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Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Genesis 37:34-35
Jacob’s sons and daughters tried to comfort him. But they were the cause of his sorrow! Jacob had to live with the misery of his loss. The brothers had to live with the misery of their lies. What a miserable home it must have been.
Jacob was saying, “This life holds nothing for me now. I will live in sorrow for the rest of my days.” That is intense grief and you may be saying, “I know what that is like.”
Matthew Henry said, “We must never say, ‘We will go to our grave mourning,’ because we know not what joyful days God may yet reserve for us.”
The great answer to Jacob’s grief is that Joseph is alive: “Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard” (37:36). The son you grieve for is alive! He is in a far country and he has a special place in the purpose of God. You grieve because you do not see him, but a day is coming when you will see his face.
The Son is alive. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. His own people conspired against Him. He was sold for silver. He was beaten, crucified, and buried. But God raised Him up out of the pit and exalted Him to the highest place. The One who was despised is the One on whom our hopes depend, and the day is coming when we will see His face!
We know what it is to grieve. But our grief is different because we have hope. There is comfort for the believing heart. Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Because Jesus is alive, you have hope, whatever you are going through.
