Genesis chapter 50
The Epitaph and Memorial of Joseph
"And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land, unto the land which He sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry my bones up hence." Genesis 50v24-25
The final chapter of Genesis is dominated by death, the death and burial of Jacob, and the death of Joseph. Indeed, the book ends with the words "...a coffin in Egypt", an apt conclusion to a book which records the blight of human sin on God's creation. The entire Old Testament ends with "...lest I come and smite the earth with a curse"-Malachi 4v6, so the effects of the Fall persist for many thousands of years. Sin brought death and misery, affecting the whole of mankind, as well as the material universe. There is, however, another trend which gives hope, and the last words of Joseph are full of hope for the future. This hope was not wishful thinking, but faith in the inerrant promise of God. The book which commenced with man in dominion=Genesis 1v26, ends with God's man in dominion over the greatest dynasty of the time. And so the story will unfold of God's man in dominion over a world in which sin and death are forever banished.
In Hebrews chapter 11, the chapter of the record of the faithful in olden times, before the coming of Jesus, we find a commentary on the life of Joseph, and it is surprisingly sparse in detail: "By faith, Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel, and gave commandment concerning his bones"-11v22. There is no mention of his favoured position in the father's house, or of his dreams which proved to be true, or of the hatred and cruelty of his brethren. No reference is made to his silent suffering, his victory over temptation, his godly demeanour in prison, his outstanding wisdom in administering the economics of Egypt, his exaltation to public acclaim in Egypt. No mention of his grace and compassion in the face of injustice, outstanding qualities of near perfection, as near as is possible to find in any man. Yet all these sterling qualities are bypassed in the summary of his faith in God. What is recorded is his prediction of the safety of his people, and their return to the promised land. This is the Divine epitaph on his life! Not the lovely man that he was; not the forgiving man of his treacherous kin; not for the astonishing ability to save a nation in times of famine. What God has written over his life was his prophetic understanding (he refers here to the Exodus which was more than 400 years hence); also his absolute trust in the promises of God; and his deep compassion for his people and their welfare. What will our epitaph be from a Divine standpoint?
He gave instructions concerning his bones-Genesis 50v25; Moses in the Exodus obeyed his command-Exodus 13v9; the children of Israel buried the bones in Shechem in the land his father had purchased-Joshua 24v32. Joseph did not want his remains to rest in Egypt. His father, before him, requested to be buried in the promised land, an event which the family attended. Joseph knew that there could be no permanent stay in Egypt. Albeit, he had by Divine providence been able to save his people through Egypt, yet it was an idolatrous nation, and not a fit resting place for God's people. And so he gave commandment concerning his bones, and instituted what became a memorial. For more than 400 years the preserved bones of Joseph lay in state in Egypt; they were then transported throughout all their wilderness journey to the promised land, where they were buried. Joseph had at heart his family and his nation, and held firmly the promise of God that they would dwell in the land of God's promise to the patriarchs.
Picture the scene, his bones, symbols of his death, preserved in Egypt through all their captivity, and transported through the wilderness journey to the promised land. All this a pointer to the institution of Jesus to His disciples on the eve of His death. Just as Israel carried the memorial of Joseph, so the faithful keep the memory of Christ in His death, for the whole of life until He comes. This is well known, and we tabulate the relevant scriptures: Matthew 26v26-30; Mark 13v17-25; Luke 22v14-20; 1st Corinthians 11v23-26. At heart Jesus had the welfare of his people to the forefront of His life, and will have until journeys end.
The memorial service instituted by Jesus was a declaration of the Lord's death-as He said, "this do in remembrance of me". The travelling children of Israel, carried the memorial of Joseph all their pilgrim journey, and this was the precursor for the Christian memorial which is observed each Sunday by the faithful in the present day.
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