Joseph's Final Checklist
Genesis 50 - The End of a Well-Lived Life (Limited Edition)
Dr. Kevin Thomas - www.get-Truth.org 
Genesis 50
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!”
16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying,
17 ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.
18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.”
Truth Checklist (Genesis 50:15-18)
Is it math or drama? MATH is a real problem that can be solved. DRAMA is an imaginary problem that only exists in your mind; there is no problem in the real world other than what's buzzing around in your head.
Now Playing in a Theatre Near You...
List 3-5 current "dramas" playing in your head. (Remember, dramas are fake stories and imaginary problems you choose to believe.) Make a list of your 3-5 dramas.
Your Next Steps
What is God telling you to do with the "drama" playing in your head?
Genesis 50
19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place?
20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
21 “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
How to See God's BIG Picture of Your Life and Its Events
It's often hard to see the BIG picture that God sees, but it is possible to see it.
It takes at least these three ingredients:
1) Walking with God
2) Time
3) Practice
God's BIG Picture
Joseph saw God's big picture of his life story. His brothers were stuck watching one episode of their story, a rerun showing them selling their little brother Joseph into slavery.
How did Joseph see God's view of his life?
What did Joseph have to do or experience to see the big picture of his life? Add any you think belong on this list. Joseph had to do at least the following:
BONUS - Joseph had to... SELECT his identity based on his faith in God!
Your identity is how you choose to see yourself. Today, there's a lot of talk about self-identity in the world, but not enough in the church. We should see ourselves based on how God sees us, not based on what we go through in life.
If Joseph had selected his self-identity based on where he came from and what he went through, he would not have dressed and shaved like the Egyptians. He would have had a long beard and dressed like his brothers. BUT Joseph chose his identity. He chose an identity God could use to elevate him from the pit to Potiphar's house, from the prison to the palace.
BONUS ASSIGNMENT: How do you see yourself? What do you call yourself?
Fill in the blank. "I am a/an ___________."
It's blue skies and clear sailing from here... Just a few more questions and you've finished Genesis 50!
Genesis 50
22 Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.
23 Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.
24 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.”
25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here.”
26 So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years; and he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.
Joseph: A Model Life (Because It Was a Godly Life)
Joseph ascended to the heights of success despite his the trials and troubles thrown into his life.
He lived to see his great-great-grandchildren by his son Ephraim, and by his son Manasseh.
He died when he was 110 years old, was embalmed and buried in Egypt (though temporarily). But before he died he made his brothers promise that when their family finally left Egypt to return home that they would take his bones back and give him a proper burial.
Joseph's Tomb Then & Today
Joseph's request was eventually granted when Moses led the children of Israel of out Egypt hundreds of years later.
"Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones from here with you.”(Exodus 13:19)
Joseph eventually was buried in Shechem.
"Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph’s sons." (Joshua 24:32)
It might have taken from Genesis 50 until hundreds of years later in Exodus 13 for Joseph's bones to be carried out of Egypt, and until Joshua 24 for them to find their final resting place, but God was faithful and the faithful Joseph's final request was granted.
No matter how long it might take, keep trusting the Lord.
ARCHEOLOGY TODAY: If you ever go to Israel, you can visit Joseph's tomb. Did you notice the picture of Joseph's tomb on this page?
The stories we studied in this book were about real people serving the same God we serve today and who will love us forever.
