(Deuteronomy 4:2 [KJV]) Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I
command you.
(Proverbs 30:5, 6 [KJV]) Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
(Isaiah 28:10 [KJV])
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
(Isaiah 28:13 [KJV])
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
(2 Peter 1:20 [KJV])
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
All of the studies, book or topical, found here, are done with research with mainly two things: The KING JAMES BIBLE and a plain old, 1828 Webster's Dictionary. Why? Outside of actually studying secular and Jewish history, archaeology, one needs nothing more. You do not need foreign, dead languages that no one speaks, lexicons, concordances or commentaries, because they differ not only with one another and with the KING JAMES BIBLE, but they create division, confusion, debate, and unbelief. We do not need them. That Word of God written and preserved for us in our own language is supposed to be enough, like the Old Testament was for the Jews, and the New Testament for the early Christians in Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, German, etc. There are studies within as tangents on words, subjects found within the two testaments, as to broaden the scope of the study, to learn more, deeper truths. This is not an intellectual site with PhDs, theologians, and no worldly wisdom.. Check everything out, everything. Not just here, but with everything you read and see and hear. Be Bereans:
(Acts 17:11 [KJV])
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Always research for yourself, use all of the context, and never privately interpret!
Genesis Chapter 50: MOURNING FOR JACOB, ISRAEL, AND JOSEPH'S DEATH
(Genesis 50:1 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
Joseph was the closest, the favored son
All of Jacob's past few decades and a lot of Joseph's adult life, Jacob thought Joseph was dead, a mystery when he discovered Joseph was still alive and in Egypt
Joseph has confirmation that his father is in deed dead, personally witnessing it, so no mystery
(Genesis 50:2 [AKJV/PCE])
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.
once again, we see the authority Joseph was given by Pharaoh, as it calls the physicians "his servants"
According to historical records, it took the Egyptians forty days to embalm a body, to mummify it
Jacob wished only to have his bones buried with his forefathers, not to be preserved-that was merely done because of a pagan belief of the afterlife of living on in this mummified state, believing their highest leaders to be gods, not just mere men
They did not believe this about Jacob; they simply did what they were accustomed to doing for Joseph from his request to embalm Jacob so that the carrying to Canaan would not be with flies, a dead body smell of rotting flesh
Also, according to a few obscure, perhaps erroneous historical records, the mourning period for a pharaoh was seventy two days, though this can not be confirmed. If true, then Joseph and Jacob were considered quite esteemed in the eyes of Pharaoh!
(Genesis 50:4-5 [AKJV/PCE])
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.
Being a long journey, one had the choice of either embalming, desiccating or burning the body and bringing ashes; to Jacob, this all meant nothing because he was already with the LORD; in Abraham's bosom
The effects of sin are most personally physical when the soul leaves the body to return to the LORD, as in putrefaction
Eventually, it is "ashes to ashes, dust to dust" but, meantime, it is "Old, cold, mold, to which the nose is sold"
It must be remembered that this is the land God owns, and gave to them, and He will protect that nation which is in constant battle, daily, to this day, hated by nearly all nations
DEATH: ONE PER PERSON, NO ONE GETS OUT ALIVE
(Genesis 2:17 [AKJV/PCE])
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
(Genesis 3:6 [AKJV/PCE])
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
(Genesis 3:19 [AKJV/PCE])
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
(Hebrews 9:27 [AKJV/PCE])
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
(Luke 16:22 [AKJV/PCE])
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
(Romans 12:15 [AKJV/PCE])
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
(Genesis 50:6 [AKJV/PCE])
And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
Ultimate respects paid, the favor of a ruler given to Joseph by Providence of God, by order of the King of Kings Who meant it all for good, to save many
(Genesis 50:7-8 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
The servants of the house of Pharaoh may have known Joseph well, but not so much Jacob, so this is respect by Pharaoh for Joseph more than anything
All of the servants, elders, house....everyone who could go, went; this is a "a state funeral"
(Genesis 50:9 [AKJV/PCE])
And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.
Chariots and horses, horsemen are a sign of wealth and power of a kingdom
These are the ancient equivalent of modern limousines and hearses in a caravan
Joseph had said to him, "and I will come again." but, just to make sure.......maybe send a bunch of troops with him in case he changes his mnind afterwards
(Genesis 50:10 [AKJV/PCE])
And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
We have but one set of original parents, perhaps they can be grandparents who raised us, stepparents, older siblings etc. but, regardless, when we lose them, it is a great loss
Being saved, if we are assured they are also, we know we will see them again, and that very shortly, even if that short time is a hundred more years because, compared to eternity, it is a vapor, a puff of smoke from a firebrand, the brief smoke from a wick snuffed out
(James 4:13-14 [AKJV/PCE])
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
(Genesis 50:11 [AKJV/PCE])
And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
All that the Canaanites saw was Egyptians, not Israelites
(Genesis 50:12-13 [AKJV/PCE])
And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
Once disrespectful, lying about the death of Joseph to their father Jacob, now they obey him, possibly for two reasons:
Joseph is in charge over them and they saw from the reunion how much Joseph meant to Jacob
Jacob is gone now, so they have no real reason not to
(Genesis 50:14 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
Mourning period over, now much work to do again
(Genesis 50:15 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
One thing carnal believers in that time and until today do not understand is Grace; another is God's Sovereignty over our lives
Not knowing this, vengeance, retribution, payback, spite, malice, evil returned is what one thinks of when it comes to the opportune time
The thought is, "He was just waiting until dad died; now he will get for sure us back for what we did to him!"
(Genesis 50:16-17 [AKJV/PCE])
And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
Not understanding proper forgiveness, grace, mercy, faith, God's Sovereignty, they think that Joseph does not have to forgive them, even if he walks with God
Jacob knew and they knew that they did wrong only they did not care at the time. Now that it has come back on them, it scares them and they think that, since revenge most assuredly be the plan of Joseph, they are but dead men
After all of this time, after all of the grace extended to them, the words of Joseph to comfort them, the lack of exercising his full authority over them, they still do not get it-Joseph is not about revenge, so it is not even in the back of his mind, in his innermost thoughts
(Genesis 50:18 [AKJV/PCE])
And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
This is a plea for mercy, clemency, leniency, a sentence to be pardoned, to be suspended,
Joseph is the court judge and they can only ask, in their minds, to be forgiven their "obvious-to-all" crime against him
(Genesis 50:19-20 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Today, one might say, "GUYS! LISTEN UP! It's not about you....it never was! God had a plan, and He used your plan to get His Will done despite it, through it!" How else would He get us into Egypt? I do not know, but this is how, and it is for our good, all of us, as He told us even the future on this! Stick with me here!"
(Genesis 50:21 [AKJV/PCE])
Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
"However God wanted to, He has used you thus far for my good, though you thought it was just your evil; now He will use me for your good and the good of many!"
Joseph is saying this quietly, calmly, tactfully, diplomatically, to comfort and calm them
This is why nothing bad was ever said of Joseph in Scripture, because he availed himself to God to be used for His Glory, not for Joseph's
(Genesis 50:22 [AKJV/PCE])
¶ And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.
110 years is one score of years less than Jacob had lived before he got to Egypt to see Joseph
Now just imagine if Joseph had died right after his father, what would have become to his brethren, losing the favor and authority Joseph had and they did not have
So, going in as a teenager, Joseph may have been under several pharaohs
Joseph has seen a lot in Egypt, from false accusations, a time of imprisonment, several dreams, a time of preparation for famine to a time of famine, to Pharaoh changes, to his family arriving, member after member, several reunions, over time, a time of plenty, his own wife giving him children, then getting grandchildren over several generations
(Genesis 50:23 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.
Israel, at a time of piece, a grand father and great grandfather seeing his progeny raised, having been reunited with his father and siblings after a long time of years, Joseph was blessed
(Genesis 50:24 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
And this is the way God deals with Israel today as well
"visit you and bring you out" meaning their progeny, their descendants, they being represented hundreds of years later by those generations and not them directly
(Genesis 50:25 [AKJV/PCE])
And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
This is to them a prophecy that Joseph, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob knew, in part, reveled over time, little by little
THE FAITH PART: JOSEPH'S DIRECTIONS TO THE FAMILY
(Hebrews 11:22 [AKJV/PCE])
By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
(Genesis 15:13 [AKJV/PCE])
And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
(Genesis 50:26 [AKJV/PCE])
So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
The bones he gave commandments were to be buried with his forefathers in th land of Canaan, no doubt
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