V.1 What tender love Joseph shows for his father.
V.2-13 One of the great funerals of the scriptures. Jacob is buried beside Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah and Jacob’s first wife Leah (Gen. 49:31). There, today, in Hebron, their bodies wait for the resurrection when we, with them will hear the blessed voice of the Lord Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
V.14-26 When Jacob is dead, Joseph’s brothers become afraid that he will take revenge on them. In other words, they thought of Jacob as being their protector more than Joseph. They had enjoyed the love, protection and provision of food for 17 years from Joseph and now they fear him! But all this is so much like ourselves. The heart of each believer quickly has doubts about God’s unchanging love. Nothing but love remains for us. All God’s anger about every sin we commit in our whole life, has been spent upon the Lord Jesus. There is just no anger left. Nothing but love! And every act of His toward us (even the difficulties) is an act of love (Heb. 12:5-13).
V.22-26 Beautiful end. Joseph’s faith takes him far beyond the coffin in Egypt. It goes on to a better day. An eternal day. “God shall surely visit you!” So he gives commandment concerning his bones. That they too are to be carried back to the land (they were, see Josh. 24:32; Ex. 13:19; Heb. 11:22). In the last reference we see God’s value of Joseph’s faith. Egypt can only give a coffin. This world is our Egypt. But we can thank our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, for through Him we can say. “God shall surely visit you”!