As we resume the story of Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt, the seven years of “abundance” have ended, and the effects of the famine are beginning to be felt in Egypt and elsewhere. Surrounding countries did not foresee the impending disaster and were unprepared for the food shortage that would threaten their survival. Here is how Genesis 41:54 and 41:57 frame the situation:
“And the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food.” v.54
“And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.” v.57
The God-Dream Joseph interpreted was exclusive to Pharaoh but had major implications for all the surrounding areas. However, God, in His mercy, was looking out for the needs of those outside Egypt, especially the seventy members of Jacob’s family. God prepared Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dream and save Egypt, but His plan was much larger than what seemed immediately apparent. God had Israel on His mind. God doesn’t forget the promises He has made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
We may wonder why God allows awful things to happen and how all He has promised is going to work out, However, He is “bigger” than any challenge we may face and, as Paul reminds us in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Have you noticed how something unexpected, a health crisis, a financial problem, or a family issue, can get your attention and cause you to think about asking God for help? A crisis is a “dangerous opportunity.” It is dangerous because, if not addressed quickly, it can lead to bigger issues that become more difficult over time. Problems do not simply go away, and it is wise to “nip it in the bud.” Our crisis or problem is often disguised as an opportunity to grow, to take responsibility for our part in the problem, and to think about changes we can make to minimize problems in the future.
Think about what God does through “ordinary” life events to save Israel and further His “big picture ” promise of a savior for all of us.
Jacob’s family must survive the famine if God’s plan is to survive.
The famine that hit Egypt and the surrounding areas is so severe that it cannot be ignored. People and livestock will die without food. God has the attention of folks outside of Egypt, and they are deciding to go there for food. Jacob has learned there is grain in Egypt, and he reprimands his sons with this question: “Why do you just keep looking at each other? ” He continues, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” Genesis 42:1-2.
God remembers his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is fully aware that Jacob and his family are His chosen instruments through which the Savior will come into the world. Like their neighbors, they are vulnerable to what can happen if they don’t have food to eat.
God is using the famimine to “trigger” a process that will saeve His chosen people, and can offer an opportunity for repentance and healing between Joseph and his estranged brothers. How great is our God!
God has a plan already in place to save His people.
Jacob and his family may have been surprised by the famine, but God was not. They were rightly concerned about how they would survive, but God had already provided for that. God knows our future and has a plan to help us in our time of need. He is always ahead of us, knowing and planning for what we need. Foreknowledge is an aspect of God’s character that we may often overlook or not understand, but He knows our past, present, and future. His foreknowledge allows Him to provide what we need before we even know we need it!
Do you recall the story of Abraham getting ready to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on the altar? God intervened just at the moment he was going to kill Isaac with a substitute for Isaac; a ram was caught in some nearby thicket. How did the ram get there at that very moment? Did God suddenly make the ram and put it there? I don’t think so. As Abraham and Isaac were on the way to the place God had told Abraham to make the sacrifice, the ram was also on the way to the same place. The ram was provided at the very moment it was needed. Coincidence? No, it was there because of God’s foreknowledge and providence!
Isn’t this what happened when Jacob’s family of seventy faced starvation? God put a person in place in Egypt to save Jacob’s family; that person was Joseph, the son Jacob thought long dead. The person in charge in Egypt wasn’t just any person, but a God-appointed person. Do you see what God is doing? God put Joseph in Egypt over thirteen years before the famine to provide for his family. He came to Egypt as a slave, was put in prison, and later interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams about the impending famine. God’s timing was impeccable!
How is God’s invisible hand working in your life?
Most of the time, we are so distracted by our challenges that we fail to realize that God is working in our lives. As I look back over many decades, I can see clearly how God’s invisible hand has guided me, disciplined me, and provided everything I have needed. This realization has helped me appreciate how God loves me and how I can trust Him to use all of my circumstances to make me a little more like Jesus. My problems become opportunities to depend on Him to provide all I need so I can honor Him through these challenges.
Think about how God is working out Romans 8:28 in your life, ” God works in everything for good to those who love Him…”
What’s going on in your life right now? How is God’s invisible hand at work?