After blessing and prophesying over his twelve sons, Jacob, called Israel breathed his last breath and died. It took forty days to embalm his body. Then all of the servants of Pharaoh and all of the people of Israel went up to bury Jacob just beyond the Jordan in the land of Canaan. There they grieved and lamented for seven days. He was buried with Isaac his father. They all returned to Egypt where Joseph lived until he was 110 years old. Before he died; he had made his family promise to take his bones out of Egypt when the Children of Israel would be lead, by God in the future; back to the land of Canaan
Genesis 50:24-26 ESV And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." (25) Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." (26) So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
The life of Joseph closes a time of absolute favor for the Children of Israel. In time, those who loved and honored Joseph and his people would die and no one would remember how Joseph saved Egypt and brought Israel into Egypt. Ultimately, there would be a Pharaoh who did not know anything about the virtues of the Children of Israel and the greatness of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This new Pharaoh fears the greatness of the people who are sojourning in his land. They are not like Egyptians, but much stronger; hard working herdsmen. Fearful of being ruled by the stranger (Israelites) in his own gate, Pharaoh puts the Children of Israel into bondage to serve with rigor. But the more the Egyptians oppressed the Children of Israel, the more they multiplied!
Exodus 1:8-14 ESV Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. (9) And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. (10) Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land." (11) Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. (12) But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. (13) So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves (14) and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.
The Pharaoh orders the death of every male baby born; but the midwives ignore this. When confronted, they say that the Hebrew (Israelite) women are strong; not frail like Egyptian women, they deliver their own children.
Exodus 1:19 ESV The midwives said to Pharaoh, "Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them."
Finally, Pharaoh commands that every son born must be cast into the Nile River.
Exodus 1:22 ESV Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live."
The midwives had acted with great faith and God saw all that was being done. God blessed the midwives with their own children and the people multiplied and grew strong.
Exodus 1:20-21 ESV So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. (21) And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
Even during times of affliction and persecution, God is always there with us; just as He was with the Children of Israel. As God blessed them and made them strong, does He bless; His people today. We need to claim the promises of the Bible. As He was with Joshua so is He with us today. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Joshua 1:9 ESV Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
Hebrews 13:8 KJV Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Prayer: LORD God, Almighty Father; Thank you for always being with me. Help me to live by faith and not by sight. Help me to trust you and to please you above all; even in the sight of adversity and threat of death. Give me the power to withstand all. Live in me through the Holy Ghost. Greater is the Holy Ghost in me than any other power. Strengthen me LORD, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
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