37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.
50 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”
56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Joseph’s proposal pleased Pharaoh and he, like Potiphar and the Jailer, recognised that God was with Joseph. He put Joseph in charge over the entire country, second only to Pharaoh himself. The signet ring he gave Joseph would have been used as a seal on official documents like we use a signature today. It gave him the power to issue official decrees. He also received wealth and status along with his position. It seems a little crazy that Pharaoh would put a prisoner in charge of an entire nation after the interpretation of two dreams which hadn’t even come true yet. But God is clearly the One who is working here (Prov 21:1).
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh. He had been sold as a slave when he was about seventeen (Gen 37:2). For thirteen years he had to wait patiently on God. He had been given small opportunities to show his faithfulness and times of hardship to grow his faith. Now God was pleased to lift him up for the important job he had been prepared for (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:5-6).
During the seven years of plenty Joseph was so successful at storing up grain that he could no longer measure it. Then the seven years of plenty came to an end and the famine began. Eventually the people ran out of food and went to Pharaoh who sent them to Joseph and told them to do what he said. Joseph opened the storehouses and sold food to the Egyptians. He also sold food to the neighbouring countries because the famine had covered all the earth.
Repeatedly you will see that God’s timeline is often a lot longer than you might prefer. God took thirteen years to groom Joseph through trials, suffering, and opportunities of service to the point he was ready for the main job God had for him. You may have a sense or a vision of what God may have in store for you (not in the same sense as Joseph’s dreams, but perhaps an idea from the talents He’s given you, and a desire in your heart). Are you prepared to take it slow? Are you ready to submit to God’s timeline? Be faithful in the small things God gives you to do today and at the right time He will give you responsibility over something of significance for Him (Matthew 25:21).
We must be like Joseph and remember God even when times are good for us. We musnt solely talk to God when we are in trouble and need Him
So what I have learnt from joesph is that we should be like him and I always talk to God don’t only tall through the bad times
That even if it took a long time for Joseph to be taken out of prison and stuff it wasn’t a long time in God’s time it was just right because that was God’s plan in the first place. We need to be more willing to listen to God’s plan and not try change it for our convinience.