The Bones of Encouragement

I preached this thought this past Sunday night. Later on, when I get back to my notes, I'll try to post a more detailed version of the thought but here's the cliff notes version: Joseph, on his deathbed, commanded that when the Hebrews returned to the promised land they were to bury him there. The account in Genesis states that he shared with them the prophecy given to Abraham regarding the 400 years of captivity and the eventual deliverance of the Hebrews.

The thought was basically that during the 400 years that followed those old bones of Joseph were a constant reminder that, no matter how bad the situation may seem or how horrible the captivity may become, the day was coming when they would be delivered. That box of bones was Israel's source of encouragement during those long years of captivity.

The Pharaohs could pour out their fury on the Hebrews, they could try to crush the dreams and break the will of their slaves in Goshen but the fact remained that somewhere in the midst of the Hebrew camp was a box of bones that declared that "this too shall pass." Workloads could be doubled, task masters could become more violent and demanding, every male child could be slaughtered but there was a box of bones that carried a constant promise -- one of these days we are going to leave this place behind. For four hundred years that box of bones represented the hope of the Hebrews.

When deliverance finally came and the children of Israel found obstacles and armies standing in their way, that box of bones was a steady testimony that they were going to make it. When they had the Red Sea at their backs and the Egyptian army before them that box of bones said God is going to deliver you. When water was scarce and rebellion rose up in the camp that box of bones was a stark reminder that the journey doesn't end here -- we are going on to the promised land.

Eventually, the scripture tells us, they buried those bones at Shechem. The same Shechem where a dreamer was tossed in a dry well and sold by his brothers into slavery. It was at Shechem where that box of bones found their promise fulfilled. Joseph had returned home to be buried with the patriarchs and the word of God had been proven to be true once again.

The remarkable thing about the story is Joseph's forward looking faith that transmitted hope to the generations that would follow him that, although he would die in Egypt, the journey doesn't stop here. I proceeded to preach about the church. the foundation that was laid before us and the hope that has been passed down to us. This church is ordained by God and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Though Satan rages, though the economy falters, though our nation may fall into a moral abyss, this church is destined for revival. This church will be triumphant. And, one fine day, this church is leaving this old world behind. The journey doesn't end here. I've got a box of bones, the church, that declares we will be more than overcomers.

That's the view from the cheap seats on a Thursday afternoon!