Genesis 50: 1-6: “And Joseph fell upon his father’s face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days. And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again. And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.”
By the time Jacob died, Joseph was fully integrated in Egyptian culture. He was also used to an aristocratic way of life so he made sure that all the correct burial procedures were followed after his father died. There was also the proper mourning period for an aristocrat and the nation participated as Joseph was the second most important man in the Land. This was a significant improvement for the man who had to leave home in a hurry because he was scared of his brother. It was also an improvement for the man who ran away from his father-in-law and was only saved by the direct intervention of the Lord. Never the less, this was the way his life ended and this was his legacy. We, who started our lives as sinners, have become children of God (Rom 8: 16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:”) This is the best way to end your life for the alternative is to be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev 20: 15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”)
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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