<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Well we come to the end of Genesis, much like we come to the end of life \u2013 with death. Genesis concludes by wrapping up Joseph\u2019s life, telling us that he stayed in Egypt, living to 110 years, seeing many grandchildren, giving instructions about his death, and dying.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We often remember people by their last words. What were the last words someone said before they died? We often think about what we want our last words to be. There is a lot of interest in our last words. I think part of that is that when someone knows they are about to die, they can see death much more clearly. Therefore a person\u2019s last words are often, though not always, an indication of what is most important to that person. Our last words are often thought of as being the most important words we say, for these reasons, and others. And so today, as we finish the book of Genesis, I want to bring our focus on the last words of Joseph, particularly those in verse 24.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n God\u2019s Visiting is better than Joseph\u2019s Living<\/p>\n <\/p>\n As Joseph is nearing death he comforts his brothers by telling them, \u201cI am about to die, but God will visit you\u2026\u201d Indeed, a slightly strange way to comfort someone when a loved one is nearing death. But indeed it is comfort for the believer. Joseph is telling his brothers that God\u2019s visiting them is better than Joseph\u2019s living with them. Though we die, and our loved ones die, God is not dead. Matthew Henry puts it this way, \u201cNote, God\u2019s gracious visits will serve to make up the loss of our best friends.\u201d Joseph believes that they are better off with God visiting them than they are with him living with them.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This makes me think of Psalm 63v3 where David writes that \u201cyour steadfast love is better than life.\u201d Oh my friends, to know the steadfast love of God in Christ and to have the knowledge of that love poured out on hearts by the Spirit, is better than anything else in this world. It is better than any other love. It is better than the love of our dearest friend or spouse. And Scripture tells us that it is better than life itself. Joseph seems to know this. Though he is departing from this world, he is nearing the presence of God, and out of all the good moments in Joseph\u2019s life, this seems to be the greatest. It is here that we see his belief that the presence of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is far better than life itself. Charles Spurgeon once said that, \u201cThe best moment of a Christian\u2019s life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.\u201d \u00a0Oh and here Joseph is having his best moment.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n God\u2019s promised land is better than this world\u2019s land<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not only is God\u2019s visiting better than Joseph\u2019s living, but as you see in the text, Joseph doesn\u2019t stop there simply saying God will visit you, he says, \u201cGod will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.\u201d So not only does Joseph testify to the reality that the presence of the Lord is better than his presence, but he preaches to his brothers that God\u2019s promised land is better than this world\u2019s land \u2013 that God\u2019s promise is better than the promises of this world.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s beautiful to see how Joseph did not become corrupted by the riches and pleasures of the world while living as royalty in Egypt, but in his dying breath, displays his faith in the promises of God in the world to come.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oh my friends, how often do we need this reminder, that what we have coming for us in Christ is far, far better than anything this world has to offer. It is so easy to get caught up in the pleasures and pursuits of this world, and become consumed and occupied with chasing after things here and now, and in so doing neglect the care of our souls, and wane in our commitment and belief in the promises of God to us in Christ. The world can be so enticing to our flesh. And we are attacked on daily, or hourly basis to believe the hype \u2013 but don\u2019t believe the hype. This is one reason the weekly gathering of the Church is so important \u2013 so vital to our lives \u2013 we need to have this time each week where we are taken, in a sense, out of the world for a few hours and set before the Word of God and the corporate means of grace God has given us in His church. We need to have our minds washed, renewed, and reminded of Christ and his ways. And the world doesn\u2019t just tempt us with its desires once a week, and that is why we so desperately need our personal and family worship time, to shut off the voice of the world and immerse ourselves in God\u2019s Word and in prayer. We must believe that world to come is far better than the present evil age.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Really, in a sense, this was the first sin by Adam in the garden. He believed the lies of the world. And thus disobeyed God. And so Joseph thus reminds his brothers of the promise that God will bring them up out of this land and to the land that he promised their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And so essentially, Joseph tells his brothers, don\u2019t get comfortable here; look to the promise, God will bring you up out of this land. Look to the promise. What we have in Christ, and what we have coming for us in eternity, far outweighs anything we could achieve in this world. Don\u2019t get comfortable here. Don\u2019t gain the world, but lose your soul. Don\u2019t sell-out. Believe that the steadfast love of God is better than life itself, so let our lips praise Him. Let us let go of this world that is passing away with all its desires and cling to Christ, looking to the world to come. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the themes of Genesis in the lives of the patriarchs of the faith is that of sojourning. And from it we are reminded that we are just sojourners in this world. A better home is coming. And so we are not to be attached to and comfortable with this world, but attached to Christ, who is THE promise, and be comfortable in Him. To be at home with Christ is to be a sojourner in this world. So was the pattern of Joseph\u2019s life. He was at home in the promise of God, and thus, no matter the success he had, he was simply a sojourner in this world. In the sojourning of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that we see in Genesis, and this theme, we learn these principles of faith and the Christian life. Since we no longer walk with God in the garden, God teaches us how to walk by faith as sojourners in this world.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maybe there are some of us, who aren\u2019t particularly tempted with the things of this world. Or maybe it\u2019s that we are going through a season where we are longing for this world to be through and to be at home with Christ forever. And if that is you, what a blessed reminder to know that we are just sojourning here. Ever get sick and tired of this world and all of its sin, junk, sadness, heartaches, struggles, sicknesses, disappointments, and death? Then good; because God is going to bring His people up out of this land, and to a better one. I like how Joseph, in verse 24 says that God will bring them \u201cup\u201d out of this land\u2026 the \u201cup\u201d language indicates to us that the promise land to come is improvement and betterment. Oh my friends, hope in that. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joseph believed the promise was better and took it by faith<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So Joseph, in his dying, encourages his brethren to look to the promise, and Joseph here only encourages his brothers to do that which he himself is doing. Joseph believed the promise and believed that it was better and took it by faith, and looked forward to its fulfillment. Matthew Henry comments, saying, \u201cThus must we comfort others with the same comforts with which we ourselves have been comforted of God, and encourage them to rest on those promises which have been our support.\u201d These are some of the very promises we are sure that Joseph clung to in the darkest moments of his own life, and now in his death he is still clinging to them and exhorting his brothers to do the same.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We see even more evidence of Joseph believing the promises of God in verse 25 where he makes his brothers swear that they shall carry his bones up from Egypt and when they are taken out and brought to the land of promise. This is a beautiful thing to me because though Joseph was a \u201csavior\u201d to Egypt, and lived great years there, working for their good and benefit, he clearly does not want his legacy to be in Egypt, but with God\u2019s people, with the promise, thus he wants his bones sent out with them.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n You know, it is fascinating that this passage is mentioned in Hebrews 11v22, \u201cBy faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.\u201d It\u2019s fascinating to me that out of all the things in Joseph\u2019s life that could\u2019ve been mentioned in Hebrews 11, this is the thing that is mentioned there. That tells us a lot about what faith is. Faith is not doing these great and mighty works for God. Faith is believing the promise of God and ordering our lives around what He has said. (Hebrews 11v1-3, 13-16, 39-40).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joseph died believing God\u2019s promises, ordering his life around them, though he knew he would not realize them in this life. In one sense, this is what a good portion of Genesis is all about: looking forward to the promise of God \u2013 ultimately that Genesis 3v15 promise. Dying in faith is grasping hold of our home to come, and letting go of this world and its desires. Dying in your sins is refusing to let go of this world, and its desires and thus not receiving the one to come, but burning and receiving judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s fascinating how Hebrews 11 describes these biblical figures and the faith that they had, and the fact that their faith was looking to the promises of God and believing them. And then in Hebrews 12, we are told to \u201crun with endurance the race that is set before us, LOOKING TO JESUS, the founder and perfecter of our faith. Ultimately looking to the promise is looking to Jesus, who is the promise.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Promise is coming<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the beginning of Genesis we see God, creation, man, the fall, death enters, curses made, but also a promise made. And all of Genesis from that point on is a struggle between sin, and faith, and constant reminders of death, but also constant reminders of promise. At the end of Genesis, we see death, a result of sin and the fall, still ravaging mankind; but we see death that is not without hope \u2013 a result of the promise. Though Genesis ends with death, it doesn\u2019t end with sadness, but with hope, looking forward, not looking back, looking up, not looking down. Death is not the end, not a period. This is true for Christians \u2013 death is just a comma, the beginning of forever. Really, Genesis ends with great confidence as we are filled with the sense that promise is going to be fulfilled!<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n And though sin, death and the effects of the fall are still ravaging us today, we have the promise, we have Christ, and we have the promise that \u201cBehold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Behold, I am making all things new.\u201d \u2013 Revelation 21v3-5.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Well we come to the end of Genesis, much like we come to the end of life \u2013 with death. Genesis concludes by wrapping up Joseph\u2019s life, telling us that he stayed in Egypt, living to 110 years, seeing many grandchildren, giving instructions about his death, and dying. We often remember people […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":3588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,25,30,32],"tags":[205,274,298,355,539,557,562,660,678,679,696,699,989,1014,1056,1105,1235],"class_list":{"0":"post-3587","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-commentary","8":"category-faith","9":"category-preaching","10":"category-theology","11":"tag-bible","12":"tag-christ","13":"tag-coming","14":"tag-death","15":"tag-genesis","16":"tag-god","17":"tag-gospel","18":"tag-is","19":"tag-jenkins","20":"tag-jesus","21":"tag-joseph","22":"tag-joshua","23":"tag-promises","24":"tag-rags","25":"tag-riches","26":"tag-scripture","27":"tag-the","28":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/07\/wayechi-parsha-burying-the-body-of-joseph-illustration-from-the-1890-holman-bible.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3130,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-inevitability-of-death-and-the-christian-hope-therein-springing-forth-from-genesis-23-concerning-sarahs-death-and-burial\/","url_meta":{"origin":3587,"position":0},"title":"The Inevitability of Death and the Christian Hope Therein Springing Forth from Genesis 23 Concerning Sarah’s Death and Burial","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"September 19, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"This post is based on Genesis 23 thus making it best understood after reading that passage. As human beings, our mortality is an inescapable reality of our existence. Death is something that surrounds us, our entire lives. Everyday thousands of people around the world are born, and thousands of people\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3574,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/the-lord-comforts-his-servant-a-commentary-on-genesis-46\/","url_meta":{"origin":3587,"position":1},"title":"The Lord Comforts His Servant: A Commentary on Genesis 46","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"June 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Outline: God's Peace, Presence, Promise, Provision, and Protection. God's Peace (v1-3) Verse 1: When Jacob, on his journey to Egypt arrives at Beersheba, he makes a sacrifice to God, and God visits him there. It is interesting that Beersheba is where both Abraham and Isaac lived for a time during\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/06\/coffee-books.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/06\/coffee-books.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/06\/coffee-books.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/06\/coffee-books.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3570,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-substitute-for-the-guilty-commentary-on-genesis-44\/","url_meta":{"origin":3587,"position":2},"title":"A Substitute for the Guilty: Commentary on Genesis 44","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"There are three elements to the narrative that will guide our thought concerning this passage here: Joseph's Test, The Brother's Guilt, and Judah's Plea. Joseph's Test Verse 1:\u00a0The passage begins with Joseph filling the brother's sacks full and putting their money back in their sacks. In other words he continues\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/open-bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/open-bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/open-bible.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/open-bible.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/open-bible.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/05\/open-bible.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3500,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/on-contentment\/","url_meta":{"origin":3587,"position":3},"title":"On Contentment","author":"Edward Larow","date":"February 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I write this not as a commander surveying the field of battle, but as a soldier in the thick of the conflict. Contentment is something which the soul so desperately desires, and yet the flesh so eagerly rejects. The Spirit needs the sustenance of the Lord, while the flesh desires\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/spurgeon-portrait-roney.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3469,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/resurrection-in-genesis-31\/","url_meta":{"origin":3587,"position":4},"title":"Resurrection in Genesis 31","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"January 15, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Genesis 31 contains the narrative that describes Jacob's exodus, or departure, from Laban after working for him for 20 years. If you are familiar with the story, you will know that Laban didn't treat Jacob with the most integrity. Laban famously tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, Laban's eldest daughter, whom\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"31\"","block_context":{"text":"31","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/tag\/31\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/fog-dawn-landscape-morgenstimmung-163323.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3753,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/can-anything-good-come-out-of-nazareth-john-143-51\/","url_meta":{"origin":3587,"position":5},"title":"Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth? John 1:43-51","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"May 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Verse 43: Here we have a new day in the flow of the narrative in which Jesus decides to go to Galilee. As we saw in our passage last week, Jesus called his first disciples, Andrew, an unnamed disciple, and Simon Peter. As this new day begins, Jesus continues\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/fd22c-philipcallsnathanaelunderfigtree.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/fd22c-philipcallsnathanaelunderfigtree.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/05\/fd22c-philipcallsnathanaelunderfigtree.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3587"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3587\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}