Lasting Provision 2

We conclude with the other ways in which lasting provision was given to Joseph’s family. Having seen how he presented himself, as the one to preserve a posterity for them, we now turn to the others, as noted in the text.

Joseph presents himself to his family, under God, as their: -

Saviour - God sent me to save your lives by a great deliverance.

God has made him, whom they treated most wickedly and made to suffer so immensely, the one to be their saviour. These older brothers of Joseph, lived with hatred for Joseph.  But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Genesis 37: 4. This hatred grew and blossomed, until it bore murder. It was their brother Judah, who reasoned with them not to kill Joseph. So Judah said to his brothers, What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our flesh . And his brothers listened. Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Genesis 37: 26 – 28. 

Isn’t this most interesting, to see how the Hand of God works in the most awesome, mysterious ways? He works in ways not seen, or fathomed by human sight. Here it is, Joseph is made a slave, by his brothers, to serve foreigners. And all the while God’s plan is to make him a saviour to his people.  You made me a slave to serve foreigners, but God made me a saviour to save family.

Is this not Jesus, on a larger scale? Indeed, Joseph is but the shadow of the real truth. Jesus, who was hated by His own, Jesus, who was sold for money, Jesus, who was crucified, was dead and was buried, is now alive as our undisputed Saviour.  In like manner, our Saviour knows the sad, scary state of the world in which we live and assures us that He has already overcome all, so that He is more than competent and able to save us from all the miseries of the world. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. John 16: 33. When I think of Joseph, giving assurance to his people, in a time of famine that they would not have to worry about ever being taken by the ravishing  of that famine, and it was all true, much more our Jesus. He is our Saviour indeed!

Provider – There I will provide for you, lest you and your household, and all that you have, come to poverty; for there are still five years of famine.

God has given Joseph everything he needs to provide adequately for his family, for generations. Joseph is the one who will provide for them, so that they do not have to struggle in the years of famine, to provide for themselves. Is not Joseph saying this to his people? As long as famine lasts, I will be your provider. What a promise! What a bold, daring promise! Yes, Joseph knew he had what was needed to provide adequately for his family.

Is that not a shadow, a semblance, of what we are receiving now, in the Name of Jesus? Are we not receiving His Lasting Provision? David said, The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23: 1. David has declared most confidently that he will know no want, as the sheep of his Shepherd. Is not Jesus our Shepherd, our Good Shepherd? As His sheep, will we know want for anything? In our present famine, which is about us in several forms, will any famine attack Jesus’ sheep and have us evidencing the fruit of famine? O No! Impossible! It cannot happen! Why? Because Jesus is our Provider and He never fails to efficiently and adequately keep us from want.

May God the Holy Spirit, work in us all that we have in the Name of Jesus.

Give everlasting praise, daily thanks and undying honour to Jesus, for His Living Presence, His Loving Pardon and His Lasting Provisions.