20 By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ‘bowing in worship over the top of his staff.’ 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial. (Hebrews 11:20-21)
Most of the hero’s and heroines of the faith in Hebrews 11 die. Yesterday Isaac faced death, as his father, Abraham, feels led to sacrifice him. God stops the “test” and provides a ram caught in the bush nearby. As Isaac, now an old man, faces his approaching death, he sends his son Esau, the oldest twin and the first-born son, to hunt for fresh food so Isaac can bless him. In a turn of history, Jacob deceives his father and receives the spiritual and material blessing of the first-born son. The blessing of land and children like the stars in the sky goes to Jacob. Like Hebrews points out at the beginning of chapter 11 goes to the son of faith like Abel and not the eldest son, Cain. Hebrews continues the parallel by referring to the deathbed blessing of Jacob while in Egypt. He crosses his arms, repeating the reversal for Joseph’s sons. Joseph also dies in Egypt predicting the return to the Promised Land, God’s rescue of his people, and God’s faithfulness. Joseph gives instructions for carrying his bones back to the land of promise.
We have almost finished the Abraham epoch of our hero’s’ reflection. As we think today about the end of our lives and the blessing and hope we want to pass on to the next generation, let us ponder. Who would you like to bless? Genesis 49 tells of Jacob blessing his 12 sons. He does not do just a generic sort of prayer but looks at the personality of each child and molds a blessing appropriate to each one. So let’s try and name a dominant characteristic of the person we would like to bless and then craft a blessing that reflects the future and the hope of that person’s blessing in our lives. Now pray that blessing and perhaps keep that piece of paper in a place you can return to periodically and continue to pray. Blessings.
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On the Way to Wonder 