DON'T BURY ME IN EGYPT Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house,To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you,And I will curse him who curses you;And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Genesis 35:29 So Isaac breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people, being old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him. Genesis 47:27 So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years. 29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 “but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” 31 Then he said, “Swear to me.” And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed. Genesis 49:31 “There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife, there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife, and there I buried Leah. 32 “The field and the cave that is there were purchased from the sons of Heth.” 33 And when Jacob had finished commanding his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed and breathed his last, and was gathered to his people. Genesis 37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. Genesis 41:41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” Hebrews 11:22, By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.” Genesis 50:24-26 And Joseph said to his brethren, “I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying,“God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Genesis 15:13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.14 “And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. Your bones serve five main functions in your body,including: 1. Your bones literally hold up your body and keep it from collapsing to the ground. Your posture depends on your bones. 2. Your bones protect your internal organs. Your bones keep your organs safe from hard impacts, punctures, and other forms of injury. 3. Your bones produce your blood cells. Certain types of bones make your platelets, red blood cells, and white blood cells. These cells are made within your bones. Platelets help your blood clot, red blood cells deliver oxygen to your organs, and white blood cells help fight off infections. 4.Your bones help in storing and releasing fat. Certain types of bones store fat and then release it when your body needs energy. 5. Your bones assist in storing and releasing minerals. Bones can also store necessary minerals. The bones of Joseph could not find the rest until the promise was fulfilled. Why did Joseph want to be buried in Canaan? Joseph had two sons named Manasseh and Ephraim who were born in Egypt.If their father had been buried in Egypt,his sons may have stayed in Egypt and separated from Israel. The bones represent the promise. The bones represent structure. The bones represent faith. Egypt in the Bible represents the old life. Egypt a place of oppression and slavery. The sinful nature. Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD:“Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. Paul said do not be conformed to this world. Joseph said let my bones tempt you towards Canaan. The bones represent the structure of God’s promise. Joseph didn’t want his sons to “look back” DON’T LOOK BACK! God said,“Don’t look back at what I am finished with.” God said,“Don’t look back at what I am delivering you from." God said,“Look to the future of Heaven.”