Joseph's Bones

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." (Genesis 50:25 ESV)

If we read about Joseph in the Bible, especially in Sunday School context, our focus will probably be his father's favouritism, his God-given wisdom in interpretation of dreams, how his brothers sold him to Egypt as a slave, how he became the vizier of Egypt and how Jacob and his sons went to Egypt.

There is an aspect of Joseph which is likely to be missed when we study about Joseph. He was a great manager. When he became a slave of Potiphar, Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph's care and he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (Genesis 39:6). Likewise for the prison warden who left everything under Joseph's care because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did (Genesis 39:23). It was the same with Pharaoh, who put the whole Egypt under Joseph (Genesis 41:40).

We noted the Bible's emphasis on God being the source of Joseph's wisdom. Like Daniel (Daniel 2:28) later, Joseph told the Pharaoh that his ability to interpret dreams came from God (Genesis 41:16). The same he told the cupbearer and the baker of Pharaoh (Genesis 40:8). He did not take credit for his wisdom and ability.

So if you are a great manager and a good man who never harmed a fly, do not think that you will be going to heaven because of that. The Bible, which looks at things from God's perspective, emphasized on Joseph's faith in God, his belief and execution of God's will and not his managerial abilities.

For all of Joseph's great capabilities and how well he could run a country, God's commendation of Joseph was that he believed that God would bring the Israelites out of Egypt. This is God's KPI.

So likewise, God's commendation of you, if any, may be not what you expect it to be.

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. (Hebrews 11:22 NIV)