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&
Brooksyne Weber
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Tuesday, September
5, 2023
Burrville
Falls at the
Burrville
Cider Mill
near
Watertown, NY.
Click on photo to enlarge
"A
Lesson From Bones"
Message
summary: Where
is your home
today? Who has
your heart?
So, how are
you doing in
your sojourn
through
"Egypt"? I
hope you're
remaining
faithful to
God, thriving
in your
Christian
walk. We must
remember where
home is, where
our true
allegiance
lies, and like
Joseph,
remember
where
our "bones"
must be
buried.
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"By
faith Joseph,
when his end
was near,
spoke about
the exodus of
the Israelites
from Egypt and
gave
instructions
about his
bones"
(Hebrews
11:22).
I enjoy watching the nature series presented by the BBC. The photography is amazing and the narration by Sir David Attenborough makes you perk up your ears and listen carefully. His voice, its inflection and tone just makes you want to call him "Sir"! He's still living at 97 years of age.
Today we link to a short video showing a group of elephants coming across the bones of a relative. Their movements, observations, and interest indicate their sense of recognition and respect. The adult elephants and their babies all seem to indicate some familiarity with this ancestor as they gently nuzzle their trunks against the bones.
So let's consider an account in the Scriptures concerning bones: human bones, that is.
Today's rather obscure verse speaks powerfully regarding the imminence of death and the vital truth of knowing where our real home is. Of all the evidences the writer of Hebrews could use, from the Biblical account of Joseph that speaks of Joseph's faith, this verse is the single instance in the "Faith Chapter". "By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones."
The story of Joseph is recorded in Genesis 37-50. As a youth Joseph was sold as a slave by his own jealous half-brothers. After some tough bumps and setbacks, over a period of thirteen years, including a lengthy imprisonment, he rose to the position of Prime Minister in Egypt. He had power, wealth, strength, good looks and prestige; a tremendous contrast to the years he spent in prison. Surely one would assume that living under these conditions in Egypt, the dominant world empire at the time, this would have become his home and his final resting place.
Yet on his deathbed he had something else in mind. Long before the Egyptian bondage even began he was speaking of the Exodus. In Genesis 50:25 he made this request to his brothers; "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." (From Egypt to the land of Canaan.)
Another
rather obscure
verse in
Exodus reveals
that this
promise was
faithfully
kept over 400
years later! "Moses
took the bones
of Joseph with
him because
Joseph had
made the sons
of Israel
swear an oath.
He had said,
'God will
surely come to
your aid, and
then you must
carry my bones
up with you
from this
place'"
(Exodus 13:19).
Incredibly,
this oath was
faithfully
repeated from
generation to
generation
until its
fulfillment
400 years
later!
Can you imagine being assigned to carry those 400 year old bones over hills, mountains, bodies of water, dessert sand? The Israelites, at Moses' direction, obeyed his order and finally in Joshua 24:32 we read: "And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants."
Even though Joseph was a ruler in Egypt, he knew his home was elsewhere. He had last lived in Canaan as a lad of 17 but the teaching of his childhood had a remarkable, enduring impact on him. Although he had been the Prime Minister since he was 30 and died at 110, Egypt never fully gripped his heart. He remembered where home was.
Where is your home today? Who has your heart? Are you doing well in "Egypt"? How are you doing in your sojourn through "Egypt"? I hope you're remaining faithful to God, thriving in your Christian walk. We must remember where home is, where our true allegiance lies, and like Joseph, remember where our "bones" belong.
All
I once held
dear, built my
life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this
Knowing
You, Jesus,
Knowing You
I enjoy watching the nature series presented by the BBC. The photography is amazing and the narration by Sir David Attenborough makes you perk up your ears and listen carefully. His voice, its inflection and tone just makes you want to call him "Sir"! He's still living at 97 years of age.
Today we link to a short video showing a group of elephants coming across the bones of a relative. Their movements, observations, and interest indicate their sense of recognition and respect. The adult elephants and their babies all seem to indicate some familiarity with this ancestor as they gently nuzzle their trunks against the bones.
So let's consider an account in the Scriptures concerning bones: human bones, that is.
Today's rather obscure verse speaks powerfully regarding the imminence of death and the vital truth of knowing where our real home is. Of all the evidences the writer of Hebrews could use, from the Biblical account of Joseph that speaks of Joseph's faith, this verse is the single instance in the "Faith Chapter". "By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones."
The story of Joseph is recorded in Genesis 37-50. As a youth Joseph was sold as a slave by his own jealous half-brothers. After some tough bumps and setbacks, over a period of thirteen years, including a lengthy imprisonment, he rose to the position of Prime Minister in Egypt. He had power, wealth, strength, good looks and prestige; a tremendous contrast to the years he spent in prison. Surely one would assume that living under these conditions in Egypt, the dominant world empire at the time, this would have become his home and his final resting place.
Yet on his deathbed he had something else in mind. Long before the Egyptian bondage even began he was speaking of the Exodus. In Genesis 50:25 he made this request to his brothers; "God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up from this place." (From Egypt to the land of Canaan.)
Another
rather obscure
verse in
Exodus reveals
that this
promise was
faithfully
kept over 400
years later! "Moses
took the bones
of Joseph with
him because
Joseph had
made the sons
of Israel
swear an oath.
He had said,
'God will
surely come to
your aid, and
then you must
carry my bones
up with you
from this
place'"
(Exodus 13:19).
Incredibly,
this oath was
faithfully
repeated from
generation to
generation
until its
fulfillment
400 years
later!Can you imagine being assigned to carry those 400 year old bones over hills, mountains, bodies of water, dessert sand? The Israelites, at Moses' direction, obeyed his order and finally in Joshua 24:32 we read: "And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants."
Even though Joseph was a ruler in Egypt, he knew his home was elsewhere. He had last lived in Canaan as a lad of 17 but the teaching of his childhood had a remarkable, enduring impact on him. Although he had been the Prime Minister since he was 30 and died at 110, Egypt never fully gripped his heart. He remembered where home was.
Where is your home today? Who has your heart? Are you doing well in "Egypt"? How are you doing in your sojourn through "Egypt"? I hope you're remaining faithful to God, thriving in your Christian walk. We must remember where home is, where our true allegiance lies, and like Joseph, remember where our "bones" belong.
Be
encouraged
today,
(Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father,
because the
Scripture
tells us so
much about our
future eternal
homeland, we
find ourselves
homesick for a
place we've
never been.
Perhaps that's
because we've
chosen to live
as strangers
in this world
in reverential
fear toward
You, our holy
God! Our
hopes, our
affections and
our joys will
be fully
realized on
the other side
where Jesus
will wipe away
the tears from
our eyes and
we will know
no sorrow, no
suffering, no
good-byes and
no sin. We can
hardly wait
but will
endure till
you call us
home! Amen.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"All
I Once Held
Dear"
Watch
video on
YouTube
Maranatha!
Promise Band
"Homesick
For Heaven"
Watch
video on
YouTube
Jim
Brady Trio
We
returned last
night from a
four day trip
to upstate New
York where we
stayed in
Watertown, not
far from the
Canadian
border and
some 100 miles
south of
Ottawa. This
week we will
share some
photos from
our trip.
Saturday
morning we
visited the
Burrville
Cider Mill, a
family run
operation near
Watertown and
enjoyed some
sweet cider
slush and
home-made
donuts. We
were touched
by this
tribute to one
of the family
members who
loved the
hymn, "In the
Garden".
How
many of you
enjoy
cheesecake?
(Probably
most) The main
factory
producing
Philadelphia
cream cheese
is in
Lowville, New
York.
Interesting
factoid: Cream
cheese
originated in
1872 in this
part of New
York state
where there is
also a
Philadelphia!
Not in
Philadelphia,
PA!
Saturday
afternoon we
went to a
wedding
reception for
Hannah, one of
Ester's
longtime
friends near
Lowville, New
York. It was
held in
a
spacious
function
center with a
distant view
of the
beautiful
Adirondack
Mountains.
This
area of New
York state is
very
agricultural
with large
farms and
landscape
similar to
Lancaster
County,
probably not
what most
people think
of when they
think about
New York!
(most probably
think city)
After
the reception
we headed over
to Sackets
Harbor to walk
around and
explore the
quaint
village. We
had dinner on
the waterfront
and then
viewed the
sunset over
Lake Ontario.
Click on photo to enlarge
Click on photo to enlarge
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In considering support we are so pleased when we hear from you, our readers, that our messages are a source of teaching and encouragement to you. We also urge you to consider the mission aspect of these daily teachings that are freely available and read by many all over the world.
To
donate
directly
online
click here.
(This will
open to a page
that
designates the
offering
to: STEPHEN
&
BROOKSYNE
WEBER -
700001-237376 SERVING
IN SPECIALIZED
CHAPLAINCY)
If
you desire you
can also
donate
directly
through PayPal
using this link.
This will open
to a page that
states
"Brooksyne
Weber". We
keep this
option
available due
to the
familiarity,
convenience,
for
international
supporters,
and for those
who may not
need an
official
receipt. You
can also set
up for
recurring
donations.
Thank
you,
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
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radioPermissions: Please feel free to pass on, reproduce and distribute any material on Daily Encouragement Net, in part or in whole, in any format, provided that you do not alter the wording in any way or charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. It is our desire to spread this material, not protect or restrict it. We do request that you keep the contact, copyright and subscription information intact.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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