Sunday Message 13th Nov 2005

By Pastor Michael Sim

Texts:

Genesis 50:24 "Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

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

The above passages speak about Joseph's faith in God's promise to the Patriarchs. He had a firm believe that God's promise will come true even if he did not live to see it being fulfilled.

So he gave instructions about his bones. Of all the notable deeds of Joseph, this single act has been singled out by the writer of the Hebrews. Joseph was noted for his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams, his pure life; his forgiving his brothers who tried to kill him. Who rose the second highest office in Egypt. But none of these compared to his faith in God's promise to his people.

The key to our faith is that we do not see the temporal but the eternal.