Genesis

[0:00] the words which I trust the Lord will enable me to make a few remarks will be found in the book of Genesis chapter 50 the last four words in verse 26 a coffin in Egypt the book of Genesis chapter 50 and we'll read the whole verse 26 so Joseph died being 110 years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt this book of Genesis is a wonderful book it is that which man would dispute which man would despise and yet

[1:07] I believe it is a book which the Lord's people love it is a book which encourages them as they are able by faith under the influence of the Holy Spirit to see the beginning of creation the wonderful plan of creation God's mercy with regard to salvation and how it begins with the creation and ends with a coffin in Egypt and how like our experience as we are created so we must all come to the end ah you say yes but all we hear is death I wish we could hear more of it I wish it would come home more to us because death is a reality we must all needs die and we shall be as that water spilt upon the ground which cannot be gathered well now you see the life of Joseph was a very trying life and there seemed to be so much death in it this was not the first time that

[2:41] Joseph was coffin you remember how he went out to his brethren and how they despised him how they sold him how they put him in the pit and there he was coffined in that pit as good as dead and then he was brought out of that pit sold to the Midianites taken down into Egypt and although he received much favour it wasn't very long before he was coffined again in that prison shut away from everything there he was alone it seemed as if he was forgotten and now he is eventually brought down to the end of time and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt what a state to be in for a child of God to be in a coffin and above all in Egypt yet this for the most part is the feeling and the lot of the Lord's dear people

[3:59] I think we mentioned in prayer there is death and curse in every stream but in the well of Bethlehem and if you haven't got a coffin in Egypt my friend there is not much hope of any life within your soul how the Lord brings his people and how poor old Israel as he was brought into that place that his Joseph was dead this coffin in Egypt all the sorrows of the way never again did he think he sees Joseph and how often the Lord's people are brought into these places we set our minds upon something we have our little Joseph we make him a coat of many colours all our schemes and all our plans they all seem to go into this little coat of many colours and as we place it upon him and there our pride we are so forgetful aren't we of this wonderful

[5:15] God and as we place this wonderful coat upon him our mind is so taken up with the things of time and all our plans and all our schemes we lose sight of this fading world we lose sight of death and destruction which must come upon this earth but there has to be a coffin in Egypt it's not long before that wonderful jacket is brought back that coat of many colours and it's set before us but no Joseph in it it's a reminder of what has been and also a reminder of what is to come or how our schemes our worthless schemes as the hymn writer calls them and how we seem to mix them with God but how good it is when the Lord brings us a coffin in Egypt well now my young people at home we give them a question most

[6:27] Sundays as we've got no Sabbath school we ask them to give us the number of years or the longest funeral that took place and you'll find that this from the time Joseph died to the time he was buried was many hundreds of years and as the children of Israel journeyed we often think of them with the cloud and the pillar of smoke and the fire the ark but how will we lose sight of this coffin in Egypt which they took with them wherever they went they had the ark they had the cloud they had the flame to lead them and guide them and direct them but also there was this coffin and it went before them not for forty years but it went before them until they came to Canaan the promised land until that was buried according to the will of Joseph in Canaan it was a reminder of them of the certainty of God's promise being fulfilled but always before them they had this reminder of death so it's not wrong for us to bring before you the reminder of death there are those today they have the ark they have the light that they are leading and guiding and directing but they never have the coffin and the bones before them you never hear them crying out of a sense of need breathe on these bones so dry and dead thy sweetest softest influence shed but have you got this coffin in Egypt in your experience is it going before you all the time wherever you lay your hand upon anything it seems as if there's death it seems as if there's vanity and nothingness in it how the

[8:44] Lord teaches his people weans them from the world shows them the emptiness on it until they're brought to that place it's easy to say but when one is brought to realise what it is the dearest idol I have known whatever that idol be help me to tear it from thy throne and worship only thee you see our idols in a coffin in Egypt I never shall forget going to preach at a place when one of our friends who at that time was not a member with us but how she was brought into deep soul trouble under an operation complications sat in and how we felt we'd failed to set before her the truth as we should have done and as we went off to preach that we spoke from that word what shall a man give in exchange for his soul what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul and how that seemed to come home to us and it seemed as if that dear woman was already coughing seemed as if the Lord had taken her and we were responsible for her soul and how the Lord does come and he takes as it were those who we set too much upon how we may set this one up as a deacon and how we can see the

[10:34] Lord working within his heart and how our plans our little jacket you see many colours it's being made and we seem to think the Lord's going to do this and the Lord's going to do the other but it has to be coffined has to be brought and buried as it were sometimes right out of sight but oh to be made willing I say oh to be made willing for these things well now you see Joseph he meant so much to the children of Israel didn't he what a wonderful spirit he had but look at the fears look at the doubts that they had and rightly so because of their sin now there was a time you see when they would have been glad to have seen him in this coffin to have seen that he was red that they were rid of him and especially in this time of fear as they spoke unto him with regard to the forgiveness that they desired there was that time when they would have seen him buried when he was sold to the

[11:53] Midianites they didn't care about him then but how good he was and how Joseph is a type of Christ the goodness the mercy the loving kindness the way in which he wept and one would have thought well now this would have been a great trial to the children of Israel but they were careless they were responsible for his sufferings they were careless you and I are responsible if we are the people of God for the sufferings of the Lord Jesus it's an awful thing a solemn thing if we are not responsible in some measure for his sufferings if he never suffered for your sins well then you're in a most solemn place but how sometimes it seems as if our very hope has all gone we look back and we may say yes we now look the way we treated him we sold him we placed him in the pit and now you see we stand trembling before him we're in time of need now and how this man you see we go to him in our times of need and how good he is to us and then when he reveals himself to us as

[13:37] Joseph that one who we have cast aside that one who we've sinned against how strange is the gospel how blessed is the word of God when we're given that grace to see and understand the word of God and the glorious plan of redemption but better still when we feel our interest in it a coffin in Egypt and so you'll be brought if you're a child of God face to face with that heavenly Joseph you'll have to stand before him in all your need your life depending upon him and there will be those times when the

[14:39] Lord himself don't ever forget this that Joseph he went away couldn't refrain himself he went away from his brethren wept perhaps sometimes Satan will tempt you and he'll say the Lord's taking no notice of your petitions with all your sorrows with all your need with all your prayers the Lord isn't answering the Lord's not listening to your prayers who knows the Lord may be weeping you know he wept for Lazarus he wept for his people of old and although he's triumphant although he's conquered death and hell that human heart he still retains enthroned in highest bless he feels each tempted member's pains for their afflictions his don't you think for a moment that this

[15:44] God is careless and unconcerned with regard to your afflictions and your trials your temptations but sometimes he seems to be coffined in Egypt in this wilderness in this place where there is this powerful Pharaoh who will not let you go but there it is there is the coffin before you there is death before you you know there are those people they never have any death in their religion there is life in everything always able to speak of the goodness and the mercy of God and it is right and it is proper that we should but this I do know we are not always if we are the people of God we are not always feelingly in this frame of mind and then to be brought to know something of the wonders of this

[16:45] God as he has made these wonderful provisions for us and then as he has spoken to us with regard to those things which are past you remember how Joseph spoke to his brethren regarding the father and his brethren how he inquired after them it is good when the Lord reminds us of those things which have passed don't let us be unmindful of the way in which the Lord has led us don't let us be unmindful of those things which the Lord has done to have these constantly before us all that deep affliction that family trial that business trial that church trouble when it seemed that there was death upon it all when the devil told you that it was no good you might just as well give it all up and finish with it that there was no life within your soul that there was no life in the church today have you ever had satan come before you and as he's gone through the chapel he's pointed this one out to you and the other one all their failings all their frailties satan will never bring to your notice those blessings which the

[18:23] Lord's people have received but he'll always show you their failings you know when we're brought to see the failings of the Lord's dear people we ought to watch because surely satan is very near to us but how good it is when the Lord comes and he shows some good in his people when we're able to overlook all their faults when all their failings and all their bodily trials and so on and so forth those things which worry us when they're all coughing him and all we can see is what that person was in the sight of God and what they were in our eyes and in our opinion this I do know that where there is this union brought about by the Holy

[19:25] Spirit even death will not separate it a coffin in Egypt what a favourite it is to have known some of these dear old saints of old some we read of in the word of God that are before us and although they're dead and gone yet we have as it were before us the same as the children of Israel this record of their life constantly before us as we journey on there is this coffin in Egypt where we can see how the Lord led them how the Lord favoured them how they were brought into the fiery furnace how they were fearless of men how they stood for the truth and those things which the Lord had revealed to them how their prayers were answered how they patiently waited upon the Lord and how they came to the end of the journey with that same God who had led them and brought them through the wilderness down to the end and now all that we have is that coffin in

[20:42] Egypt their spirit that which we felt a union to is no longer there but the spirit has gone to God who gave it we had two words upon our mind as we came before you this evening this is most unusual we hardly knew which one to speak from but how that word in Ecclesiastes has been on our mind wherever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken which of course is very similar to this text but how that silver cord which unites the brain with all the members of the body the spinal cord how there can be no movement heavenward how there can be no movement one member to another without that silver cord which is so pure how there can be no uprightness without it but all this must come to an end even that which unites the Lord's dear people whilst here upon earth the spirit of course will not come to an end but as we see them and as we know them now and as we have seen them so they will be coffined but have you got a coffin in Egypt is there one buried in this land whose dust is so precious to you one who you have journeyed with one who you've been able to speak to with regard to the things of

[22:24] God and now beyond all doubt you know that they are in heaven you may have doubts with regard to yourself but as you look back upon those precious hours that you spent one with each other as you were able to commune one with each other and now it seems as if you're one on your own those who you were able to commune with have all gone there are not those now that you're able to go to and speak to and find that same spirit and that unity not the same desires that you have for how this world is coming and the church of God is coming to that time where it is ripening for destruction and where the Lord will come and bring his people home but a coffin in Egypt this describes surely the feelings for the most part of a child of

[23:40] God do you find any life in Egypt Egypt I say can you feel any life in Egypt are you able to mix with the world are you able to meet and go with the Egyptians are you able to enjoy the things which they enjoy or are you one who suffers under the bondage of the Egyptians and you feel this death upon everything but occasionally there is that spirit that works within your heart and although you can see death within your members although you feel your flesh to be death sometimes you have to sing death within thee all about thee but the remedies without thee see it in the Saviour's plan now so often then we look upon this coffin in Egypt and we say well now that's the finish but is it what does the word of God say it is I am the resurrection and the life a coffin in Egypt will not prevent the purposes of

[25:05] God being fulfilled the fact that Joseph was in this coffin would not stop the children of Israel being brought out of Egypt and being delivered why this was a token this was an evidence this was a proof that as they had it before them the Lord was working if the Lord has stamped death upon your religion that's a proof that's an evidence that the Lord is working if there's death stamped upon your strength death stamped upon your plans this is an evidence that the Lord is working how the Lord brings an exercise into the hearts of his dear people how he exercises them how he convinces them and how they are led by the Holy Spirit as they hear that voice behind them saying this is the way walk ye in it perhaps there's one here tonight you hear this voice behind you saying this is the way walk ye in it and yet it seems to be coughing you're unable to do anything about it and to hear this voice continually speaking but as soon as the Lord comes and as he says

[26:26] Lazarus come forth coffins graves sepulchers stones it matters not what the barrier may be that soul will come forth nothing will bar it and so you see as Joseph made his brethren take this oath and say God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones from hence this was a prophecy and the prophecy was fulfilled and how the Lord did visit them how they were brought into that solemn place and how there was death even then have you thought of the coffins in Egypt that night when the Lord came the angel of the Lord came but he said when I see the blood I will pass over it was quite evident that the houses of the children of Israel and the houses of the

[27:30] Egyptians were alike there was only one distinction and that was the blood otherwise in every other way they were alike it's quite obvious and as the Lord says when I see the blood that will be the mark that will be the evidence now here we are all by nature in this coffin in Egypt apart from that precious blood of the Lord Jesus but as the angel of the Lord came and as the firstborn was smitten those coffins in Egypt the coffins of the wrath of God solemn thing isn't it or when you come to the end of the journey which coffin would you rather be in Joseph's coffin all the Egyptians coffin and so you see even poor

[28:35] Joseph as he was brought into Egypt there was his bones there was this coffin but the promise must be fulfilled and as this promise was fulfilled so the this went before them and the trials that they met with how Pharaoh pursued them and how he will pursue them and as they came into that wilderness with the mountains around them the enemy before them the enemy behind them and the sea before them there was this evidence there was this mark there was still the coffin coming out of Egypt now there was this coming out all according to the purpose and the will of God now this is a blessed thought when all our coffins come out of Egypt all those things which seem to be death those things which seem to be so impossible and yet the purposes of God are being fulfilled as we're able to come out ah but where does it bring us into a happy place indeed not into the wilderness and here we travel year after year with these bones before us and all we can see at times we lose sight of the ark we lose sight of the fiery cloud the pillar of smoke we lose sight of the directing hand of

[30:20] God but how we can see this coffin in Egypt do you find that in your pathway there's more death than life I do and yet how this God is a wonderful God how he leads his people how he goes before them and how he has promised them that these bones will eventually be brought in his time and his way to Shechem there they will be buried now the Lord makes you a promise and if the Lord has a promise towards his people that promise must and shall be fulfilled nothing can bar it nothing can hinder it Pharaoh can do his worst unbelief may come your fears your doubts Jesus

[31:21] Christ God's only son bids you undismayed go on is there some foresoul here tonight the only little bit of religion you've got is a coffin in Egypt all your hopes seem to be coffined he who has helped you hitherto it all seems dead have you ever thought of those two on the Emmaus road with regard to this subject look what they went through if ever any had a coffin in Egypt they did where the Lord Jesus was taken from them he in whom they trusted but how he came to them how he revealed himself and gained to them and then just one last thought with regard to this showing you and I if the

[32:27] Lord tarry will be in a coffin in Egypt but what about our spirit will the spirit go unto God that gave it yes it will your spirit doesn't matter who you are will go unto God who gave it and it will go unto him for judgment he will be the judge the last great judge when your sinful flesh has been laid in this coffin in Egypt what hope of you of a glorious resurrection you know sometimes as we lay those in the grave we have no cause whatever to hope for a glorious resurrection no evidence it is good when we have an evidence but whatever we may say whatever we may think with regard to others what about ourselves does it ever concern you as to what this coffin in

[33:51] Egypt will be to you we know not do we what a day may bring forth it may be said soon of you that wine is in a coffin in Egypt but we can come with that which we have just sung where the Lord will raise our dust in that glorious day when he sees the blood even the blood upon that coat of many colors with all our worthless schemes with all our plans to see the blood on that to see the blood even upon the coffin upon all our all that we possess we should need this blood when I see the blood I will pass over so

[34:52] Joseph died being a hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt you and I may live to be a hundred and ten it matters not how long we live but what will happen when we die and then to realize that all our death and all that which has hindered us and kept us so long from the presence of our Lord that we shall eventually look forward under the influence of the Holy Spirit to that time when we shall burst these chains with sweet surprise and in our Saviour's image rise free from sin free from death free from this body of sin and death but our poor remains will be in a coffin in

[36:04] Egypt there's no need for us to fear if we are the people of God but if we are not how solemn or may the Lord then grant unto us light upon his word and may we be able to bury all our self righteousness yes in this coffin in Egypt there will be all our filthy rags all unrighteous all buried and then to be forever with the Lord never again to put on this body of sin and death but while we journey here that will always be before us we shall always have this reminder and we shall have to say so often with Paul of old when he said a wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death ever dying but may the Lord then grant unto us the reality of his grace and as one said oh wash us in that precious blood and take our sins away we must leave it may the

[37:15] Lord have his blessing amen