Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 1.djvu/245

Rh To one they would say, "It was you that first upbraided him with his dreams;" to another, "It was you that said, Let us kill him;" to another, "It was you that stript him of his fine coat;" to another, "It was you that threw him into the pit," &c. Now Joseph having forgiven them all, lays this obligation upon them, not to upbraid one another. This charge our Lord Jesus has given us, that we love one another, that we live in peace, that, whatever occurs, or whatever former occurrences are remembered, we fall not out. For, (1.) We are brethren, we have all one father. (2.) We are his brethren, and we shame our relation to him who is our Peace, if we fall out. (3.) We are guilty, verily guilty, and, instead of quarrelling with one another, have a great deal of reason to fall out with ourselves. (4.) We are, or hope to be, forgiven of God whom we have all offended, and therefore should be ready to forgive one another. (5.) We are by the way, a way that lies through the land of Egypt, where we have many eyes upon us, that seek occasion and advantage against us; a way that leads to Canaan, where we hope to be for ever in perfect peace.

25. And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 26. And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not. 27. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 28. And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

We have here the good news brought to Jacob.

1. The relation of it, at first, sunk his spirits: when, without any preamble, his sons came in, crying, Joseph is yet alive, each striving which should first proclaim it, perhaps he thought they bantered him, and the affront grieved him; or, the very mention of Joseph's name revived his sorrow, so that his heart fainted; (v. 26.) it was a good while before he came to himself. He was in such care and fear about the rest of them, that, at this time, it would have been joy enough to him to hear that Simeon is released, and Benjamin is come safe home; (for he had been ready to despair concerning both these;) but to hear that Joseph is yet alive, is too good news to be true; he faints, for he believes it not. Note, We faint, because we do not believe; David himself had fainted, if he had not believed, Ps. 27. 13.

2. The confirmation of it, by degrees, revived his spirit; Jacob had easily believed his sons formerly, when they told him, Joseph is dead; but he can hardly believe them now that they tell him, Joseph is alive. Weak and tender spirits are influenced more by fear than hope, and are more apt to receive impressions that are discouraging than those that are encouraging. But, at length, Jacob is convinced of the truth of the story, especially when he sees the wagons which were sent to carry him; for seeing is believing; then his spirit revived. Death is as the wagons that are sent to fetch us to Christ: the very sight of it approaching should revive us. Now Jacob is called Israel, (v. 28.) for he begins to recover his wonted vigour. (1.) It pleases him to think that Joseph is alive. He says nothing of Joseph's glory, which they told him of; it was enough to him that Joseph was alive. Note, Those that would be content with lesser degrees of comfort, are best prepared for greater. (2.) It pleases him to think of going to see him. Though he was old, and the journey long, yet he would go to see Joseph, because Joseph's business would not permit him to come to see him. Observe, He says, "I will go and see him," not, " I will go and live with him;" Jacob was old, and did not expect to live long: "But I will go and see him before I die, and then let me depart in peace; let my eyes be refreshed with this sight before they are closed, and then it is enough, I need no more to make me happy in this world." Note, It is good for us all to make death familiar to us, and to speak of it as near, that we may think how little we have to do before we die, that we may do it with all our might, and may enjoy our comforts as those that must quickly die, and leave them.

CHAP. XLVI. Jacob is here removing to Egypt in his old age, forced thither by a famine, and invited thither by a son. Here, I. God sends him thither, v. 1..4. II. All his family goes with him thither, v. 5..27. III. Joseph bids him welcome thither, v. 28..34.

ND Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. 2. And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said. Here am I. 3. And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 4. I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

The divine precept is, In all thy ways acknowledge God; and the promise annexed to it is, He shall direct thy paths. Jacob has here a very great concern before him, not only a journey, but a remove, to settle in another country; a change which was very surprising to him, (for he never had any other thoughts than to live and die in Canaan,) and which would be of great consequence to his family for a long time to come; now here we are told,

I. How he acknowledged God in this way. He came to Beer-sheba, from Hebron, where he now dwelt, and there he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac, v. 1. He chose that place, in remembrance of the communion which his father and grandfather had with God in that place. Abraham called on God there, (ch. 21. 33.) so did Isaac; (ch. 26. 25.) and therefore Jacob made it the place of his devotion, the rather because it lay in his way. In his devotion, 1. He had an eye to God as the God of his father Isaac, that is, a God in covenant with him; for by Isaac the covenant was entailed upon him. God had forbidden Isaac to go down to Egypt, when there was a famine in Canaan, (ch. 26. 2.) which perhaps Jacob calls to mind, when he consults God as the God of his father Isaac, with this thought, "Lord, though I am very desirous to see Joseph, yet if thou forbid me to go down to Egypt, as thou didst my father Isaac, I will submit, and very contentedly stay where I am." 2. He offered sacrifices, extraordinary sacrifices, beside those at his stated times; these sacrifices were offered, (1.) By way of thanksgiving for the late blessed change of the face of his family, for the good news he had received concerning Joseph, and for the hopes he had of seeing him. Note, We should give God thanks for the beginnings of mercy,