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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Genesis 50:26
“So Joseph died at the age of 110. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.”
But he was not buried there.
Why have I highlighted this verse?
To show that Joseph died? No. To show that he was a man of faith who believed God to the very end. Scripture reveals many incidents where great men started well only to fail (often miserably) in the end.
Not so Joseph. His integrity remained with him; his faith remained with him and his trust in the promises of God remained with him. His integrity remained with him, even in his dealings with his brothers.
We read that after the death of Jacob, Joseph’s brothers became petrified - that now their father was out of the way, Joseph would carry out revenge. They still hadn’t learnt the lesson from Joseph’s life and attitudes – that bearing guilt and grudges against others hurts you more than those you hurt or those who hurt you. Joseph had to repeat what he had said when he first revealed who he was – that they had nothing to fear from him.
His faith in God remained with him. As he spoke to his brothers, he reminded them that what they had done, they did for evil – but God had done it to save their lives. God remained central to his thinking, his actions and his character. His trust in the promises of God remained with him.
The first part of this chapter is all about Jacob’s death, the period of mourning and his burial back at the family graveyard. As you read the account, you begin to realise how Jacob had been honoured and held in tremendous respect throughout Egypt. It took 40 days to embalm his body; he was mourned 70 days (over two months) throughout Egypt and his body was taken out for burial and mourned a further seven days at Atad before finally being buried with Abraham and Isaac, Sarah, Rebekah and Leah (not Rachel).
Joseph surprises me. He doesn’t say to his brothers, “when I die do exactly the same as I did for Dad.” That would have been the expectation. No, he says, “God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up from this place” (v 25). He was saying in effect – God has promised that at the right time in the future you will return to your homeland in Canaan. Then take my bones with you. They are to remain here as a token, a guarantee of that promise.
Logically there was no reason why they should not all leave then and there, but no, they were to await God’s timing. It happened about 340 years later. That is why we read, “He was placed in a coffin.” A temporary resting place – ready for transport.
He was never buried in Egypt. See Hebrews 11:22, Exodus 13:19 and Joshua 24:32. For Joseph the promises were centuries away but he held out and still believed.
What about you? Must it happen now or forget it? Or will you believe God and trust His faithfulness?
Can I challenge you today? Like Joseph – keep your integrity – keep your faith in God – trust in the promises of God.
God is on His way – it will be worth it.
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