Genesis 50
Now that Jacob (Israel) has died, Joseph takes charge over the family and has his father embalmed, as a good Egyptian would do. And he leads all Pharaoh's officials, and all the dignitaries of Egypt, besides all the members of his household, and even chariots and horsemen accompanied them to the funeral in Canaan (vs. 7-9).
That's when Joseph's brothers thought that he would be like them, and with his power and position, would have them executed, or at least imprisoned, as he had been. But Joseph had never doubted God's goodness, and his heart was broken so that he wept for his brothers (vs. 15-17).
His answer to them was, Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then don't be afraid. I will provide for you and for your children (vs. 19-21). Joseph reassured them that he would take care of them and treat them with kindness, as God shows us to do.
Joseph lived the rest of his life as an Egyptian, and lived long enough to know his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren, to one hundred and ten years.
My husband looked forward to grandchildren, but he went Home to Glory while our children were still teenagers. I hope he's able to look down now to see how we are doing, and can enjoy our grandchildren who will not know him in this life. Or maybe he's too busy doing Heavenly things with our Lord to have "time" to be concerned for us.
When Joseph died, as an Egyptian official, he was embalmed, too, but he'd left instructions not to bury him, but to carry his bones with them out of Egypt back to Canaan when they all left, because he knew that God would bring them all back to the good, fertile land He promised would be theirs.
And this Book of Beginnings (Genesis) that started with so much life, ends with the words, in a coffin in Egypt (50:26); with death, outside the Promised Land, in the World of woe.
How much of our lives have such good beginnings, that we mess up so royally that we end up in the throes of sorrow and trouble!
But God does not want to leave us there, any more than He left Israel there. They say that the darkest hour comes before the dawn, and as this little Nation will grow great and strong through the adversity that is coming, so I can also grow wiser and stronger in my faith and dependence on my Father through what He allows into my life.
And He will be praised forever for it, because it goes exactly as He planned it all to be accomplished; in His way, in His time, using His people.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
