January 21, 2026 -Hindsight

Psalms 21:1-13

Matthew 15:1-39

Genesis 41:1-57

Genesis 42:1-38

Bible in a Year Through Song - Day 21 of 365

Genesis 41:28-40

'“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon. “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God ?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” '

Joseph waiting in prison trusting in God. Now he is brought out and asked to interpret Pharoah's dream. And he gives the glory to God for being able to do that. God is working out his plan. The plan that Joseph has been patiently waiting for. At this point he just knows that God is giving him the ability to interpret Pharaoh's dream and that it might get him out prison. Maybe he will get to work for Pharaoh as one of his diviners. But instead, he becomes the 2nd most powerful person in the land. What would have happened if Joseph would have kept talking and said "If you take me into your service as one of your diviners" God may tell me who you should put in charge. I think sometimes we can be impatient and want to make things happen. Or when things are happening, we decide what God is doing and try to go down a different path thinking we are on His path. As a doer who activates quickly and wants to get things done, I can take a lesson from Joseph. I have had to learn one step at a time. When I try to make something happen it fails, but when I take a step and wait for God to show me the next step it is a much more successful path to follow. I just heard a preacher on the radio talking about how God doesn't tell us what to do every step of the way in our life. We have to make decisions and do what we think is best. We can pray about it and seek God's guidance and make a decision that we think is what He would have us do but really, we don't know if it was His will or not until we succeed or fail and we won't be able to see that until the end of our life for some things. I have lived that out a lot. I pray and I ask why can't you just tell me clearly what I need to do in this situation and I read something or hear something that resonates with what my heart and thoughts are saying so I go with it thinking it is God's answer expecting a certain outcome sometimes it doesn't come out that way but sometimes it does. I know that God is using all my choices as part of His plan, but I can feel disappointed and think that I have failed. From my experience I would say that if Joseph had kept talking and got the job of diviner God would have still made sure that he got where he needed to be in time.

Genesis 41:46

'Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. '

From a young adult in Potipher's house (age 17- 28 or younger) to now a 30-year-old (2 years after the cupbearer was released). That is a long time to wait. He has spent his life waiting and trusting in God without anger and bitterness but surrendered to God's will. We too may have to wait till we see what God has promised. We may be tempted to think that because it's not happening now that it's not God's will, but we need to be patient and willing to respond when He activates the next step. There are things that God has and will promise Joseph that he won't see come to pass until the end of his life. Just like we might not recognize how God has worked out His plan until it is in hindsight.

Genesis 41:57

'And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.'

I am thinking of all the people who were suffering this famine. They had to be crying out to God and asking "Why?" and praying for it to be over. It makes me think of when people ask, "Why does God let bad things happen?". My answer is usually that God knows the big picture. He knows what would happen 100 or even 10000 years from now if something does or doesn't happen. We may never understand or see the good that comes from it until we have eternal hindsight, but we will see it someday.

Genesis 42:1-2

'When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.” '

God used this famine to bring Joseph's family to Egypt beginning a long process of putting the Israelites where they needed to be for Jesus to be able to fulfill the prophecies and sacrifice Himself so that we might be saved. Not just the Israelites but all of us. Gentiles included which is shown in the New Testament reading today with the story of the Canaanite woman. So even when God allows something terrible to happen in this broken and sin filled world we have to trust that God will work it out for good in the end. The bible gives us the hindsight we need to be able to trust that.

Genesis 42:6

'Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the person who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. '

And finally, the first of Joseph's dreams comes true. He is now at least 37 years old. His brothers all bow down before him. Now 20+ years after he had the dream God brings it to pass.

Genesis 42:9

'Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected.” '

And in hindsight he sees the dream fulfilled as he remembers what God had shone him.