Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob.  He was a teen-ager when he was sold by his brothers as a slave.  He was taken to Egypt and bought by an important official.  Falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, he was unfairly imprisoned for two years.  Throughout these hard experiences his faith in God grew.  Amazingly he became the second in command in Egypt; Pharaoh only had more authority and power.
(Genesis 37-50)

Through those experiences of God at work in his life, his faith and trust grew in the living God.  At the end of his long life his faith was evidenced by his expectation of God’s faithfulness.

(NASB) Hebrews 11:22 “By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.”

  The facts of Joseph’s orders.
(NASB) Genesis 50:24-25 “Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.’
25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.’”

Joseph’s faith in God went beyond his own life and death into the future.  His faith in God was exhibited in the living God in the last hours of his life.

Moses honored Joseph’s request hundreds of years later…he took Joseph’s bones on the night of the Exodus from Egypt.
(NASB) Exodus 13:19 “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, ‘God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.”

Joshua honored Joseph’s request after the sons of Israel entered the Promised Land.  He buried Joseph’s bones in the family burial cave, along with Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah.  (Genesis 49:29-31)

(NASB) Joshua 24:32 “Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground…”

Your faith today prepares you to die by faith in the living God – whenever and however that will be.

Take it to heart ~
(NASB) John 11:25 “Jesus said…‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.”

Are you living by faith in the living God and His words today?  If so, you will be prepared to die by faith in Him and His promises.