oseph threw himself on his
father and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Then Joseph directed the physicians
in his service to embalm his father Israel. So the physicians embalmed him, 3
taking a full forty days, for that was the time required for embalming. And the
Egyptians mourned for him seventy days.
So here we get a view of how this operated in the ancient world. Joseph after his father had breathed his last
throws himself on his father and wept and kisses him. When someone we care and love passes unto
eternity for the Christian it is a celebration.
Someone who has served the Lord has been promoted. It is a time of sorrow and grief. Yet it is also a time of rejoicing, victory
and freedom. So Joseph then directed the
physicians in his service. There was
always attending medical help in the Egyptian nobility. Their responsibility was to care for the
living. In fact Egypt was the first
society that actually had universal medicare.
Then when their patients died they became responsible to embalm and
prepare a body for burial. During this
time the physicians would wear the mask of Anubus but since Jacob was a
worshipper of God this would not have been done. In many ancient societies, remembrance of
the dead ensured their continued existence in the afterlife and a great showing
of grief at a funeral was thought to have echoes in the Hall of Truth where the
soul of the departed was heading. The
grander the funeral, the greater position in eternity. The Bible puts it this way, “you have one
life to live and then judgment.” What we
do does matter especially concerning Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can secure us a place in heaven.
4 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, 5 ‘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.’”6 Pharaoh
said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.”
.
When the days of mourning had passed Joseph had an audience with the
court of Pharaoh. The king would have a
group of advisers who worked on his behalf.
Joseph was Prime Minister what he was requesting was beyond normal
protocol. He told them his father had
asked to be buried in Canaan. So he was
asking permission of Pharaoh. The group
of leaders would be his representatives in this matter to Pharaoh. Remember Joseph had broken many sacred
traditions and he was from a non Egyptian.
Jacob’s families were non Egyptian they were in the land because of a
special a royal decree. To leave they
needed a royal approval. Joseph had
followed Egyptian customs concerning mummification but not any of the normal
burial procedures. Joseph also had to
give the king assurance he was going to return.
Here we get a view of how the ancient court of Egypt operated. We see that everything still ran through the
King because of Joseph’s position in the government. There were also safety issues based on
Joseph’s position. They would need an
army escort for Joseph’s protection.
Joseph would also have to give a time limit for how long he was
gone. The king gave permission to Joseph
because in ancient Egypt and oath given by a Father to a son was binding. To not do a last request was to dishonor the
person who had died.
7 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— 8 besides all the members of Joseph’s
household and his brothers and those belonging to his household. Only their
children and their flocks and herds were left in Goshen. 9 Chariots and
horsemen also went up with him. It was a very large company.
Joseph goes to bury his father.
All of the king’s official and dignitaries of Egypt go with him. They held Joseph in such high regard all the
elite of Egypt went with him. You see
the reason for the king’s permission.
What a honor for Jacob and Joseph.
The man who left Canaan with nothing when he went to Mesopotamia to find
a wife now has the royal funeral with all the top people of Egypt there. Only God could pull this off. Chariots and horseman went with them. The entire Egyptian court and leadership was
with them. Moses who wrote Genesis shows
his knowledge of Egyptian society here.
He says they were a large company.
Most likely tens of thousands.
The people of Canaan probably thought they were being invaded. This is also another reason for Pharaoh’s
permission. Certain alliances needed to
be observed as well. They had to assure
the residents that this was a funeral and not an invasion.
10 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. 11
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.
It would have taken most likely about
three weeks to get such a large group of people there. Also they also stop at the Jordan. They were observing alliances and negotiated
trade routes. They did not want to risk
war or battles. They get to Atad . This
actually Hebron. There Joseph and the
officials lamented loudly and bitterly.
Remember the Egyptian custom of the bigger the ceremony the more honor
and position in eternity. Joseph did
this for the Egyptians. Joseph holds a
seven day period of mourning. This would
have been the Hebrew tradition. So you
see Joseph’s diplomacy at work. On one
hand he is honoring the Egyptian traditions but also introducing them to
his. The work of the godly is to help
the ungodly to understand the righteous way of life. The best way is to live it. Remember we are the only bible many people
read. The Canaanites saw what was
happening and name the place Abel Mizraim which means the place of Egyptian
mourning.
12 So Jacob’s sons did as
he had commanded them: 13 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
along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 14 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.
Now Joseph and his brothers then head into Canaan and they buried him in
the place that was the family burial site.
This was their private family ceremony.
They would have done all the traditions associated with Hebrew
traditions. The Egyptians stayed at
Hebron or Atad to show it was not an invasion.
They honored their father and what he wished. Joseph then returns to Egypt with his family
and all who travelled with him. Now what
can we take away from this message.
1.
God will honor us in a pagan world if we just love, serve and honor him
2.
Know the world in which you live.
Remember you are in this world but not of it. It is our
responsibility to explain the Christian world to a ungodly world.
3.
Like Joseph be aware of the traditions and beliefs of others and know
how to navigate them. Often
they are stepping stones to salvation.
Jesus said we are to be wise as serpents and harmless as
doves.
4.
Be a person of honor, integrity, truth, love mercy grace, transparency
and accountability.
5.
Lastly remember we are pilgrims passing through. Remember you are looking for better, a city
foursquare whose maker and builder is God.
Are you ready?
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