Day 25: A faithful patriarch

We come to the end of Genesis today. Phew! I know we've read Job as well, but this feels like the first big landmark on the journey through the Bible. We've covered untold centuries, moved from the cosmically sublime to the ridiculousness of a soap opera. Two characters stand out for me - Abraham and Jacob. Flawed people, strange choices by God. But he never let them down, and despite some pretty desperate circumstances, his promise that one day they would be a great nation looks to be on the way to succeeding. Just one little problem - they've gone and moved to Egypt...

Jacob speaks to his twelve sons
Genesis 49:1-32
Death and burial of Jacob
Genesis 49:33, 50:1-14
Joseph reassures his brothers
Genesis 50:15-21
Judah's descendants
Ruth 4:18, 1 Chronicles 2:5-8
Joseph's latter days
Genesis 50:22-25
Death of Joseph and his brothers
Genesis 50:26, Exodus 1:6
Jacob's blessing reflects the character of his sons as we know it. Simeon and Levi, Judah and Joseph, are all referred to in ways that we recognise. Judah's blessing is especially significant because it contains a prophecy about being a ruler. From Judah were descended the kings of Israel, and of course the Messiah. Of the others, some of the references might make sense depending on where the tribes with their names finally settled in the Promised Land.
So a sense of peace descends over the chosen family. After their great mourning at the death of Jacob, they live quietly in Egypt under the protection of Pharaoh. Even when Joseph dies, there's no sense of urgency to return to Canaan - why should they? - they're plenty prosperous here in Egypt. God's promise goes to sleep, and the years pass.