Lesson 13
Read Genesis 49:33 – 50:1-26 - https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.49.esv
Character Traits Review

After Jacob blessed all twelve of his sons, he died. Joseph threw himself on his father’s body and wept, kissing him. Then he instructed the physicians to embalm the body, which took forty days. The Egyptians mourned Jacob publicly for seventy days.

After the period of mourning, Joseph presented this request to Pharaoh. “My father made me promise to bury him in the family grave plot in Canaan. Please allow me to go back to Canaan to bury my father, and then I’ll come back.”

Pharaoh responded, “Of course you may. Go bury your father as you promised.”

All the high-ranking dignitaries of Egypt accompanied Joseph and his family when he went to Canaan to bury Jacob. Only the children in Jacob’s family and their animals remained in Goshen. Chariots and horsemen joined the huge funeral procession.

Jacob’s sons carried out Jacob’s instructions exactly. They buried him in the cave in the field Abraham had purchased for a burial plot.

After burying their father, Joseph and all his brothers returned to Egypt. They were concerned about what would happen to them, now that their father Jacob was dead. “What if Joseph hasn’t forgiven us and pays us back for all the wrong we did to him?”

The brothers sent Joseph a message, telling him their father had commanded Joseph to forgive them their sin and all their wrongdoing. “We treated you very badly,” they wrote. “Will you forgive the sins of your brothers, servants of your father’s God?”

When he read the message, Joseph cried.

Then his brothers went to him in person and threw themselves on the ground in front of him, offering to be his slaves.

Joseph reassured them, “Don’t be frightened. I’m not going to act as if I’m God. Yes, you planned evil against me, but don’t you see how God has used your evil plans for good? Look around you – think of all the people who are alive who may have been dead if I hadn’t been here in Egypt when Pharaoh had his dreams.” Joseph continued to reassure them from his heart. “You don’t need to be afraid. I promise to continue taking care of you and your children.”

Joseph lived 110 years, and was blessed to see Ephraim’s sons to the third generation.

Joseph said to his brothers, “I’m ready to die. I know God will appear and take you out of this land, back to the land He promised our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And when God visits His people again, promise to take my bones with you when you leave Egypt.”

Apply God’s Word to your life:
*What did Joseph say to his brothers that helped them?
*How has someone comforted you with their words?
*What did Joseph do which showed his faith in God’s promises?
*What other character traits did Joseph show in this lesson?
*How do you show you have faith in God’s promises?