"And Joseph said unto his Brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall CARRY UP MY BONES from hence" (Gen. 50:24-25)

It was the tradition of the Jews never to leave dead bodies for long before being buried. However, in the case of Joseph, he instructed his brethren to not bury him right away nor embalm him as it was the custom in Egypt then. Rather, he gave them the instruction to carry up his bones with them when God delivers them out of Egypt. The fulfilment of this deliverance was however going to take some 400yrs! Here are the lessons:

(1) God's word will never fail regardless how long it takes. In the case of the Israelites, it took some 400yrs but it eventually happened. God did visit his people

(2) Truth Faith believes that whatever God has promised, He is able to perform. It was God's promise through Joseph to deliver Israel and no matter how unthinkable or unfeasible it may, appear, genuine faith believes He can!

(3) True Faith trusts God's promises. Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways of answering our prayers of which we know nothing. Exactly how God will deliver Israel from Egypt, joseph didn't know but he kept on assuring: God will Surely visit you.

(4) God's promises brood No delay. They may appear late in our sight but they aren't in God'. He does things perfectly in His own time. Just be still and know that I am the Lord. (Psalm 46:10)

(5) True faith waits patiently on the Lord. One virtue that qualified some Isrealites to witness the fulfilment of the promise was patience. Wait patiently on the Lord, I say yea wait on the Lord (Psalm 27:14)

(6) True faith lives a pilgrim lifestyle. Do you know that all the time Joseph was in Egypt, his heart was in the promised land? That was while he made the pronouncement "Carry up my bones". You can be in Egypt today (the world, a job, an education e.t.c) but you heart ought to be in Canaanland (Heaven)

(7) A true believer cherishes the blessed hope. Joseph was actually looking forward to the apocalyptic day of judgement when God shall ultimately deliver His people from the Egypt of this world and settle them in Canaan Land. That should be our own obsession too.