Joseph #53: Jacob's Grand Funeral

The grandest state funeral recorded in the Bible was given to Jacob. The procession included Joseph and the other brothers, as well as the Egyptians, from slaves to governors to the royal court. A company of soldiers accompanied them, adding to the spectacle but also for protection.

What came to his mind as Joseph made his way out of Egypt and into the land of his birth? Did he pass certain landmarks? Did he think about that fateful day when he was stripped of his coat of many colors, thrown into a pit, and sold into slavery? Moses doesn't tell us. But the Bible does say that there was great mourning, not only among the family but also among the Egyptians. After 30 days of mourning in Egypt, Joseph and his family mourned for another seven days. Why? The previous 30 days were primarily for the Egyptians in Egypt. Now, the family grieves at the family tomb. The number seven represents completion in the Bible, so perhaps a period of mourning for seven days meant their mourning was complete. The number seven is also important because it is 7, not 700, not 7000. We mourn, but not as unbelievers. We grieve only for a time and with the resurrection in view. There comes a day when we stop crying and return to serving the Lord.

Joseph and the brothers then returned to Egypt, even though they knew that, as God had promised Abraham, they would remain for 400 years in Egypt and suffer afflictions and cruelties. Returning to Egypt was an act of faith and courage.