Genesis 50:22-26: a reflection

22Joseph lived in Egypt, he, and his father’s house. Joseph lived one hundred ten years. 23Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. 24Joseph said to his brothers, “I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26So Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

At the end of his long life, Joseph is dying, far from the promised land, in Egypt. Yet his last words are words of faith in God's promise for a future he himself will not see: I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. He even takes an oath that his bones be carried up when that day comes. Joseph dies in faith, confident of God's promise for a future beyond his own lifetime, a deliverance he trusts God will bring though he will not live to see it.

Notice Joseph's faith in a promise beyond his own lifetime. He would not himself see the promised deliverance; he was dying in Egypt, and the return to the land was generations away. Yet he was confident of it, so sure of God's promise that he made provision for it, asking that his bones be carried up when God visited his people. His faith reached beyond his own life to God's future faithfulness; he trusted God's promise for what he himself would not live to see. Dying, he looked past his own death to the certainty of God's promise, and died in that faith.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too are called to trust God's promises, even for what we will not see in our own lifetime. God's promises extend beyond our own lives; some of what he has promised we will not live to see fulfilled, as Joseph did not see the return to the land. Yet we can die, as Joseph did, in faith, confident of God's promise for a future beyond our own lifetime. Do not limit your faith to what you will see in your own lifetime; trust God's promises even for what lies beyond your death, as Joseph was sure God would visit his people though he would not live to see it. Trust God's promises even for what you will not see fulfilled in your lifetime, dying, if need be, in the faith that God will keep his word, as Joseph died confident that God would surely visit his people and bring them to the land; for God's faithfulness extends beyond our lifetimes, and we can trust his promises even for a future we will not live to see.

Lord, at the end of his long life, Joseph is dying, far from the promised land, in Egypt. Yet his last words are words of faith in your promise for a future he himself will not see: I am dying, but God will surely visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. He even takes an oath that his bones be carried up when that day comes. Joseph dies in faith, confident of your promise for a future beyond his own lifetime. Show me Joseph's faith in a promise beyond his own lifetime. He would not himself see the promised deliverance; he was dying in Egypt, and the return to the land was generations away. Yet he was confident of it, so sure of your promise that he made provision for it, asking that his bones be carried up when you visited your people. His faith reached beyond his own life to your future faithfulness. Dying, he looked past his own death to the certainty of your promise. Take that to my heart, for I too am called to trust your promises, even for what I will not see in my own lifetime. Your promises extend beyond my own life; some of what you have promised I will not live to see fulfilled, as Joseph did not see the return to the land. Yet I can die, as Joseph did, in faith, confident of your promise. Keep me from limiting my faith to what I will see in my own lifetime; help me trust your promises even for what lies beyond my death, Lord, as Joseph was sure you would visit your people though he would not live to see it.