How does the book of Genesis end compared with how it begins?
Genesis begins with 'in the beginning God created,' but ends with a coffin in Egypt, where Joseph died and was embalmed. Despite this ending of death, the comforting principle remains that God buries His servants but never His program. So the book of beginnings closes with a coffin, yet God's program continues.
Les explains that Genesis is the book of beginnings, starting with 'in the beginning God created,' but it ends with Joseph's death at 110 years old, his embalming, and his coffin in Egypt. Joseph made the children of Israel swear to carry his bones back to Canaan, trusting God would visit them and bring them out of Egypt to the land sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Les points out that though God buries His servants, He never buries His program; His program keeps moving on, leading into Exodus.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.