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LIFE’S CHANGING STAGE
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
Genesis 35:10-29

Psalm 18:1-5

 

This earth is not

our permanent home.

 

LIFE’S CHANGING STAGE
 
At Bethel, God reaffirmed the change of name from Jacob to Israel, a new and princely name. God repeated His earlier promise to Abraham (Gen 17:5-8): “…a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee… And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee…” (Gen 35:11).
 
Shortly after, as they journeyed from Bethel to Ephrath, Rachel came into labour. She travailed in hard labour so much so that it cost her her life. On her dying lips, she called her newborn son Benoni (son of my sorrow). Rachel’s childbirth fulfilled her earlier expectation (Gen 30:24). Her death brings to mind Jacob’s judgment of death to the one who had stolen Laban’s idols. To Jacob, the departure of his true love was a most grievous blow. In his sorrow, he named the child Benjamin, “the son of my right hand,” very dear and close to support him in his old age.
 
As one follows the story of Jacob, the familiar lines from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” come to mind: “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players. They have their entrances and their exits.” And so the players on life’s stage move on! In our story, we see the demise of three of the household of faith, called and beloved of God, who are now in glory, awaiting the resurrection.
 
It is with some sadness that we read: “And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died…” (Gen 35:28-29) going to his well-earned rest. This concludes the history of a man of faith, who had passed the acid test of faith on Mt Moriah. When Jacob left home, Isaac was at Beersheba. On returning, he found him at Hebron. Rebekah had died years before, and had been buried in the cave of Machpelah. So it must have been a great comfort that in his last years, Isaac was able to have Jacob near him, for about ten years. We see God’s great faithfulness again in granting Jacob’s wish (made at Bethel) “that I come again to my father’s house in peace” (Gen 28:21).
 
THOUGHT: All may change but Jesus never! Glory to His name.

PRAYER: In life, in death, O Father, abide with me!

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