City Life Starter

Written by Megan Meier

The Word

“1 Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. 4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, ‘If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, ‘I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.’ Now therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’’ 6 And Pharaoh answered, ‘Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.’ 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, as well 8 as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company.”

Genesis 50:1-9 (ESV)

“6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.’ 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.’”

Matthew 26:6-13 (ESV)

Megan’s Musings

God fulfilled His Word to Israel, that Joseph’s hand will close his eyes (Genesis 46:4b). Joseph embraced the role of family leader by taking care of the funeral arrangements. But why was Israel embalmed? Maybe to respect the Egyptian custom, but likely because the trip to Canaan would have been 400 miles, it would have taken at least several weeks, likely a few months, Israel’s body would have decomposed by then. His body required forty days to embalm, the number forty is significant in the Bible: Noah and his family experienced rain for forty days and forty nights while on the ark (Genesis 7:12), the prophet Jonah told the people of Nineveh God had given them forty days to repent (Jonah 3:4), and Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights in preparation for His testing (Matthew 4:2). The Egyptians mourned a pharaoh for seventy-two days, the fact the Egyptians wept seventy days for Joseph’s father indicated great respect. 

Why did Joseph speak to Pharaoh’s household instead of Pharaoh himself? Maybe he would have sensed Joseph leaving certain information out. Joseph left out the part where Israel requested not to be buried in Egypt (Genesis 39:28-30), instead, he said his father wished to be buried in his pre-prepared tomb while promising to return after the funeral. Pharaoh would have understood this, as he and many of his associates had their tombs prepared while living. He allowed Joseph to bury his father in Canaan. 

I don’t believe Israel could have anticipated such a big funeral. Not only did Joseph and his brothers go, but also Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his household, and the Egyptian elders, and also their chariots and horsemen. Only the Hebrew children, flocks, and herds stayed, indicating the family would return. 

As Israel had a pre-prepared tomb in Canaan, a part of Jesus’ burial preparations were done when He was alive. The woman with the expensive perfume (likely Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus (John 12:3)) knew what was going to happen. She probably even knew Jesus wasn’t going to have a king’s funeral, much less a proper one, and she was preparing Jesus for his burial. The disciples didn’t realize this, even rebuked her for wasting money. Jesus stood up for her and describes her act as a “beautiful thing” (v. 10). What she did was like us giving someone’s eulogy while they are alive. 

Application

While honoring the dead is a noble act, it is much better to honor them when they are alive. Sadly, too many people receive more flowers at their funeral than they do in their lifetime. Honor and cherish your living family and friends, you don’t know how much time you have left with them. 

Prayer 

Dear Jesus, thank You for my family and friends. Help me to honor and cherish them while they live here on earth. In Your Name I pray, amen.