Morning Moments

JOESPH: Patient in Prison Genesis 41

I. The Pharaoh’s Dreams 41:1-7
II. The Pagan Deceivers 41:8
III. The Prisoner's Deliverance 41:9-13
IV. The Potential Destruction 41:14-36
V. The Plan Director 37-45

VI. The Product Distribution 41:46-57

What an amazing story that ONE MAN should be given wisdom from God to spare the world from starvation! We can all see the story behind the story in that, but let's discover some things from the text about Joseph. Thirty years old! That was to be the age of Jesus when He began initiated His ministry. I happen to know some young men with godly wisdom and a heart for the world at thirty, but believe me when I say, THEY ARE FEW and far between. Most men at that age today are SEEKING the "Dream" rather than SEEING it! Far too many are caught in a trap with no way out - a trap laid by a generation before that substituted "church" for Christ and whose lives were fleshy even as they claimed faith. THESE men have produced NOTHING of eternal value with which to feed a starving world. They have laid up treasure on earth which is now being eaten by moths. What a lesson to be learned from this man who, as Moses, chose to suffer prison than surrender to Pharaoh's "PRETTY".

A. Production - 41:46-49

I live in the farm belt of the Deep South, and we once in awhile see a bumper crop year, but NOTHING EVER like what was taking place in Egypt under Joseph. I don't know if you realize it, but Egypt is a Sand Dune for all practical purposes. It is not farm land with rich soil that produces agriculture. In fact, about the only GREEN spot there today is where the Land of Goshen was, where the Jews were while in Egypt. It is what happens when God leaves - and He did leave Egypt!

But in our text, He was using a resourceful nation under the leadership of a God led man to produce for the world. PAUSE and think about this if you are an American, because when we, as a nation, not only recognized, but sought the Lord, we could grow and produce anything. Now we produce little and are becoming more and more dependent upon other nations for food and materials. Our part in this "Global Economy" is not one of leadership, but one of GREAT LOSS! We have sought GOLD, NOT GOD and are now beginning to reap what we have sown.

We are in GREAT PERIL because we have sought wealth over wisdom, possessions over prudence, "leeks, garlic, and onions" over the mana from Heaven, and the world's wine over the Rock's Water. What are we producing now that the lean years have come upon us? What did we "put away" for this rainy day? What planning ahead did we do? We have been told for three years now that gas prices would be $5.00 a gallon, but what provision have we made? What lessons did we learn from the gasoline problems in the 1970s? NONE! We could have and should have, by now, had fuel substitutes enough for the whole world, but we have thrown it all away wining and dining and are left with excessive debt, little production, masses of unemployed, increasing prices in everything BECAUSE we "live for today, for tomorrow we die." That is how we have taught the world to live also.

B. Parenthesis - 41:50-52

Why would God stick these three verses here? Right in the middle of what is to be a major world crisis, we read of the birth of two boys by an Egyptian priest's daughter. There is speculation about her being a proselyte, but the fact of the matter is that the fruit of this union - Ephraim and Manasseh were problems for the nation because they refused to drive the Canaanites out of the land.

Spiritually speaking it does give us insight into those who are "double souled" or "double minded" and who wish to have the promises of God along with the possessions of the world. "Choose you this day whom you will serve. If God be God, serve Him; if Baal be god, serve him." "You cannot serve two masters." The history of these two tribes is well worth study in the light of this passage. Surely there was no mistake in placing these verses here and although we do not wish to read into the text something that is not here, knowing the wife and sons of this man of God is certainly important is a clear understanding of the whole picture.

C. Provision - 41:53-57

ONE MAN! That is all it takes to change the course of things! Joesph was God's man of the hour. God placed him where he was to make a difference and that is why you and I are where we are. There is a world out there - beyond us - that is starving and we, who profess our faith in Jesus Christ have the provision for it. That is why there is such a battle against the Christian Faith around the world today! We alone have the Bread and Water of Life. We alone know the source and supply of The Way, The Truth, and The Life! We have the loaves and the fish and there is plenty for the "face of the earth" (41:56).

The people "cried to Pharaoh for bread" BUT "Pharaoh said...Go to Joseph..." My heart's cry is for world leaders who might say the same - "Go to Joseph!" Joseph will always say - "It is not me - GOD...!" He is Jehovah Jireh - the Lord our Provider.

BLESSINGS!