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"By faith Joseph..."

Text: Hebrews 11:22

A GREAT TRADITION OF FAITH

How thrilling it is to read about how faith may be preserved. Abraham managed to share his faith with his son Isaac. This faith passed on to the next generation and Jacob found personal faith in God too! What a thrill it is to read about how the fourth generation preserved its faith in the Lord.

“By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention
of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions,
concerning his bones.”
Hebrews 11:22

1. By faith Joseph

a) Joseph’s faith in the Lord was very evident.

b) This faith in God saw him blessed with much wisdom.

c) Wisdom went on to help him attain dizzy heights of power in Pharaoh’s court.

2. When he was dying

a) Joseph’s faith was retained intact to his dying day.

b) His walk of faith saw him being a great source of blessing to his brethren.

3. Made mention of the departure of the children of Israel

a) By faith he saw the growth of his father’s family into “the children of Israel”.

b) By faith again, he saw that one day they would depart from Egypt.

i) God must have given him a vision of the future (in the Promised Land).

ii) He retained his faith in God’s promise of inheriting Canaan.

iii) No matter how successful he was in Egypt, he was but “a stranger and pilgrim” in the land.

4. And gave instruction concerning his bones

a) Joseph knew that he would die in Egypt (and be mummified according to Egyptian custom).

b) When Israel departed from Egypt, his bones were to be brought to Canaan (Cf. Genesis 50:25)