Pronounced Burial

Pronounced Burial

Genesis 50: ⁴ Now when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the hearing of Pharaoh, saying, ⁵ ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am dying; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please let me go up and bury my father, and I will come back.’ ”

 

⁶ And Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”

 

⁷ So Joseph went up to bury his father; and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, ⁸ as well as all the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds they left in the land of Goshen. ⁹ And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen, and it was a very great gathering.

 

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After one hundred ten days, Joseph asked Pharaoh for some time off so that he could bury his father. Pharaoh agreed and Joseph got the funeral processional together.

 

My Observations:

• Israel’s funeral was the largest mentioned in Genesis.
• Egyptians mingled with Hebrews in this strange brief period of unity around mourning.
• GOD cleared the way for Joseph to bury Jacob.

 

The only people left at home were the little kids and the people who would watch over them and the animals. Everyone else went to the funeral. Sarah, Abraham, Rebekah, Isaac and Leah had small unannounced funerals. Rachel was buried in a place that her death happened and her funeral was small.

 

But Jacob’s funeral was pronounced throughout Egypt. People had to know ahy Joseph was going to be away, so they were told. Egyptians and Hebrews joined together to mourn Jacob, who GOD made great despite how he lived. GOD brought unity in a strange way.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about Joseph’s permission to bury his father?
• Is your life part of a story that GOD is not finished with?
• Will your story be ended with giving up because it seemed hard or that you pressed on for GOD’s purpose?