Joshua 24:29-33 How Three Burials Bolster Our Faith

Joshua 24:29-33 concludes the book by highlighting three key individuals who are buried in their piece of the Land. Joshua, Joseph, and Eleazar the high priest all have strong connections to the Promised Land. Joseph’s faith in God’s deliverance was displayed in Genesis 50:25-26 “...God will surely come to your aid...” Eleazar figured prominently in the distribution of the Land (cf. 14:1; 17:4). More importantly, though, is where these three burials leave the reader. Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16, 39-40 teach us that although they were buried in the Promised Land, that land was not the promise they were waiting for. These three burials foreshadow the resurrection of the dead to eternal life spoken of in Daniel 12:1-3. The life, death, and resurrection of our High Priest, Jesus Christ, makes it possible for us to hope ultimately in the creation of new heavens and new earth where the righteous will live (cf. Is. 65:17-25).