Recently, I’ve been reading through the book of Genesis with my daughter, Hannah. I’ve been trying to read the book through my daughter’s eyes. Since she is eight (and a girl), it’s a bit of stretch for me. Recently, we read about Joseph, the son of Jacob, and learned some valuable lessons. One lesson in particular was the importance of saving. I often call the discipline of saving “The Joseph Principle.” If you don’t know the story of Joseph, I highly recommend you read it beginning in Genesis 37. After a series of bad events, Joseph was ultimately put in charge of Egypt.
The reason Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of Egypt was because of the wisdom he displayed when Pharaoh needed to have his dreams interpreted. You see, as we see in Genesis 41:17-24, Pharaoh was having some odd dreams:
So Pharaoh told him the dream. "I was standing on the bank of the Nile River," he said. "Suddenly, seven fat, healthy-looking cows came up out of the river and began grazing along its bank. But then seven other cows came up from the river. They were very thin and gaunt-in fact, I've never seen such ugly animals in all the land of Egypt. These thin, ugly cows ate up the seven fat ones that had come out of the river first, but afterward they were still as ugly and gaunt as before! Then I woke up. A little later I had another dream. This time there were seven heads of grain on one stalk, and all seven heads were plump and full. Then out of the same stalk came seven withered heads, shriveled by the east wind. And the withered heads swallowed up the plump ones! I told these dreams to my magicians, but not one of them could tell me what they mean."
Pharaoh asked everyone but God to help him interpret the dreams. No one could help, until Joseph came as an agent for God and was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. Joseph told Pharaoh the seven healthy cows (think angus beef) represented seven years of harvest. The seven gaunt cows (probably the kind of cows they use to make Steakums) represented seven years of famine.
This is a great reminder that economic cycles have been going on for thousands of years and are actually normal. Economies go up and they go down. We’ve seen this here in the United States. In the past 70 years, the US has had 12 recessions averaging about 10 months each. In the past 70 years, there have been 840 months. About 120 of those months were spent in recession. In the other 720 months, the economy grew.
So, Joseph knew Egypt was in the midst of an economic boom (part of the economic cycle). Joseph told Pharaoh that for the next seven years they should save one fifth (20%) of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. This way, when the famine came they would have enough food to survive the coming famine. The plan worked to perfection.
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Ne'eman saving is a great thing so when you may be in need or have a rainy day you will have what you need because you saved up for it, saving will give your children a better future in the long run thank God for this reading.
Amen in the abundance I must prepare for the time of feminine that will come. Prepare me too be wiser with all that you are bringing my way in the name of Jesus.. these reading this week are right on time my God.
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Ne'eman saving is a great thing so when you may be in need or have a rainy day you will have what you need because you saved up for it, saving will give your children a better future in the long run thank God for this reading.
AMEN!
God use Joseph to interpret Pharaoh dreams. By Joseph interpreted Pharaoh dream. Joseph became blessed. the second highest in Egypt.( The Governor).
Peace and Love:
This is awesome way to look, and revise my saving structure. God gave Jospeh perfect management skill to maintain economical needs of the a kingdom.
This is awesome way to look, and revise my saving structure. God gave Jospeh perfect management skill to maintain economical needs of the a kingdom.
We are called to be good stewards so that God can trust us with the riches of the kingdom.
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