God Intended it for Good

 Genesis 49:29—50:26, Joshua 24:32

 Beginning in Genesis 49:29 we read:

 Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.” – Genesis 49:29-32

I recently drove my father-in-law to the cemetery where his wife’s body is buried.  The grave stone had her name and the year she was born and the year she died, and it had his name on it and the year that he was born.  I noted how he had already made preparations to be buried next to her.  Here in Genesis 49 we read about how Jacob made preparations to be buried in a cave that he buried his first wife Leah.  His father Isaac and his grandfather did the same thing with their wives.  His grandfather Abraham had not only bought that cave but also the field where the cave was located. 

When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. – Genesis 49:33

Note that it says that he was gathered to his people.  When we die our bodies stop breathing but our spirit goes to be with the Lord and to be with the rest of the people who have died in Christ. On the question of marriage and resurrection of the dead, in Matthew 22:29-32,

Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” – Matthew 22:29-32

So, although in Egypt Israel breathed his last in this life, according to Jesus, Jacob/Israel’s spirit will be resurrected from the dead and will be like the angels in heaven because God has the power to raise his spirit from the dead.

Now back to today’s passage in Genesis 50. After Israel breathed his last we read that:

Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him. Then Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So, the physicians embalmed him, taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians mourned for him seventy days. – Genesis 50:1-3

The methods of embalming, or treating the dead body, that the ancient Egyptians used is called mummification. Using special processes, the Egyptians removed all moisture from the body, leaving only a dried form that would not easily decay. It was important in their religion to preserve the dead body in as life-like a manner as possible. So successful were they that today we can view the mummified body of an Egyptian and have a good idea of what he or she looked like in life, 3,000 years ago.  The process was very expensive and therefore very few common people were mummified.  

You may ask, “Why do dead bodies need to be embalmed?” The answer is legally, they don’t.  However, embalming accomplishes three goals: disinfection, preservation, and restoration. The remains are disinfected so that harmful microbes are destroyed, preserved so that the natural processes of decomposition are slowed, and restored so that an eased appearance can be returned to the person for their friends to view.  Unlike the ancient Egyptian practice of embalming, today’s embalmed bodies are not spared from natural decomposition, which begins a few days to a week after embalming. However, for medical purposes and extenuating reasons, bodies can be kept for six months to two years. Bodies that are not embalmed, on the other hand, begin decomposing almost immediately.

That is why we read in John 11: 38-39

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” He said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” – John 11:38-39

So, you see even in Jesus’ time it was common knowledge that a dead body that was not embalmed would decay and begin to stink.

When the days of mourning had passed, Joseph said to Pharaoh’s court, “If I have found favor in your eyes, speak to Pharaoh for me. Tell him, ‘My father made me swear an oath and said, “I am about to die; bury me in the tomb I dug for myself in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” – Genesis 50:4-5

Note Joseph’s respect for authority here.  Joseph has authority over all of Egypt.  Yet he asks Pharaoh for permission for time off to bury his father.  He even makes his request through the proper channels so that there is no mistake or misinterpretation in anyone’s mind about his intention to return.  As John indicated in last Sunday’s message, communication is very important when it comes to succeeding in an important major project.  Poor communication can easily scuttle the best laid plans.

Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.” So Joseph went up to bury his father. All Pharaoh’s officials accompanied him—the dignitaries of his court and all the dignitaries of Egypt—besides all the members of Joseph’s household and his brothers and those belonging to his father’s household. Only their children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. Chariots and horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company. – Genesis 50:6-9

This reminds me of the recent funeral for Queen Elizabeth, II.  More than 500 heads of state and dignitaries made up the 2000 guests invited to her funeral.  Among them were the President of the United States of America, the French President, Canada’s Prime Minister, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, the British Prime Minister, the King and Queen of Spain and the Emperor and Empress of Japan, just to name a few of the 500 heads of state and dignitaries. 

When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan, they lamented loudly and bitterly; and there Joseph observed a seven-day period of mourning for his father. When the Canaanites who lived there saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “The Egyptians are holding a solemn ceremony of mourning.” That is why that place near the Jordan is called Abel Mizraim. – Genesis 50:10-11

So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, along with the field. After burying his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, together with his brothers and all the others who had gone with him to bury his father. – Genesis 50:12-14

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs, we did to him?” So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept. – Genesis 50:15-17

Here we get a glimpse of what has been on the minds of Joseph’s brothers for more than 17 years.  They have not accepted the forgiveness that Joseph gave them. Instead they worry that his mercy and forgiveness may not be permanent.  They worry that Joseph may have a change of heart after their father dies and want to punish them for the past sins against him.  So, they come up with this plan to lie so that Joseph would honor their father’s last wishes and forgive them.  Even after 17 years of Joseph providing for them every day but they still doubted his forgiveness and mercy.

Many religious people today do the same thing.  They can’t believe God could or would forgive them permanently so they try to earn forgiveness from Him by doing good works.  Little do they know that good works won’t save them.  Isaiah 64 verses 5b and 6 says:

How then can we be saved? All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. – Isaiah 64:5b-6

Apparently Joseph’s brothers finally realized that their lie would not save them because:  

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. – Genesis 50: 18-21

Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years and saw the third generation of Ephraim’s children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph’s knees. – Genesis 50:22-23

Note 110 years is 54 years after his father’s death.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” So Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten. And after they embalmed him, he was placed in a coffin in Egypt. – Genesis 50:24-26

An article appeared originally in the June and July 1999 Levitt Letters about how some modern Egyptologists think that they have found the possible palace, tomb and statue of Joseph in an archaeological dig in an area in Goshen.

There in Goshen one last stunning piece of evidence for Joseph exists, and that brings us back to his burial in Goshen, and his bones that were removed by Moses at the time of the Exodus. In this same area in Goshen, where a large contingent of Semites lived, a great palace has been discovered, with a garden and a tomb, curious in its combination of Egyptian and Semitic styles. The Archaeologist Rohl and his colleagues believe the palace is that of Joseph, perhaps his retirement villa after many years of service to Pharaoh. It has two apartments in front, suggesting the living quarters of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. In the rear are the more spacious living quarters of the prime occupants, perhaps Joseph and his Egyptian wife.

Adjacent to the ruins of the palace, there is an elegant garden area, and in the garden was an unusual tomb. The tomb was in the shape of a small pyramid, but it is clear that the vault was broken into and the remains removed. However, the damage to the tomb was not like that done by the all-too-common grave robbers of Egypt. It appears to be a careful and methodical removal of bricks from the tomb, as one would expect where the bones of Joseph were carefully removed from his long-used grave by Moses. Could it be that we have here the very tomb of the great patriarch Joseph? This relatively new evidence certainly takes it out of the realm of mythology, even for the hardened scientist, and into the realm of accurate history.

But there is more. In the tomb complex, there are ruins of an ancient statue, also unusual in its design and subject matter. It has been violently smashed almost beyond recognition, but enough of it has been found to piece together a possible identification. The statue is of a man who had obvious stature in the Egyptian power structure, with the symbol of Pharaoh’s authority, the throw-stick, on his chest. Yet he also has an unusual Semitic hairdo, with flaming red hair, and wears a coat with variegated colors. The statue has been deliberately smashed and defaced, with an obvious attempt to destroy the head and face. It is as though the remaining Egyptians were so angry with the Semitic inhabitants that, when the Semites left, the Egyptians tried to destroy any trace of their occupation.

 We read in Joshua 24:31-33 that:

Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. – Joshua 24:31-33

Recall that in Genesis 37 we read: 

Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.” “Very well,” he replied. – Genesis 37:12-13

So, Joseph’s bones had come full circle from where he was with his father Jacob minding his own business prior to being kidnapped and sold into slavery by his brothers.  They meant it for evil but as the title of this message states “God intended it for good” in order to save the world from starvation.  In the same way, the Pharisees meant Jesus’ death on the cross for evil but “God meant it for good” to save us and the world from the punishment that was due us for our sins. Let’s pray.