Gênesis 47

Horae Homileticae de Charles Simeon

Gênesis 47:7-10

7 Então José levou seu pai Jacó ao faraó e o apresentou a ele. Depois Jacó abençoou o faraó,

8 e este lhe perguntou: "Quantos anos o senhor tem? "

9 Jacó respondeu ao faraó: "São cento e trinta os anos da minha peregrinação. Foram poucos e difíceis e não chegam aos anos da peregrinação dos meus antepassados".

10 Então, Jacó abençoou o faraó e retirou-se.

DISCOURSE: 58
JACOB’S INTERVIEW WITH PHARAOH

Gênesis 47:7. And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil hare 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. And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

TO acknowledge God in all our ways, and to commit our way to him, secures to us, as we are told, his gracious interposition for the direction of our paths, and the accomplishment of our desires. It is possible that Jacob, after he had set out towards Egypt in the waggons that Joseph had sent for him, felt some doubts about the propriety of leaving the promised land, when, at his advanced age, he could have no reasonable prospect of returning thither with his family. But, knowing from experience the efficacy of prayer, he betook himself to that never-failing remedy: he stopped at Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the Lord. That very night God vouchsafed to appear to him in a vision, and to dissipate his fears, by an express command to proceed on his journey, and by a promise that he should in due time be brought back again [Note: Gênesis 46:1.]. He then prosecuted his journey in safety, and had a most affecting interview with his beloved Joseph. Soon after his arrival, five of his sons were introduced to Pharaoh; and afterwards he himself. It is this introduction of the aged patriarch to Pharaoh that we are now more particularly to consider. In the account given us of the interview, we notice,

I. The question which Pharaoh put to Jacob—

[It could not be expected that persons so remote from each other in their station, their views, and habits of life, should have many topics in common with each other whereon to maintain a long and interesting conversation. The interview seems to have been very short, and of course the conversation short also. All that is related concerning it contains only one short question. This, as far as it related to Jacob, was a mere expression of kindness and respect on the part of Pharaoh. To have questioned him about matters which he did not understand, would have been embarrassing to Jacob, and painful to his feelings: and to have asked him about any thing in which neither party was at all interested, would have betrayed a great want of judgment in Pharaoh. The topic selected by Pharaoh was liable to no such objection: for it is always gratifying to a person advanced in years to mention his age, because the “hoary head, especially if found in the way of righteousness, is always considered as a crown of glory [Note: Provérbios 16:31; Levítico 19:32.].”

As a general question, independent of the history, it cannot fail of suggesting many important thoughts to all to whom it is addressed. “How old art thou?” Art thou far advanced in life? how much then of thine allotted time is gone, and how little remains for the finishing of the work that is required of thee! how diligently therefore shouldst thou redeem every hour that is now added to thine expiring term! Art thou, on the contrary, but just setting out in the world? how little dost thou know of its snares, temptations, sorrows! what disappointments and troubles hast thou to experience! and how deeply art thou concerned to have thy news rectified, and thy conduct regulated by the word of God! Whatever be thine age, thou shouldst consider every return of thy birth-day rather as a call to weep and mourn, than as an occasion of festivity and joy: for it is the knell of a departed year; a year that might, in all probability, have been far better improved; a year in which many sins have been committed, which are indelibly recorded in the book of God’s remembrance, and of which you must shortly give a strict account at his judgment-seat.]

We notice,

II.

Jacob’s answer to it—

[The patriarch’s mind was fraught with zeal for God; and therefore not contenting himself with a plain short answer, he framed his reply in words calculated to make a deep impression on the mind of Pharaoh, without giving him the smallest offence.
He insinuates, and repeats the idea, that life is but a “pilgrimage;” that we are merely sojourners in a foreign land, and that our home and our inheritance is in a better country. This part of his speech is particularly noticed in the Epistle to the Hebrews, as being an open acknowledgment of his principles as a worshipper of Jehovah, and of his expectations in a better world [Note: Hebreus 11:13; Hebreus 11:16.]. He intimates also that his years, though they had been an hundred and thirty, were few. This age might appear great to Pharaoh; but it was not near equal to that of Jacob’s progenitors [Note: Terah was 205 years old; Abraham 175; Isaac 180.]. On a retrospect, every person’s days appear to have been but few. Various incidents of former life seem to have been but recently transacted; the intervening time being lost, as it were, like valleys intercepted by adjacent hills. He further declares, that these years of his had been replete with evil. Certainly his life, from the time that he fled from the face of his brother Esau to that hour, had been a scene of great afflictions. His fourteen years’ servitude to Laban, the disgrace brought on him and his family by Dinah his only daughter, the murderous cruelty of his vindictive sons, the jealousies of all his children on account of his partiality to Joseph, the sudden loss of Joseph, and all his recent trials, had greatly embittered life to him, and made it appear like a sea of troubles, where wave followed wave in endless succession. And who is there that does not find, (especially in more advanced life,) that the evil, on the whole, outweighs the good?

These hints, offered in so delicate a manner to a potent monarch, with whom he had only one short interview, afford a beautiful pattern for our imitation, at the same time that they convey important instruction to our minds.]

We conclude with commending to your imitation the whole of Jacob’s conduct towards Pharaoh—

[At his first admission into Pharaoh’s presence, and again at his departure from him, this holy patriarch blessed him. We do not suppose that he pronounced his benediction in a formal and authoritative manner, as Melchizedec did to Abraham; but that he rendered him his most grateful acknowledgments for the favours he had conferred, and invoked the blessing of God upon him and upon his kingdom on account of them. Such a mode of testifying his gratitude became a servant of Jehovah, and tended to lead the monarch’s thoughts to the contemplation of the only true God. And well may it put to shame the greater part of the Christian world, who systematically exclude religion from their social converse, under the idea that the introduction of it would destroy all the comfort of society — — — True Christians, however, should learn from this instance not to be ashamed of their religion; but, as inoffensively as possible, to lead men to the knowledge of it; and to make the diffusion of it a very essential part of all their intercourse with each other — — — More especially we should embrace every opportunity of impressing on our own minds and on the minds of others the true end of life; that we may thereby secure that rest which remaineth for us after our short but weary pilgrimage.]

Introdução

CONTENTS TO VOL. I

Discourse

Text

Subject

Genesis

1.

Gênesis 1:26.

Creation of Man

2.

Gênesis 2:2.

Appointment of the Sabbath

3.

Gênesis 2:16.

Covenant made with Adam

4.

Gênesis 3:4.

The Serpent beguiling Eve

5.

Gênesis 3:6.

The Fall of Man

6.

Gênesis 3:11.

Excuses made by our first Parents, after their Fall

7.

Gênesis 3:15.

The Seed of the Woman

8.

Gênesis 3:21.

The Way of Salvation illustrated to our first Parents

9.

Gênesis 4:8.

The Death of Abel

10.

Gênesis 4:26.

Institution of Public Worship

11.

Gênesis 5:24.

Enoch’s Walking with God

12.

Gênesis 6:3.

Strivings of the Spirit

13.

Gênesis 6:5.

Extent of Man’s Wickedness

14. Gênesis 6:6.

God’s Determination to destroy Man

15.

Gênesis 6:22.

Noah’s Obedience

16.

Gênesis 7:1.

Preservation of Noah

17.

Gênesis 9:12.

God’s Covenant with Noah

18.

Gênesis 11:4.

Confusion of Tongues

19.

Gênesis 12:1.

Call of Abram

20.

Gênesis 12:5.

Abram’s Journey to Canaan

21.

Gênesis 13:8.

Separation of Abram and Lot

22.

Gênesis 14:18.

Melchizedec blessing Abram

23.

Gênesis 15:1.

Encouragement to the Fearful

24.

Gênesis 15:5.

Abram justified by Faith

25.

Gênesis 15:8.

Covenant Confirmed to Abram

26.

Gênesis 16:13.

The Omniscience of God

27.

Gênesis 17:9.

Circumcision of Abraham

28.

Gênesis 18:13.

Sarah reproved for Her Unbelief

29.

Gênesis 18:19.

Abraham’s Care of his Family

30.

Gênesis 18:32.

Abraham’s Intercession for Sodom

31.

Gênesis 19:17.

Lot delivered out of Sodom

32.

Gênesis 20:9.

Abraham reproved for denying his Wife

33.

Gênesis 21:9.

Abraham casting out Hagar and Ishmael

34.

Gênesis 22:6.

Isaac a Type of Christ

35.

Gênesis 22:12.

Importance of Evidences

36.

Gênesis 22:14.

Jehovah-jireh, the Lord will provide

37.

Gênesis 22:18.

Abraham’s promised Seed

38.

Gênesis 23:17.

Abraham purchasing a Burying-Place in Canaan

39.

Gênesis 24:2.

Marriage of Isaac

40.

Gênesis 25:23.

Jacob preferred before Esau

41.

Gênesis 25:32.

The Birthright typical of the Christian’s Portion

42.

Gênesis 27:35.

Jacob obtaining the Blessing

43.

Gênesis 28:12.

Jacob’s Vision a Type of the Ministration of Angels to Christ

44.

Gênesis 28:15.

The Manner in which God dispenses his Favours

45.

Gênesis 28:16.

Jacob’s Pillar at Beth-el

46.

Gênesis 28:20.

Jacob’s Vow

47.

Gênesis 32:26.

Jacob pleading with God

48.

Gênesis 33:4.

Reconciliation of Esau and Jacob

49.

Gênesis 34:31.

Slaughter of the Shechemites

50.

Gênesis 37:4.

Joseph envied by his Brethren

51.

Gênesis 39:9.

The Need of fleeing from Sin with Abhorrence

52.

Gênesis 40:23.

Ingratitude of Pharaoh’s Butler

53.

Gênesis 41:41.

Joseph’s Advancement

54.

Gênesis 42:21.

The Power of Conscience

55.

Gênesis 42:36.

Jacob’s unbelieving Fears

56.

Gênesis 45:8.

God viewed in Joseph’s Advancement,

57.

Gênesis 45:27.

Jacob’s Resolution to visit Joseph in Egypt

58.

Gênesis 47:7.

Jacob’s Interview with Pharaoh

59.

Gênesis 48:15.

Jacob blessing the Sons of Joseph

60.

Gênesis 49:10.

Christ the true Shiloh

61.

Gênesis 49:22.

Joseph a Type of Christ

62.

Gênesis 50:15.

Joseph’s Brethren fulfilling the Prophecy respecting them