Gen 41:46-56 | KingComments | STEP | When Joseph was seventeen years old, the way down began. Now that he is thirty years old, he has been made viceroy by Pharaoh. The way to glory always goes through suffering. The Lord Jesus is now in glory. The world is still experiencing a time of abundance, as it were, an abundance of grace. Unfortunately the world doesn’t know about it, they don’t realize it. We do not read that the Egyptians themselves provide a supply. It is Joseph who takes care of this. It is important that we too gather food for our souls in the years of spiritual abundance. We can do this by visiting meetings where the Word is preached and explained and also by personal Bible study. In this way we can fill the treasuries of our hearts and thoughts. This is especially important when we are young. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth” ( ).

‏ Genesis 41:46-56

Joseph at Work

When Joseph was seventeen years old, the way down began. Now that he is thirty years old, he has been made viceroy by Pharaoh. The way to glory always goes through suffering. The Lord Jesus is now in glory. The world is still experiencing a time of abundance, as it were, an abundance of grace. Unfortunately the world doesn’t know about it, they don’t realize it.

We do not read that the Egyptians themselves provide a supply. It is Joseph who takes care of this. It is important that we too gather food for our souls in the years of spiritual abundance. We can do this by visiting meetings where the Word is preached and explained and also by personal Bible study. In this way we can fill the treasuries of our hearts and thoughts. This is especially important when we are young. “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecc 12:1).

The Sons of Joseph

In the time of abundance, the two sons of Joseph are born. The meaning of the names is significant. “Manasseh” means “forgetting”, “Ephraim” means “double fruitfulness”. Rejected by his brothers, Joseph is in a position to “forget” all the suffering that is done to him (Job 11:16), while he takes care for others that they bear “much fruit”.

So it is in a way also with the Lord Jesus. Rejected by His earthly people, His brethren, He is now in glory, and has received the church as a bride, by which He can forget the reproach done to Him. From glory He makes sure that those who know Him, who are in connection with Him, bear fruit.

The Famine Begins

The years of abundance are coming to an end. The years of famine begin. In that time Joseph deals with Egypt and with his brothers. It is the time which can be compared with “the hour of testing, that [hour] which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Rev 3:10) and upon Israel in particular (Jer 30:7). During the years of abundance, we hear nothing from the brothers. That will happen now.

When hunger begins and the land calls for bread, Pharaoh says: “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” This is again a beautiful picture of the gospel. God says to people in need about their sins and call to Him: “Go to Jesus, do whatever He says to you” (cf. Jn 2:5).