The Faith of Joseph

Reformation Baptist Church

We will also look at Genesis 50:15-26. Last week's passage focused on the blessing Jacob gave to Joseph's children. We are already beginning to see the fruit of this blessing in Genesis 50:23 with Ephraim's great-grandchildren and Manasseh's grandchildren being present. Joseph's farewell address focuses on the promises of God. Despite the prosperity and ideal living conditions at the time, Joseph believed the promises God gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that His people would suffer and would need deliverance from bondage. By making the Israelites swear an oath that they would remove his bones, Joseph is testifying of the resurrection. The people are taking his physical bones out of the land that symbolized sin and worldliness, and are taking him into Canaan, the picture of Heaven.