The Faith of Joseph
Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV)
“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear…”
Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV)
Joseph was the eleventh of the twelve sons of Jacob and the apple of his eye because he was the son of his old age. He must have spent much time with his father. He knew of God’s promises to his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them a land of their own.
Even though he went through ill-treatment from his older brothers, suffered separation from the family he knew and loved, and faced trials and imprisonment in a foreign land, his faith in God never wavered. In fact, he trusted God more because he saw God’s hand of deliverance and favour throughout those trying times. After many years, when he became a ruler in Egypt, he took responsibility for preserving the lives of his family and all of Egypt when drought stalked the land for seven years.
When Joseph was about to die, he reminded his brethren, “…God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to” (your fathers). He was confident that God’s promises were real. He was not going to be around to see, but his faith in God’s Word was unshakeable. He made his brethren swear (promise) that they would carry his bones from Egypt up to the Promised Land, where he wanted to be buried (Genesis 50:24-26).
Joseph demonstrated faith in the promises of God. He knew God was going to honour His word, but he did not know how long it would be before the promise to bring His people into a land flowing with milk and honey would be realised. In Exodus, we see that “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him” when the children of Israel left Egypt (Exodus 13:19). This was after hundreds of years of servitude to the Egyptians, but the elders of Israel had not forgotten.
Upon Moses’ death, Joshua led the children of Israel into the promised land bringing the bones of Joseph with him, where they were buried in Shechem (Joshua 24:32). This is an amazing demonstration of faith by Joseph, who wanted to be among his brethren even in death.
What are you believing God to do for you? How have you demonstrated faith in God’s ability to grant that request even if you do not live to see it? How seriously have you taken God’s promises in His Word? Today, ask the Lord Jesus Christ to help you believe His Word and live by faith in Him.
Read: Romans 3:8; Hebrews 11:8
Bible Reading Guide: Psalms 118:1-16; Colossians 2:6-23; Jeremiah 11:18-23; Jeremiah 12; Jeremiah 13
