“And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

As Jacob heads towards the unknown of Egypt with everything he possesses, this intimate moment between him and God is particularly striking. God calls Jacob by name, and immediately identifies himself as well. This is a conversation between two individuals, rather than a proclamation of the Lord to a whole nation.

God’s words are full of reassurance for Jacob. Perhaps Jacob is wondering how this move to Egypt fits with the promises that God made to his forefathers. He would have known of the prophecy that Abraham’s descendants would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years, so it is likely that he was fearful about taking his family to Egypt. However, God sets Jacob’s mind at rest. He will go with Jacob’s people, prosper them, and then bring them back to the land he has promised them.

And then there is this final promise. At the end of the long years of Jacob’s life, it will be the hand of the beloved son that Jacob had thought was lost to him, which will close his eyes in death.

God is Jacob’s Lord, but he is also his loving father. He knows exactly what Jacob needs to hear to reassure and comfort him on his journey. Not only does God set Jacob straight about the big picture, but he speaks to Jacob’s personal fears and hopes. Yes, Jacob will see his son again. Yes, although Jacob will die in a strange land, he will be surrounded by those he knows and loves. Yes, the last face he will see will be that of his son, Joseph.

God is our father, who knows every secret thought and every desire of our heart. He is our supreme comforter, “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Whatever your concerns, worries, hopes or fears, God knows them. Reach to him for comfort and reassurance.

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NEWBOLD COMMUNITY CHURCH