I think we should have liked Joseph very much if we had known him as God’s word tells us about him How kind he was, and how loving, even to those bad brothers of his who were so mean to hint when they had a chance to be. How tender his feelings were, too, we have seen in the record of his tears when he saw his brothers beginning to feel how wicked they were, and when Benjamin came down to Egypt; again when the brothers were feeling more and more their sin, and now in this last chapter of Joseph’s life and of the book of Genesis, we see him first weeping over his dead father, and again afterward when his brothers were afraid he would hate them. In all these things Joseph was like the Lord Jesus, who loved his enemies, but He, only, died for them, the Just One for the unjust ones, to bring us to God.
A great company of Jacob’s children and grandchildren, besides Egyptians, went with Jacob’s body to the cave in the field where the bodies of his parents and grandparents were buried, far away in the land that God had promised, for Jacob wanted his body to lie there to wait for the resurrection day.
When the funeral was over, Joseph’s brothers were afraid that he would now turn against them. They thought that he might very likely try to pay them back for what they had done to him, and first they sent a messenger to Joseph to ask him to forgive them. This hurt Joseph, because he had only kind thoughts about his brothers, and he wept. Still the brothers were not at rest, and they went to Joseph and fell down before him.
Joseph spoke to them that they should not be afraid; he would take care of them and of their little ones. He comforted them and said very kind words to them. But it must have been hard for them to believe that Joseph could really forgive them for all their wickedness, and never bring it up any more. God has said that about us, who believe in Jesus,
“And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:1717And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (Hebrews 10:17). Our badness should make Him never forget, but He says He will never remember. Have you confessed your sins to Him?
Joseph, when he died, told his people that God would surely visit them, and bring them out of Egypt, back to the land He had promised to Abraham. Isaac and Jacob. Joseph made them promise to take his bones with them, whenever God would lead them back to Canaan. Not all his honors in Egypt changed Joseph; his thoughts were onk God’s word, God’s promises, God’s country and I am sure too, that he was thinking of the resurrection day. Hebrews 11:22For by it the elders obtained a good report. (Hebrews 11:2)2 Says, “By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel. and gave commandment concerning his bones.”
Soon the “dead in Christ” shall rise from the dust, and with them, we the living who remain, shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob with the Lord.