Scripture Reading: Gen. 47:7, 10; 48:15-16; 49:28
Ⅰ
Genesis 37—45 are a record of the process of Jacob's maturity:
A
In chapter twenty-seven, we see a supplanter; in chapter thirty-seven, a transformed man; and at the end of chapter forty-five, a mature person.
B
To be transformed is to be metabolically changed in our natural life, whereas to be matured is to be filled with the divine life that changes us—Heb. 6:1:
１
The last stage of transformation is maturity, the fullness of life:
ａ
God's eternal purpose can only be accomplished through our transformation and maturity—Gen. 1:26; Col. 1:28; 2:19; Eph. 4:13.
ｂ
Maturity is a matter of having the divine life imparted into us again and again until we have the fullness of life—John 10:10b; 2 Cor. 5:4b.
２
God will sovereignly use persons, things, and events to empty us of everything that has filled us and to take away every preoccupation so that we may have an increased capacity to be filled with God—Luke 1:53; Matt. 5:6:
ａ
In order to become mature, Jacob first had to suffer the loss of Joseph, the treasure of his heart—Gen. 37:31-35:
⑴
The only thing that could not be taken away from Jacob was God's presence.
⑵
Through the loss of Joseph, Jacob became a jar that was absolutely open to God, and the heavenly rain was continually falling into him.
⑶
In this period of time at Hebron, Jacob was daily in the presence of God, being filled with the divine life.
ｂ
Jacob was struck with famine—42:5.
ｃ
Because of the famine, Jacob was forced to send his ten sons to Egypt to buy grain—vv. 1-3.
ｄ
When Jacob's sons returned from Egypt with the grain, Jacob learned that Simeon had been detained in Egypt—vv. 24, 36.
ｅ
Due to the severity of the famine, Jacob was forced to send his youngest son with his brothers to Egypt to buy grain—vv. 4, 36; 43:1-15.
３
Everything that happens to us is under God's sovereignty for our transformation and maturity; nothing is accidental:
ａ
A mature believer has learned that God is merciful and all-sufficient to meet his needs in every kind of situation—vv. 11, 13-14; 17:1; Phil. 1:19-21a; 4:11-12; cf. 1 Tim. 4:6-7.
ｂ
His trust and rest are altogether in the mercy of his all-sufficient God, no longer in himself or in his ability—Rom. 9:16.
Ⅱ
At the end of Genesis we can see the manifestation of Jacob's maturity:
A
He did not blame his sons when he heard the news about Joseph's being alive in Egypt; instead, his heart became numb, but his spirit was revived—Gen. 45:21-28; cf. Heb. 4:12; Lev. 10:1-2.
B
Before going to see Joseph, he offered sacrifices to God at Beer-sheba—Gen. 46:1.
C
He displayed no excitement, showing looseness of self, at seeing Joseph—vv. 28-30.
D
After Jacob arrived in Egypt, he did not beg for anything.
E
Jacob did not engage in any activity for himself while living in Egypt, but he realized that his destiny and existence were absolutely in the hands of the shepherding God—48:15-16.
F
The strongest sign of Jacob's maturity was his blessing others—Gen. 47:7, 10; 48:14-16; Heb. 7:7:
１
The fullness of life is blessing, which is the overflow of God as life into others—John 7:38; 1 John 5:16.
２
The overflow of God is brought to people through His priests, who eliminate the distance between God and the people, bringing people into the presence of God to share in the enjoyment of God—Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 5:6; Exo. 28:9-12, 15-21; 2 Cor. 5:20.
３
The priests bless people with the Triune God in the divine dispensing of His Divine Trinity for their enjoyment—Num. 6:22-27; 2 Cor. 13:14.
４
In order to prophesy with blessing, we must be God-constituted persons who fulfill four requirements—Gen. 49:1-28; cf. 1 Cor. 7:10, 12, 25, 40:
ａ
We must know God—Phil. 3:10.
ｂ
We must know people—1 Cor. 2:15; 2 Cor. 5:16; cf. S. S. 7:4b.
ｃ
We must have the riches of God—Eph. 3:8; 2 Cor. 6:10.
ｄ
We must have a strong, active spirit—1 Cor. 14:32; cf. 2 Tim. 1:6-7.