Genesis 47-50 - Jacob's and Joseph's Stories End

At first when I was going to write this post; I was thinking of doing a "quick hitter" post that covered a few topics but nothing in depth. But the last few days have really stressed something really important to me that I feel like I need to share.

As I read this passage of Genesis, especially the end of chapters 47 and 49, I couldn't help but be struck at Jacob's insistence that he be buried with his father and grandfather back in the land of Canaan. I don't know about you, but if I had my wish, I really wouldn't care where my kids buried me because my soul is already long gone and awaiting the resurrection. I wouldn't want my children to go through extra trials and problems just so I could be buried somewhere. Yet, Jacob asks his children to travel days, if not weeks, so that he could be buried with his parents.

But as I thought about it, the concept of what the Celts call 'thin spaces' came into my head, and for the last few days I have not been able to shake that concept and in fact it has intensified. What are 'thin spaces'? One of my favorite authors, N.T. Wright puts describes these spaces in his book, Surprised by Hope, as "places where the curtain between heaven and earth seems almost transparent" (p. 259). They are places where you can sense God's presence around you, places where you can see God working, and spaces where you can hear God whisper to you in a still, small voice.

So, for Jacob, one of those 'thin spaces' must be where his family lived; which makes sense because Jacob did love his family. There they loved him, raised him, and taught him how to live. Not only that, but that his where one of his wives was buried too. So it makes sense that this graveyard is a thin space for Jacob (and really, a graveyard is often a thin space for many people as it's ground zero for meeting our mortality face-to-face and trusting in the promise of the resurrection).

Where is a 'thin space' for you? For me, I am in one right now. I'm at a KINDLE conference in an absolutely beautiful setting in Mundelein, Illinois. Other than the accessibility issues I'm encountering, this is an extremely thin space. There is something magical about hearing the church bells (whether recorded or real, we can't tell and even some of the sem students don't know!) chime every 15 minutes. There is something rejuvenating about the slow pace that the people in this place live to. There is a character to these buildings and the stories that are bursting from these walls. There is something timeless to the statues and the architecture which adorn this place.

And there is just this neat feeling welling up within me that is re-creation-al as I reconnect with friends. I love the bonds that are being re-forged as we share our joys and or frustrations with this little thing called 'ministry'. And it's a neat feeling to feel my heart being re-tuned to God's frequency once again.

It's places, and times, and people, and things like this that are truly indicators that God's realm is breaking into ours on a continual basis; and it's my prayer that we all see this work that God is bringing into this fallen world.

Other questions to think about (and that I didn't have time or space to write about):
- I thought I wanted to know what the phrase "put your hand on my thigh" meant... but after reading this article, I wish I hadn't :P

- Anyone else think it was really interesting how when Jacob brought Manasseh and Ephraim (Genesis 48) to be blessed by his grandfather that Joseph told his dad that he had made a mistake in blessing the younger one first just as Jacob himself had been earlier?

- I also find it interesting that Jesus didn't come of the tribe of the firstborn of Jacob (Reuben). He instead came from Judah, which was actually the first one mentioned in his blessing that hadn't committed a fairly heinous crime.

- Bonus fact of Jesus coming from Judah's line; the name 'Judah' comes from the Hebrew word (yâdâh) which is used in this verse: "He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task" (Leviticus 16:21). Sound remotely like anything Jesus had done? :)

- Anyone else find the end of chapter 50 rather ominous? Joseph asked his countrymen to "I am about to die...carry my bones up from this place" (Genesis 50:24-25). And yet, what happens to him? He is buried in a coffin in Egypt (Genesis 50:26). Can we see the first seeds of Israel rebellion and hard-heartedness already? Or am I overthinking it?