Joseph—new life
Today on Choosing Peace you’ll read about cows, the California fires, and a reversal of fortune.
Last time, we explored two important dreams. God gave Joseph the dream interpretations for Pharaoh’s officers who’d been imprisoned for quite a while—the chief cupbearer and the baker. Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him and speak on his behalf after the cupbearer was freed from prison, but he forgot about Joseph. What about the baker? Oh, he was executed in front of his peers at Pharaoh’s birthday party. And it wasn’t a “hanging” like we envision. It was gruesome. Beheading. Impaling. The body left in public to be eaten by birds. Yikes. Pharaoh gave his staff and servants a powerful, memorable message: “Don’t mess with me. Don’t even think about it. Happy Birthday to me!”
Pharaoh was king. And he had the power of life and death over his people.
Two stories—Laken and the fires
We like to think that The Powers That Be—today’s politicians—don’t have an impact on our daily lives, but they do. Just ask Laken Riley’s loved ones. Laken, a Christian nursing student at the University of Georgia, went jogging on campus last year and was raped and murdered by an illegal alien. Last week, 159 Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against the Laken Riley Act, which “requires federal authorities to deport heinous criminals, like the man who killed Laken Riley” [Liz Wheeler, episode 70]. Drink it in, Peaceful Readers. One hundred and fifty-nine Democrats in the United States House of Representatives said violent men and women who enter our country illegally and who injure and murder us have the right to stay in our country. And we, the citizens, have the right to pay for their state-funded defense and their incarceration. We The People get to “defend,” clothe and feed them. Excuse me? Thankfully, the Laken Riley Act passed, but the opposition to it was epically disturbing. (Only 48 out of 207 Democrats in the House voted for the Laken Riley Act.)
Do today’s politicians—The Powers That Be—impact our daily lives? Just ask the people in southern California who’ve lost homes or loved ones in this month’s devastating fires. What did the politicians have to do with the fires? President Trump addressed the essential forest management and water management problems in California with Governor Gavin Newsom in November 2019 (documented in the same Liz Wheeler episode). Did the governor do anything about it? No. Hear it straight from Liz Wheeler: “Politics impacts you.”
Coverage
For these two back-to-back, chilling January stories, see episode 70 of The Liz Wheeler Show. For the Laken Riley story, begin at 18:57 in the show. For the California wildfire story, begin at 22:05. For more on the California wildfires, see this 10-minute Sky News Australia piece. Their coverage of the mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, includes her silence in response to pointed questions about these catastrophic fires. Also, watch from 10:30 to 12:08 in episode 72 of The Liz Wheeler Show for a revealing map of the locations of the California fires, strategically set simultaneously, plus an illegal alien carrying a blow torch who was arrested for arson in setting one of the fires.
Common ground
What do these two stories—the murder of Laken Riley and the California “wildfires”—have in common? They painfully demonstrate Democratic policies and politicians in action. Biden’s open border. House Democrats voting with their party and against our people’s basic safety. California’s rabid “environmentalists.” How interesting that California’s politicians, who supposedly care so very much for the environment, just torched it. I guess they needed to clear some land for their 15-minute, “you will own nothing and be happy” cities.
These two stories also demonstrate the Democratic party’s alignment with the globalist and communist agendas. Chaos. Death. Destruction.
Peaceful Readers, we find ourselves in an epic battle of good vs. evil. Put on The Armor of God, fight on your knees in prayer, and do what the Lord calls you to do.
The petition
People in authority over our city, state and nation impact the people. We The People must vote, be informed and hold our elected officials accountable. A petition calling for the resignation of LA Mayor Karen Bass has almost 100,000 signatures. (See the Sky News Australia broadcast.)
Yes, indeed. People in power affect our lives—some more than others.
Let’s travel back to Joseph’s story in the book of Genesis.
After Pharaoh’s cupbearer got his job back and the baker was executed, two more years passed before things changed for Joseph. Two more long years in prison—730+ days. (And Joseph had already been in prison for quite a while—falsely accused by Potiphar’s lying wife. Read more in part 5.)
Seasons of waiting
Have you ever had to wait years and years for something or someone? I prayed for Brandon’s salvation for many, many years. What a beautiful day when I knew that prayer had been answered—finally. There was a time early in our marriage when I really needed a new friend. I prayed and waited for years. I prayed for years for our son Logan to be conceived and born. From part 2 of this post: “While we’re waiting for someone or something, we can learn a lot about contentment and trusting God.” Amen to that. Think about your seasons of waiting. What did you learn? How did you change? Are you in a season of waiting right now?
Seek the Lord and what he has for you
during your current season—whatever it may be.
Chapter 41 of Genesis demonstrates a powerful turning point in Joseph’s life.
Rescue. Revelation. Restoration.
Two dreams—one interpretation
Pharaoh had two vivid dreams back-to-back on the same night. Who gave him these important dreams? The same One who gave the cupbearer and the baker their dreams. God Almighty.
It happened in the morning that his mind was troubled, so he summoned all of Egypt’s magicians and wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:8, New Heart English Bible
(To explore dreams given by God and dreams not given by God, see this post.)
Remembered, delivered and courageous
When the cupbearer heard about Pharaoh’s dreams, he remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh about Joseph’s accurate dream interpretations. Pharaoh sent for Joseph, “and they brought him quickly out of the pit” (Genesis 41:14b, NHEB).
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, but there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said about you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “Apart from God, the welfare of Pharaoh will receive no answer.”
Genesis 41:15-16, New Heart English Bible
In other words, “It’s not me. Only God can help you.” Joseph was being the one—one out of 10 people—the one who gives God the glory. Joseph refused to take the credit that only God deserved. He would not be a silent liar or steal glory from the Lord. Note Joseph’s courage and honor. He knew he was speaking to the king who executed the baker at his recent birthday party. Was the baker’s body still on a pole in the courtyard being picked over by the birds? Hmmm. Joseph spoke boldly to the man who held power over his life.
Back-to-back dreams
Pharaoh immediately told Joseph his two dreams. In the first dream, seven fat, strong cows came up out of the Nile River and started eating along its banks. Then seven skinny, ugly cows came up out of the water and ate the fat cows. But it didn’t change the way the skinny, ugly ones looked. Pharaoh had never seen a cow that looked that pitiful. In his second dream, seven full and hearty heads of grain were growing on one stalk. Then seven dry, withered heads of grain sprouted and ate the hearty ones.
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has told Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows represent seven years, and the seven good heads of grain represent seven years. The dreams are the same. And the seven thin and miserable-looking cows that came up after them represent seven years, and also the seven empty heads of grain blasted with the east wind. They are seven years of famine.
It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Look, seven years of great abundance will come throughout all the land of Egypt. But after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will devastate the land, and the abundance will not be remembered… because of the famine that follows it, for it will be very severe. Now the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the matter has been fixed by God, and God will carry it out soon.”
Genesis 41:25-32, New Heart English Bible
Talk about a sobering, disturbing prophesy; I mean promise. “This is coming soon. You can’t stop it.”
Leadership, authority and power
Joseph’s words didn’t end there. He confidently told Pharaoh what he needed to do. (1) Choose a wise, discerning man and set him over the land. (2) Select overseers to gather one-fifth of the land’s crops during the seven years of plenty and store them for use during the famine.
The proposal was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You will be in charge of my house, and according to your word will all my people be ruled. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Look, I have put you in charge over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in robes of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck. And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had, and they called out before him, “Bow the knee.” So he put him in charge over the entire land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:37-43, New Heart English Bible
Stop the press. Pharaoh acknowledged God and his need for a man of God? Shocking, to say the least.
Reversal of fortune
In a matter of an hour or less, most likely, Joseph went from being a long-term prisoner to #2 in the land of Egypt—Pharaoh’s right-hand man. Talk about a reversal of fortune, as they say. This scene reminds me of the reversal of fortune for the Israelites in the story of Esther and especially for Mordecai, Esther’s dad—slated for the gallows but elevated to #2 in the land of Persia.
Have you ever experienced a reversal of fortune? A moment when your circumstances or provision took a drastic change—for better or for worse?
I experienced a reversal of fortune after my mom’s will came out—the will Pam, The Almighty had rewritten. I didn’t think my mom had a dime. She shopped at Goodwill, ate like a bird, and drove a very old car. She was born in 1929, the year The Great Depression began, and she lived like it. She was extremely frugal. When I realized Logan and I were receiving a sizable inheritance, I was stunned. The money paid off our house and provided all four years of Logan’s undergraduate degree. Classes, fees, food, lodging. Everything. Thanks be to God! It still blows my mind. What an unexpected, remarkable gift. Epic provision from the Lord. Truly epic.
New job, new life
Pharaoh gave Joseph a new job, a new name and a wife. Bam. Talk about a life-changing time. How old was Joseph when his reversal of fortune took place? He was 30. At age 17, he was sold as a slave, so he spent 13 years in slavery and prison. That’s a long time. But God was with him. He sure was. (See part 4 and part 6.)
God gave Joseph extensive training in humility and courage,
wisdom and discernment, leadership and authority.
And Joseph needed it all.
Trained and led by God, Joseph did what Pharaoh called on him to do. God’s hand of favor remained on this faithful servant.
During the seven years of abundance the land produced large harvests. And he collected all the food during the seven years when there was abundance in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He placed in every city the food from the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, because it could not be measured.
Genesis 41:47-49, New Heart English Bible
Preparation and provision
What an amazing story of God’s goodness and provision. He gave Pharaoh vivid dreams to tell him what was coming. And the Lord prepared and provided Joseph as the answer to the country’s extreme need. Did Joseph have experience dealing with crops, food storage and livestock? He sure did—at home growing up, and in his years serving Potiphar, the captain of the guard, who also had crops.
Did the Lord’s blessing and provision end there? No. The Lord also gave Joseph and his wife children.
To Joseph were born two sons before the year of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
Genesis 41:50-52, New Heart English Bible
New name. New responsibilities. New family.
Chosen
Joseph was the right one—created, called and chosen by God. Nothing in his life was wasted. For a similar story, read part 9 of The Beauty of the Bible—about Esther’s preparation to stand before the king and meet an urgent need for her people.
I hope Joseph’s story encourages you today. The Lord knows where you are, where you’re going and what you need. Trust him.
God knows these things for our country too—where we’ve been and where we’re going. President Trump will be inaugurated this Monday. Pray for our nation’s leaders—for righteousness, wisdom, discernment, courage and remarkable leadership. Pray for them to be like Joseph.
Coming next: We’ll explore the famine and who came knocking on Joseph’s door. Until next time, thanks for reading and for Choosing Peace.
Truth from The Word: 1 Corinthians 10:31
Song: “One Thing” by Sovereign Grace Music
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