In Genesis 41 there is a ruler over Egypt, Pharaoh, who had a pair of dreams. Pharaoh called for the Magi and wise men of Egypt to give him the meaning of the dreams, but they could not. He was told about a man in prison, Joseph, who could interpret dreams. Pharaoh sent for Joseph. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do” (Genesis 31:25). The ruler over a nation whose name, Egypt, was synonymous with the word “sin” had two dreams sent by God. In these dreams was the answer to a coming drought that, instead of destroying Egypt, made Egypt one of the riches nations on earth (if not the riches) at the time.

In the book of Job we can read about a man God referenced as, “a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8b). As we read we see Job’s children taken from him – his livestock taken – his health taken. Job’s friends offer him not so good advice, and then God comes and speaks to Job. Job prays for his friends, and everything is restored to Job and even more than at the first.

Both of the stories above beg the question, “When did Pharaoh receive God’s favor, and when did God take His favor from Job?” The answer is; God never took His favor from either man. When Adam fell, he saw himself (because of the knowledge of both good and evil) as naked and naked as evil. Adam saw himself as out of God’s favor, but that was not one of the terms God made with Adam (read Genesis 3:17-19). God gave dreams to Pharaoh that prospered Egypt – Joseph prospered and so did the nation of Israel (for a little while) – but Egypt prospered all the more. Job, a righteous man, went through a time of loss and illness, but in all of that never sinned – Egypt steeped in sin was blessed.

God said, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding (Job 38:4). Who really knows the full plan of God? Jesus told us even He did not know the day or the hour of His return. Who really knows the measure of God’s love, and who among mankind has given love a boundary? Who has made an end God’s mercy, or made null His grace? Who decides for God where the saved end and the lost begin? Who has limited the shadow of God’s wing or the power of the blood and the cross? Who has made the blood of Jesus flow only so far, and made shores to hold back the pouring out of God’s Spirit?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Does that mean that I must be flogged, and nailed to a cross everyday? No! I am to take up my cross, not be lifted up on it – I am not to call all of mankind to me, but Jesus was lifted up on the cross to call all of mankind to Him. Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). Jesus did not tell us to take His yoke and then tell us to take up a cross that is a heavy burden. The cross of Jesus is a physical representation (an icon) of His grace. Taking up my cross is a reminder of what God has done for me personally, and a reminder to pass it on – it is the “as I have loved you”.

God extended grace to the lost, or none of us would be part of the body of Christ. God showed His favor to those at enmity with Him, or none of us would now be a friend of God. God gave Joseph and Pharaoh dreams and God allowed Job to be tested. Later, Egypt lost children and livestock and were struck with illness. Job a righteous man and Egypt, steeped in sin, were tested by God in similar ways. When God gave mankind dominion over the earth, He withheld the knowledge of good and evil. We have taken that to ourselves apart from God. We think we can decide what is good, what is evil, and who is saved. “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts 10:15b).

© 2012, Tim D. Coulter Sr.