Providential Provision for Israel (God Has This Plan)
Book of Genesis Chapters 41 through Chapter 45
We do not have to study the Scriptures long, until we will realize that the Lord is working behind the scenes in His created world to make sure there is a positive ending.
The plan of God is amazing!
The plan of God is sure!
The plan of God is unstoppable!
God knows what is best for each of us and He will actively work in our lives if we are willing to allow Him to do so.
Why does God do these things? Because He cares!
1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
If something is bothering you, then you need to go to the Lord!
He wants to hear about it even though He already knows what is going on in your life.
You want to be in the family of God? Then you need to be in the will of God!
Mar 3:35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
We cannot be a part of this world and be in the will of God!
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The Lord will never give you something to do without He goes before you to prepare your way!
We know that Jehovah had told Abraham that Israel would spend 400 + years in a foreign nation and leave that nation with a great substance.
We now know that these things began when God moved Joseph into position.
Now we may not agree with everything Joseph had to go through, but we do know the Lord was with him and kept him safe while He trained Joseph to be second in command of Egypt the most powerful nation of that day.
Joseph is now in prison because he would not give in to temptation from the wife of Potiphar.
These things began with dreams and it would be dreams that would bring Joseph before Pharaoh.
*****Gen 41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
If we do not see anything else, we had better see the power of God behind the political world and the governments of the world.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
God never puts rulers in place to do bad things!
Joseph had now waited a long time for his deliverance, but he knew it was coming, he just did not know when.
It is the same for the Church today. We are bought and paid for by the blood of the Lamb of God. We are awaiting on the Lord to take us home!
We should also be able to see that it was not for Joseph's sake that he was called out of prison, it was because a mighty Pharaoh had a need that he did not understand.
Joseph recognizing this made himself presentable. As God's children we should never look like the world.
Joseph was not recognizing the Pharaoh's power he was recognizing God's power!
The world of that day needed the blessings of God to survive just as it is for the world today. We live in a dying world!
Pharaoh does not beat around the bush, he needed answers to these dreams that he did not understand.
Notice also Joseph is just as calm in the presence of Pharaoh as he was in the prison.
*****Gen 41:15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
Gen 41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
Joseph listens calmly as Pharaoh make his case, and the reason he had asked to see Joseph.
There was no one in all of Pharaoh's council who could interpret this dream of Pharaoh and this man had enough sense to not let it go.
To Pharaoh this thing seemed too important to let go and he was right.
In this dream was not just the plan to feed the family of Israel, but to feed all of Egypt and much of the world of that day.
We should understand that there is never a day that God does not make sure there is enough food to feed the world.
It is the governments and rulers who allow for people to starve to death!
Joseph takes only a moment to tell Pharaoh that he does not have the ability to interpret dreams, but it is the God of the Hebrews, who only can interpret these type of dreams!
In other words there was no false god that could have such an ability!
Psa 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Pro 3:31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Pro 3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.
The world simply cannot see nor understand the truth!
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Joseph clearly understood things that many Church members do not understand today!
Pharaoh then tells Joseph his dream and the Lord gives Joseph the proper interpretation.
*****Gen 41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
This message was for Pharaoh not Joseph or the children of Israel.
It would be Pharaoh who would have to make the right decision after he heard the interpretation of his dreams!
By showing Pharaoh the answer to these dreams, Joseph is now accepted as a Prophet of the Hebrew God, Elohim.
It was only later that God said He was the Great "I Am".
We must also understand that there is no "science" in interpreting the Word of God.
God says what He means, and God means what He says!
This is the message Joseph gave to Pharaoh as did Daniel.
Dan 2:27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
Dan 2:28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
No government leader should be swayed by his councilors until he knows he has the truth. If he is not satisfied with their answers then he will need to go outside that group of people and there is no better man to go that the true man of God.
I do not need to know what my government says, I need to know what my God says!
For all those who think that "science" must confirm or agree to the Word of God for the Word of God to be true are only foolish.
Just accept a literal translation of the Word of God, "rightly divided"!
Science changes as time goes by but the Word of God never changes because the truth will always be the truth.
*****Gen 41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
Gen 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
Gen 41:31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
Remember how Moses became God's Prophet to Pharaoh well we see that Joseph had set the example as Joseph was now God's Prophet to Pharaoh.
It is a fact that God has the power to give His servants understanding and insight!
God still does this today, but He uses His written Word to tell us of our future so there is no need for prophets.
God tells us to study the Word of God.
2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
If our new president needs some insight of the things of our world, and he does, then he should just study the Bible just as God told all the kings of Israel and all rulers then and today.
It is not enough to swear upon a book you have never read!
What was soon coming to Egypt? A famine such that has never been seen by the people of Egypt and the surrounding lands but before this occurred there would be seven years of plenty above what was normal.
Decisions have to be made in the good years because bad years always come.
In other words, we need to prepare for that bad day because it is certainly coming!
Again God had to get Jacob and his family to come to Egypt and it would never have happened without this famine!
Did God cause this famine? No, God does not do bad things! He does allow them to take place!
We must repeat this over and over. God does not do bad things, but He does allow many of them to take place!
It is Satan the Deceiver who caused this bad thing to happen.
Now do not get me wrong, God does have some rules as God told the children of Israel.
Deu 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
Deu 11:17 And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
Could God have stopped this thing? Yes, and He will explain it all to us one day!
Again, it was Satan trying to destroy the path to the Messiah and he will try many more times before the Lord is born in Bethlehem.
Seven years is nothing in the plan of God and remember God has written it all down for us to see that the only path to eternal life with Him is through and by the Lord Jesus Christ!
When God takes the time to tell us what is about to happen, He does this so we can prepare for the worse.
Today God tells us what will happen if we do not believe what He says, and we are fools if we do not take the Word of God serious!
When God repeats Himself, then we can expect things to happen soon!
The famine that was coming would wipe away all the good thoughts of those years of plenty.
These things were certain!
*****Gen 41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
Notice how the Holy Ghost now gives us a Biblical study tool.
When God has to repeat Himself then we can be sure these things will happen soon!
God repeats Himself because of His "Mercy". If God warns us one time then that is enough, but because God loves His creation, He repeats Himself many times.
Joseph could speak boldly because he was speaking the truth!
It is the same with every true Prophet in the Scriptures. They speak boldly because they speak the truth! The Word of God is that truth!
Joseph was so sure he then goes on to teach the most powerful man in the world of that day just what to do.
We will see that this Pharaoh was a pagan, but he did have some intelligence.
*****Gen 41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
Joseph had told Pharaoh that he needed a man who knew how to get Egypt through these 14 years.
Obviously, this wisdom came by the Lord, but we can see this young man named Joseph was certainly a special young man.
This man in charge would buy up one-fifth of all the grains that were harvested in those seven years of plenty.
Remember these were seven years of plenty so the crops would be greater than in a normal year.
All this grain would be stored in many cities safe and secure from the elements and with the seal of Pharaoh.
It would be much easier to handle the distribution of this food when the time came to do so.
This food would be held in reserve, unused for anything else, but those seven years of famine.
By this Egypt would be secure from economic collapse during the coming famine.
God has the power for our voices to be heard at His timing!
God will provide the wisdom that we need as He promises!
Psa 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
If we belong to the Lord and are following in His Will, He will give us understand and wisdom and speak through us, but we must have "faith"!
if we make ourselves available to the Lord, He will use us! God loves volunteers, ask Isaiah.
Joseph did not shy away though he stood before the earthly ruler of the world on that day.
Joseph knew that it was Elohim who was the God of all power and we are all puny in any power we think we have.
*****Gen 41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
Gen 41:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
Gen 41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
This free advice, given to Pharaoh was sound advice, in fact, so sound that even if the famine did not come the government of Pharaoh could not lose have control of such a valuable commodity.
Joseph was a man with the gift of God, the spirit of wisdom.
Joseph was free of selfishness.
Joseph was not plotting for advancement.
Joseph was pure used of the Holy Spirit.
Pharaoh was the sinner.
Pharaoh was rich and had need of nothing, or so he thought. (Reminds us of the last Church Age)
Pharaoh began to see that there was a God that he did not know about.
If Joseph had just interpreted the dream and said nothing else, Egypt would not have survived because Pharaoh lacked the wisdom to do the right thing.
If Joseph had not been selected to make sure these things were handled properly then Egypt would not have survived.
God was not so much set on the survival of Egypt as he was the survival of Israel, and this will never change.
The world needs to wake up to this fact today!
God knows what will take place at all times now and all future times, as long as time last!
Joseph had come out of the prison one day because he was requested by the Pharaoh of Egypt.
Before this day was over Joseph was wearing the signet ring of Pharaoh that was used to for signing public documents.
Joseph then began to wear a coat of fine linen. See even the coat made by his father Israel was a picture of prophecy!
He also wore a gold necklace, a badge of rank, indicating his rank and authority.
Joseph also had the privilege of riding in the state chariot.
A Pharaoh would have two chariots. One the state chariot, the other a war chariot.
There would be someone crying before him which said, "bend the head, bow the knee".
Joseph would be treated as royalty, as long as this Pharaoh lived and maybe longer as long as the family of this Pharaoh lived.
We know it was over 400 years before a wicked Pharaoh wanted to destroy Israel by making them all slaves.
*****Gen 42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
Joseph was now Governor over all the land of Egypt.
All merchantmen from every nation had to appear in person before Joseph to buy or to sell.
Remember Israel (Jacob) was a very rich man, who sent his sons to do business in Egypt, but Joseph had no responsibility to sell them anything.
After 22 years Joseph and his brothers were again face to face and according to the early dreams of Joseph, they bowed the knee with their faces toward the earth.
Gen 37:6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:
Gen 37:7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
Gen 37:8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
Gen 37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
Gen 37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?
Gen 37:11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
His brothers did not yet know this was Joseph and they did not recognize him with his new coat and position.
And Joseph did speak roughly to them as they had to him.
We see that nothing can stop the plan of God for He influences many rulers of this world and sets them all in power, though we may not understand why certain men become rulers or why they do what they do.
The survival of the nation of Egypt and maybe many other nations depended upon Joseph, but also the survival of Israel and his family was now in the hands of Joseph.
The world thinks things just happen by accident because this is the teaching of evolution!
The pure fact is, that all the things of this world happen according to the "providence of God working in our lives"!
There are no accidents!
Very seldom if any at all, does things happen to people unless someone breaking some law or someone involved was breaking a law.
Even trips and falls happen because we are reckless and stubborn.
Think about it and you will know this is true.
It is God who holds all life in His hands, and He knows what will happen to each of us daily and in our future.
God is under no obligation to extend the life of any of us!
God and God only, knows those who will return to Him!
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God knows those who will return to Him just as well as He does those who will never turn to Him!
Joseph finally had to tell his brothers the truth.
*****Gen 45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
When you have been concealing the truth for 22 years and the reality of that truth confronts you, you will not know what to say.
Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
It is by the providence of God that the truth will surface and lies will be exposed.
Yes, it will happen in our own government sooner, or later, not because I say so, but because God says so.
Joseph could no longer hold back his emotions.
Joseph had received "Grace" so now he offered "Grace".
Joseph understood why all things that happened to him, happened.
Joseph never took his eyes off of the Lord God Almighty.
Joseph understood what forgiveness really means!
Rewards can happen upon this earth, though most of our rewards will take place when we meet Jesus in the clouds.
Joseph's rewards were not his position nor his riches in Egypt.
Joseph's reward was being reunited with his family!
In this instance, by typology, Joseph is a type of our Heavenly Father!
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
God did not create Hell for humans, Hell was created for the Devil and his fallen angels.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
If you end up in Hell, it will be because you have rejected the truth! There is a place called Hell!
Joseph must yield to his love for his family.
*****Gen 45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
Joseph had always loved his brothers and never understood why they did what they did.
It took 22 years and a great distance for these 10 men to know love for their brother.
Joseph forgave his brothers because Joseph realized that the hand of God was involved in his purpose.
Joseph was treated badly by his brothers because of envy, jealousy and hatred because that this is what they had seen all their childhood days.
They had now spent 22 years seeing how this thing had affected their father and they were more mature.
If we study the Scriptures, we see that Joseph had reacted with love toward his brothers just as the Bible teaches.
God had not caused these men to mistreat their brother Joseph.
God had not caused Joseph to be sold into slavery, but God used it to further His plan for Israel.
God had not caused all the things that had happened to Joseph while he was in Egypt, but God had been with Joseph every moment of his life and caused him to prosper in all the things he had done.
Joseph wanted his brother to come closer to him because there were some things the Egyptians did not need to know, and Joseph wanted to put them at ease.
God wants us all to be just as forgiving as He is!
Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mar 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Joseph had forgiven them.
They knew what they had done and after reminding them just to show he was Joseph, not much more needed to be said.
Forgiveness shows love!
*****Gen 45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
When we realize that we are in the plan of God, and He has His hand upon us, we get to see the bigger picture. Somewhat like God sees His plan in action.
These brothers needed to establish some trust now that they had been reunited and the first step was forgiveness.
Jealousy, envy, bitterness and hatred had to be put aside for God's plan to become real.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
When we look back at all the foolish things and serious sin, we have done all our lives, we can become discouraged, but Joseph did not want his brothers to feel this way.
God can bring good out of every mistake and God has more forgiveness than we have error.
But we must repent and repent still means much more than saying "I am sorry".
There must be some action in our repentance.
These ten brothers were forgiven by Joseph and it was time for them to get together and save this family that God intended to build a nation from.
They were just a small part of the nation of Israel that exists today.
Joseph was sent before his family to make preparations, by the hand of God!
Psa 105:16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread.
Psa 105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant:
Psa 105:18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
Psa 105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him.
Psa 105:20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
Psa 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:
Psa 105:22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom.
Psa 105:23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
Psa 105:24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.
One of these days we will wake up and see that God knows what He is doing.
He has given us a purpose.
He has given us commandments.
Our one and only duty is to obey!
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Lets let God be God and stay out of His way, while we are obedient to do what He has called us to do!
Joseph told his brothers that this famine had just begun, and it was going to get worse.
This is the same message we have today.
The persecution we see today is going to get worse before the Lord takes us home!
Amen
