The Lord was with Joseph at every moment. Joseph's steps were ordered of the Lord. The Lord brought Joseph safely out of the pit. The Lord was with Joseph in Potiphar's house. Now that Joseph was in prison, having been accused falsely by Potiphar's evil wife, the Lord was with him there also.

He was tested severely!

He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. (Psalms 105:17-19)

Joseph's training lasted from the time he was seventeen until he was thirty. At the age of thirty Joseph was ready for his four roles: as a witness, as a king, as a deliverer, and as a servant of God.

Pharaoh of Egypt had a dream that none of his magicians could interpret. Through God's working, Joseph was summoned to the palace. Joseph then bore witness before Pharaoh of the severe famine that was to come seven years from that time.

Because of Joseph's faithful and true witness of what God had told him, Pharaoh made Joseph a king over Egypt.

And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:43)

Joseph's next role was that of deliverer. Through the wisdom God gave to him, enough grain was stored up in Egyptian granaries to supply the needs of all who came for help (Genesis 41:57).

Although Joseph was elevated to a high position in Egypt, he never forgot that his nation, Israel, was called of God in a unique way. Each Israelite was chosen to be God's servant. Joseph wanted to continue to be part of Israel, God's eternal Servant, and therefore requested that his bones be carried from Egypt to the land of promise. His desire was granted (Exodus 13:19).

Joseph was a witness, a king, a deliverer, and in the future will be one of God's eternal servants who will see God's Face in the new Jerusalem.

Our God is a God of preparation.

A famine soon is to come upon the world: not a famine of food alone but a famine of righteousness, a famine of holiness, a famine of obedience to God, a famine of the Word of God.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; (II Timothy 3:1-4)

The tares will come to maturity.

Lawlessness will abound.

The love of the majority will grow cold.

God, in His love, decided from the foundation of the world to provide a means of deliverance from the famine of righteousness that will come at the end of the age. The nations indeed will be angry against God. At the same time, whoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Deliverers will stand on Mount Zion with the Lord and bring the Divine judgment against the bondages of the flesh.

And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's. (Obadiah 1:21)

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

To be continued.