As we begin Genesis 49 we finally reach the closing scenes of the beginning of the Bible.

Jacob gathers his sons around him and addresses each one of them, those who become the twelve tribes of Israel. Although Reuben should receive his father’s blessings as the firstborn son, he had an affair with one of the maids who mothered some of Jacob’s children. Therefore Jacob says he will never excel. Simeon and Levi are violent men and Jacob distances himself from them and scatters their offspring in Israel. Judah is blessed by Jacob. He becomes the lion, the ruler over the others. He is prefigured as the one through whose line come those who rule Israel. Zebulun is to settle at the seashore and his lands become a port. Issachar’s offspring will become slaves. Dan shall become a judge in Israel. Gad shall be at war. Asher will provide rich foods.  Naphtali  becomes a wordsmith. Joseph will receive bountiful blessings. Benjamin will become a warrior. After blessing his sons, Jacob again charges them to take him to the cave where his ancestors are buried and he breathes his last breath.

In Genesis 50 Joseph mourns his father’s death. He has the physicians of Egypt embalm Israel and all of Egypt mourned. Joseph and his household and his brother’s and father’s households go to bury Israel in Canaan. The children are left behind. Israel is buried in the place Abraham had chosen near Mamre. They all return to Egypt.

Joseph’s brothers still believe that Joseph is holding a grudge, so invoking the name of their father, they ask Joseph to forgive them and offer themselves as slaves. Joseph repeats what he said to them before that while they meant to harm him God intended it for good. Joseph promises to provide for them

When Joseph is about to die he blesses his brothers and says that God will bring them out of the land of Egypt as he had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He makes them promise to take his bones with them. Joseph dies and is placed in a coffin in Egypt.

As Matthew 18 opens the disciples are asking Jesus who will be the greatest in heaven. Bring a child close to him Jesus says that they must become humble like little children in order to be accepted into heaven. He warns against being a stumbling block to others. Jesus encourages them to seek out the lost even as a shepherd hunts for the one who has gone astray even though the 99 remain.

He encourages them to address another who has wronged them. The goal is reconciliation but if the offender refuses to listen then the offender must be turned out. Peter asks how many times one must forgive another. He offers seven times thinking that is enough. Jesus replies that it should be seventy seven (or seventy times seven) times. The number seven is the perfect and complete number. Jesus is expressing that forgiveness should always be given, there is no limit.

He tells a parable about a king who forgives a servant who owes a great deal. After the servant goes home he see someone who owes him a small amount and puts him in prison. When the king hears about this he calls the servant to him and sys that the servant should have mercy on others because he was granted such great mercy. The king then punishes the servant until he can pay what he owes. Jesus says that God will do the same to us if we do not forgive.

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult things we can offer to someone else. Our natural response is to carry a grudge and want revenge and retribution. But in these texts we see that Joseph always looked for God’s purpose in what had happened to him, even in those times when he was mistreated. He had no trouble forgiving them. Jesus helps us put things into perspective by showing us how much we have been forgiven. Who are we to harbor a grudge against another when our Lord has forgiven us of everything we have ever done? In gratitude we should offer forgiveness to others.