# 463 Prolonged Days

The Book of Genesis

Day 463

Ge 50:22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father's household. And Joseph lived one hundred and ten years.  23 Joseph saw Ephraim's children to the third generation. The children of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were also brought up on Joseph's knees.  24 And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but 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."  25 Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here."  26 So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

I like the picture we are left with in the Book of Genesis! A great grandfather bouncing his great grandchildren on his knees! As the Proverb states: “Children's children are the crown of old men, And the glory of children is their father.” (Prov 17:6)

Further, the psalmist proclaims a blessing on all those who fear the Lord and walk in His ways when he says, “Yes, may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel!”

Joseph’s life had been an example of one who “feared the Lord and walked in His ways.” And even though the commandment, “Honor thy father and mother, that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth had not yet been etched in stone, it certainly had been etched on the heart of Joseph!

He demonstrated to all of us what this commandment really means as it relates to respect for authority. He spent his whole life honoring those who were in positions of authority over him. He honored God, his father Jacob, Potiphar, and Pharaoh, and in so doing his days were literally prolonged

Now I don’t know about you, but I have always struggled with this “promise.” I mean not everyone who has consistently honored authority has been grant a long life on earth in chronological years! So “prolonged days,” must have something more going for it than old age, and I think that “something” is productivity! A life, lived well, that makes a difference in the kingdom of God!  A prolonged day is an effective day, a day that makes an impact.

Jesus said in Joh 9:4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

Prolonged days are effective kingdom labors. This is the promise of this commandment. Jesus only lived a short time on this earth. He died at the young age of 33, yet He had prolonged days!  There has never been or ever will be anyone with a more effective life on this earth!

So, if you want to be an effective worker in serving Jesus. If you want to truly make a difference in this world for Christ, it starts with Joseph and Jesus like respect, for those authorities that God has placed over us.  To be honest, I don’t think we emphasize this enough in our families and in the church. Maybe we ought to look at the examples of respecting authority that we are setting for our children! (Hint) Was that you I heard in the bleachers?)