God’s plans are bigger than our hard times.

This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Genesis 41:37-38

In one conversation Joseph went from prisoner to prime minister. God brought him up from “the pit” (that’s the word used to describe Egyptian prison in Genesis 41:14) to the palace. And as Joseph interpreted the dreams that God had given Pharaoh to prepare Egypt and the world to be saved from a severe seven year drought and famine, the court of the king recognized something very different in Joseph. He was a man controlled by the Spirit of God. In this passage a pagan king recognizes the Word of God at work in the prophet of God as a move of the Spirit of God. This is significant. Pharaoh honored God by believing the revealed truth and then acting on it by appointing Joseph to administrate Egypt’s famine preparations.

Of course ultimately God was going to use Joseph’s wise plans to save the children of Israel and re-unite Jacob’s children in Egypt. But that future was nowhere near Joseph’s thoughts as he responded to his appointment to this new position with an authority second only to the king of Egypt. What is here strongly is a faith response in Pharaoh that is pleasing to the Lord. There is a sovereign spiritual move of God in an entire nation that gave recognition to the humbled and obedient faith of Joseph and the leadership that God had always revealed would be known in Joseph. From Joseph’s earliest dreams, God had prepared him for this moment. There is a beautiful grace given to Joseph, to Egypt, to the world, and to Joseph’s family through revelation and obedience. They would be cared for in the coming unprecedented hardship.

Joseph spoke true words, although he suffered unjustly, and God rewarded him richly. And Jesus is an even better Joseph. Jesus suffered at the hands of sinners so that the world might be saved. And God has now exalted Jesus with the name above all names so that every knee will bow before Him one day and every tongue will confess that He is Lord to the glory of God the Father!