If I make a promise to one of my children, I can be sure they will not forget it. Whether it’s a promise to get ice cream after dinner or go to the park, they will not rest until my promise is kept. In any relationship, keeping promises is an important part of building trust. I want my children to know that they can count on me to keep my word.

The most important verses in Genesis are God’s initial promises to Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing...and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:2–3). God specified that the land of Canaan would be given to Abraham’s descendants as their inheritance (Gen. 17:8).

These were big promises. By the end of Genesis, the only land in Canaan that Abraham or his descendants owned was the burial cave and field that housed the remains of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah. None of Abraham’s descendants were living in the land of Canaan. They had all gone down to Egypt. It might be easy to understand if Joseph had some doubts about God’s promises.

Yet, there are some important hints that God was at work. God had prophesied to Abraham that his descendants would live a long time in foreign land before receiving the Promised Land (Gen. 15:13–16). God also had clearly been with Joseph throughout his life. As a final act of hope and faith, Joseph left clear instructions regarding his burial.

Joseph’s final message to his family was: “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place” (v. 25). What a wonderful testimony of the hope he had in God’s word!

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