Genesis 47:9 KJV
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Jacob's treatment of his brother in their younger years has led to him being characterized as a bitter person who seems to always have something to complain about. So it is not impossible for a person to dismiss Jacob's words to the Pharaoh as another example of his typically Jewish, negative mannerism. But perhaps there is more to this than that. Perhaps Jacob had learned to keep the years of his life right now in a proper perspective. Perhaps he looked, as Abraham did, for something better (Hebrews 11:8-10).
There is no question that Jacob had been blessed of the Lord in a number of ways. He will say to Joseph in the next chapter that he had not expected to get to see him face to face again, yet God had allowed him to see Joseph's sons. He had wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and prevailed. His name was changed from Jacob (supplanter) to Israel (power with God). He had been blessed enough that he could pass on a blessing to his children. Truly his life had been blessed.
It is not that I believe we should be negative and complaining type people. We have reason to rejoice as Christians. However, we might also be finding our joy in the wrong things. The people of the world must "eat drink and be merry" it is all they have and they know it. That is not the case with the Christian. We have something far, far better than the very best this world can give. We are wise to always keep that in mind so that we do not do as the world would and party now as if there were no tomorrow.
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
Jacob's treatment of his brother in their younger years has led to him being characterized as a bitter person who seems to always have something to complain about. So it is not impossible for a person to dismiss Jacob's words to the Pharaoh as another example of his typically Jewish, negative mannerism. But perhaps there is more to this than that. Perhaps Jacob had learned to keep the years of his life right now in a proper perspective. Perhaps he looked, as Abraham did, for something better (Hebrews 11:8-10).
There is no question that Jacob had been blessed of the Lord in a number of ways. He will say to Joseph in the next chapter that he had not expected to get to see him face to face again, yet God had allowed him to see Joseph's sons. He had wrestled with the Angel of the Lord and prevailed. His name was changed from Jacob (supplanter) to Israel (power with God). He had been blessed enough that he could pass on a blessing to his children. Truly his life had been blessed.
It is not that I believe we should be negative and complaining type people. We have reason to rejoice as Christians. However, we might also be finding our joy in the wrong things. The people of the world must "eat drink and be merry" it is all they have and they know it. That is not the case with the Christian. We have something far, far better than the very best this world can give. We are wise to always keep that in mind so that we do not do as the world would and party now as if there were no tomorrow.
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