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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Israel's nation, blessing, and land

In Genesis 46-47 we read of the promises reaching some sense of fulfillment in the life of Jacob (Israel).  Abraham was promised to be a great nation, to be blessed, and to be brought to a land (Genesis 12:1-3), and this promise is respoken in terms of offspring (great nation), possess the gate of enemies (land), blessing (Genesis 22:17-18).
The same promises extend to Isaac as multiplied offspring (great nation), blessing, and lands (Genesis 26:3-5).  
Jacob recieves the same promises.  In the dream of a ladder to heaven God promises Jacob offsping like dust, land extended, and blessing (Genesis 28:13-14).  
In Genesis 46-47 these promises are both fulfilled and yet found wanting.  Let's take each promise in turn.
Israel's Nation.  (Genesis 46:1-30)
Fulfilled.  The offspring of Israel dominates this section.  From the perspective of Israel his son Joseph has been dead for about 20 years.  Long before 20 years does one give up hope for the dead.  The period of shock is long gone and the person in truly dead.  Israel meets Joseph and says, "Now let me die."  Joseph, in so many ways the fulfillment of the promises, is not dead after all.  He is the king that came from Jacob's own body (Genesis 35:11).  Not only that but Israel comes with 70 from his family, a brady bunch type perfect number.  
Found wanting.  And yet the numbers do not add up.  It is 66 or 70?  Is it 68 or 70?  These numbers point to the fact that two of Israel's grandsons, Er and Onan, are dead.  They also point to the fact that Dinah is not counted, why not when another granddaughter, Serah, seems to be counted (Genesis 46:17).  The numbers do not add up, not because the writer was a moron, but because the writer was pointing to the fulfillment being found wanting.
Israel's Blessing. (Genesis 46:31-47:26)
Fulfilled.  Jacob and his family are not only provided for during the famine, but Jacob himself comes to bless Pharaoh (Genesis 47:7).  Israel is a blessing to other nations, the nation of Egypt.  Not only that, but Joseph literally saves all of Egypt from starvation and allows them not to die.  Israel's son has provided salvation for Israel and Egypt and the world.
Found wanting.  Yet Israel's encounter with Pharaoh does not seem to typify "blessing," since "few and evil" (Genesis 47:9) have been his days, and he sees an unfiulfillment of his days compared to his father's days (47:9).  Also, while Joseph does save the land of Egypt, he does it by debt-slavery (Genesis 47:21), by making Egypt be in bondage to Pharaoh, bonds that would transfer later to Israel when Joseph is forgotten, bonds that God would have to come and break.
Israel's Land.  (Genesis 47:27-31)
Fulfilled.  Jacob and his family found land in Goshen, which it seems is very good land for shepherds, and they were able to settle down a bit, as much as wandering shepherds do.  They had land which was extremely good.  They could survive.
Found wanting.  Jacob did not belong there, and he did not forget the promise God gave him of the land of Canaan.  He did not want his people to forget God's promised land.  He did not want to bury himself in Egypt, but to be buried in the promise of God, even if that promised land was being eaten up by famine.  So he makes Joseph swear to bury him with his fathers in the land (Genesis 47:31).

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