With Jacob’s passing in Genesis 50, not only Joseph and his brothers and their families, but the Egyptians also mourned for 70 days. So Jacob’s sons did as he had commanded them: They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre, which Abraham had bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. v. 12-13. Then they all returned to Egypt.

With the passing of their father, Joseph’s brothers were now fearful for retribution for all they had done to Joseph. Joseph had already forgiven them years ago but they couldn’t trust that they were forgiven. When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” v. 15. Do we ever feel that way about God? We know the things we have done and still do that are wrong. Does God really forgive and not hold a grudge against us and pay us back for all the wrongs we do to Him? Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23. We hope God will forgive us.

When their message came to him, Joseph wept. v. 17. Do you think God weeps when we refuse to believe Him? But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them. v. 19-21. In Genesis 49:22-26: Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

That was the blessing Jacob gave to Joseph right before he died. This is the final chapter of Genesis and in it we see the lives of the Fathers of the Faithful: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We see men who lived long lives. They weren’t perfect just as we aren’t perfect….but they had faith in God. They trusted Him. They held unswervingly to the hope they had in God. Joseph, too, had that unswerving faith that God would keep His promises. Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” And Joseph made the Israelites swear on oath and said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.” v. 24-25. Joseph was 110 when he died. Our forefathers of faith didn’t have the whole of God’s history to read as we do. They had the experience of God speaking to them….we have the experience of His Word speaking to us. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:9-16. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. God is love. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18. Joseph’s brothers were driven by fear of punishment. So are we. “Fear not” is found in Scripture 365 times. It’s hard to let go of fear. The One who tells us to fear not is the One who is ready to take our hand. We each of us have a journey that we are already on. At any point you can ask for His help to really know Him and hold as your truth: God is love. He loves you.