Peaceful Respect: Genesis 50:1-14
We should all be so lucky as to be at peace in God’s hands. It seems like a natural thing for any Christian to hear and speak. In practice, it is much harder. Life gets in the way. Life brings stress, which can interrupt our ability to be at peace.
Upon Jacob’s death, Joseph weeps. It is one thing to commend Jacob for embracing death instead of resisting its grip, but Jacob is the one dying. Joseph is left behind, continuing on knowing he will not see his father again. Death is easy for nobody; it is hard for those who remain in a different way than it is hard for those who die.
Joseph has Jacob embalmed. This could be another point indicating how much of Egyptian culture Joseph embraced and why his brothers were leery when Pharoah interviewed them. It could also be a real solution to a real problem. The journey home would take several weeks for a single person able to travel well. There is no telling how long the journey would take with a dead body. Embalming Jacob makes sense for a long trip in arid land.
The people of Egypt mourn with Joseph and his brothers. The people may not have a personal appreciation for Jacob, but they certainly understand Joseph’s role in their life. The father of the second-most powerful figure in Egypt died. The country mourned with him. The Egyptian mourning over Jacob demonstrates respect to Joseph and what God did through Joseph’s obedience.
Joseph asks Pharoah for permission to bury his father. This is another display of respect. When Joseph goes to bury Jacob, much of his family would go with him. There would be a time of disruption in the normal life cycle in Goshen. By asking permission from Pharoah, Joseph is alerting Pharoah to the possibility of disruption in Goshen as well as making sure Pharoah understands he is planning on returning.
When the company of mourners travel to Canaan and are about to cross the Jordan River, they stop and mourn for seven days. This is also a display of respect. A huge company of unknown people entering without their children or animals would easily look like an invasion force. By mourning for seven days, the people of Canaan would have time to realize the purpose of this group of people is not an invasion. No invasion force would sit out in the open for seven days and give the people of Canaan time to prepare. The mourning for Jacob allows the people of Canaan time to be at peace with their presence.
Finally, Jacob is buried. His last request is honored. He is laid to rest in the company of his father and grandfather. Jacob’s journey is complete, and the great wrestler can be at peace in God’s hands. We should all be so lucky as to be at peace in God’s hands.
