Faith Of Our FathersShembull

  JACOB’S FAITH—A Worshiping Faith

Jacob never saw God’s promise fulfilled in his lifetime. Yet he continued to worship God, ever believing and passing on God’s promise—even as he was dying. His faith was a faith that believed God’s promises so firmly that he died worshiping God for what God would do after he was gone (v.21).

Note two significant facts:

Ø Jacob was dying when this event took place. He had lived a long life upon earth.

Ø Jacob blessed both sons of Joseph; that is, he passed on the promises of God to them. He gave them an inheritance in the land of promise and in the promised seed. They had been born in Egypt; nevertheless, he passed the blessing of the promise down through them.

Jacob was so weak and frail that he had to support himself with his staff. He was almost bedridden, finding it difficult to walk and move about. But he continued to arise and worship God, believing in the promised land and promised seed up until the very end of his life. The point is striking. Here was a man who never saw the promised land given to him. In fact, he saw the reverse. He and his family were forced out of Canaan (Palestine) and into Egypt because of famine. Yet, he continued to worship God, ever believing and passing on God’s promises—even up to the very end of his life.

We need to remember that God’s work continues even after we are gone. The fact that not all prayers are answered in our lifetimes does not mean that they will not be answered. Our ability to see God do what we had hoped He would do or what He promised to do does not mean that He will never do it. We need faith like Jacob’s, faith so solid that we worship God not just for what He has done, but for what He will do in faithfulness to His Word.

1. Do you always believe God despite your circumstances? 

2. Do you worship God in the hard times? 

3. Do you believe that God will keep His promises, even if you do not see them fulfilled in your lifetime?