"Man has two
eyes
One only sees
what moves in fleeting time
The other what
is eternal and divine".
The Book of Angelus Silesius
Whenever we read reports of worldwide happenings,
there is always a tendancy to lock our minds on what is at hand, but exclude the
spiritual aspects that may be hidden there. Most often, thoughts of God
are pushed aside as His having admitedly created our universe, but was now
retired to rest in His heavenly home as mostly passive and indifferent.
Nothing could be further from the
truth.
Let's think about that: Where does this universe
end? Nestled among zillions of planets, comets, galaxies, our tiny speck
of a "world" sits precariously held in place by incredible odds. The
genius mind of God does not skip around working on one thing and ignoring
another. Everything that exists is intertwined together, and that includes
His reasons and purposes.
When we read the Bible, we can literally believe
it or dismiss the thought that the God who created everything ALSO has had an
intimate, personal relationship with mankind.
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in
part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall
be done away". (1 Cor.13:9)
~~~~
Jacob had many sons, but in his old age his
youngest, Joseph, became his very favorite. He even made him a beautiful
coat of many colors and spent so much time with Joseph that the rest of his
other sons became jealous. The fact that Joseph had many dreams did not
help. Jacob knew of God's promises to Abraham and Issac where all the land
from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates would be theirs, and himself had once
had a dream in which he climbed into heaven itself and heard the same. So when
young Joseph shared his dreams, Jacob "observed them" as well as did his
brothers--- for they significantly told of a day when all of them would one day
bow down to him in obesience--not something they wanted to hear coming from
their 17 year-old brother.
The fufillment of those prophetic dreams is the
miraculous story we read in the book of Genesis. Joseph was sold into
slavery and later imprisoned, yet God prospered him and throughout his young
life, he gained the favor of Pharoah. Again it was his dreams that caused
him to become prime minister of Egypt, and the wisdom God gave him spared Egypt
from starvation and his family the same. For 400 years Israel never lacked for
food in the land of Goshen, until the fufillment of time when God raised up
Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt into the promised
land....another prophecy of God.
All a plan of God.
Did anyone see the "eternal and divine" in all of
this? Even the slave labor imposed upon them in later years had led to a small
baby under sentence of death to be put into a reed basket and floated down the
river, then to be found by an Egyptian princess and raised as her son. His name
was Moses.
Moses had a very luxurious and priviledged
youth. Yet he saw his own people enduring the hardships of forced labor in
Goshen. Knowing the spiritual promises to Israel, would they not
appreciate his ideas to liberate them and bring them back to their land?
No. And after he slew one of them and fled to the land of Midian, he
became a lowly shepherd--and an old man. For 40 years!!
Before God brought him forth to lead Israel back to their home....in His
time.
Did Jacob know how Joseph's dreams were to
transpire? Did his brothers have any idea it would happen in Egypt?
No. All they knew is that one day they would bow before him. It was only
when it actually happened did they remember.
~~~~
Prophecy is given to reveal the final
chapter. But there are events that happen before we see the end actually
fulfilled, and when they occur, it is hard to see how they can possibly be of
any significance, since so many times they are hardships and
heartbreaks.
Joseph spent much of his youth in
prison....IF HE WERE TO ONE DAY HAVE HIS FAMILY BOWING BEFORE HIM, WHY THEN
WAS HE PUT IN PRISON?
Jacob and his other sons were well established in
their own land and prospering. Yet years after Joseph's prophectic dream,
when famine came and Jacob sent his sons down to Egypt for grain, little did
they know that this hardship was ordained by God to lead them to their
long-lost brother. Only when they all bowed at his feet would they
remember.
~~~~
Can the trials we experiences in our lives
actually be involved in the fufillment of plans God ordained for us before we
were ever born?
Yes indeed!
Will Egypt today have peace, or will it
fall? Will the Muslim Brotherhood regain power and side with Iran to
impose Islam over all of Europe? Will Damascus be destroyed by Assad? Will
the world become bankrupt? Will we see famine as the food chain gets
radiated by the meltdown of a Japanese nucleur plant?
True prophecy will always stand. But
unfortunately our understanding of it seems to molt away like chicken
feathers. As world events change things, prophecy teachers sometimes study
the Word, yet later admit they make mistakes. We see through a cloud
darkly...and fear of the unknown can hasten the demise of our faith. The trials
we experience, the loss of all things, the senseless brutality of demented
minds that rob and steal, murder and rape. Innocent children whose tender lives
are extinquished by a demonic mind. As we see those things happen, we can
sometimes wonder, "where is God?"
But tho we sometimes suffer with tears at life's
dark side, there is also reason and purpose for every event: Why? So that
we learn of God's faithfulness and power, and having seen His word of
promise come to pass...we too will one day bow our knees before
Him.
Mary E. Adams
www.maryeadams.com