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In this chapter we will consider Jacob’s experience of being matured.
While Jacob was being dealt with by God, he gradually arrived at maturity in life. Even though he was arriving at maturity, he still needed the last stage of dealings so that he might fully mature in life. In this period the sufferings that he experienced did not come from outside. The sufferings were from within his household. When Jacob was young, he deceived his father Isaac (Gen. 27:6-29). Now, his children united to deceive him. After his beloved wife Rachel died, his son Joseph, who was brought forth by her, became his favorite. This caused his other sons to hate Joseph (37:4). They took venomous action and sold him to some Midianite traders (vv. 25-28). Then they took Joseph’s coat of many colors, dipped it in goat’s blood, and brought it to their father (vv. 31-32). Jacob recognized the coat and said, “It is my son’s coat. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces” (v. 33). Jacob then tore his garments, put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted, saying, “Surely I will go down to Sheol to my son, mourning” (v. 35). What a heavy dealing Jacob suffered at this time!
Psalm 18:25 and 26 say, “With the faithful You show Yourself faithful, / With a perfect man You show Yourself perfect, / With the pure You show Yourself pure, / And with the perverse You show Yourself contrary.” In the past Jacob deceived his father, but now his children deceived him in a more deceitful way. Jacob had used kids’ skins to deceive his father (Gen. 27:16, 23), but now his children used goat’s blood to deceive him. These two matters are almost the same. A cunning father begets cunning sons, and a selfish father begets selfish sons. Jacob’s sons were like their father. Of all the discipline that Jacob received throughout his life, this discipline was probably the most severe. Therefore, he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol...mourning” (37:35). From our perspective Jacob had surely received enough dealings. However, from God’s perspective he had not received sufficient dealings.
After a period of time there was famine in the land of Canaan, so Jacob sent ten sons to buy grain in Egypt. He did not send Benjamin with them, for he was afraid that harm might befall him (42:1-4). Both Joseph and Benjamin were born of Rachel. Jacob considered Joseph to be dead, so he had no intention of sending Benjamin with his brothers lest he be harmed. Jacob’s sons encountered problems in Egypt. The lord of the land kept Simeon as a pledge and told the rest to go home and bring Benjamin to Egypt (vv. 18-20, 24, 33-34). God’s work on Jacob was very thorough. Jacob’s beloved wife was dead, his beloved son Joseph had been sold, and now Benjamin, the precious one who was left, had to be sent to Egypt. Initially, Jacob did not agree (v. 38), but when the grain bought in Egypt was consumed, Jacob asked his sons to go and buy food (43:1-2). Then Judah reminded his father that if they went to Egypt to buy grain, they would have to take Benjamin (vv. 3-5). Because of the severity of the famine, Jacob had no choice but to send Benjamin with his brothers to Egypt (v. 13). What a suffering this was to Jacob!
We should never consider this section of the Bible to be merely a story. We must see that God was “tightening the screw” on Jacob. God seemed to be saying, “Jacob, you are not broken, so I will break you.” God was doing a severe work. Jacob was able and capable, but God is even more capable. Rachel died, Joseph was gone, and only Benjamin was left, but God wanted no one but Jacob. God repeatedly stripped Jacob, tightening the screw on him. Jacob had come to a dead end, but he still used his skill. He charged his sons to take some of the choice fruits of the land, a little balm, a little honey, aromatic gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts, and almonds, and give them as a present to the lord in Egypt (v. 11). Nonetheless, he also said to his sons, “May the All-sufficient God grant you mercy before the man...And as for me, if I am to be bereaved of my children, I shall be bereaved” (v. 14). This shows that Jacob had been knocked down. He submitted to the circumstances arranged by God and trusted in the mercy of the All-sufficient God. Jacob had been repeatedly stripped and broken by God so that he eventually became mature.
Let us consider the events that happened to Jacob. In Genesis 34 Dinah, his only daughter, was defiled (vv. 1-5). In chapter 35 Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died (v. 8), and Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife, also died (v. 19). In chapter 37 Jacob believed that Joseph had been devoured by a wild beast (v. 33). Finally, in chapters 42 and 43 Jacob’s entire household faced a great famine in Canaan, and Benjamin, Rachel’s youngest son, had to be taken to Egypt. It was as if God was demanding Jacob’s life. Jacob had already lost Rachel and Joseph. If Benjamin were also lost, what enjoyment would Jacob have in his life? Because the famine in the land was severe, Jacob was forced to let his sons take Benjamin to Egypt.
Jacob was probably overwhelmed with sorrow and longing while he waited for his sons to return from Egypt. He might have counted the days and wondered, “When will Benjamin come back? What will I do if Benjamin is kept by the lord in Egypt? Were the presents I sent useful? If they were not useful, what shall I do?” Jacob might have suffered every day for a few months. God was tightening the screw on him daily. The sufferings that God gave Jacob could not end in one day. Jacob may have wept day and night. Jacob’s entire life was related to sufferings. It is no wonder that he said to Pharaoh, “Few and evil have been the years of my life” (47:9). Jacob’s life story is a history of sufferings. Since the time that he struggled with his brother in their mother’s womb (25:22-26), he never had a happy day. Jacob was strong, but God was stronger. There is a saying in northern China: “A curved knife matches a gourd.” This word can be aptly applied to Jacob. If Jacob were the gourd, God was the curved knife, dealing appropriately with Jacob’s crookedness and peculiarities. Jacob could not escape God’s hand.
In this experience Jacob was not only crippled but also paralyzed. A crafty and energetic person was forced into a desperate and hopeless situation. All that he could do was worry and grieve. He had no more hope. He had been knocked down and subdued before God. It was not doctrine but God’s hand that subdued him.
While Jacob was in a state of hopelessness, his sons returned from Egypt with good news, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt” (45:26). When Jacob heard these words, his heart grew numb, for he did not believe them. But when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him down to Egypt, his spirit revived, and he said, “It is enough. Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die” (v. 28). This may have been the only matter in Jacob’s life that made him happy.
Even though Jacob was happy because Joseph was still alive, he did not become so excited that he forgot God and acted on his own. Formerly, Jacob went wherever he liked and did whatever he wanted, because he was bold and capable. Now his son was the lord in Egypt and had sent wagons loaded with the best of Egypt and provision for him on the way (v. 23). Jacob could have left immediately to go to Egypt. Instead, he first went to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices to God (46:1). This shows that Jacob had learned some wonderful lessons in God’s hand. He was truly broken.
God spoke to Jacob in the visions of the night and said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. I Myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I Myself will also surely bring you up again; and Joseph’s hand will close your eyes” (vv. 2-4). This was the first time that Jacob sought God’s leading. Jacob’s going to Beer-sheba to offer sacrifices to God was not an insignificant matter. Formerly, it was God who came to seek Jacob. When he fled from his home and passed through Bethel, it was God who gave him the vision (28:10-22). Afterward, when Jacob was in his uncle Laban’s house, it was God who spoke to him (31:11-13). Finally, when Jacob returned from Paddan-aram and came to Shechem, it was God who spoke to him, asking him to go up to Bethel (35:1). In the past it was not Jacob who sought God, but God who sought Jacob. No wonder Jacob suffered so much in his life (47:9). Jacob was talented and capable, so God had to deal with him repeatedly. When Jacob heard that Joseph was still alive, he should have been very happy and could have gone immediately to Egypt. However, this time he purposely went to Beer-sheba in order to offer sacrifices to God and fellowship with God.
Verse 1 of chapter 46 says, “Israel set out with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.” Jacob seemed to be saying, “I am going to offer sacrifices to God so that I will be clear concerning God’s will. Then I will go to Joseph.” Jacob did not become excited upon hearing the good news concerning Joseph. Instead, he first drew near to God. Jacob had been thoroughly dealt with by God. He was fully matured in life and had genuine spiritual weight. Now he knew grace. He knew not to depend on himself but to depend on God. Only after fellowshipping with God did he go down to Egypt with his sons. In Egypt his spiritual journey reached the full day (Prov. 4:18). His whole being was transparent.
Jacob’s maturity was manifested in many ways. On the negative side, Jacob was joyful when he saw Joseph, but he did not become particularly excited or act in a peculiar way. This is proof that he did not allow himself to be loose in any situation. When he went to Egypt, he did not ask Joseph or Pharaoh for anything. Egypt was known for its delicious goods, but Jacob did not tell Joseph that he wanted to taste anything. Jacob did not demand anything from his sons or grandchildren, because he had been dealt with by God and had maturity in life. When he was in Haran, he was quite covetous. What a vast difference there was in him at this time!
While Jacob was in Egypt, he did not do anything for himself. This was unlike how he stubbornly wanted to gain things for himself in Haran. In Egypt Jacob was a quiet person. Besides blessing people and prophesying, he did not utter many words. This shows that a mature person is quiet, is not active, and does not like to be in the spotlight.
On the positive side, there are five characteristics of Jacob’s maturity. First, he blessed people. The first thing that Jacob did upon arriving in Egypt was to bless Pharaoh (Gen. 47:7). Jacob was strong and able to bless the Pharaoh of Egypt, the most powerful king at that time. This is not a trivial matter. In chapter 33, when Jacob met Esau, he bowed down to the ground seven times until he came near to Esau, and he constantly addressed Esau as lord and referred to himself as a servant (vv. 3, 5, 8). However, in chapter 47 Jacob went down to Egypt as a refugee and was brought before the king, a man with the highest position in Egypt. Instead of bowing down to Pharaoh and addressing Pharaoh as lord, Jacob stretched out his hand to bless Pharaoh (v. 7). We must admit that at this point Jacob was great, lofty, and mature.
Hebrews 7:7 says, “Without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.” Thus, the fact that Jacob blessed Pharaoh is proof that he was greater and more honorable than Pharaoh. While standing in the presence of Pharaoh, Jacob did not have the sense that he was inferior, because he had been delivered from the self. When Jacob met Esau, he bowed down to the ground seven times and addressed Esau as lord, which was proof that Jacob was living in the self. He behaved in such a self-depreciating way because he was overly concerned for his safety. However, by the time he arrived in Egypt, he had been delivered from the self by God. When he returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again and said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, / But Israel shall be your name.” God changed Jacob’s name to Israel (Gen. 35:9-10).
While Jacob was standing in the presence of Pharaoh, he neither depreciated himself nor exalted himself, because he was filled inwardly with God. He was truly Israel, the prince of God. When he stood before the highest king on earth, he did not feel that he was low or humble; instead, he appeared to be more honorable than Pharaoh. Hence, he was able to stretch out his hand and bless Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked Jacob, “How many are the years of your life?” (47:8). Jacob’s answer was very simple and brief: “The years of my sojourning are one hundred thirty years; few and evil have been the years of my life” (v. 9). Jacob seemed to be saying to Pharaoh, “The reason I can bless you today is that I have passed through a great deal of sufferings in my life.” After Jacob finished speaking and before leaving Pharaoh’s presence, he blessed Pharaoh again (v. 10).
In chapter 48 Jacob also blessed Joseph’s two sons. Jacob’s blessing in this chapter was under God’s leading and was rich and clear. Although Jacob’s eyes were dim with age (v. 10), he was still very bright within. Jacob stretched out his right hand and laid it upon the head of Ephraim, Joseph’s younger son, and he laid his left hand upon the head of Manasseh, the firstborn, guiding his hands with insight, and he blessed them (vv. 14, 20). When Joseph saw that Jacob laid his right hand upon Ephraim’s head, he said, “Not so, my father, for this is the firstborn. Put your right hand upon his head” (v. 18). Jacob refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also will become a people, and he also will be great. However, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his seed will become a multitude of nations” (v. 19). We should consider how clear Jacob was.
Eventually, in chapter 49 Jacob blessed his twelve sons (vv. 1-28). Jacob’s blessing of his twelve sons was God’s prophecy concerning each of them. This indicates how much Jacob lived in God and was mingled with God. Jacob began blessing people as soon as he arrived in Egypt and continued blessing people until his death. Jacob was able to bless nearly everyone who met him. Abraham could not bless people; he could only receive blessings. Although Isaac was able to bless people, he blessed in a confused and unclear way. Jacob, however, not only blessed people, but he blessed them in a clear way. Therefore, when Jacob was blessing people in Egypt, he was fully matured.
The second characteristic of Jacob’s maturity is that he was able to prophesy for God in addition to blessing people. Whatever he spoke was a prophecy. The Bible does not state that Jacob was a prophet, but we surely can say that he was a prophet with the maturity of life. He was not a prophet decorated with gifts but a prophet constituted with grace. His speaking was God’s speaking. When he opened his mouth, God opened His mouth. Jacob had been worked on by God to the extent that he prophesied when he opened his mouth. Jacob’s prophecies concerning his twelve sons include all the prophecies in the Bible. Many of the prophecies in the Bible originate in Genesis 49 and are fulfilled later in the Bible. We will briefly consider the prophecies in Genesis 49.
As the firstborn, Reuben should have been preeminent in dignity, but he lost the birthright because of his indulgence in lust (vv. 3-4; 1 Chron. 5:1-2). Eventually, the birthright was allocated to three tribes: the double portion of the land was given to Joseph (Josh. 16—17), the kingship was given to Judah (Gen. 49:10; 1 Chron. 5:2), and the priesthood was given to Levi (Deut. 33:8-10).
Because of their cruel and killing disposition (Gen. 34:25-30), Simeon and Levi did not receive Jacob’s blessing. Instead, Jacob ordained that they would be scattered among the children of Israel (49:7). However, in Exodus 32 the Levites voluntarily stood on God’s side and killed all those who bowed down to the golden calf; the tribe of Levi was thus accepted by God (vv. 26-29). As a result, their being scattered became a blessing to them, because they dwelt among the children of Israel and served as God’s priests (Deut. 33:8-9).
The prophecy concerning Judah includes five points. First, Judah would be praised and worshipped by his brothers (Gen. 49:8). This is because kings and Christ would come forth from Judah. Second, Judah would be as fierce as a strong young lion to overcome the enemy (v. 9). This typifies Christ’s strength and victory. Third, rulers and kings would come out of him (vv. 8, 10a); King David, his descendants, and Christ are all descendants of Judah. Fourth, out of Judah would come Shiloh, the peace bringer, and to Him would be the obedience of the peoples (v. 10b). This refers to Christ’s setting up His kingdom in His second coming. Fifth, Judah would produce an abundance of wine and milk (vv. 11-12). This signifies the producing of the salvation of life so that people may rejoice and the producing of the food of life so that people may grow.
Zebulun would be a shore for ships and would spread out (v. 13). Zebulun is a part of Galilee and is where the Lord Jesus began His ministry by preaching the gospel (Matt. 4:12-23; 28:7, 10, 16-20). From Galilee the gospel of the New Testament is being preached to every place in the world (Acts 1:8; 2:2-41).
Issachar would couch in the land of riches to enjoy rest, and he would bow his shoulder to bear burdens and become a task-worker (Gen. 49:14-15).
Dan would sin as a serpent, and he would bring in an apostasy that would become a great stumbling block to the children of Israel to frustrate them from taking God’s ordained way (v. 17; Judg. 18:30-31). Because the tribe of Dan had a deep relationship with the serpent and committed grave sins, it was omitted from the Old Testament genealogy of the children of Israel (1 Chron. 2—9) and from the record in the New Testament of the children of Israel who will be preserved by God (Rev. 7:1-8). However, Dan will still be a tribe in the millennium because of Jacob’s blessing (Gen. 49:16, 18; Ezek. 48:1).
Gad would be pursued by his enemies, but he would prevail over them (Gen. 49:19).
Asher would provide people with rich food and produce dainties for the pleasure of kings (v. 20).
Naphtali would be a hind let loose and give beautiful words (v. 21). The hind signifies the resurrected Christ (Psa. 22, title). Giving beautiful words signifies uttering the beautiful words of the gospel. In the New Testament on the day of Pentecost, after experiencing the resurrected Christ, Peter was able to stand up and preach the gospel, speaking beautiful words (Acts 2:32-36).
The prophecy concerning Joseph includes three points. Joseph would be a fruitful bough, he would be attacked but would prevail, and he would receive blessings of heaven, of the earth, and of the breasts and of the womb (Gen. 49:22-26).
Benjamin would be a ravenous wolf (v. 27).
We should pay attention to Jacob’s words: “I have waited for Your salvation, O Jehovah” (v. 18) and “By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob— / From there is the Shepherd, the stone of Israel— / From the God of your father, who will help you, / And from the All-sufficient One” (vv. 24-25). These words show that Jacob was fully matured in God. He looked to God and to God’s salvation. He did not live by the self or rely on himself.
The third characteristic of Jacob’s maturity is that he worshipped God while leaning on the top of his staff (Heb. 11:21; Gen. 47:31). The staff was very significant in Jacob’s life. Worshipping God while leaning on his staff signifies that Jacob confessed he was but a stranger and a sojourner on the earth (Heb. 11:13). It also signifies that Jacob confessed he was under God’s dealing throughout his life. His days on the earth were few and evil like the days of a stranger and a sojourner. Furthermore, he was touched, stripped, and dealt with by God. Therefore, Jacob’s staff was the history of his life. It was the story and portrayal of his life, and it revealed the course of his entire life.
By worshipping God while leaning on the top of his staff, Jacob was declaring that God was “the God who has shepherded me all my life to this day” (Gen. 48:15). In God’s hand the staff was for shepherding, but in Jacob’s hand it was for him to walk. As a stranger and a sojourner, he relied on his staff. After he was crippled, he needed to depend on the staff even more. This staff tells Jacob’s history with God as well as the course of Jacob’s entire life. Therefore, Jacob’s worshipping God while leaning on the top of his staff was his declaration: “My entire life I have been led and shepherded by God and also stripped and dealt with by God.”
When we read Genesis, we may not sense that Jacob died while he was worshipping God. However, Hebrews 11:21 says, “By faith Jacob, while he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshipped God, while leaning on the top of his staff.” This shows that Jacob died while worshipping God. In Genesis 49 Jacob blessed his sons on the one hand, and he worshipped God on the other. Then he died peacefully. Jacob not only had a natural death but also a “holy death.” His death was full of God’s presence.
The fourth characteristic of Jacob’s maturity is that in his old age he was genuinely meek. When the time of his death drew near, he called Joseph and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness and truth. Please do not bury me in Egypt” (47:29). It is amazing that Jacob, who previously supplanted, struggled, and grabbed, could speak to his son in such a meek way. His meekness was not pretentious but was the issue of the growth of life. His meekness was living because he was filled with God who is meek. People do not like to eat fruit that is bitter. However, everyone likes fruit that is fully ripened and has a sweet and fragrant flavor. In his old age Jacob was truly meek. When people met him, they were watered and sensed sweetness. He was truly a respectable and lovely elderly man.
The fifth characteristic of Jacob’s maturity is that the aged Jacob was full of faith concerning God’s promise. He did not put his hope in Egypt and was not reluctant to part with Egypt. His heart was in Canaan. He was about to die in Egypt, but he had the conviction that God would lead his descendants back to Canaan. Therefore, he charged Joseph to bury him in Canaan (vv. 29-30). This is proof that Jacob was full of faith concerning God’s promise.
The characteristics of Jacob’s maturity unveil the condition of a matured life. Meeting Jacob in his old age was like meeting God, because at this stage Jacob was Israel, the prince of God. Although he went down to Egypt, his going down to Egypt was different from Abraham’s going down to Egypt. Abraham went down to Egypt secretly, lied there, and returned shamefully. Jacob, however, was able to represent God when he went down to Egypt. Apparently, the dominion of Egypt was in Pharaoh’s hand, but it was actually in Jacob’s hand, because Jacob’s son, Joseph, was reigning in Egypt on behalf of God. Joseph’s reigning in Egypt was Jacob’s reigning in Egypt, because Joseph was a part of Jacob. Jacob expressed the image of God, and Joseph represented the dominion of God. Hence, God’s twofold purpose in man was completely attained, because God had gained a man who expressed Him on the one hand and exercised dominion for Him on the other.
The purpose of God’s work in His chosen people is to produce Israel. God’s desire is to produce not only one Israel but thousands of “Israels.” The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is still working in His people today. He leads us just as He led Abraham, He visits us just as He visited Isaac, and He deals with us just as He dealt with Jacob. By the Lord’s mercy, may these words shine brightly in us and enable us to see God’s work in us and the goal of His work in this age.
