God Establishes

"This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. [29] Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; [30] but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. [31] So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. [32] And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass."

Genesis 41:28-32 

Joseph was pulled from an Egyptian prison and was made to stand before Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt, and interpret two dreams Pharaoh had during the night.  Joseph was filled with wisdom from God and was able to discern not only the meaning of the dreams, but how to prepare for the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine.  He told Pharaoh the reason the dream was repeated:  "...the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass."  Whatever God speaks will happen as He has said.  Think about that!  When we make a claim or promise, we remain dependent on our health, mood, schedule, other people, transportation, and countless other things to fulfill our word.  I received a text the other day from a friend who was scheduling a football game to be played on March 20th.  A couple days before the date I received another text which stated the game was canceled because of schedule conflicts.  When God schedules something, it will happen.  Nothing has the power to override God's Word or the schedule He has ordained.  To us there may appear to be twists and turns, surprises, and unforeseen difficulties in our lives.  That's not how God sees them.  They are part of His ultimate design.

Consider how the knowledge of God's establishing power, wisdom, and strength builds our faith in Him.  If God has told you something, He will surely bring it to pass.  He ordained David to be king of Israel and directed Samuel to anoint him when he still worked as a lad in the sheepfold.  During the ten years David was an outcast and fled for his life from the face of Saul, it may have seemed like God had forgotten.  God had not forgotten.  God also chose Solomon, King David's son, to build for Him a house where He would place His name forever.  Even though Solomon had older brothers, it was he who eventually became king of Israel.  David gathered materials in abundance and directed Solomon how the temple should be built.

The other night our family was reading about the construction of the temple and came upon 2 Chron. 3:17:  "Then he set up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand and the other on the left; he called the name of the one on the right hand Jachin, and the name of the one on the left Boaz."  These names of these two large pillars were significant:  Jachin means "He establishes" and Boaz means "in Him is strength."  God established Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Savior of all who will repent and trust in Him.  All who hear His Words and do them Jesus likens to the man who builds his house on a firm foundation of rock.  Matthew 7:25 says, "...and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock."  Those who establish their lives upon Jesus Christ will never taste death, for He is the resurrection and the life.

Because born-again Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit, consider the spiritual application:  God has established every believer, and in Him we find strength.  Our current life and eternal future is established upon the firm promises of God.  When Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself so where I am you may be also" we know what He has promised He is able to perform.  The calling and gifts God has placed upon our lives are as certain as His unfailing word.  No weapon fashioned against us will prosper, for God has spoken.  It may appear sometimes that Satan's grip is strengthening and God's people wax weaker, but God will not be overcome by evil.  When we are weak, He is strong.  The temple Solomon built was razed to the ground and plundered, and sometimes the devil is permitted to steal, kill, and destroy.  As Abraham looked to a heavenly city not made by the hands of men but by God, so we look for God to redeem and establish us by His holy hands.

What God has said, He will do.  Jesus says in Rev. 3:12, "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. And I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name."  Never doubt what He has spoken to you either in the scriptures or in the prayer closet.  When God gave Joseph two corresponding dreams of everyone bowing before him, I'm sure there were days in prison it seemed impossible.  But God is always faithful to His word, and Joseph stayed faithful to God and reaped the abundant fruit of faith.  Let's determine to follow his example.