(22) By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. New King James Version Change email Bible version
Joseph lived 110 years, during which he exemplified honesty, integrity, faithfulness, patience, grace, restraint, wisdom, and numerous other excellent qualities. He endured slights, wrongs, and assaults that were undeserved. For much of his youth, his circumstances were outside of his control, and he bore it all without complaint or bitterness. Yet, out of all the remarkable events in this man's life, God draws our attention to a single one in the "faith chapter" of Hebrews 11. The incident that God marks out as being the pinnacle of Joseph's faith happened literally at the very end of his life—though it had its genesis much earlier. Joseph's faithfulness throughout his long life is above question, but it was this final act of faith that God emphasizes and sets before us as an example. Why were these last words of Joseph more important to God than the many remarkable qualities and experiences from the rest of his life? The verse reads that Joseph "made mention" of the departing of the children of Israel, and the margin says that he "remembered" it. At the time, though, Joseph was still in a position of high honor and esteem, if not authority. The families of his brothers were likewise in a good position, and there probably was not any inducement for them to leave. But Joseph "remembered" something that made him mention that this large, extended family would one day leave Egypt. Verse 22 also relates that Joseph gave commandment concerning his bones. This is interesting in light of Egypt's culture at the time. In Egypt, the Pharaohs were considered to be essentially gods. Joseph was not a Pharaoh, but it is quite possible that his position under Pharaoh might have earned him a place in a royal mortuary. At the very least, he would have been entitled to the Egyptian equivalent of a state burial, with all of its ceremonies and trappings. Were he a materially-minded man, he might have been obsessed with the size and grandeur of his tomb or which Pharaoh his tomb was next to. He might have fretted over his legacy and his place in history, wanting to make sure that future generations gave him reverence. He could have taken his place with the kings of old, but because of his faith, he left instructions for his remains to be removed rather than glorified. — David C. Grabbe To learn more, see: The Faith of Joseph (Part One)
Topics:Faith Chapter Faith of Joseph Joseph's Faith
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