GLORIOUS END

 

27 “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder.”  28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving each the blessing appropriate to him.

 

     Jacob is now finishing his prophetic thoughts on his son by Rachel.  We get a little insight on the personality and future of the tribe of Benjamin.  Benjamin's name arose when Jacob deliberately changed the name "Benoni", the original name of Benjamin, which means the Son of my right hand, since Benoni was an allusion to Rachel's dying just after she had given birth, as it means "son of my pain.  Benjamin became the source of struggle when Joseph wanted him to join him in Egypt.  We covered that in an earlier message.  We glean that Benjamin is ambitious, rugged, and an A type personality.  He likes to win and he was deadly in battle.  In Gen 34, we have the sons of Jacob looting Shechem  and that would include Benjamin.  Benjamin had ten sons and the tribe came from them and they were fierce in battle.  Saul the first king of Israel was from Benjamin.  The tribe of Benjamin beat the others tribes in the book of Judges and were nearly wipe out because of their stubbornness.  Later they were the only tribe that stayed with the line of David when Israel rebelled. 

     So Jacob finishes his prophetic blessing over each of the boys.  He gave each one a blessing appropriate to them.  These are powerful prophetic blessings.  In ancient times a blessing was given for legacy, encouragement, a place of favor, inheritance and station in the family.

 

29 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.

 

     Jacob now gives his final instructions.  He knows he is about to die.  Here we get a glimpse of the ancient world and how it operated..  Like today final instructions are binding in law.  Families then like today are to honor the last requests of a loved one.  To not do so brings dishonor.  The only time it was ignored is when the final request broke the law of the land or was unkind, dishonest or deadly or the person dying was not of sound mind.    He tells them to bury him in the cave of Machpelah in Canaan.  He tells them this is where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah and where Leah is buried.  Leah is buried here because she became the love of Jacob’s life after Rachel died.  What a story of restoration and healing.  I love this because even though Rachel was his first love.  Leah was his final love.  It shows that true love wins in the end.  Faithfulness, loyalty, integrity, inner beauty, grace, and consistency wins out.  Leah won Jacob’s heart and the honor of being buried beside him.  

     Jacob looked at himself as a pilgrim passing through life.  He never had a home and even though he was in Egypt it was not his home.  The only place he considered his own was this piece of ground in Canaan.  Jacob like Abraham was looking for something better a city whose maker and builder were God. 

 

33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

 

You could not get better staging.  Jacob finishes giving his instruction.  We see he has been sitting on the side of the bed.  Each boy had kneeled before their father received their blessing.  He then lay’s back on the bed.  The blessings and the final burial instructions have been given.  He has finished his course and he has kept the faith.  The suplanter, the cheat, the schemer and the manipulator.  The man who became Israel and prince with God.  The man who saw angels and talked with God.  The man who Fathered ,12 sons and one daughter.  The man who stayed true to God in a pagan world.  The man of legacy, truth, righteousness, and worshipped God on his walking stick.  A man who had  a people, land and nation named after.  The last of the patriarch’s.  He had a glorious end.  So my question is what do you want your legacy to be.  Paul’s was this.  2 Tim 4:6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.  D.L. Moody said this, Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal—a body that death cannot touch; that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body.  Billy Graham said this, Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.

 

Here is reality as I close today.  We are all only a moment away from death.  It could happen through natural means or supernatural means.  We must live ready.  My question is what shall you be known as, and what is your legacy?  What will people say about you?  I have heard lies and truth at funerals.  I know often the person the casket is nothing like what is said in the Eulogy.  I have seen the difference between a godly funeral and ungodly funeral.  I have to dispel a Christian myth.  Many churches expound that if you get baptized as a child that secures you a place in heaven.  It does not.  Only a personal relationship with Jesus does that.  Just, because a family member is a Christian that does not make you one.  Also going to church does not.  Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to a garage makes you a car.  Live your life so well and for God that I will not have to lie at your funeral because I won’t.  We are only a moment away from the return of Christ.  Every moment we live we are one moment closer.  Are you ready?  Will you have a glorious end?  I ask my wife one time what she thinks I will be known for, she said without hesitation my prayer life.  I am satisfied with that.  I have a prayer that all my children and grandchildren will serve the Lord.  Jacob lived well and died well.  Let us pray we will as well.