Faith and Faithfulness

“This book, which began with triumphs, here ends with funerals, by which all the glory of man is stained,” Matthew Henry writes in his commentary on the book of Joshua. Indeed, we saw the death and burial of Joshua in yesterday’s study, and two more burials follow today. But in these burials we see yet another powerful demonstration of the faithfulness of God.

From the time God made His covenant with Abraham, promising to make of him a great nation, He made it known that his descendants would be held captive in a foreign land until delivered by God (Gen. 15:13–14). In time, God providentially took Abraham’s great-grandson, Joseph, to Egypt and raised him up to a position of power, paving the way for the migration of Joseph’s father, brothers, and their families to the land of the Nile to escape famine in Canaan. The family never returned to Canaan in Joseph’s lifetime, and following his death they were subjugated as slaves. Joseph certainly saw it coming, but he knew well that Israel’s bondage was a part of God’s plan and that He would deliver the nation someday. As he lay dying, Joseph said, “ ‘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’ ” (Gen. 50:24b). Then he made his people swear that they would carry his bones out of Egypt to be buried in Canaan (Gen. 50:25). Moses honored that oath at the time of the Exodus (Ex. 13:19), and the Israelites bore the patriarch’s coffin through all their years of wandering. Now, at long last, God having given rest to His people, the bones of Joseph are laid to rest, as well. But how great the contrast! Jacob possessed only a tiny piece of the Promised Land that he bought from the Canaanites; now his descendants possess the entire land, just as God promised. Israel’s faithful God has fulfilled His promises to the patriarchs.

Finally, we read of the death of Eleazar the priest, who was the son of Aaron, Moses’ brother and the nation’s first priest. We know little about Eleazar other than that he received the priesthood upon the death of his father (Num. 20:28) and assisted in the apportionment of Canaan (Josh. 14:1). But he nowhere disgraced his office as did his older brothers, Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1–7). He, like Joshua, has given Israel godly leadership for many years.