Well again dear church fellowship, this evening we're going to carry on with our Bible study series in the life of Joseph. Last time we thought about Jacob's blessing of Zebalun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher and And I'm sorry for the many references I sped through last time and tried to squeeze quite a few in. It's such a short space of time. I've tried to kind of get in as much history and try to squeeze in applications. I'm sorry for the rush references last time. But with that said, I just would like to say that the importance of these names and the importance, when we come to all scripture, every portion of scripture, it doesn't matter if it's going through the book of Numbers, wherever it is, I just want to remind us of that blessed truth in 2 Timothy 3.16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for us. And so it's just a reminder to us that every single part of scripture that we read, it's got something for us. It's got some instruction for us. It's got something that will help us, that will profit our souls, that will guide us. And so with that said, this evening we're looking at Jacob's blessing of Joseph and Benjamin, and then of course Jacob's final moments before passing into glory. Well let's come to the word now, verses 22 through 26. concerning Jacob's blessing of his beloved son. And what a moment that must have been, such a significant moment, his blessing of Joseph, who had been separated for decades, and in recent years, of course, was rejoined. Well, verse 22 of the Word of God says, Joseph is a fruitful bow, even a fruitful bow by a well, whose branches run over the wall. The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him. But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the almighty God of Jacob. From thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee, and by the Almighty who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors and to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills. They shall be on the head of Joseph and on the head, on the crown of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. a bit like Joseph's life here, the kind of up and down of Joseph's life, the peaks and the troughs, the peaks and the kind of the valleys. We see something of this in this blessing, don't we? We started off with Reuben and Simeon and Levi, as it were, were those kind of warnings, but they turned out to be blessings, really, if you took the spirit of what was being said. And then we saw the great peak, didn't we, in Judah, from which the Saviour shilohed. would come from and of course that was the peak. That's what our brother is taking us through, the redemptive history and we praise the Lord, we can see that. And then again it goes into the valley again, doesn't it? With Zebel and Issachar and Dan and Gad. And again, just after Dan, we see again Jacob bursting out, as it were. I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. There's another little peak there as well, isn't there? And then back down into the valley, as it were, and then up again now with Joseph again. So this kind of up and down, like Joseph's life here, And Joseph's blessing in these verses, understandably, are incredibly full and large. And in verses 22, Joseph is likened to a fruitful bow. A fruitful bow is a branch, a branch of a fruit tree, of a vine. that was, in this context, that was loaded with fruit. And at home, I don't know if Abigail may be able to remember this, but at home we've got this apple tree that's along the wall and it's kind of got a bow in it. There's two parts to this apple tree that goes along the fence. And the one half of it, about a year and a half ago, caught a disease. It just started drying up. It was awful. So what I had to do, I wanted to salvage the aperture, so I literally cut off half of the bit, the bow, the branch that was going along the fence. I had to cut it off. and had to cast it away. But the other bow from the apple tree, now, I thought that that would take a while to recover, but you look at it now, it's just absolutely loaded with fruit. There's an apple, as it were, it seems, every few inches. And this is very true of Joseph. Joseph was separated from his brethren, cut off, as it were, from his brethren for many, many years, separated, endured such heartache and affliction. And Joseph, through all of this affliction, all of these trials of faith, The Lord used it all really to make him so fruitful. And it just flies in the face of the prosperity gospel, doesn't it? That everything has to be hunky-dory, that you've got to have a load of money, or you've got to be in good health, or you've got to do all these things, and that's just a load of nonsense. You know, you can be, every area of your life, you could be seeing affliction and trials and troubles. Joseph was literally cut off from everything, endured decades of affliction, yet God made him incredibly fruitful. And Joseph himself testifies to this upon the naming of a second son, which he means fruitfulness, Ephraim. Genesis 41, 52 says, and the name of the second called he Ephraim. And he says, for God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. God hath caused me, God is sovereign over these things. And I tell you what brethren, that makes our trials that we go through so much lighter when we understand that in our afflictions and our trials that we go through that God is sovereign. that God has ordained these things in our lives. These things don't happen by chance, there's no such thing. It helps put things into perspective, why these things are happening. It is often through the schoolroom of affliction which we learn the most, as it were, and we grow in character as believers, spiritual character, and we grow in instrumentality in Christ's kingdom. God often, takes us through cuts as it were like a double-edged sword cuts us and takes often when we're converted in particular he takes away the things really which in our lives which in a sense really prevented us really takes away so many things that that we gave our hearts to and he there is a sense of that really and often He does so because he is preparing us for instrumentality. And so whenever he's doing that, always pause for a minute and go back to the saints of old. Go back to the Abrahams, the Isaacs, the Noahs, the Jobs. Recount their steps of faith that they had to undergo all these things and yet God used them. And so I just want to encourage us in the truth of this Joseph is being blessed. He will be as a fruitful bow, as it were, even a fruitful bow by a well whose branches run over the wall. You see that his brethren, did they not, planted, put a wall around him, a separating wall. And Joseph, through his children, through Ephraim, through Manasseh, would be like vines, as it were, going over those walls of affliction, spreading into the future, into Canaan, as it were, and blessing, bringing countless blessing, as it were. And we see this prophetic blessing coming from this. And like I said, friends, it is often through the schoolroom of affliction that we endure such things. Joseph's two sons, in particular Ephraim, were like bows, branches of a vine that ran over the wall of affliction. And remember, it was the wall that God had ordained. God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. So just remember that. God, all your trials are tailor-made. from above for the believer. Every single difficulty and trial that you go through in life, God has custom made that specifically for you, for your blessing, for your instrumentality. Wherever God has put you, whatever your lot is, it is ordained from above. And when we meditate upon that and when we pray with that in mind, it really does help us. It really can help us put things into perspective. or Joseph would be blessed immensely through his lineage. And I wonder whether we have such a spiritual vision. Sometimes I think our culture can be so obsessed with self. It's all about me, it's all about, and as there's a self-pitying self, thing but for the Christian really what we want is we want not only to make an impact now but through the life that we're living we can make an impact on so many lives in the future. There can be such a great influence upon our children, upon those in our familiar circles and loved ones and friends, we must have this long-term view. We live in such an age where everything is short-term, short-term view. Instagram, I want things instantly, but the Christian must have a long-term view. All these difficulties, these trials, this tiredness, There's these labourings. It's all for a reason. This fruit is going to bear forth fruit, much fruit in the future. So we must have that spiritual vision, as it were, like Joseph did. Our affliction, beloved, which is but for a moment, as it says in 2 Chronicles 4.17, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. What a passage that is. That our affliction, but just for a moment worketh it exceeding an eternal weight of glory. The things, one soul being saved through ministry, through a track given out, through whatever it is, the weight in glory, what that's going to produce. If we bring up our children in God's fear, if we go through all the pains as it were, all the people will think terribly of us, they'll cast our name out. We consider the offscouring of this world in many cases narrow-minded bigots and because the Word of God says so, all this pain that we will go through and yet if one person is saved, they bring up their children in the fear of God, people are converted, they witness, they witness. It's like a domino effect, isn't it? And more and more people are saved, more and more people are saved. That's what we need to be thinking of, is that long-term spiritual mindset. And it reminds me of Isaiah 53's prophecy of Christ being as a root out of a dry ground. And we think of Joseph and Mary in particular, the glorious kingdom of David, King David and Solomon had narrowed down, didn't it, to Joseph and a poor carpenter and to Mary. The illustrious days were over. And yet they were reproach, weren't they, to many. Even Mary said, God have taken away my reproach. For walking by faith, for living a strict holy life, they were reproach by living like that. But yet God made them. Fruitful, didn't he? They were seen as a, Christ, he came through a dry ground, a root out of a dry ground. They seemed like nothing. Look at these narrow-minded bigots, as it were. And yet, they were made, as it were, great, eternally fruitful because the Saviour came out of them. Well, verse 23 says, the archers, the archers have sorely grieved him. and shot at him and hated him. Here we are really reminded of the many enemies Joseph had to his soul and to his faith and his person and they of course are likened to archers, to archers. Remember Joseph's coat of many colors friends was in many ways an outward confirmation of an inner work of grace. It was an outward confirmation of what God had already done. He believed in God's promises. He trusted in the God of his father, the God of Jacob. He was deeply influenced by his father Isaac, his grandfather Isaac. He was trusting in the Lord, walking by faith, and he was hated by his brethren for being a son that was honoring his father, was living for the Lord, who actually cared for his brethren, and he was hated because of it. Archers are skillful in the ways of war, aren't they? To hurt people. And they do so from afar off and often they do so by surprise as well. And so this is very accurate really concerning how Joseph's brethren treated Joseph. Joseph's brethren hated Joseph. They hated his faith. They hated his godliness. Like archers they saw him from afar off, didn't they? They devised plans. Remember they saw him coming from afar off. He was looking for them out of love really. Obeying his father and they saw him from afar off and they devised a plan against him. They were like archers aiming really at him and they devised that wicked plan. And then, of course, they cruelly mocked him and stripped him and threatened him and left him dead in that pit. Did they not? Even when he was crying to them, maybe even appealing. to them in a spiritual sense to them and yet they would not listen and of course they cruelly sold him which was a double a double treason really it goes against a doubly against the law they sold him into Egypt a hostile enemy And of course they did such things because at that time they were under the influence of Satan. And this was true before we were all converted. We were children of the devil. We were under the strong man, Satan, who was far too strong for us. And Satan shoots fiery darts at God's people. And those who are still under Satan's governments Do this. They won't fully understand this. They don't comprehend these things, but that's what happens. If you're not on God's side, you're on the devil's side. And so we saw this. They were acting like this because they were under the devil's government, under his sway, as it were, his influence. Part of his wife as well did the same, did she not? Remember, she was like an archer to his faith, day after day, shooting at his integrity. If I can make him break, as it were, Remember, day after day, she compelled Joseph to be with her, enticed him, as it were, shooting at him, trying to break his faith, trying to break his confidence and trust in the Lord, like an archer, as it were. And then she suddenly, like an archer, that one day, pounced upon him, because she couldn't break him, and tried to lure him that way. And of course she couldn't do, Joseph, the Lord was with Joseph and he would not deny his Lord in these things. So she, like Joseph's brethren, sorely grieved him, sorely grieved Joseph, shot at him, hated him as it were. And doubtless to say that there were many archers and pharaohs courts. and mansions that envied him and sought to undermine his rise as well. They hated that fact. But we are a bit like Daniel and we are told in verse 24, but his bow abode in strength and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence is the shepherd. the stone of Israel. Joseph's bow, his branch as it were, his heart, the sap thereof, the heart thereof, was rooted in Christ. And we're told here that his bow, abode in strength. And an abode is a place of continual, a continual dwelling place. That's what an abode is. A place where you continually dwell And we're told here that his bow, his branch, his heart, as it were, always abode in Christ. Always. So it didn't matter how far, how dark those providences would get to him, he would be crying out to the Lord. He would be staying close to the Lord, the one whom in those tender young years he had put his trust in, God had spoken to him, he had believed in, and he had been transformed in. And that was his home. He went to his home. He was living close to the Lord. And that's what we need to do, do we not? Our home is where we are hidden in Christ, says the scriptures. God loves us because we're hidden in Christ. We live in him every day, in our devotions, in our prayer lives, in our family devotional times, in our worship times here, in our meetings, in our evangelism. We abide in Christ, we live in Christ every day. And that's what happened to Joseph. And if this is the case with us, dear friends, it doesn't matter whatever will befall us, we're in Christ. Are we not? It doesn't matter if we're in a prison. It doesn't matter if we're like Paul and Barnabas. We'll be able to sing from the jail cell. And it really does put things into perspective. It says here that His arms, the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel. Those arms, you think about Joseph, 17 years old when all this happened, those arms that would have made ten thousands or thousands of men to draw back and get depressed over such forces of hell raised up, against Joseph did not prevail over Joseph. Why? Because Because why? Because the mighty God of Jacob, from dense as the shepherd, the stone of Israel, his hands were upholding. The arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob. You see, when unbelievers are the host of hell and they are affected by these things, what happens? They go into depression. I mean, believers can go into depression, but not in the same way. They're arms down, as it were, and just try to escape, hit the bottle, or just drain my sorrows and veg in front of the telly, whatever it is. And what we see here was God so strengthened him that his arms were equipped for the battle. He gave, he obeyed the commandments to love the Lord his God with all his heart, mind, soul and strength. To give himself, body and soul, as it were, to the Lord. He believed in it. God was with him. Work in him. There was no time for self-pity. There was no time for dragging the knuckles, as it were, upon the ground. There's no time for that. He wanted just to serve the Lord, as it were. The arms, the arms of the hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob from thence the shepherd, the stone of Israel. They did not prevail. Joseph did not render evil for evil. His faith was in the Lord and in his sovereignty over his life. Again, he didn't render evil for evil because he understood that God was sovereign over his life and the Lord will recompense him whatever he goes through. And it reminds me of Ephesians 6.16, above all, taking the shield of faith. wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. That's a wonderful verse, isn't it? The shield of faith. The shield of faith. Doesn't matter what you're going through. Doesn't matter what side it comes through. If it comes through your family. If it comes through the church. If it comes through the world. If it comes through your own personal attacks, personally. The shield of faith. It doesn't matter what direction it comes from. If you've got the shield of faith and you're in Christ and your life is hidden in Him and you love Him and you've believed in Him, you've been transformed in Him. Well, this shield of faith will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, every single one. And yes, there'll be times that your shield of faith, that you will have besetting sins, and you might not put it up quick enough, as it were, and a dart will come through, but God will be there to pick you up again, to strengthen you, to help you. And yes, Joseph and his lineage would be blessed indeed, not only because of Joseph's godly person, as we see here, and his godly conduct in the trials that he faced, but because almighty God, more importantly, was with him. The Lord was with him. The God of Jacob, we're told here. And the God is called, Here, we have here several names of God here. The God of Jacob is mentioned in scripture no less than 20 times. The God of Jacob. Why is God called the God of Jacob here? Well, it's to tell us that God, he is the God of the living. He is the living God, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the living God, not of the dead. They are in glory. So he is the God of the living, but the name, of God here. The God of Jacob also is referring to the God that can save wretched sinners, deceivers, wretches like you and me. In fact, the name of Jacob means deceiver. Jacob was a deceiver. He was a wretch by nature. And God is the savior of wretches, sinners, deceivers who have fallen short of the glory of God. And what he's saying to Joseph The God of Jacob, of me, who needed a saviour, who needed the Almighty God, the Lord, to save him. Shiloh, as it were, to save me. He will be with you, the one that heard my cry. Me, a wretched deceiver, a wretched sinner, who sought me, who saved me. The God of Jacob, Joseph. He will go with you. He will give you the faith. He was the one who gave you power to transform lives and to preserve them for the end. This God, Jacob, this God, Joseph, will be with you. And Joseph, we know, was one are the most Christ-like of saints, was he not, in the Old Testament. We see in Joseph a foreshadow, a picture of Christ, do we not? A type of Christ, being a shepherd and almost a stone unto Israel in feeding his family. like a shepherd would, providing for them, disciplining them, disciplining his brethren, like a shepherd with his flock, guiding them, securing them, and ultimately saving them. He would, with a small s, be like a shepherd, and like a stone, as it were, securing them. But of course, all this pointed to that great shepherd of the sheep, Christ. And that great foundational stone, Christ. They all pointed to the Saviour, did they not? Jacob is saying to Joseph in this blessing in essence, there's no enemy that the good shepherd will not confront for you. There's no enemy that's too strong for you. There's no enemy that won't confront you. There's no distance. The Good Shepherd will not go to rescue you. Your lineage can cry out to you. If you teach them, bring them up, they can cry out to you. And he will hear their voice. You and your family can trust the Great Shepherd of your soul, who has undergone, too, great sufferings, great pain for you. Yes, Joseph, you've gone through these great sufferings, this pain, but the great shepherd of the sheep, the Lord Jesus Christ, as it were, he's undergone these things for you, and he will be with you and your family as well. Joseph the Lord is your unchanging foundational stone. Depend upon him. Depend upon him as I did at Bethel. Remember that, all those memorial stones where he made a vow to the Lord. He will be your stone. He will be your unchanging rock as it were. You can build your life upon him. Your children can build their lives upon him. His promises will never fail you. And I can testify to that, he's saying. So he's really encouraging Jacob. No wonder why Jacob later on just falls flat upon his face when his father dies. Jacob gets really, Israel here gets really affectionate and personal in this blessing. in this blessing of Joseph. We see in verse 25, even by the God of your father, there's another name, the God of your father, who shall help thee and by the Almighty, another name, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. Is it not a blessing when we fathers or grandparents or Parents can say to our children, seek the God of your father, not in a boastful way or an arrogant way, but in a humble way, because it's all of grace, the God who saved me. Those many years ago when I cried unto the Lord, save me, Lord, and he saved me. You could say in a humble way, even the God of thy father, the one who saved me. What a testimony this is, isn't it? the God who helped me and who shall help thee, the almighty God, who will bless thee, who will hear your cry, the one who heard me and delivered me out of all my troubles. Well, all these prophetic blessings came true of Joseph and his seed. Joshua came from Joseph, did he not? Who God blessed in the conquest of Canaan, heard his cry, as it were. And the blessings, of course, bestowed upon Joseph and his lineage would be spiritual blessings. There would be heavenly blessings bestowed upon him and his families. And there would also be temporary blessings. There would be blessings from the deep and blessings from the hills. And there would also be eternal blessings. There would be blessings from the womb. There would be souls, as it were. There would be all sorts of fruits, heavenly fruits. practical, temporary fruit bestowed upon Joseph and his family. And all those who were Israelites, indeed, who trusted in the God of Jacob, Joseph would be blessed with fruitfulness in everything. Why? Because the Lord was with him. Because the Lord was with him. And that, as a church fellowship, All we can ask for, be with us, Lord, in everything. Be with us, help us to cleave to Thee, to love Thee. Reminds me of Ephesians 1.3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. All spiritual blessings, all of them, we can know of the fullness of these blessings The more we draw closer to Christ, the time is pressing on. Let's next move on to Benjamin, verse 27. Benjamin shall raven as a wolf, in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil. And it's quite evident that Jacob is really being led here by the spirit of prophecy because he would never say such words to his only, well not his only son, but to his youngest beloved son, Benjamin. His heart was very tender towards Benjamin. He tried to protect Benjamin from his brethren. And he would never say such things to Benjamin. So we see here the impartiality of God, the Holy Spirit, that he was so moved by the Spirit to say these things. and the tribe of Benjamin would become, as we know, like the prophecy, a warlike tribe, known and renowned for its great skill in war, that would have a fury like a wolf, a skill and a ravenous nature like a pack of wolves, as it were. We see this in Benjamin's history, a marathon-like Determination, like a wolf. Have you ever seen a documentary of a wolf hunting? They've got this marathon-like, wolf-like hunting. They can go for hours in a pack, as it were, hunting down their prey all night. So the prophecy here is very accurate to what we see in nature. And like wolves, they would be feared by their neighbours in the hunt. And of course, Saul, that first king of Israel would become, would come from the tribe of Benjamin. Saul, the Benjamite, as it were. Remember, they couldn't wait for a godly king, Israel. They looked at the kings around them, didn't they? They looked at Ammon and they saw the chariots, they saw the glamour of the kings. They wanted to be like, they wanted a king after their own heart. God gave them a king after their own heart. And that was Saul, the Benjamite. And Saul and his men were like a pack of wolves, were they not? Going after like marathon hunters pursuing godly David, as it were. And remember those ungodly men of Gibeah, they were from the tribe of Benjamin as well, were they not? Remember the wickedness they did to that Levite's concubine or wife. in Judges 20, they raped her. Those men of Gibeah, they were like a pack of wolves, were they not? They were from Benjamin. And when the Levite reported their evil throughout the whole of Israel, the tribe of Benjamin, instead of doing that which was right and actually giving them the death penalty, as it were, or handing them over, what did they do? pack of wolves, as it were, fought against the rest of Israel like a pack of wolves instead of handing them over. So there's much truth to the prophecy here of Benjamin. And of course the blessed Apostle Paul was also from the tribe of Benjamin, was he not? Before his conversion, his misplaced zeal in persecuting and devouring the church of Jesus Christ. He spent much of his energy, much of those dark hours as it were, like a wolf, dividing and conquering and spoiling the church of Christ. And upon his conversion, The opposite became true, didn't it, of Paul? He laboured more than anyone, didn't he? That energy that he had, that zeal that he had, he laboured more than anyone to bring, to unite both Gentile and Jew together in the Lord as it were. God changed someone who was a wolf Although he was much, you know, we know he was under the feet of Galileo. But God changed him into a wolf, into someone. into a lamb as it were, someone who's so tender-hearted, so concerned about the faith, so in love with the Lord, wanted other people to know that, so wanted to unite people in the faith in Christ, dear friends. And this theme really keeps on coming up in these prophecies. It's not how you start that counts, it's how you finish. Because we see here the imperfections In all these tribes, do we not? They all have imperfections. But we see here, dear friends, how that through the Spirit, and through the promises of God, that God can transform lives, as it were, and so change people. Other notable names in Benjamin were people like Esther, who became Queen Esther, and Mordecai as well. And who God skillfully used, and remember Mordecai with great endurance, did he not, to foil and spoil the plots of those who hated the Jews as well. They were from the tribe of Benjamin. Verse 28 says, all these are the 12 tribes of Israel, and this is it that their father spake unto them and blessed them. Every one according to his blessings he blessed them. Jacob's 12 sons are the birth of a new nation, Israel. And none like Esau would be rejected, or would be blessed, or would be used throughout the various tribes for the Lord, as it were. Not every single person, but all the various tribes would be used, as it were. And so the sons of Jacob would become, as it were, the tribes of Jacob. They would form the land of Israel. They would be the provinces, as it were, within Israel. And these blessings concerning Jacob's sons were frighteningly accurate, were they not? 2 Peter, and I mean, there's much more I can say about these things, but time doesn't allow me to permit. 2 Peter 1.20.21 comes to mind. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." So we have here, dear friends, all these prophecies were written down in spite of God, moved by the Holy Ghost. And finally in our remaining verses, 29 through to the end, Jacob charges his sons that he be gathered unto my people and buried with his fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron, the Hittite. What is Joseph telling us here? What's the word of God telling us here? It is that like his fathers Isaac and Abraham gone before him in the faith, Jacob had faith and a sure hope in the resurrection. That's what we're being told here. He had a sure hope in the resurrection. He wanted not even his bones to stay in the land of Egypt. Not even his bones. He wanted his bones to be taken back. He wanted to be buried in this cave such was the belief in God's promises concerning the land of Canaan and more so of that heavenly Canaan which he was living in expectation of. And so we see here a great man of faith dying in faith. Goshen in Egypt is not his home. His home is in Canaan. That's what God had promised. God promises to him were of Canaan and more so of that heavenly Canaan. And like I said, not even as bones he wants to remain in Egypt, so eager as he is to be found in God's will. Are we eager to be found in God's will? Jacob was, wasn't he? It's so important, not in what the culture tells us, not in what this Christian tells us or that Christian tells us, although it's important to listen to other Christians, but in God's will. And how can we know God's will? Well we can by his holy word. God's will is according to his holy word. We could be found in God's will if we are obeying his word, if we're believing in his promises. That's how we can be found. There'll be many things that'll try to take us away from the will of God. Let us be found, being conformed to the word, being moved by the Holy Spirit who works in step with the word. Jacob is a stranger and a pilgrim here, and he is testifying to his faith, to his children and his grandchildren, this great audience around him. He is testifying to all these things. Bury me in Canaan. I believe in the promises of God. I believe in the coming resurrection. I believe in Christ. I believe in the God of my father. He is testifying. This is his dying testimony, as it were, to be found in the will of God. Jacob's dying testimony not only speaks of his absolute belief in the coming Shiloh, in Christ, and the blessings of his lineage thereof, but also in the coming resurrection. Even as he is dying, he is by faith looking across the Jordan River. Is he not to that heavenly Canaan to eternity? And imagine how those words must inspire the next generation. Remember, beloved, the best is yet to come. The best is yet to come. Dear friends, have a light hand upon the things of this world. Have a very light hand upon the things of this world. and pray that the Lord will have a tight hand upon you. Don't bury me here in this wealth of Egypt, says Jacob, in essence. I want to be gathered with God's people. I want to be gathered in glory amidst that crystal sea, as it were. That's where I want to be. That's my home. I'm a pilgrim here. Don't allow the things of this world to, the wealth of Egypt, this wealthy society to get a grip upon you, dear friends. I want to be gathered. I want to be with God's people. I want to be gathered with God's people. I want to be in glory. And like it is said of Moses in Hebrews 11, 26, esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Same thing, Egypt. Egypt, he keeps on coming up, even with Joseph and Mary. God sent them into Egypt, didn't they? But he sent them, he brought them back again. Well, in conclusion, in verses 33, when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed and yielded up the ghost and was gathered unto his people. Such a beautiful, beautiful wording here, isn't it? He gathered up, the way the scripture just so formally here talks about this, he gathered up his feet into the bed. And you can just picture this, gathering up his feet into the bed and yielding up the ghost and was gathered unto his people. Gathered and being with us, Isaac, his father, Abraham, gathered to be with God's people in glory. It was a beautiful, formal way of saying, I'm going to be at rest now. I'm going to that eternal Sabbath now in glory. Gathered up his feet, all is well. All is well, not frightened, not scared, not petrified, just gathering up his feet calmly, putting them on the bed. Calmly, as it were, falling asleep. What a way to go, isn't it? What a testimony. I can truly rest now. I can be at peace. I can be with the Lord. No more sin to spoil anymore. No more the Danites, as it were, biting at my heels, Death has been conquered in Christ, gathered up his feet. He's more than a conqueror through Christ. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith, 2 Timothy 4, 17. We kind of see this here in Jacob. Most people, when they die, they do so against their own will. They do so against their will. They try everything not to die, do they not? He was ready to die here, wasn't he? Israel was ready to die, ready for that blessed rest. And we see here the way to die well is to be found in God's will, hidden in Christ. That's the way to die, to be found in God's will. If we're not found in God's will, we're not ready to die. But if we're found in God's will, we're living for him and we love him more than anything, being conformed to his word, we cherish his words, We're found in God's will. The way beliefs prepare for death is to be found in God's will, in Shiloh, in Christ, serving to the very last breath, like Joseph did, like Jacob did, like that's what it is. Sometimes you hear, Christians talking about pottering around the garden in their retirement, and I say, you don't want to do that. You want to be serving the Lord. You don't need pottering around the garden. I mean, sometimes you can't, obviously it's with ailments and everything else, but it's still things to do for the Lord. There's still a prayer life, you can still email people, you can still call people, encourage them. There's so much you can do. Even if you're in that situation, you can write, you can do tracts, there's so much you can do. Pray for these things. But don't, as it were, in the end, just Potter around, be found in God's will. And what a testimony that must have been for Jacob's children and his grandchildren to see their dad, as it were, in such a way. What a testimony. In joy, in God's will, in faith, in peace, as it were. All those around him, what an inspiration that must have been. And Jacob's gathered up his feet, beautifully put, I want to be with my Lord now. No more favouritism. Now, Rebecca, Leah, as it were, Jacob, his whole will is now taken up with the Lord, utterly reconciled. Cast yourself, dear friends, upon the finished work of Christ, as Jacob did. Do his will, and then you will be ready with joy to die well and to be with him in glory. Amen. Feel free to contact us at Sovereign Grace Church in Tiverton. Email us at grace2seekers at gmail.com. That's grace2seekers at gmail.com. Alternatively, you can visit our website at www.sovereigngracereformedchurch.co.uk.