Concerning his Bones

By James H. Cagle

“By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.” (Hebrews 11:22 KJV)

The verse from Hebrews is a reference to Genesis 50:25. Joseph’s commandment for his bones to be carried out of Egypt when Israel left was a public declaration of his faith that God would keep His promise and deliver Israel out of Egypt “unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.”

According to the record, Joseph’s body was embalmed and lay inside his coffin (or hope chest) for several hundred years. As generations of Israelites died and were buried in Egypt, the coffin that held Joseph’s bones served as a constant reminder to each succeeding generation of God’s promise to Israel of deliverance from Egypt into the Promised Land. And if no one else believed God’s promise, the coffin with Joseph’s bones in it was a reminder that he believed God and that they should too.

Finally, the day came when Israel did leave Egypt. “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him.” (Ex.13:19)  On that memorial night when Israel left Egypt, as they were “harnessed” up with their belongings a party was sent to fetch the coffin that held the bones of Joseph.

From their departure from Egypt to their final settlement in what would be the land of Israel, the coffin which held the bones of Joseph was carried on the shoulders of the children of Israel. It is not stated whether or not a particular tribe was designated to carry the coffin or whether it was rotated from one tribe to the next and around again.

As men and women died in the wilderness and were buried there, Joseph’s bones were being carried through the wilderness to be laid at rest in the Promised Land. Though many remember that the Tabernacle was carried through the wilderness and eventually set up in Shiloh, very few remember that Joseph’s coffin was carried during Israel’s wilderness wanderings as well.

During their wilderness wandering, the faith that Joseph had in God’s promise was expressed as his bones were passed on from one generation to the next. Finally “the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem” (Joshua 24:32).

Joseph’s faith in God’s promise to deliver Israel out of Egypt and take them to the land of promise caused him to have his brethren make a vow to carry his body with them when they left Egypt. Joseph did not live to see the Promised Land but he knew God would keep His word to His people. His coffin with his bones inside served as a reminder to others to have his same faith in God.

Joseph was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He too was rejected by his brothers, sold for the price of a slave, married a Gentile bride, and was the deliverer of his brethren.

But unlike Israel who carried Joseph’s bones through their wilderness wanderings, the Christian does not have any relic of Jesus Christ’ humanity to carry with them in their pilgrimage. But they do have Him literally in their heart, a type of “hope chest” until the day they see Him face to face.