(Genesis 50:1-14) Then Joseph fell on his father’s face, and wept over him and kissed him. 2 Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Now forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.
4 When the days of mourning for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please speak to Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am about to die; in my grave which I dug for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore, please 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.”
7 So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. 9 There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he observed seven days mourning for his father. 11 Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the Egyptians.” Therefore it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.
12 Thus his sons did for him as he had charged them; 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers, and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
We know from excavation findings, etc., that the Egyptians took death very seriously. And even though Joseph had been deemed ruler over all of Egypt, just below Pharaoh, when his father passed away, Joseph still approached the household of Pharaoh with the greatest of respect. "IF I have found favor..." Joseph understood that even with his position of high authority, he was really "working for" (and serving) both Pharaoh and the people, and ultimately God.
In today's world, most people would just assume that if you are already in that place - that means you've already found favor! Our society has become very much all about "our rights"... which rarely take into consideration the rights of others.
Some cultures are more about showing respect, but Christianity should be very much about showing respect!!! Submitting to and respecting God and His name... our spouses... our fellow believers... our spiritual leaders... our government leaders... and in general, showing respect to all people...
No comments:
Post a Comment