41-4: Just as Joseph prepared for the 7-year famine, so must we prepare for the 7-year tribulation

God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Here it is:
there will be seven years of abundance
throughout the whole land of Egypt; 
but afterwards, there will come seven years of famine;
and Egypt will forget all the abundance.
-Genesis 41:28-30

God is merciful in that he provides sufficient warning to His people BEFORE bringing judgement.

He did it with Noah and his family before bringing the worldwide flood.

This principle is also amply demonstrated here in Genesis 41 where God through Joseph lets the Pharaoh know He is going to see to it there will be 7 abundant years of food growth BEFORE bringing about a devastating famine.

Joseph advises the Pharaoh to be diligent in setting aside a certain percentage of the harvest to prepare for the coming lean years.

Pharaoh agrees and a law is established throughout Egypt that 20% of all produce is to be stored.

I think we need to give Pharaoh a lot of credit for trusting Joseph at his word and taking action.

It’s difficult to restrain oneself from living high when things seem to be going well and the future seems so bright.

I suspect the local population wasn’t too happy about being forced to set aside quite a large portion of their crops for some future disaster that to their minds would probably never happen.

They probably viewed Joseph and the Pharaoh as two Semitic cousins coming together to conspire against the people to confiscate food from the innocent local population and make themselves richer.

This idea of Jews working behind the scenes to undermine society for their benefit has always been the nature of anti-Semitic accusations as promoted by people like Hitler and more recently David Duke.

Now one important takeaway I get from Pharaoh’s dreams is that I believe the times we are living in today is similar to the 7 years of abundance Egypt had before the 7-year tribulation.

Right now we are living in a time of abundance and plenty.

However, we are at that point in time just before the greatest tribulation mankind has ever or will ever experience begins.

We know this because all the signs we have been told to look for have happened or are happening.

The Bible tells us the generation who witnesses the return of Jerusalem back into the hands of the Jews will be the generation that witnesses the coming of the Lord.

However, we are also told before that glorious event occurs, mankind will go through a time so horrible it is unimaginable.

Yeshua told us to prepare by surrendering our lives over to him.

We have to exercise faith like the heathen Pharaoh did in Joseph’s time.

Just as the people of Egypt had to prepare for the 7-year famine by setting aside a portion out of their abundance, so must we set aside some of our time, our wealth, and our selfish interests for the Lord.

Another point I am compelled to hammer home.

Just as God had ONLY entrusted the truth to Joseph, in our day and age He has only entrusted the truth to His true believers.

I am talking about those who have been sanctified by the blood of Yeshua.

I am talking about the true Spiritual Israel comprised of both faithful Jewish and Gentile believers.  

Think about it.

The best and brightest minds and the most prestigious leaders weren’t able to discern the truth in Joseph’s day and they can’t discern it today.

Most of the world’s secular and religious leaders are just in the dark as were Pharaoh’s wise men and magicians. 

So please prepare.

Get down on your knees today and ask God,

“What is my role?”

“What should I do to prepare for what may be the most challenging period mankind has ever gone through?”

Trust that He will answer you.

And then when He gives you an answer, get off your butt and take ACTION!

Like Pharaoh did.

CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT

‘Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Yeshua.’ .
-Revelation 14:12