The story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis is an unequivocal display of God’s sovereignty.
Joseph was his father Jacob’s favorite child. Hey, it happens, right, parents? Naturally, Joseph’s many brothers were jealous. On top of that, Joseph told them about a dream he’d had, in which his sheaves of grain stood tall, while theirs bowed down before his.
“Do you intend to reign over us,” the brothers asked. “Will you actually rule us?”
One day they plotted to kill Joseph. The oldest brother discouraged this idea and said, “Throw him into this cistern here in the desert, but don’t lay a hand on him.” When Joseph showed up, they threw him into the cistern. While they were eating lunch, a caravan rode by, heading to Egypt. The brothers sold Joseph to these men, who in turn sold him as a slave in Egypt.
There’s a bright side: God showed him favor. Joseph ended up interpreting one of Pharaoh’s dreams, which forecasted seven years of plentiful crops and seven years of famine. Egypt needed to gather and store grain during the plentiful years and ration it during the famine years. Pharaoh was so grateful, he appointed Joseph to a high position and put him in charge of gathering food from among the people. When the famine came, Egypt had enough food to sell to others.
Joseph’s brothers went down to Egypt to buy food, not knowing the man they appealed to was the brother they’d sold. Long story short, they all made amends, and Joseph saved his father, brothers, their families, and many others from starving. After their father Jacob died, the brothers were worried Joseph would seek revenge.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
For the whole story, see Genesis 37 through 50.
Joseph came to mind when I read a story in USA Today:
“Dozens of states are passing or debating new restrictions on abortion, a trend fueled in part by passage of the nation’s new health care law.”
While Obamacare may not rise to the level of evil, it’s an expensive and unpopular law. It’s one step closer to socialized medicine, a fate the U.S. so far has managed to avoid. But once insurance companies start going out of business, what’s left? Why, government insurance, of course! If you don’t see the problem with government running the health care system, you’re probably a liberal. Sorry.
But, as the USA Today article implies, the law has motivated state legislatures to get their collective butt in gear and start drafting and pushing bills that increase abortion counseling, and expand waiting periods and the use of ultrasound. Nebraska’s new abortion restriction law helps.
Counseling, waiting periods, and images of their unborn babies won’t stop all abortion-minded women from killing them, but these things will influence some to slow down and consider alternatives like adoption.
Joseph’s story is one of many that shows God’s sovereign hand in the affairs of men. If the blasted health care “reform” law leads to state laws discouraging child killing, so be it.
Addendum: God promised Jacob that his descendants would be as numerous as the dust of the earth. Do you see the part Joseph’s slavery in Egypt plays in fulfilling that promise?
