An Alternative Prosperity Gospel

 

Genesis 41:1－57

Joseph was promoted to Prime Minister of Egypt

The robe and the dream were the motif of Joseph’s narratives, for they kept emerging in various turning points of Joseph’s life. Joseph once had a dream which foretold him to be head over all his brothers. His father, Jacob showed him partiality by making him a robe of many colors. These two things made Joseph a thorn in his brothers’ sides and their jealousy caused them to persecute Joseph and sell him into slavery to Egypt.

Then Joseph was accused by the wife of his master, and the cloak he left behind became the evidence of her accusation. While Joseph was imprisoned, he interpreted dreams for Pharaoh’s cup-bearer and baker. After the cup-bearer came out from the prison, he forgot about Joseph completely.

However, two years later Pharaoh had a strange dream (41:1-7). He needed someone to help him interpret a dream, and the cup-bearer then remembered Joseph. Hence, he took him out from the prison and had him interpret dreams for Pharaoh.

Joseph took off his prison clothes and put on his new clothing, and it signified the beginning of his new life. Joseph was quickly brought to see Pharoah. He successfully interpreted dreams for Pharaoh (41:25-32). After that Joseph was highly appreciated by Pharaoh, so Pharaoh made him the Prime Minister of Egypt and clothed him with court official’s garments of fine linen.

Many years passed by and one day, Joseph’s brothers traveled all the way from Canaan to Egypt to purchase food because famine had broken out in Canaan. They bowed down before Joseph, the Prime Minister of Egypt. At last, the dream Joseph had in his childhood time was realized finally!

Today, we often hear Christians saying that they seek to “live a good and purposeful life that pursue excellence and success”. In fact, what does it mean a successful life?

Joseph went through different stages in life, and he grew from a young and innocent boy to a powerful Prime Minister of the age. He experienced many ups and downs, twists and turns in life. We shall see from Joseph’s life what it a successful life means.

Our success has to come from experiencing trials and a continual growth

Joseph led a happy and carefree life in his young age, and he received a special robe of many colors from his father. In high spirit he told his brothers about his dream. However, it surprised him when he was stripped off his robe of many colors and was thrown into a pit when he happily went to visit his brothers who were shepherding their sheep in the wilderness.

No one came to his rescue when he screamed out for help, and by the time he was pulled out from the pit, he discovered that he was sold faraway into slavery in Egypt. At that time, he could not see any light and it was as if he had fallen into a deep pit.

When he became the servant of Potiphar, he was promoted to be the steward of Potiphar’s house because of his trustworthiness. He then began to have breakthroughs in his life. He became a different man with success and position earned through his own efforts.

Nevertheless, he encountered an unreasonable woman, the wife of his master, who grasped hold of his cloak, and forced him to sleep with her. Joseph had to take off his cloak and ran away from the spot. His master’s wife, who once loved him, turned her love into hatred, and accused Joseph, and Joseph ended up suffering injustice through imprisonment.

Joseph performed excellently in the prison because of God’s presence in his life, and he was assigned to take charge of the prison affairs. He met Pharaoh’s cup-bearer in that prison. The cup-bearer had a dream one night and Joseph helped interpret for him. After the cup-bearer was released from the prison, he soon forgot about Joseph. Joseph thought that he could be remembered and be vindicated after he helped others, but instead, he suffered disappointment and pains. It was nothing less than the injustice he suffered years ago.

Generally, people choose to give up when they come to this stage as they might feel that they are defeated by fate! However, those who wait upon God shall not be ashamed! Finally, the day came when Joseph was called out from the prison to help interpret dreams for Pharaoh.

Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothes, and he was brought to the palace of Pharaoh. Not only did Joseph interpret the dreams, he was also promoted and clothed with garment of fine linen and ruled over the country as the Prime Minister (v41-43).  Joseph’s life was changed completely when he interpreted dreams for Pharaoh.

We see that Joseph encountered both good and bad times, and his life was bittersweet. Every stage of his life trained him somehow and he grew continually. From an immature youth, he became an adult who was able to assume a great responsibility.

Hence, it is necessary to get ourselves prepared to go though good and bad seasons, as well as happiness and sorrows, in order for us to become successful. However, man tends to avoid sufferings and goes for happiness. Somehow, it is quite certain that life without trials will not grow, and life without ups and downs, or life without going through bitter and happy moments will be superficial.

Only wealth that is earned through your own efforts and labored with your heart and strength could be considered as your own. Those who win lottery without efforts find it hard to keep their wealth firmly and not to destroy it though they became rich overnight.

Are you pursuing success now? How many stories of dream or robe have you possessed in your life that enable you to compare yourself with Joseph? What trials are you facing now? What is the bitterest experience you ever have in life? Anyway, you must face your trials courageously because you can truly grow and be successful only if you overcome your trials.

Success depends on having vision and executing the vision

Joseph interpreted dreams for Pharaoh in the palace, and he mentioned about seven years of plenty which would be followed by seven years of famine. The destructive power of the seven years of famine was so severe that it would deplete all the harvest of the seven years of plenty. This was ordained by God and this would come upon the land soon. Hence, Pharaoh had to take a speedy action (v32).

We see Joseph interpreted dreams and foretold what would happen in the future, as though he was playing the role of a prophet. However, Joseph did not stop there. He acted courageously and gave suggestion to Pharaoh to take action immediately, so that he could take strategic precaution before things did happen. 

Joseph suggested that Pharaoh choose a man of wisdom and understanding to manage over the entire Egypt, and to collect produces and store them up for food during the years of plenty. Then he needed to post men on duty to guard the barns and storehouses to stop people from stealing the grain.

All these arrangements sought to prepare for the years of famine, so that there could be enough food to distribute to the people. Pharaoh appreciated Joseph greatly, and he felt that Joseph was that man of wisdom and understanding he was talking about, and he was worthy to be appointed to take charge over the affair of entire Egypt (v39).

Joseph had the Spirit of God in him and hence, he could foretell the future. The Holy Spirit gave him wisdom and understanding, and power to execute his tasks, just as the Spirit of God filled Bezaleel with wisdom, understanding and knowledge to do all workmanship (Exodus 31:3).

Many people today also said that they have seen visions! They can instruct others of future plans and direction. But do all these people really possess wisdom and ability to lead their teams? Are they able to go ahead of their followers and work hard on their plans?

Indeed, we need to work hard and work practically when it comes to serving God!  These people often lack practical wisdom and abilities in serving, and consequently, their instructions cause much confusion, destruction and division, rather than building up others.

In contrast to this, Joseph was a man of vision, and he had good executive power. In fact, we should have vision, plan and goal in lives, or we might as well not mention about success. However, many people do see their future and they do plan for it, but they do not have executive power to put their plans into actions, and all their plans remain as word strategies on their paper. Most probably, they fail because they lack patience, persistence and wisdom to do it practically.

Are you someone who is visionary? Do you have a plan this day? Ask the Lord for wisdom and ability, so that you can take action immediately. If you have understanding and knowledge, and coupled with patience and persistence, you can fulfill your vision eventually. We must devote ourselves with patience and persistency and work hard to be successful whether we are studying, playing musical instruments or running businesses, etc.

Success is about commitment and helping the needy

The dream of Pharaoh was realized! Seven years of plenty came and Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea which could not be counted (v49). After the end of the years of plenty came the seven years of famine, and there was famine in all lands, except Egypt alone had bread.  The Egyptians and people all over the earth came to beg Pharaoh for food. Joseph then opened all the storehouses and distributed food to the needy (v53-57).

This is a very touching scene. Joseph exercised the power given to him by God. He could predict the future and worked according to his plans. He managed to store up enough grain for the time of famine, and the people were spared from facing the predicament of food shortages. Joseph did not seek only his own interest by ascending to a high position, but he rescued the needy around him successfully. He helped the refugees within and outside Egypt who encountered famine.

Success is not about one’s achievement solely, but it is about taking up the responsibility, and helping the needy around us. The merrier it will be with the more people we help. 

Success is not about building more barns and storehouses to accumulate more grain and garner more wealth and enjoy it for yourself, and to be happy and at rest and boast to others. This kind of persons were called the rich fool in the Bible. Their selfishness and stinginess will probably cause a sense of enmity of the society towards the rich.

Someone who is truly successful is someone who knows how to share with others, and someone who will open up his barn and give away his food to those who are in need. In reality, we can start from small, and there is no need for us to wait until we are rich enough to help the needy.

We can share our successes with others with whatever we have, and of course, we can share more with others when we are more successful. We should care for and assist others in their mental and financial needs.

It is sad to see some people show their reverence to God and they are caring and polite towards others superficially, but when it comes to their interest in relation to money issue, they become very calculative and mean.

Christian community now comes mostly from the upper and middle class of the society, and they are in control of knowledge and financial resources. If we actively share our success and wealth with others, the influence of the gospel will thus be expanded and far-reaching!