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"33 Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine." ~ Genesis 41:33-36
Today, we continue our study of Genesis 41 where Joseph is now standing before the Pharaoh of Egypt to whom he is giving advice. Joseph faced three different types of trials that God used to develop and eventually exalt him to the second most powerful position in Egypt. Those trials were his abandonment by his brothers, the allurement of Potiphar's wife, and his advancement in the land of Egypt. And, he passed all three tests.
Deep and contended joy only comes through seeing God with our hearts and that only happens through the trials of life. From the place of desperation we find ourselves looking in total dependence upon God who through the trials reveals Himself to us. It is from that place that we are granted the security and confidence needed to endure through the trials. In 1 Peter 5:6 we read, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." This verse illustrates the life of Joseph about as well as any verse could. Joseph started his time in Egypt as a slave and now he is about to be exalted to the second most powerful position in the world.
In v.33 of today's passage we read, "Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt."
Without a hint from the Bible as to whether he was asked for advice or not, after Joseph gave God's interpretation of the Pharoah's dreams, he went from interpreter to counselor to Pharaoh. Joseph was the revealer of disaster and now he was the imparter of hope. This is what a leader does, he sees the impending danger but he has enough vision to navigate the disaster by imparting hope to those who follow. That day before all in attendance, Joseph showed himself to be a man whom God had endowed with His wisdom. Joseph gave Pharaoh a roadmap not to control the crisis, but to navigate through it. He was able to do this because he believed in the Lord of the Word and the Word of the Lord.
In v.34 of today's passage we read, "Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years."
Here, the wisdom that God granted Joseph comes into full view. Under the governor of the land, Joseph recommended officers to be appointed. These would be subordinates who would handle given areas and tasks within those areas in order to secure one fifth of the crops needed. True leaders never get bogged down in the minutia of the day. The idea that Joseph put forth was that they should benefit by the coming seven years of abundance. So, one fifth of this superabundance would be enough to cover each of the seven years of famine that was yet to come.
In v.35 of today's passage we read, "And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities."
Yet again, we see the wisdom granted by God to Joseph who suggested specific preparations for the coming famine. He did this because he believed in the veracity of God's word given to him in the interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams. Rather than a central location Joseph suggested they should store up the grain in each individual city. This put the people’s mind at rest so that once the famine came, they wouldn’t have to go very far to get the needed food.
In v.36 of today's passage we read, "Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine."
Similar to Joseph, we must be diligent to look to God for His will to come to fruition in our lives. Living within the will of God is quite dangerous in a world which is daily rejecting God. But, living according to God's will actually gives the only way for us to really know the Lord for ourselves. Instead of focusing on the lurking dangers, a life of faith in God leads us to focus on Him and the incredible miracles which await. But, we must be careful to remember that It is not the miracles that feed our faith, it is the word of God which feeds our faith. That which captures our attention the most is most often that which defines us the most. This was true for Joseph. After all, no man in the Bible pictured for us the Lord Jesus Christ more than Joseph.
For many the circumstances are too difficult. Most are focused upon doing whatever it takes to avoid the famines in life. God desires to navigate us through these trials that we might arrive at Him in a far more intimate way. Oh that we each find ourselves more like Joseph who put God first in his life. The God of the Bible is absolutely sovereign and everything is truly under His control. And, within that is incredible freedom to live out our lives in creative and expressive and exciting ways. Ultimately, the purpose of all of this is not that we arrive upon being the masters of our lives but that we live as servants to the Master.
The late Mike Yaconelli once said, "I want a lifetime of holy moments. Every day I want to be in dangerous proximity to Jesus. I long for a life that explodes with meaning and is filled with adventure, wonder, risk, and danger. I long for a faith that is gloriously treacherous. I want to be with Jesus, not knowing whether to cry or laugh." This is the ambition of a man who has faith that is informed by both the written and the living Word of God.
