“But as for you, you purposed evil against me; but God purposed it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not fear, I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he (Joseph) comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:20,21).
When Egypt, the ruling power of the world, was about to enter a 7-year famine that would decimate Africa and the Middle East, God send a young man named Joseph, to be His spokesman, to provide wisdom for preparation of grain, to save the lives of millions.
Although Joseph had been rejected by his brothers and sold into slavery, he would say later… “God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So it was not you that sent me here, but God” (Genesis 45:8).
This beautiful story is a small foreshadowing of Jesus and why He came to earth… “The Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). Fifteen times Jesus said outright… “The works (miracles) that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
Jesus' rejection fulfilled the far greater purpose of “saving many souls alive,” not just temporarily, but eternally. He entered death willingly in our behalf, paying the ransom price to free our souls from eternal judgment, then rising again to lead all who trust Him into eternal safety and glory.
Joseph was sent before the famine, David was anointed before Goliath, Esther was raised up before Haman, and Jesus was sent before Antichrist and God’s wrath upon a wicked world. What assurance is ours!
We can rejoice because we’ve read to the end of the Book!
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