The Hall of Faith | Jacob’s Faith in God’s Established People – Hebrews 11:21
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.
Unlike his Father Isaac, Jacob’s life demonstrated a much more tumultuous upbringing. Jacob’s story began grasping the heel of his brother during birth and then, throughout the years, cheated his brother out of his inheritance and blessing. He gained the rights and privileges of the firstborn son, despite his actions. Jacob then fled his hometown after his father’s death, fearing that his brother Isaac would kill him in rage, having taken everything from him. During his flight, he wrestled with God, eventually gaining a limp as a reminder of that day when God blessed him. He had many children, each with their own story and issue, yet his favorite son, Joseph, gloated his favoritism until his brothers conspired against him, sold him into slavery, and told Jacob he had died. After many events, and a famine, the family was one day reunited in Egypt safe from the famine.
At the end of Jacob’s life, much like his father, Jacob pronounced a blessing upon his children detailing the future of the family. Similarly, Jacob pronounced these oracles and blessings on faith that God would continue to be with his people. Yet, beyond that, there was a much larger declaration. For Jacob, while the message applied to his children, it spoke of a much greater and larger family. Jacob, in faith, pronounced the blessing on the people of God for how the nation of Israel would form and even spoke of the coming of the Messiah. In faith, Jacob took in faith that the future of the people of God would birth out of his offspring, as dysfunctional as they might be, would usher in the nation of Israel and the people of God and the coming of the Messiah. Then, in faith, he knew that he would join those who came before him in faith and rest in unity, even after death.
The Future of Israel
In Genesis 49, we see Jacob pronounce the blessings upon his children during his final days. After the ordeal they had been through, Jacob arrived at the end of his life. While not a blessing as you and I would understand a blessing but rather instead as a pronouncement of what would be to come. For Jacob, the safety of his children at the age of his life presented a priority. Furthermore, now that they had made it through the famine and rescued the people of God, Jacob had faith in the future of the people. For some of the sons, the pronouncement of the future came from the consequences of their actions, for others, it came from the understanding of who they were, and others it came as a harsh reality of their choices. In each case, Jacob sought the future of the people of God to extend beyond the immediate generation and spoke of a coming world resting in the promises of God.
Faith in god means faith in the continuing people of God throughout time and space. When we come to Christ, we live in faith of a future coming Kingdom. Our world will not only end with our death, but the people of God will continue on as well. To live a life of faith involves living with a kingdom mindset where every aspect of our life is poured out in offering to God. Then, at our last breathe, we can pass our faith on to the next generation, like Jacob did as he instituted the nation of Israel. The difference is that where Jacob established a physical geographical nation of Israel, we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven that far exceeds our own geography and goes beyond our lifetime. The way we live our life in faith, expressing the glory of God, will impact the future of the church and leave a legacy to honor God long after we are gone.
The Joining of The People
At the end of his life, Jacob, having pronounced blessing upon his sons, at the end of his long life, asked to be placed in a burial with his people. Jacob’s issue started when he first fled his hometown, fearing his own brother would grow jealous and kill him. Then, having moved around and see the difficulties, enduring a famine after believing his favorite son to have died, he found his rest in the least likely place; Egypt. Jacob asked that he could be buried with his people. Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites.” (Genesis 49:29-32, ESV) At the end of Jacob’s life, he understood the importance of returning to his family, even in death. Thus, he asked to be buried with the other patriarchs of the faith, Abraham, Isaac, and now, Jacob. These three would lay the foundation of faith for future generations. At his death, in faith, Jacob asked to join his family and the larger body of believers.
At the end of our lives, we too will join the body of believers and can rest in faith. One of the foundational truths of the Gospel finds its hope in where we spend our eternity. For those whose faith is in Jesus Christ, we can trust that we will join the body of believers for all eternity. No longer will be strive to be heroic in the faith, study under pastors, or strive to be like our forefathers. We will stand shoulder to shoulder as equals with those who came before. We will all stand together, having joined those who came before and those who will come after as a people praising God together. In faith, we walk as if we will join with the saints of history and worship God with one resounding voice. During this life, we live in faith, anticipating that one day, we will stand with all the voices of those whose faith is in the Lord and proclaim Jesus is King over all. Glory to the King.
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
