The Holy Spirit, through Paul, tells us in Colossians 3 to set our minds on things above. But, to be honest, so often I’m so concerned with trying to navigate this horizontal plain that I forget to look up. But I came across something this morning that reminds me that perhaps, if we were to speak more in Bible language, we might find ourselves looking up more consistently. For example, rather than talking about going to church as an appointment to keep, I instead spoke of Sunday mornings as meeting for fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ, I might be reminded of the heavenly family I’ve been born again into. Here’s another example . . .

When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people.   (Genesis 49:33 ESV)

“Gathered to his people.” I don’t know how many times I’ve read that phrase over the years. This is the fourth time since starting my reading plan this year. Looks like it’s a phrase unique to Moses’ writings, because it doesn’t show up in my online concordance after Deuteronomy. And this morning it just jumped off the page. And I’m thinking about the difference between, “Jacob died” and “Jacob breathed his last and was gathered to his people.” The first statement is so “horizontal” and speaks of something coming to an end . . . the second phrase is oh so “vertical” and talks of promises fulfilled and a new chapter beginning.

That it’s more than just a euphemism for death seems so clear. I don’t see how it simply refers to being gathered with those who had previously been buried. In the last verse of Genesis 49, Jacob is “gathered” and in the first verse of Genesis 50 Joseph is falling on Jacob’s face, weeping over him and kissing him. Jacob’s been “gathered to his people” but body is still there. There’s no one home . . . Jacob the patriarch has been gathered to his people . . . Jacob the sojourner has gone home . . .

Abraham was gathered to his people (Gen. 25:8) . . . Isaac was gathered to his people (Gen. 35:29) . . . Jacob is gathered to his people (Gen. 49:33) . . . Aaron and Moses were told they would be gathered to their people (Num. 20:24-26, Deut. 32:49-50). A repeated reminder of the “everlasting covenant” of God that He would forever be God to Abraham and his offspring (Gen. 17:7). A reminder of the unfailing promise of God . . . a promise playing out on earth but fulfilled when the offspring of Abraham breath their last and are gathered to their people.

A reminder that there is “a people” to be gathered to. Saints gone before, waiting for the last one to arrive so that the Bride might be presented in her entirety at the marriage supper of the Lamb . . . arrayed in fine linen — the garments of righteousness, purchased by the Lamb Himself. Gathered to a people who, even now, assemble around the throne of God and worship at His feet . . . joining angelic beings, a host of heaven, in declaring that He is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power.

Gathered to his people . . . absent from the body, but present with Lord . . . I’ll fly away . . . kind of sets your mind on things above, huh?