Read
Jacob's Death
29-31 Jacob told his sons:
Soon I will die, and I want you to bury me in Machpelah Cave. Abraham bought this cave as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, and it is near the town of Mamre in Canaan. Abraham and Sarah are buried there, and so are Isaac and Rebekah. I buried Leah there too. 32Both the cave and the land that goes with it were bought from the Hittites.
33 When Jacob had finished giving these instructions to his sons, he lay down on his bed and died.
1Joseph started crying, then leaned over to hug and kiss his father.
2Joseph gave orders for Jacob's body to be embalmed, 3and it took the usual 40 days.
The Egyptians mourned 70 days for Jacob. 4When the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to the Egyptian leaders, “If you consider me your friend, please speak to the king for me. 5 Just before my father died, he made me promise to bury him in his burial cave in Canaan. If the king will give me permission to go, I will come back here.”
6The king answered, “Go to Canaan and keep your promise to your father.”
7-9When Joseph left Goshen with his brothers, his relatives, and his father's relatives to bury Jacob, many of the king's highest officials and even his military chariots and cavalry went along. The Israelites left behind only their children, their cattle, and their sheep and goats.
10After crossing the Jordan River, Joseph stopped at Atad's threshing place, where they all mourned and wept seven days for Jacob. 11The Canaanites saw this and said, “The Egyptians are in great sorrow.” Then they named the place “Egypt in Sorrow.”
12So Jacob's sons did just as their father had instructed. 13 They took him to Mamre in Canaan and buried him in Machpelah Cave, the burial place Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite.
14After the funeral, Joseph, his brothers, and everyone else returned to Egypt.
Reflect
During our son’s year long battle with leukemia we hoped for the best while preparing for the worst. We lived life to the fullest, however that looked from day to day. But we also took the necessary time to do and say all that was necessary in the case that God called him home.
We had many meaningful conversations discussing death, and our reunion in heaven. Ben gave a message to our church family only ten days before he passed (Now viewed on YouTube under “Ben Elliott, Stratford”).One of the things he said was, “I wonder if you have ever really thought about death. . . . I am not scared to die, but I’m very excited actually. Just to think that there will be no more pain or suffering—just partying and eternal happiness! Psalm 139:16 says that “All my days ordained for me were written in God’s book before there was even one of them.” God was in charge from the day I was born and is equally as is in charge of the day that I will die and takes me home. So, I don’t have to be worried or afraid, I just have to trust him!”
Jacob’s last days were spent in meaningful conversation and careful preparation for his death as well.
Although death is not pleasant it’s as much a part of life as life itself. Of course it was not in God’s original plan. However, since the fall of man, death has been a part of the ebb and flow of life on this planet. So doesn’t it strike you odd that we spend more time investing in our temporal life than we do our eternal destination?
One day we will all attend the funeral of death! That’s when true life will begin! Let’s get planning for eternity!
Respond
Lord Jesus, thank you for living, dying and rising again for me personally. Help me to live my life here with eternity in mind. I look forward to attending the funeral of death once and for all, a day when there will be no more pain, suffering, or tears. Amen.
Lisa Elliott
Lisa Elliott is a popular inspirational speaker and award-winning author of The Ben Ripple; Choosing to Live through Loss with Purpose and Dancing in the Rain. Born and raised in Toronto, ON, Lisa is a graduate of Ontario Bible College (Tyndale). She is a pastor’s wife of over 25 years and mother of four children (3 on earth, 1 in heaven). She has written for Just Between Us Magazine and writes a column for Word Alive Press’s website entitled, Straight from the Heart. Lisa’s passion is to share the life changing truths and principles from God’s Word straight from the heart. She and her husband, David are presently serving the Lord in London, Ontario.