ON THE VANGUARD

IS GOD NOT AWESOME?
“In the morning [Pharaoh] found himself so upset that he summoned all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one there could interpret them for him.”
Genesis 41:8

Have you ever stopped to consider all the times that the enemy worked to take out God’s people? We know this to be the case in the 1940s and such when Hitler worked to take out the Jews in any way possible. And if we go back in time we can see how this was even the case concerning Esther and the rise of Haman. But I would like us to focus on the times found within the book of Genesis today. For the past few months I have been walking once more through Genesis, verse by verse, allowing God to speak to me and show me truths that are so easily missed by my quick reading. And while I have seen this trend in reading about the fathers of our faith, it wasn’t until I saw a piece from the account of Joseph that it really jumped out at me and made me question the awesomeness of this truth.
I start with the account of Abraham. We all probably know the story about how God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the sand and stars. From there, we read that Abraham took matters into his own hands and based on the counsel of his wife, produced a child with a servant girl. Why? Abraham did this because he and Sarah both felt they were growing old in years. Truth be told, Sarah’s womb was closed up. But here is the awesome thing. Just when it seemed as though all hope for children was gone, God allowed her to birth Isaac. The promise could have ended before if both Abraham and Sarah had not gone through a heart, and a faith, revamping.
But let us move on in this thought. When Isaac married Rebekah, he had no idea that she was barren. The promise could have ended here as well. The enemy could have won and proved God a liar concerning the number of descendants that would follow. Yet, we read that Isaac prayed for his wife and her womb was opened. The promise lived on. The twins, Jacob and Esau, grew up and soon we read that Esau sold his birthright. This would come back to haunt him as Jacob stood before his father, dressed and smelling like Esau, taking the blessing destined for the oldest child. In rage, Esau spoke of killing his brother. Again, the promise given could have ended here. With no Jacob there would be no twelve tribes of Isra’el. Still, God proved He was in control.
Time continued on and Jacob had twelve sons. However, his son Joseph was sold into slavery and then later placed in prison for a sin he did not commit. He could have wasted away there, yet God was still in control. As is God’s way, He provided the means by which Joseph was made free again. This is the point the hit me between the eyes as I read it. Pharaoh called on the magicians of Egypt to interpret the dreams that troubled him in the night. The word in Hebrew for magician is derived from the root word ‘engraver’ or ‘writer’, and refers to ones trained in occult knowledge. Notice how even these trained followers of the occult could not interpret these two dreams. Coincidence? Not at all. But what if these magicians had been able to interpret the dream? If that was the case, then Joseph and all of Isra’el would have died out. The famine would have taken the descendants of Jacob and Joseph would be a mere memory.
Is God not awesome? Look at what He has done in just these few chapters. God allowed a child to a couple aged 90 and 100. God opened a barren womb. God protected a son by letting Him escape the hands of his brother. God housed an innocent man until the time was right for his promotion. And God prevented the magicians from knowing the truth of the dream so that His man for the hour may rise and save a nation. Again I ask, is God not awesome?
These truths are just within one book found within the Bible, and even still are not all of what God did do for His people in Genesis. But are not these accounts alone enough for us to look at our situation and stand in full faith that God will preserve us, His people, as well? I encourage you to not lose faith. While the enemy will continue to work to take God’s people out, know that God is in control. Even when we are old, barren, hunted, and forgotten, God is in control. Is God not awesome?