Exodus by faith

Hebrews 11:15–22 “And if they remember that land from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, and the one who received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, with reference to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants will be named,” having reasoned that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol. By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things that were going to happen. By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, as he was dying, mentioned about the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.”

If you have been around Christianity awhile, you most likely have heard that Hebrews 11 is called the “Hall of Faith” or something like that. You have the named an the unnamed in this, you have possibly heard me preach about the unnamed people in the last part of this chapter. Women that received their dead back to life, some tortured to death, some who were killed by stoning, some sawn in two, that part of Hebrews 11, I like to call it “the list of the unnamed”. Yet today, I want to preach about one of the named people in this chapter. As I preach on this today I want you to remember that the people that I will be preaching about are just like you and me, with all of our best and worst qualities.

Follow instructions - Hebrews 11:22 “By faith Joseph, as he was dying, mentioned about the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his bones.” One of the names we find in this chapter is that of Joseph. You recall Joseph don’t you? Jacob’s favorite son, the one who received a fancy coat. We all know the favored one, it probably isn’t too wise of the parent or grandparent to make a certain family member the “favorite”, but it happens. In the case of Joseph, he was the favorite, the first born son of his favorite wife, the one in whom Jacob would show his favoritism and the one in whom Jacob would reap what he sowed.

A living will - Genesis 50:22–26 “So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and the house of his father. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. Moreover, the children of Makir, son of Manasseh, were born on the knees of Joseph. And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will certainly visit you and bring you up from this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall bring up my bones from here.” So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old. They embalmed him and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.”

Follow Instructions - Over 300 years after the death of Joseph, more than one person remembered the instructions of Joseph. Exodus 13:17–19 “And when Pharaoh released the people, God did not lead them the way of the land of the Philistines, though it was nearer, because God said, “Lest the people change their mind when they see war and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around by the way of the desert to the Red Sea, and the Israelites went up in battle array from the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because Joseph had made the Israelites solemnly swear an oath, saying, “God will surely attend to you, and you will take up my bones from here with you.””

Exodus faith - the Lord will visit you, he will deliver you