Genesis 50:22-26 - How To Have The Right Kind of Faith
Tom Myers
How To Have the Right Kind of Faith
Genesis 50:22-26
When Hudson Taylor, a famous missionary, first went to China, it was in a sailing vessel. Very close to the shore of cannibal islands the ship came to a complete rest because the winds became completely calm. The ship began to drift towards one of the cannibal islands. The natives began to row their boats towards the ship. The captain came to Hudson Taylor and sought him to pray for God's help. "I will," said Taylor, "provided you set your sails to catch the wind." The captain said, "I can't do that. The entire crew will laugh at me if I unfurl the sails in a dead calm." Taylor said, "I will not pray for the winds to blow unless you prepare the vessel for sailing." The captain gave the order to prepared the sails. Hudson Taylor and the captain then went below deck to pray. While they prayed, there was a knock on the cabin door. The captain opened the door and a crew member said, "You'll better stop praying for wind, there is more wind then the sails can handle." And sure enough, the ship began traveling at several knots, and it was just in time as the cannibals were 100 yards from the ship.
At times God uses unusual things to teach us about faith. For a ship captain it was the wind. When we come to Genesis chapter 50 God uses another unusual item to teach us about faith. Let look at Genesis chapter 50 beginning with verse twenty two.
"22AND JOSEPH DWELT IN EGYPT, HE, AND HIS FATHER'S HOUSE: AND JOSEPH LIVED 110 YEARS...24AND JOSEPH, SAID UNTO HIS BRETHREN, I AM ABOUT TO DIE; AND GOD WILL SURELY VISIT YOU, AND BRING YOU OUT OF THIS LAND UNTO THE LAND WHICH HE SWORE TO GIVE TO ABRAHAM, to ISAAC, AND TO JACOB. 25AND JOSEPH TOOK AN OATH OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, SAYING, GOD WILL SURELY VISIT YOU, AND YOU SHALL CARRY UP MY BONES FROM HERE. 26SO JOSEPH DIED, BEING 110 YEARS OLD: AND THEY EMBALMED HIM, AND HE WAS PUT IN A COFFIN IN EGYPT."
Look again at VERSE 26
"SO JOSEPH DIED, BEING 110 YEARS OLD: AND THEY EMBALMED HIM, AND HE WAS PUT IN A COFFIN IN EGYPT"
God is going to use a coffin filled with the bones of Joseph to teach us about faith. The book of Genesis opens with creation but it ends with a coffin. In the beginning of the book, Satan says, "YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE" (Genesis 3:4), but the book ends with the death of Joseph. The book begins with man in the garden, but in ends with man in a coffin.
I was amazed to find out that Joseph's bones are mentioned in 3 other books of the Bible. Did you know that?
EXODUS 13:19 - When the Israelites left Egypt, the Bible says:
"AND MOSES TOOK THE BONES OF JOSEPH WITH HIM"
JOSHUA 24:32 - And when the Israelites arrived in the promise land the Bible says"
"AND THE BONES OF JOSEPH, WHICH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BROUGHT UP OUT OF EGYPT, BURIED THEY IN SHECHEM"
HEBREWS 11:22 -
"BY FAITH, JOSEPH, WHEN HE DIED, MADE MENTION OF THE DEPARTING OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND GAVE COMMANDMENT CONCERNING HIS BONES"
It is strange that the book of Genesis should end with the bones of Joseph. For some reason the Holy Spirit was very concerned about Joseph's bones. What is so exciting about the bones of Joseph? Well, God used the bones of Joseph to teach us 3 vital truths about faith. Lets look at the context of Genesis 55:22-26.
Joseph is dying, and he told the Israelites by faith, that sometime in the distant future they would leave Egypt and go back up to the promised land of Israel. And when that day came they were to make sure Joseph's bones were taken up to the promise land.
There are 3 vital truths about faith that I want you to see.
FIRST -- REAL FAITH STARTS WITH THE WORD OF GOD. GENESIS 50:24
24AND JOSEPH, SAID UNTO HIS BRETHREN, I AM ABOUT TO DIE; AND GOD WILL SURELY VISIT YOU, AND BRING YOU OUT OF THIS LAND UNTO THE LAND WHICH HE SWORE TO GIVE TO ABRAHAM, TO ISAAC, AND TO JACOB.
Now how did Joseph know that in the distant future that God was going to bring the Jew's out of Egypt? Because his faith began with the word of God. Look at
GENESIS 15:13-14
In Genesis chapter 15 God is speaking to Abraham, and he is telling Abraham where his future descendants will live. God is going to prophecy that Abraham's descends would live in a land that is not there's. Then after a period of time, God will bring them back to their own land.
"13AND GOD SAID UNTO ABRAM, KNOW OF A SURETY THAT YOUR SEED SHALL BE A STRANGER IN A LAND THAT IS NOT THEIRS, AND SHALL SERVE THEM; AND THEY SHALL AFFLICT THEM 400 YEARS. 14AND ALSO THAT NATION, WHOM THEY SHALL SERVE, WILL I JUDGE AND AFTERWARD SHALL THEY COME OUT WITH GREAT SUBSTANCE"
How did Joseph know that the Jews would leave Egypt? Joseph knew the future because he believed the word of God. Let me tell you where faith comes from.
ROMANS 10:17
"FAITH COMES BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD"
The only way that we can have faith is by believing the word of God. I hope that you can understand that. God must speak before you can have faith. You see, positive thinking is not faith. What makes something true is that God has said it.
If you could take the Bible from any society, that societies faith will be taken away. And if you take away peoples faith away, the people will begin to act wild. Take the Bible of school and instead of students goint to school to be educated, they will come to school to join gangs. and instead of students bring books to school
th
In 1789 a ship called Bounty was taken over by its crew. The mutineers sailed to Tahiti. Nine of the mutineers took 6 native women of Tahiti with them and sailed off into the Pacific. They came to a small island call Pitcairn. The mutineers landed with their crew, supplies, and their native women on the lonely island named Pitcairn. Then they sank their ship. One of the sailors discovered a method of distilling alcohol, and the island colony became a lawless band. After a short time only one white sailor survived. This sailor, Alexander Smith, found in one of the chest that had been take from the Bounty, a copy of the Bible. He began to teach its principles. The results were that his own life was changed, and the life of the entire colony. In 1808 the United States ship Topaz visited the island and found a thriving and prosperous community, without any alcohol, jail, or crime. The Bible had changed the life of the entire island community.
Take the Bible away, and you take away faith. Take the Bible away and not only do you remove faith, but remove honesty, law and order. This is nothing new. Even Benjamin Franklin was aware of that.
When Thomas Paine showed Benjamin Franklin the manuscript of The Age of Reason, Franklin advised him not to publish it, saying, "The world is bad enough with the Bible; what would it be without it?"
Faith is your response to the word of God. And Joseph believed the word of God. Joseph knew that God has said that the Israelites would leave Egypt. Real faith starts with the word of God
SECOND -- REAL FAITH TRUSTS GOD. GENESIS 50:25
"YOU SHALL CARRY MY BONES"
Joseph said, "You shall carry my bones." Joseph was very certain that the Israelites were going to leave Egypt. He was certain about it. He knew it was going to happen. You see Joseph could trust God, his faith had reality. Joseph just knew the day was coming when the Israelites would leave Egypt. Now I want to ask you a question, can trust God? When life gives you a headache and a heartache and you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, the Bible says,
ROMANS 8:28
"ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD FOR THEM THAT LOVE GOD AND ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE"
you can believe that God is going to work out for the good your problem. That's what Romans 8:28 said.
When fear just smothers you, can you trust that God will be with you and protect you.
ISAIAH 41:10
"FEAR THOU NOT; FOR I AM WITH THEE: BE NOT DISMAYED; FOR I AM THY GOD: I WILL STRENGTHEN THEE; YEA, I WILL HELP THEE; YEA, I WILL UPHOLD THEE WITH THE RIGHT HAND OF MY RIGHTEOUSNESS"
When you are pressed by the pressures of life you can cast those pressures upon the back of God. For the Bible says:
I PETER 5:7
"CAST ALL YOUR WORRIES UPON HIM, FOR HE CARES FOR YOU"
When life does not go your way, and the pressures of life are to great, place that pressure upon God.
PSALM 55:22.
"CAST YOUR BURDEN UPON THE LORD, AND HE SHALL SUSTAIN THEE; HE SHALL NEVER SUFFER THE RIGHTEOUS TO BE MOVED"
When you can not understand how to get out of a problem. Take this prescription
PROVERBS 3:5&6
"TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART; AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS"
The Bible is full of treasures, you just need to open your Bible and trust what God says.
Several years ago in 1874 a man aunt died and she left the following clause in her will. "To my beloved nephew, Steven Marsh, I will and bequeath my family Bible, and all it treasure it contains." He never thought of looking in his aunts Bible for treasure. So for 35 years his only income was a small government pension, until his health began to fail and he had to move in with his son. He began to help his son pack the few books that he had. He picked up his aunts Bible, with its brass clasps. He opened the Bible for the first time. And there in the Bible was
the several thousand dollars his aunts had willed him back in 1874.
So often that is exactly the way it is for so many people. God has willed you a multitude of treasures. But we end up like the man who aunt willed him her Bible and all the treasure it contains. We just put the Bible up on the shelf, never digging for the splendid treasures.
Listen to what the Bible says about the promises of God.
II CORINTHIANS 1:20
"FOR NO MATTER HOW MANY PROMISES GOD HAS MADE, THEY ARE "YES" IN CHRIST"
Joseph said, "It's going to happen!" Your going to leave Egypt. Now here is the point. It did not seem like the Israelites were going to move back to the promised land. If you had looked at the evidence you would have seen the Israelites living in the land of Egypt with ease. Egypt was the most wealthiest country and the Israelites lived in the most prosperous part of that country. In the life time of Joseph they did not want to go up to the promised land. They were in the place of favor. Joseph was the prime minister of Egypt. Folks, back up in land of Israel there was a famine.
The Israelites could have told Joseph, "You had better reconsider what the word of God says. We don't want to go back up to the promise land. We have it made here in Egypt. Were not going up."
When you come to the word of God, do not try to out guess the word of God. Don't try to figure that one passage is true and another passage is false. Don't let your feelings say, "I don't feel that this Bible verse is true, but I do feel that this verse is true." Real faith trust God. You see, feelings come and feelings go, and feelings are deceiving.
Have you done that? Joseph did. He said, "Your going back up to the promise land. And when you go take my bones with you."
THIRD -- REAL FAITH DOES NOT TRY TO RUSH GOD. GENESIS 50:25
"AND JOSEPH TOOK AN OATH OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, SAYING, GOD WILL SURELY VISIT YOU, AND YOU SHALL CARRY UP MY BONES FROM HERE"
It is interesting that Joseph spoke of his bones and not his body. It seems that Joseph knew that it would be a long time before they left Egypt. The point is this: Joseph knew that in the providence of God, it would be years before his body would be carried up to Israel. So he doesn't say, "Carry my body," he says, "Carry my bones." Joseph knew that years would pass before the Jews would be back in Israel. But he knew that in God's timing it was going to happen.
Sometime it looks like God is dragging His feet. But God is never late. God has an appointed time. The Bible says that even
GALATIANS 4:4
"JESUS CHRIST CAME IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME"
Today some people have the idea that Jesus Christ isn't coming back. They say its been 2000 years and if He is coming back He is late. But the Bible says,
II PETER 3:8
"BE NOT IGNORANT OF THIS ONE THING, THAT ONE DAY IS WITH THE LORD AS A 1000 YEARS, AND A 1000 YEARS AS ONE DAY"
When your faith is rooted in the word of God, then you know you have the right kind of faith. You know that you can wait on God. You don't have to panic. You know that you are in God's hands.
Look at JOSHUA 24:32 and see what happened to the bones of Joseph.
"AND THE BONES OF JOSEPH, WHICH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BROUGHT UP OUT OF EGYPT, BURIED THEY IN SHECHEM"
It may have been that in Egypt Joseph could have had a pyramid build for himself. But Joseph did not want a pyramid in Egypt. Joseph's heart was in the promised land. And the reason that Joseph could be trusted with such prestige and power is because God knew the heart of Joseph. God knew that Joseph's faith began with the word of God. And God knew that Joseph could trust Him. So Joseph said, "Were going back up to the promised land. And when you go, take my bones with you. And the children of Israel did. They took the bones of Joseph back up to the promised land and buried them in Shechem. But wait a minute, God is not finished with those bones yet. The
Bible says in:
DANIEL 12:2
"AND MANY OF THOSE WHO SLEEP IN THE
DUST OF THE EARTH SHALL AWAKE"
One of these days, Jesus is going to return with a shout, and the trumpet of God. And do you know what is going to happen to those bones of Joseph? The foot bone is gonna be connected to the ankle bone. And the ankle bone is gonna be connected to the knee bone. And the knee bone is gonna be conncet4ed to the thigh bone. And the thigh bone is gonna be connected to the hip bone, And the hip bone is gonna be connected to the back bone. And the back bone is gonna be connected to the neck bone. And the neck bone is gonna be connected to the head bone. Folks, Joseph is gonna come up out of the grave in Shechem. Those bones are going to get up and walk around. Do you think that is far fetched? No it isn't. The Bible says,
JOHN 5:28-29
"28MARVEL NOT AT THIS; FOR THE HOUR IS COMING, IN WHICH ALL THAT ARE IN THE GRAVES HALL HEAR HIS VOICE, 29AND SHALL COME FORTH"
Every time they passed the bones of Joseph in Egypt, they would say, "We can't settle down here in Egypt. Were going to be leaving here." And when it got to be very hard, when things weren't easy, and they would walk past the bones of Joseph, they could say, "We can hold out. Some day we will be leaving here."
But I want to tell you something. I have something that encourages me far better than a box of bones. Do you know what it is? It is an empty grave. Jesus Christ rose from the dead. When I am tempted to settle down in this world, an empty grave tells me I will be leaving here. And when things get hard, that empty grave tells me, because He lives, I can face tomorrow. By faith in the word of God, I know I have the right kind of faith.