Gen. 49

The story of Joseph is not really about Joseph, it is about God keeping His promises.

"Then he commanded them and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah— the field and the cave that is in it were bought from the Hittites." When Jacob finished commanding his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and breathed his last and was gathered to his people. Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, ‘My father made me swear, saying, "I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me." Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’ " And Pharaoh answered, "Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear." So Joseph went up to bury his father." (Genesis 49:29-50:7a, ESV)

Jacob’s desire to be buried in Canaan is not just some dying wish. This is a signal to all of his sons that he really believes God’s promises.

Jacob believes that God is going to do what He said He would do...even if he doesn’t see it take place in his lifetime.

"When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him." So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died: ‘Say to Joseph, "Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you." ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants."" (Genesis 50:15-18, ESV)

The brothers hated Joseph when he was a boy, and now they could not believe that he didn’t hate them.

"But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50:19-21, ESV)

The brothers were haunted by their sin.

When they ask for forgiveness, yet again, they are met with compassion from Joseph.

God responds to our repentance with love.

"by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." (Colossians 2:14, ESV)

Jesus dies so we can live.

But it goes even further,

Because of the cross, not only does Jesus take our sin, but He gives us His righteousness.

How many times do we find ourselves asking for forgiveness from the same thing over and over again?

When you look into your past, what makes you say, "God, I don’t think your forgiveness applies to this?"

"And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt." (Genesis 50:24-26, ESV)

Joseph, even in his death, believed that even if I don’t see it in my time, God will keep His promises! Do we have the same belief?

God’s promise to us today, is that the cross of Jesus is enough to forgive us.