Fulfilled Bones

ALL – Psalm 111:1-10
ALL – Proverbs 27:15-16
OT – Ezekiel 27:1-28:26
NT – Hebrews 11:17-31

Interesting passage for the day: And it was by faith that Joseph, as he neared the end of his life, confidently spoke of God bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt; and he was so sure of it that he made them promise to carry his bones with them when they left! – Hebrews 11:22, The Living Bible

Thought: “If you’re not going to fulfill your promise while I’m alive, what’s the use?”

Most of us have a hard time waiting for people to fulfill their promises. We have a hard time waiting a week or a month, let alone any longer time frames. If we’re hoping to get a new iPod for Christmas, but Christmas is still three months away, sometimes we’re so impatient that we’ll go ahead and buy what we’re hoping for even if someone promises to get it for us and takes away our fear that we won’t get it.

Joseph trusted in God’s promise to give Abraham’s descendants the land He had promised to them. For that promise to be fulfilled, the Hebrews had to leave Egypt—so in Joseph’s mind, the day was coming. They would leave Egypt. And even though he would be dead, Joseph still wanted to be part of it. He wanted to “see” God’s promise fulfilled. God’s promise was for him, too. So he made the other Hebrews promise to carry his bones out of Egypt and to bury them in the promised land. And four hundred years later, when they finally left, they carried his bones around the desert with them for 40 years until they were finally able to lay them at rest. Though dead, Joseph came home to the place God had promised.

It’s been a long time since Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, promising to come back and take us home. Many believers have died through the years—through the centuries. But that doesn’t make His promise worthless. It’s going to happen. And when He comes, it won’t be just our bones that benefit. He’s going to raise us to life again. It might be a long time coming, but let’s live for that promise.

Question: What pleasures in this life make you forget the promises of God and live as though it’s not worth waiting for them? What trials make your life feel so overwhelming that you would rather sin and dishonor your Savior than wait for Him to return and make things right?

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