The Land of Plenty

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE LAND OF PLENTY

Gen 41:41-57

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way!" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. 44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt." 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. 6 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and traveled throughout Egypt. 47 During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. 48 Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. 49 Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure. 50 Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. 51 Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, "It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household." 52 The second son he named Ephraim and said, "It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." 53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." 56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. 57 And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.

NIV

Joseph is on top of the world now, with the signet ring of Pharoah on his hand, dressed in the finest linen and even a gold chain around his neck with his very own chariot, along with a woman by his side as his wife. What more could a man ask for? God had blessed Joseph beyond measure as he stored so much grain he could not even record it. Joseph named his two sons after two periods in his life, one of suffering and one of being fruitful in the land of Egypt. It makes us ponder how this could be a lesson for us. First, we know when we are resurrected into the presence of our God, whether that is the moment of our last breath, or at the full resurrection of the dead, it matters not. If it is at our last breath and we are absent from our bodies then we are indeed in the presence of our Lord. If we sleep until the resurrection of the dead, we will not know whether we are asleep or dead, but just as in the morning, we rise up for a new day. However, by faith, we know the first is true. Yet, the truth is that because we overcame, we will be dressed in fine linen, whiter than snow, and will be given a new name written on us, perhaps on a gold chain.  We may not have the signet ring of Jesus, but we will be able to sit with him on his throne and be co-heirs with him, certainly in eternal life, but if all things are under his feet, that is He is in charge of all things in heaven and on the new earth, then we will rule and reign with Him, only second to Jesus in all the land. However, unlike Joseph, we will not marry or have any sons in this new land, but we will not suffer, but will be fruitful, enjoying all the joy of our Lord, living in the place he prepared for us, and maybe even having our own chariot, in some sense, although we may travel at the speed of thought. The land, the new city of Jerusalem will have plenty, with trees bearing fruit forever, and we will feast together with Jesus. Joseph finally received the best of this world and still served his God. Let us never be distracted by the things, even the finer things of this world as we know all we have is from the hand of God. We also wait for the day when our Jesus we will see, when we look upon His face, the one who saved me by his grace, when he takes me by the hand, and leads me to the promised land, what a day, glorious day that will be.