Departing Soon

Hebrews 11-Part 13
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.  Hebrews 11:22

Review:
Joseph:

• was the eleventh son of Jacob(Israel) and his father's favorite,
• his mother was Rachael,
• had the ability to interpret dreams, which he recognized was from God,
• dreamed that his parents and brothers would bow down to him, which came true,
• had jealous brothers that sold him into slavery,
• spent most of his life in Egypt, age 17-110,
• became a servant to Pharoah, put into prison because Pharoah's wife lied about Joseph,
• was later promoted to second in command over Egypt,
• interpreted Pharoah's dream, thus saving Egypt during a 7 year famine,
• fed his family during the famine and moved them into the land of Goshen in Egypt, which began the 400 years of slavery for the Hebrews,
• forgave his brothers of what they did when he was 17,
• had two sons, Manaseh and Ephraim,
• Joseph's sons inherited land in the Promised Land in his place,

LET IT GLOW


In a few days, my husband and I will be departing for Puerto Rico for a business trip. I know where the suitcases are, where the clothes are, where the tickets are, but nothing is packed and ready to go. Joseph was different. He was looking forward to the day his people and his bones would be carried back to his homeland. He was also looking forward to the resurrection of his body. Now that is faith. Shall we look into his life for it?
Isn't the faith of Joseph remarkable? After the way his family treated him, you'd think Joseph would have just abondoned his baith, but he didn't. Instead, it grew stronger. Even the ungodly influence of Egypt didn't weaken his trust in God. Joseph didn't use his family, job, or circumstances as an excuse for unbelief. Joseph knew what he believed-that God would one day deliver his people from Egypt and slavery (Gen.50:24-26).
(Reference: Be Confident by Warren Wiersbe)

Isn't it easier to talk faith than to walk faith? Don't we fight constantly to live by faith? At least, I do. By nature, we resist trusting God. We would rather walk by sight, since that's a lot more predictable. The problem is that walking by sight doesn't please God. Seriously, faith is to be an everyday companion, not a weekend guest (2Cor. 4:16-18; 5:7). The best place to cultivate, teach, and learn faith is in the home with the family. There were four homes in Scripture where faith was taught and learned. The lines of faith stayed strong. We can see the faith relationship spoken of in Hebrews 11, in the relationships between:

• father and son (Abraham to Isaac),
• grandfather to grandson (Abraham to Jacob),
• brother to brothers (Joseph to his brothers),
• parents to child (Moses' parents to Moses).

Faith in God was deeply entrenched in Joseph's heart, and he displayed it as he responded to his brothers, who mistreated him. Genesis 50:20 says But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Joseph not only reiterated the promise of God, that the Lord would take care of them and bring them from Egypt to the land promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, (Gen.50:24), but by faith he could also foresee the events of the future. He know that for the promise to be fulfilled, an exodus would eventually have to transpire.
(Reference: Swindoll's Bible Study Guide on Hebrews, Volume II)

After they spent all their money buying food from Egypt, the Hebrews became their slaves. It was only 400 years after Joseph's death that the Hebrews were freed from slavery in Egypt.

Am I practicing walking by faith instead of by sight? Do I live depending on Jesus for everything? I'm a work in progress.
What am I a slave to? What has me in bondage, holding me down so I am not free to serve Jesus?

LET IT GROW

What was the last thing Joseph commanded his sons to do for him? He wanted them to carry his bones into the Promise Land. He might have been an Egyptian without, having lived his entire adult life there, but Joseph was a Hebrew within. Joseph's faith held no compromise. Wasn't it the result of the faith that had been transmitted to him through his lineage, from one generation to the next? (Swindoll)

Joseph knew God's promises were true! When he died, Joseph was never buried. His coffin laid above ground for 400 years or so, until it was taken back to Canaan. (Guzik)

Instead of being buried with the kings of Egypt, Joseph chose to be buried with his fathers. It shows his belief of the resurrection of the dead and his enjoying the heavenly inheritance. (Gill)

Revelation 20 talks about the resurrection of the dead. Now that's something I don't want to miss seeing. What a sight it will be-graves opened and dead rising up! Whew! Come Lord Jesus!


LET IT GO

Cut the strings holding me to this worldly living and are keeping me from living by faith.

Let go of the sins that keep me from serving Jesus.

Let Jesus live through me.