47:1-6 Joseph’s faithfulness affected his entire family. When he was in the pit and in prison, Joseph must have wondered about his future. Instead of despairing, he faithfully obeyed God and did what was right. Here we see one of the exciting results. We may not always see the effects of our faith, but we can be sure that God will honor faithfulness.
47:29-31 Jacob had Joseph promise to bury him in his homeland. Few things were written in this culture, so a person’s word carried as much force as a written contract does today. People today seem to find it easy to say, “I didn’t mean that.” God’s people, however, are to speak the truth and live the truth. Let your words be as binding as a written contract.