not connect to other Christians in active serving community has either never truly studied Jesus or simply chosen to ignore Him.
Finally notice how Jacob's plans for the after life make a difference in those who come after him in THIS LIFE! A common criticism of Christians is that they are so heavenly minded they are of no earthly good. But that is just not true! In fact, the opposite is true. Because Christians know what happens in this life affects the reality of the next life, they are to care deeply for this life! They are to do good "here" to be rewarded "there"! A Christian who abdicates from loving service to others believing their reward is in heaven has lost touch with the incarnation. We follow the Savior who believed "down here" mattered enough to leave "up there" and give His life so that we could change "down here" while we await "up there"! It sounds a bit funny, but it's so very true.
Make plans for the next life.
Because you do NOT only live once.
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