Scripture says that ‘it is appointed unto men once to die’ – but how we die, and how we face death, reflects the reality of our faith. The final scenes in Genesis recount the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, and demonstrate their faith in God and His promises, at the end of life.

Aren’t you glad God is patient? We are fickle, and often fail, but He is faithful! Jacob fought with God for much of his life, but God never gave up on him, and in his last days, God won his heart. He showed he had learned to trust God – a life lesson we all need to learn.

God keeps His word!   He told Abraham his descendants would go to a foreign land, and now they are traveling to Egypt. On the way, He reminds Jacob that He will make them a great nation, but little could Jacob have known then how! God’s providential power is on display.

There are many ‘prisons’ in life, often hidden from view. Spiritual prisons are worse than physical ones. We cry out for God to deliver us, but sometimes it seems He has forgotten us. God doesn’t do that. He’ll never forsake you. As you dream, never stop trusting in God!

Genesis 36 is a tiresome and seemingly useless list of Esau’s family tree…but it tells a story. Esau conquered the land of Edom; his sons and grandsons are prosperous and powerful. In contrast, Jacob is in Canaan, going nowhere. Why? What lessons are there for us here?