Devo: Joseph's Bones

Have you ever really thought about the bones of Joseph?

Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob and was sold into slavery by his brothers. You may have heard the story before, if not then you can read it in your bible in Genesis 37 - 42 or online here. When Joseph died, he left instruction with his family to take his bones to Israel, the land of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The process of getting his bones to Israel was a little difficult however and involved 400 years of slavery before Joseph's descendants were able to leave Egypt. If you don't know that story, you can find it in the beginning of Exodus... and then watch this movie because it is wonderful, it is beautiful and it has the most amazing soundtrack that you will ever hear!

Anyway! Back to Joseph's bones. It's not really the bones that are important, but what they represent. When the Israelites left Egypt, they spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness because of their disobedience, before they were allowed into the Promised Land. 

These events are a great picture of the Christian Life! Before we accept Christ, we are enslaved by our sins (Jhn 8:34), but after we believe in Him, we are released from bondage (Jhn 8:36). 

However, there is a downside!

Once you are saved, you enter into the Kingdom of God (Jhn 3:5-8) and then you have to wait for His eternal reign (Jas 5:7-8). God gives us something to do while we're waiting (share His words with others Mat 28:18-20), but it doesn't always make it easy. Just like the Israelites had to wait 40 years in the wilderness to enter into their Promised Land, we have to wait in our wilderness to enter into our Promised Land (Heaven). 

Have you ever had that feeling? Like you don't quite belong? Could it perchance be the sense of eternity in your heart? We're not there yet, and we know it deep down! We get fed what we need to get by, like the Israelites were fed their manna and quail every day (Ex 16), but there's that sense that something more is missing, that there's an excitement we don't have yet. We want to taste that milk, honey (Ex 3:8) and those giant grapes and pomegranates (Num 13:23)!

But Laura, wait, weren't you going on about Joseph's bones earlier?

Well, yes! The Israelite people were carrying Joseph's bones with them all throughout the wilderness. The bones were carried in a coffin... an ark in other words (I got this part from Beth Moore's Patriarchs study, and then double checked it on BibleGateway.org to make sure). 

Actually, the Hebrew word for ark and coffin is the same, it is arown.

Now before their wandering, the Israelites were instructed to build an Ark of the Covenant, to house the presence of God (Ex 40). This they also carried with them throughout their entire time in the wilderness.

Two "Arks" are being carried around by these released slaves in the wilderness: one is housing the Spirit of the Lord and one is housing the dead bones of their past life, the origins of their slavery. 

What did they do with the bones of Joseph when they got to Israel? They buried them! In the ground! Gone! They never saw them again!! (Josh 24:32) 

And what did they do with the Ark of the Covenant? They built a permanent home (2 Chr 22) for God's presence. Where He would dwell with them always.
Remind you of anything? 

It reminds me of myself! 

Since I have become a Christian, I now have the Holy Spirit living in me (2 Tim 1:14), but as a Christian I can't quite reach the level of perfection I seek, because I am constantly at war with my old self, my sinful nature (Rom 7:14-25). Both the Spirit and the Flesh are at war within me, and like Paul I also want to be rescued from the struggle! 

When we as Christians are finished our wandering, our flesh and sinful selves will be fully buried where they will never pester us again (Rom 7:24-25)! And not only that, but we will live in the presence of God fully, unhindered and for eternity! His glory will be so present and bright that there will be no need for a sun or moon (Rev 21:23)!

I'm sure the Israelites did not continually keeping opening and taking out the bones of Joseph. Similarly it is our choice whether we keep bringing out our sinful nature into our lives. 

While we're still in the wilderness, the best we can do is allow the Holy Spirit to guide us. With the Israelites, He would show Himself in a cloud around the tabernacle where the ark was when He wanted them to stay and would lift above the tabernacle if they were to continue on their journey (Ex 40:36). We need to stay grounded in God's Word and be obedient to God's promptings while we wait for His soon-coming return.

Marantha!