Good Morning.
And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with bread, according to the number in their families. (Genesis 47:11-12)
Just weeks before this occurred, Jacob and his family were facing eventual death from starvation. How quickly things turned around for him and his loved ones. From their perspective it was suddenly and unexpected, however, from God’s point of view, it was the culmination of a series of events that was years in the making. And once it came to fruition, please notice that Jacob and his family weren’t given the leftovers of Egypt; they were given the best Egypt had to offer.
Though they had to endure the famine just as everyone else, their relationship with the Most High situated them to endure it in the best of conditions and with the knowledge they had a friend in high places. All of it served God’s purpose. And while it is true that, in time, that situation would change, this demonstrates how God influences the movers and shakers in this world to show favor to His people and make decisions beneficial to them. In my mind it is an example of how, “The wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22).
When God blesses His people, it is always surprising to observe how He does it and who He uses to do it. I seriously doubt that Jacob, when facing the crisis the famine had presented him, foresaw being ushered into the presence of Pharaoh and so suddenly relived of the burden the famine had been. Yet, it happened and when it did, he and his family were not served scraps; in effect, they were fed from the king’s own table. That is the God we serve; He considers our needs and provides for them according to His purpose and grace. May it be that we always find favor in His sight so that in the day of adversity, we and our families can dwell in peace and abundance.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments