As we continue Joseph’s story in Genesis 45-47, we see the ultimate fulfillment of Joseph’s teenaged dreams: his whole family bows before him. Joseph’s leadership in Egypt saved the Egyptians and then the entire people of Israel, which at that time numbered only 70 people. As Jacob travelled to Egypt, he stopped in Beersheba to offer sacrifices to God. God spoke to Jacob and promised his family would “multiply” in Egypt. How true that promise was! When the Israelites left Egypt 400 years later the people of Israel numbered 600,000 men, most of whom had wives and families. We can assume the total number of Israelites must have been at least two million people. God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled generation by generation, and it was Joseph’s hardships that led to the open door for the Israelites to travel to Egypt, where that promise would be multiplied.
One of the most challenging tasks we face in life is to determine when we are being blessed and when we are being cursed. The reason it’s a challenge is God often takes the tests, trials, and temptations we face and uses them for good. In Romans 8:28 we read: In all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It doesn’t say all things are good. It wasn’t good that Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, or that he became a slave in Potiphar’s house, or that he was falsely imprisoned. None of those realities were good, and Joseph could easily have seen them as curses from God. Instead, Joseph saw God’s goodness remaining with him in each situation. Ultimately, they led to Joseph becoming the second in command in all of Egypt. We would certainly consider that a blessing.
As Jacob and his family travelled to Egypt, they must have been overwhelmed by God’s blessing in their lives. Rather than living through a horrible famine in a land without resources, they were moving to the best land in Egypt. Best of all for Jacob, he was being reunited with his favorite son, Joseph. It was a blessing for Jacob and his family. Yet, hundreds of years later the blessing turned a curse, as a king came to power in Egypt who forgot about Joseph. He enslaved the Israelites and they would suffer under harsh conditions for many decades. During that time the people multiplied. So, even in the time of slavery, God was with His people.
We do well to learn from these examples, because each of us face times of “blessing” and “cursing” in our lives. How we respond to the times will be determined by how we view God’s presence in our lives. Jesus promised He would never leave us nor forsake us. In Mark 13, He told us what it will be like as the time of His return draws near. Many read Mark 13 and think, “All the signs are taking place!” That is true. The signs have been taking place throughout history. What I take away from Mark 13 is Jesus is with us, and Jesus will return to be with us in all His fullness one day. In the meantime, we are to rely on His promises to be with us always, and to never leave us nor forsake us. We are also to be ready when He returns! While many invest (spend?) most of their time trying to determine when Jesus will return, our time is better invested by living in the power of His Spirit through the blessings and challenges, and even the curses of life, with a constant readiness for His return, and a focus on helping others come to know and serve Jesus so they can be ready, too.
If Jesus comes back today, the best thing for us will be for Him to find us living faithfully in His presence, and being ready. That way, whether He returns today or not, we will live today to the fullest. Joseph could have moaned and groaned day after day from the moment his brothers turned him over to the Ishmaelite traders. Instead, he lived each day with the expectant hope that God’s promises are true, and God was with him. He never lost the dream God gave Him, and thirteen years and many hardships later it came true. God is faithful whatever experiences we may be facing right now, so let’s live in His presence and to His glory every moment!