0114. Joseph, God's Missionary to Egypt

Joseph, God’s Missionary to Egypt

"Let Pharaoh do this, and let him * * take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.

"And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn" (Gen_41:34, Gen_41:57).

The whole story of Joseph’s being sold into Egypt reveals the underlying purposes of God to magnify His Name in the greatest center of the world of that day.

Poor Jacob said: "All of these things are against me", but little did he know that God was sending Joseph beforehand into Egypt, to preserve their lives. Nor did Jacob know how Joseph was but the forerunner of the whole family’s entrance into Egypt, the greatest nation of that day.

It is a story of marvelous meanings. The way God lifted Joseph up into favor with Pharaoh, and placed him at the head of the governmental affairs, at a time when the whole world was coming to Egypt for food, all of this shows how God was seeking to magnify His Name among the peoples.

But alas, the Egyptians did not learn their lesson. For a while they honored Joseph’s God; but, there arose a king in Egypt who knew not Joseph, and he began systematic persecution of the children of God.

Then, the Lord raised up a deliverer, Moses. Egypt had refused God’s call, and spurned His love. Moses led them forth with a high hand. It is wonderful to hear Moses and Miriam in their songs, praise God for His marvelous works.

From that day, Egypt became a decaying nation. God cast her off, because she would not hear His call. The land that was once the grainery of the world, the land of the Sphinx, of the Catacombs and of the Pyramids, is now a "mean nation," a native prince has never sat upon her throne for ages. She is doomed to decay, because she refused God’s missionary call.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR