Joseph’s Bones

DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY MORNING, DECEMBER 18, 1870,

BY C. H. SPURGEON

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the
children of Israel. And gave commandment concerning his bones." Hebrews
11:22.

WE cannot readily tell which action in a gracious life God may set the
most store by. The Holy Spirit in this chapter selects out of good
men's lives the most brilliant instances of their faith. I should
hardly have expected that He would have mentioned the dying scene of
Joseph's life as the most illustrious proof of his faith in God. That
eventful life, perhaps the most interesting in all sacred Scripture,
with the exception of One, abounds with incidents of which the Holy
Spirit might have said by His servant Paul, "By faith Joseph did this
and that," but none is mentioned save the closing scene. The triumph
especially of his chastity under well-known and exceedingly severe
temptation, might have been very properly traced to the power of his
faith, but it is passed over, and the fact that he gave commandment
concerning his bones is singled out as being the most illustrious proof
of his faith.

Does not this tell us, dear Brothers and Sisters, that we are very poor
judges of what God will most delight in? Very likely, when we least
please ourselves, God is best pleased with us. That prayer over which
we groaned, and thought it was not prayer, may have had more true
supplication in it than another intercession of which we thought far
more highly. That sermon which made us lament in the bitterness of our
soul because we thought we had delivered it so feebly, may have been,
in God's sight, more precious than many a fluent discourse concerning
which we congratulated ourselves.

That trial which we thought we passed through with so much impatience,
may have been before God an exhibition of true patience as He looked
deep down into our souls. The tests by which we try ourselves are very
inaccurate. It may be when we read our own biographies in the light of
eternity we shall be surprised to notice that God has highly commended
what we wept over–while much that we gloried in will be cast away
among the reprobate silver.

The Lord sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance,
but God looks at the heart, and His glance pierces to the core. The
Lord weighs the spirits. He estimates not by color, form, and glitter,
but by actual weight, and therefore when He weighed up the character of
Joseph He gave the preponderance to an incident wherein faith is really
present in much force, but not to the superficial observer.

It may seem surprising that the charge of Joseph concerning his body
should be mentioned as a notable act of faith, and not the similar
charge delivered by Jacob. For did not Jacob also give commandment
concerning his bones? "And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to
be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is
in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of
Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham
bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a
burying place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife. There they
buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife. And there I buried Leah."

He bade them carry his body to that dear mausoleum of the family at
Machpelah, where his fathers rested. Why was not that a case of faith
in Jacob as much as in Joseph? We cannot always speak positively of
these things, but we think that there is a very decided difference
between the two. You will notice that Jacob's wish to lie in Machpelah
was by himself described as resting mainly on the grounds of natural
affection.

He speaks about his relationship to Abraham, to Isaac, to Leah, and so
on, and with that natural feeling which is exceedingly commendable, but
which is not a work of Grace. He desires to be buried with his own kith
and kin. When his soul should be gathered to his people he would have
his body lie side by side with his own relatives. This wish was
probably as much an outgoing of nature as an expression of Divine
Grace. Of course, natural affection would have led Joseph to desire the
same thing, but he does not put it on that score.

Moreover, you notice that Jacob commands his sons to do with his bones
what they could readily do–they were to take him to Machpelah and bury
him at once. He knew his son Joseph to be in power in Egypt. And
therefore anything that was wanted for his funeral would be
provided–the Egyptian court, as it proved, were ready enough to give
him the most sumptuous interment. They even spent forty days in
mourning for him, denoting, thereby, that he was a person held in high
honor. Jacob therefore commanded nothing to be done but what could be
done. There was no very remarkable exhibition of faith in commanding an
immediate funeral which the filial love of Joseph would readily secure.

He takes immediate possession of his sepulcher in Canaan, and for very
excellent reasons, does not ask to remain un-buried till Canaan is
possessed by his descendants. Jacob seeks immediate sepulture, but
Joseph postpones his interment till the Covenant promise is fulfilled.
Joseph not only wished to be buried in Machpelah, which was natural,
but he would not be buried there till the land was taken possession of,
which was an exhibition of the Grace of faith. He wished his un-buried
body to share with the people of God in their captivity and their
return.

He was so certain that they would come out of the captivity, that he
postpones his burial till that glad event, and so makes what would have
been but a natural wish, a means of expressing a holy and gracious
confidence in the Divine promise. It was faith in Jacob, but it was
remarkable faith in Joseph. And God who looks not simply at the act,
but at the motive of the act, has been pleased not to put down Jacob as
an instance of dying faith in this particular matter of His Holies, but
to award praise to Joseph as exhibiting in death a memorable degree of
confidence in the promise.

Probably Jacob's dying faith, when exercised upon other matters,
outshone his faith in connection with his burial, while in his favorite
son that matter was his leading proof of faith. We shall now come to
examine this incident with some little particularity, and we shall find
in it valuable lessons. May the Holy Spirit write them on our hearts.

I think I see, first, in this word of Joseph on his deathbed, the power
of faith. I see, secondly, the workings of faith, the forms in which
this precious Grace embodies itself. And, thirdly, I see an example for
our faith when we come to die.

I. I observe in the text an example OF THE POWER OF FAITH. The
endurance of true faith under three remarkable modes of test. First,
the power of faith over worldly prosperity. "Not many great men after
the flesh, not many mighty are chosen"–true enough is that word. But
it was never said, "Not any great men, not any mighty are chosen." God
has selected a few in places of wealth, and power, and influence who
have faith in their hearts, and that in an eminent degree.

Our Lord told us that it was "easier for a camel to go through the eye
of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven," but He
added, "the things which are impossible with men are possible with
God." Observe, then, the difficulty which surrounded Joseph's case. And
then remark how great must have been the faith which triumphed over the
difficulty! Joseph's position, after he had passed through his first
trials in Egypt, was a very eminent one. He possessed unbounded riches.
He was the viceroy of the entire country, and Pharaoh had said to him,
"Only in the throne will I be greater than you."

He was, in all respects, except in name, the absolute lord of that
great nation. He could do just as he willed. He was surrounded by all
the state of royalty. And when he rode in his chariot through the
streets the heralds cried before him, "Bow the knee." Yet all this did
not prevent Joseph's possessing faith in God, and a faith which
persevered even to the end!

My dear Brethren, the trials of faith are usually those of poverty, and
right gloriously does faith behave herself when she trusts in the Lord,
and does good, and is fed even in the land of famine. But it is
possible the ordeal of prosperity is far more severe, and it is
therefore a greater triumph of faith when the rich man sets not his
heart upon uncertain riches, and does not suffer the thick clay of this
world to encumber his pilgrimage to Heaven. It is hard to carry a full
cup with a steady hand, some spilling will usually occur. But where
Divine Grace makes rich men, and men in high position of power and
authority to act becomingly and graciously, then Grace is greatly
glorified.

You who are rich should see your danger. But let the case of Joseph be
your encouragement. God will help you, if you seek His merciful aid.
There is no need that you should be worldly, there is no need that you
should sink the Israelite in the Egyptian. God can keep you, even as He
kept Job, so that you shall be perfect and upright, and yet be
exceedingly great in possessions. Like Joseph you may be at once richer
and better than your brethren. It will be very difficult, and you will
need very, very much Divine Grace, but the Lord your God will help you,
and you shall learn, like Paul, how to abound. And, like Joseph of
Arimathea, you shall be both a rich man and a devout disciple.

Be it remembered, too, that Joseph was not only tried by riches, but
that the trial lasted throughout a long life, from almost his early
days to the close of his career. I suppose that for sixty or seventy
years, at least, he stood in the high position of lord-lieutenant of
Egypt with all the wealth of that great people at his feet, and yet all
that time he remained true in heart towards the God of his fathers. May
God give you who are in elevated places the like fidelity. May you
remain unshaken under the most protracted temptation.

Remember, moreover, that the society into which Joseph was cast by his
position in Egypt was of the very worst kind as to spiritual religion,
for the Egyptians were, to a man, idolaters. They were worshippers of
all kinds of living animals and creeping things. A satirist said of
them, "Oh, happy people who grow their gods in their own gardens," for
they even worshipped leeks and onions–they were a most idolatrous
people. And though far ahead of their neighbors in civilization, they
were very low in the scale of religion. We think we see in Joseph, here
and there, traces that he was damaged by Egyptian habits and customs,
but still not so much as one might have expected–and in no degree so
much as to make us suspect his fidelity to the one God.

There must have been a deep, sound, depth of holiness in the young man
or he would never have been able to live at court, and at an idolatrous
court, too, and yet preserve his integrity and his faith towards
Jehovah, the God of Israel. Do not forget that during a very great part
of that time Joseph had not one single person to associate with who was
of his own faith. Think what a trial that must have been to him! I have
known persons very warm-hearted in religion while living with zealous
Christians, and very diligent while listening to a lively ministry,
who, when removed from Christian society, or compelled to sit under a
cold ministry, have made a spiritual failure.

Alas, I mourn over some who, when transplanted into sterner soil, have
declined so that it were hard to say whether they are trees of the
Lord's right hand planting or not. Joseph was removed to a place where
there was no prayer in the household, no friends, no godly teacher to
speak a word with, no one who knew of Jehovah or of the Covenant made
with Israel. He was all alone, alone, alone in the midst of an
idolatrous people–with all the temptations of Egypt before him. He was
possessed of its riches and its treasures, and tempted to live as the
people lived in all manner of heathenism.

And yet, for all that, he endured as seeing Him who is invisible, and
at the last he died full of confident, joyous and godly belief in the
God of his fathers. Ah, this is a great triumph of faith, and I would
urge any of my dear Brethren here, who really love the Lord, to seek
that the work of Grace in them may be so deep, so true, so thorough,
that if God should make kings of them they would not grow proud of it.
If God should send them right away from Christian associations they
would not forget Him. And if they were exposed to all the temptations
of the world at once they would resist them all. The power of Joseph's
faith was, you see, abundantly evidenced in its triumph over his
worldly circumstances.

Secondly, you see here the power of his faith exhibited in its triumph
over death. He says, if you turn to the last chapter of Genesis, "I
die, and God will surely visit you." Or, as the text puts it, he "made
mention concerning the departing of the children of Israel." Death is a
great tester of a man's sincerity and a great shaker down of bowing
walls and tottering fences. Men have thought that it was all well with
them–but when the swellings of Jordan have been about them, they have
found matters quite otherwise.

Here we see Joseph so calm, so quiet, that he remembers the Covenant
and falls back upon it, and rejoices in it. He speaks of dying as if it
were only a part of living, and comparatively a small matter to him. He
gives no evidence of trepidation whatever, no fear distracts him. He
bears his last witness to his brothers, who gather about his bed,
concerning the faithfulness of God and the Infallibility of His
promise. Moreover, if I am to gather from the text that the Holy Spirit
has singled out the brightest instance of faith in Joseph's whole life,
it is beautiful to remark that the grand old man becomes most
illustrious in his last hour.

Death did not dim, but rather brightened, the gold in his character. On
his deathbed, beyond all the rest of his life, his faith, like the
setting sun, gilds all around with glory. Now that heart and flesh fail
him, God becomes more than ever the strength of his life, as He was
soon to be his Portion forever! Is it not a grand thing for a Christian
to do his very best action last, being strongest in Divine power when
his own weakness is supreme? We should desire to serve God in youth, in
health, in strength, with all the might we have. But it may happen to
us that, like Samson, our last act may be the greatest.

Many a good man groans over his life, that having done all he can it is
still unsatisfactory. But perhaps the Master may be intending to give
him a crowning mercy, just at the last, and make the place of his
departure to be the scene of his

most glorious victory! Then, by God's Grace, he may enter into Heaven
wearing the laurels of faith–there to cast them at the Savior's feet.
Joseph, at any rate, is a noble instance of faith's conquest over
death.

Once more, here is a proof of the power of faith in laughing at
improbabilities. If you will think of it, it seemed a very unlikely
thing that the children of Israel should go up out of Egypt. Perhaps,
at the time when Joseph died, there appeared to be no reason why they
should do so. They were settled in Goshen, they had been favored with a
part of the land. The wisdom of Joseph had selected the most fertile
part of the Delta of the Nile as a pasture for their flocks. Why should
they wish to go?

They had all the comforts earth could yield them, why should they wish
to leave Egypt for the soil of Canaan, where the Canaanites would
dispute every inch of the ground? Canaan was where there were few, if
any, advantages over Egypt, and many disadvantages! Suppose Joseph to
have seen, by prophetic foresight, as perhaps he did, that another
dynasty would succeed that of the Pharaoh who had honored him, and that
Israel would be oppressed? He must have felt, if he weighed
probabilities, that it was unlikely to the last degree that the
children of Israel, when reduced to slavery, would ever have been able
to cut their way out of Egypt, to reach the promised land.

Any person qualified to judge, had he been asked as to the probable
issue of a conflict between the twelve tribes and the armies of Egypt,
would have replied, "Israel would be at once trod down like straw for
the dunghill, and the people would remain in perpetual bondage." But
Joseph's eye was fixed upon the mighty promise, "In the fourth
generation, they shall come here again." He knew that when the four
hundred years were passed, Abram's vision of the smoking furnace and
the burning lamp would be fulfilled, and the Word would be
established–"And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I
judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance."

Though as yet he could not know that Moses would say, "Thus says
Jehovah, Let My people go," though he might not have foreseen the
wonders at the Red Sea and how Pharaoh and his chariots would be
swallowed up there, and, though he did not predict the wilderness and
the fiery cloudy pillar, and the heavens dropping manna, yet his faith
was firm that by some means the Covenant would be fulfilled.
Improbabilities were nothing to him, nor impossibilities either. God
has said it, and Joseph believes it.

On his dying bed, when fancy fades and strong delusion relaxes its iron
grip, the true, sure faith of the man of God rose to its highest
altitude, and like the evening star, shed a sweet glory over the scene.
May we, my Brethren, possess the faith which will triumph over all
circumstances, over the pains of death, and over every improbability
that may apparently be connected with the Word of God.

II. Under our second head we are to endeavor to show YOU THE WORKINGS
OF FAITH. In this case Joseph gives commandment concerning his bones.
The first fruit of faith in Joseph was this–he would not be an
Egyptian. He Had not been asked to be an Egyptian under the
yoke–anybody might have refused that. He had not been asked to be an
Egyptian of the middle class–that might have been desirable from a
worldly point of view. But he had the opportunity of being an Egyptian
of the highest grade. He was actually exalted to almost royal rank, and
he might have become a naturalized Egyptian, and his family, also.

In the Providence of God he was called upon to accept the honors and
riches of a most dignified office, but still he would not be an
Egyptian–even on the best of terms. His dying bed afforded him a
turning point, an opportunity for testifying that he was an Israelite,
and by no means an Egyptian. He did not hesitate, his choice had never
wavered. No doubt he would have had a sumptuous tomb enough in Egypt.
But no, he will not be buried there, for he is not an Egyptian. In
Sakhara, hard by the great pyramid of Pharaoh Apophis, stands at this
day the tomb of a prince, whose name and titles are in hieroglyphic
writing.

The name is "Eitsuph," and from among his many titles we choose
two–"Director of the king's granaries," and the other, an Egyptian
title, "Abrech." Now this last word is found in the Scriptures, and is
that which is translated, "Bow the knee." (See a little book, "Stone
Witnesses." Morgan & Chase). It is more than probable that this
monument was prepared for Joseph, but he declined the honor. Though his
resting-place would have been side by side with the pyramid of one of
Mizraim's greatest monarchs, yet he would not accept the dignity, he
would not be an Egyptian. This is one of the sure workings of faith in
a man of wealth and rank. When God places him in circumstances where he
might be a worldling of the first order, if his faith is genuine, he
says, "No. I will not, even at this rate, be numbered with the world."

He dreads above all things that he should be supposed to have his
portion in this life. If you could put a Christian on the throne, the
first fear he would have would be this–Am I to be put off with an
earthly crown, and miss the heavenly diadem? Place him at court and his
great question will be–How shall I show that I am not one of the
citizens of this world? Surround him with broad acres, a noble mansion,
and a large estate, yet he says, "I accept this thankfully from God,
but oh, I would not have it if I had it on condition of being numbered
with the followers of Mammon!

"Now I have obtained wealth, my daily prayer to God shall be, Lord,
help me so to use my station that I may not serve this evil world with
it, but may be a father to Your poor Israel. If it comes to the choice
between the reproach of Christ and the treasures of Egypt, I will take
Christ's reproach, and renounce the treasure. I cannot be an Egyptian."
O rich Men and Women, make this a main point of concern–prove that you
are not worldlings! You have to frequent the exchange, to visit the
bank, to handle large sums of money–but be not money-grubbers, rakers
up of gold! Be not covetous or grasping. Prove that though in Egypt you
are not Egyptians. May this be your prayer, "May God grant I may never
so live as to be mistaken for a man of this world who has his portion
in this life. My portion is above. Whatever I enjoy here, Heaven is my
heritage."

Notice, next, that his faith constrained him to have fellowship with
the people of God. Not only does be refuse to be a worldling, but he
avows himself an Israelite. You will tell me, perhaps, that he only had
fellowship with them when he was dead. Yet think not too lightly of
that. He gave up the funeral which Egypt would accord him that he might
wait long years for his funeral to be celebrated by his own people. But
I beg to remind you that it was not the first time that Joseph had
shown fellowship with his Brethren. It was but the conclusion of a
lifetime of communion with them. It is true he did not go down into
their poverty, there was no need that he should, but he made them
sharers of his wealth.

God had so ordained in Providence that Joseph should be a man of
wealth, and rank, and station, and he showed his fellowship with Israel
by bringing his father and brothers down into Goshen, and providing for
them there, and being always ready to urge their case, and to do his
best to promote their interests. Now one mark of faith in the Christian
man is this–if he is poor he takes his lot with the poor people of God
cheerfully–but if he is rich, he counts that he is placed in a
commanding position that he may the better help his Brethren, and he
has fellowship with them by his constant kindness towards them.

If it ever were necessary to prove his true fellowship that he should
give up his position altogether, he would cheerfully do it that he
might be numbered with the despised people of God. Joseph, it seems to
me, never blushed to own his race, and never failed at all proper times
to say to the Egyptians, "I am not one of you. There is my family down
in Goshen." As he knew that afterwards his family would become despised
and persecuted, he said to them, "Keep my bones, so that when they
degrade you they may degrade me–I am going to stay with you in all
your future sorrows, for I am one of you."

True faith will make the child of God say, "I am one of God's people,
my soul is joined to them in all conditions." Where they go, I will go.
Where they lodge, I will lodge. Their people shall be my people, and
their God my God. Where they die, will I die, and there will I be
buried."

In the case of Joseph his faith led to an open avowal of his confidence
in God's promise. On his deathbed he said, "I die, but God will visit
you and bring you up out of this land." He also said, "He will bring
you to the land which He promised to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
Faith cannot be dumb. I have known her tongue to be silent through
diffidence, but at last it has been obliged to speak. And, my Brethren,
why should not your faith speak, for her voice is sweet and her
countenance is comely? No tongue is more sweet to Christ's ear, nor
more potent over the hearts of men, than the tongue of true faith.

If your faith is real, though you may, for awhile, hide your light
under a bushel, you will not always be able to do so. Before long you
will be compelled to say, "I believe the Gospel of Christ, I believe
the promise of God. He will keep His Covenant, and I avow myself to be
a Believer in His Truth." Joseph, having thus declared his faith,
practically showed that he meant it, that it was not a matter of form,
but a matter of heart. I do not know in what better way he could have
shown his practical belief in the fact that God would bring the people
out of Egypt, than by saying, "Keep my bones here, never bury them till
you go yourselves to Canaan, having left Egypt forever, and taken
possession of your Covenant country."

He who believes in God will find practical ways of proving his faith.
He will avow it by an open confession, but he will also manifest it by
choosing some form of service in which his faith shall be put to the
test. Or if affliction is allotted to him by God, he will take it
cheerfully, expecting that God will give him strength equal to the
emergency. And so his faith, by God's Grace, will triumph under the
trial. That faith which never proves itself by works is a faith to be
dreaded. If your faith never makes you speak up for your God or serve
Him, it is a bastard faith, a base-born presumption which will ruin
your soul. It never came from God and will not carry you to God. But
Joseph is very practical, as practical as the circumstances permitted
him to be.

Moreover, notice, that having faith himself, he would encourage the
faith of others. No man may be said to have real faith who is not
concerned that faith may be found in the hearts of his fellow men. But,
you say, "What did Joseph do to encourage the faith of others?" Why, he
left his bones to be a standing sermon to the children of Israel. We
read that they were embalmed and put into a coffin in Egypt, and thus
they were ever in the keeping of the tribes. What did that say? Every
time an Israelite thought of the bones of Joseph, he thought, "We are
to go out of this country one day." Perhaps he was a man prospering in
business, laying up store in Egypt.

But he would say to himself, "I shall have to part with this, Joseph's
bones are to be carried up. I am not to be here forever." And then
while it acted as a warning, his body would serve also as an
encouragement, for when the task-masters began to afflict the people,
and their tale of bricks was increased, the despondent Israelite would
say, "I shall never come up out of Egypt." Oh, but others would say,
"Joseph believed we should–there are his bones still unburied. He has
left us the assurance of his confidence that God would, in due time,
bring up His people out of this house of bondage."

It seems to me that Joseph had thought of this device as being the best
thing on the whole he could do to keep the Israelites perpetually in
remembrance that they were strangers and sojourners, and to encourage
them in the belief that in due time they would be delivered from the
house of bondage and settled in the land that flowed with milk and
honey. True faith seeks to propagate herself in the hearts of others.
She is earnest, eager, intense, if by any means she may scatter a
handful of holy seed that may fall in good soil, and bring forth glory
to God. It is a good proof of your own faith when you lay yourself out
to promote the faith of others.

Note, too, that Joseph's faith made him have an eye to the
spiritualities of the Covenant, Joseph had nothing earthly to gain in
having his bones buried in Canaan rather than in Egypt. That can make
small difference to a dying man. Naturally we like to think of being
buried with our kin, but then we would choose to be buried soon after
death. None of us would voluntarily desire to have his bones kept for
some hundreds of years out of the ground in order that they might
ultimately come into the family sepulcher.

I believe he had no eye to the mere secularities of the Covenant, but
was looking to the spiritual blessings which are revealed in Jesus, the
great Seed of Abraham. This made him say, "I am no Egyptian, I am one
of the seed that the Lord has chosen. I look for the coming Messiah. I
have a part and a lot among the chosen people of God. I will claim
that, I will claim it not only for myself, but for my sons and for my
household." He had in the Providence of God, without any fault of his
own, been married to an Egyptian woman. Manasseh and Ephraim,
therefore, were half of Egypt, and if the father had been buried in
Egypt the sons might have clung to Egypt and separated from Israel.

He seems to say, "No, my Children, you are not Egyptians. You are like
your father, Israelites! Never bury my bones in Egypt. I charge you
never bury them at all till you can lay them down in the ancient
sepulcher of our race. Be Israelites to the backbone, through and
through, for the best possession is not what I can bequeath you in
Egypt, which will pass away, but the heritage to which I point you–the
spiritual heritage which I would gladly you should have. My bones shall
charge you, Manasseh and Ephraim, not to make yourselves Egyptians, not
to be conformed to the world nor to seek your rest here. Let your
father's bones tempt you towards Canaan–never rest till you feel you
have an interest in the spiritual blessings of the Covenant.

Once more, it seems to me that Joseph's faith in connection with his
unburied bones showed itself in his willingness to wait God's time for
the promised blessing. Says he, "I believe I shall be buried in
Machpelah, and I believe that my people will come up out of Egypt. I
believe, and I am willing to wait." Every man wants that when he dies
he shall be decently buried soon. Who wants to have his bones hawked
about? But this man will wait, wait for his funeral–wait on, however
weary may be the time of Israel's captivity. It is a great thing to
have waiting faith. "Stand still and see the salvation of God," is
easier said than done.

"He that believes shall not make haste." We are, for the most part, in
a childish hurry. We would like to be in Heaven tomorrow. If we were
wise, we should be glad to keep out till God lets us in. We would like
to have the resurrection tomorrow, and many are pining because the
coming of Christ is not by-and-by. Wait the Lord's appointment, O
impatient Grumbler. Be quiet of spirit and calm of heart–the vision
will not tarry. Be willing to wait. Be willing to let your bones sleep
in the dust till the trump of the resurrection sound, and if you could
have a choice about it, refer your choice back again to your Lord in
Heaven, for He knows what is best and right for you.

I like the idea of a man who could not wait in life, for he must die,
but who proves the waitingness of his spirit by letting his bones wait
till they could be deposited in Canaan. You will notice that Joseph had
his wish, for when Israel went up out of Egypt you will find, in the
fifteenth of Exodus, that Moses took care to carry with them the bones
of Joseph. And, what is rather singular, those bones were not buried as
soon as they came into Canaan. Nor were they buried during the long
wars of Joshua with the various tribes.

But in the last verses of the book of Joshua, when nearly all the land
had been conquered, and the country had been divided to the different
tribes, and they had taken possession, then we read that they buried
the bones of Joseph in the field of Shechem, in the place which Abraham
had bought for a sepulcher. As if Joseph's remains might not be buried
till they had won the country, until it was settled, and the Covenant
was fulfilled. Then he must be buried, but not till then. How blessed
is waiting faith which can let God take His time, and wait, believe in
Him, let Him wait as long as He wills.

III. I must close with the third point. I think we have in our text,
beloved Friends, AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR FAITH TO ACT UPON WHEN WE ALSO COME
TO THE TIME OF DEATH. We will imagine it to be very near, and the
conception will be literally true to some, and true to us all in a
degree. What shall I derive any comfort from when I come to die?

Come, let me prepare my last dying speech. Now think it over. First, I
would imitate Joseph by deriving my comfort from the Covenant, for that
he did. That commandment concerning his bones was only made because he
believed God would keep His Covenant to His people and bring them up
out of Egypt. May you and I be able to say with David, "Although my
house is not so with God, yet He has made with me an Everlasting
Covenant, ordered in all things, and sure." Ah, my Soul, this is not
dying, but only passing from earth to Heaven. Jesus, who is Himself the
Covenant, soothes most blessedly the dying beds of His saints.

A Negro was asked when he had been sitting up to nurse his master one
night, "How is your master!" Said he, "He is dying full of life." It is
a grand thing when one has the Covenant to think on. You can then die
full of life–you can pass away out of this lower life, being filled
with the life eternal before the life temporal has quite gone out, so
that you are never emptied out of life, but the life of Grace melts
into the life of Glory, as the river into the ocean. Joseph may be an
example to us, in that he drew his consolation from the future of his
people. "God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land."

Very often the dying thoughts of a Christian man are troubled about the
condition of the Church of Christ. He fears that dark days are coming
upon her. If a minister, he anxiously asks, "What will my people do,
now that I can no longer lead and feed them? Will they not be like a
flock without a shepherd?" But here will come in the consolation. There
are better days for the Church of God. Though the fathers sleep–

"All the promises do travail, With a glorious day of Grace."

Though one after another we shall pass away, there are not dark days
for our descendants, but days of brightness are on the way. "Let Your
work appear unto Your servants, and Your glory unto their children."

"He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet." The kings
of the isles shall yet acknowledge Him, and the wanderers of the desert
shall bow down before Him. Jesus, the Christ of God, must be King over
all the earth, for God has sworn it, saying, "Surely all flesh shall
see the salvation of God." The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and
all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken
it." With such thoughts as these upon our minds, we may well close our
eyes in death with a song upon our lips!

And then, my Brethren, we have another and brighter hope to die
with–if die we must before it is fulfilled, and that is, Christ Jesus
the Son of God will visit His people. Brethren, the glad hope of the
second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ may light up the chamber of
death with hope. As Joseph said, "God will visit you." The time comes
when the Lord

shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the trump of the archangel
and the voice of God. Let our dying testimony be to the effect that
surely He comes quickly and His reward is with Him. We have not to look
forward as the Jew did. He expected the first advent, but we watch for
the second coming. This shall cheer us even in our departure, for if we
die before He comes we shall yet share in the splendor, for the dead in
Christ shall rise.

We may add to all this a hope concerning our bones. We may tell our
weeping kindred, as they gather round our bed, to give our bones a
decent sepulcher. They need not blazon our names, or write our fancied
virtues on stone. But we will tell them that we shall rise again, and
that we commit ourselves to the bosom of our Father and our God, with
the full conviction that our dust shall yet be quickened anew–

"My eyes shall see Him in that day,

The God that died for me,

And all my rising bones shall say,

Lord, who is like to You?"

I do not know when a witness to the resurrection sounds more sweetly
than it does from the lips of a saint who is just about to quit this
mortal body, to enter into the Presence of his God. It is well to say,
as you take leave of these hands, and feet, and eyes, and all the
members of this mortal frame, "Farewell, poor body, I shall return to
you again. You shall be sown in weakness, but you shall rise in power!
You have been the faithful friend and servant of my soul, but you shall
be still more fit for my spirit when the trumpet shall sound and the
dead shall be raised." May we take care that our last act shall be a
triumph of faith, the crowning deed of our lives. God help us that it
may be so!

Beloved, there is one sad reflection, namely, that we cannot hope to
die triumphantly unless we live obediently. We cannot expect to exhibit
faith in dying moments if we have not faith now. God grant you faith, O
Unbeliever. Seeker, rest not till you have it, and may the Spirit of
God give you the faith of God's elect, that living you may serve God,
and dying you may honor Him as Joseph did of old. The Lord bless you,
dear Friends, for His sake. Amen.
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The Sages, The Star, and The Savior