God's Provision - Part II: More Case Studies
by Daniel Valles  7/23/8

God provides for everyone in different ways. As we look at various case studies of individuals in the Bible, we find that God provided in unique and individual ways. A modern danger that Christians are tempted with is the mistake of tempting God. I often meet Christians (and you probably have as well) that recognize that hard and perilous times are coming to our nation and world. Yet, in the same sentence where they acknowledge the coming famines, dangers, perils, etc., they also either think that Christians (American Christians) will be raptured away before it gets really bad (here in America, of course) – or they claim that God will provide when that time comes. That latter mentality is an escapist route that stems from tempting God. Whenever I hear religious leaders say that God will provide when times get rough, I cringe. True, God will provide grace and intervention as He chooses in unique circumstances. However, the case studies that God provides in the Scriptures as examples to us (1 Cor. 10:11) show that that is the exception, not the rule. In fact, as we will see shortly, God often provides before perilous times, not during them.

“What God is about to do…”
In Genesis chapter forty-one, we find the well-known story of Joseph and the famine in Egypt. As we look at the details of this account, notice the parallels between events in the account and with events in our time. Genesis 41:25-32 tells us, “And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. …This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land …And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.” When God tells a people what will be coming, it is because they are to take heed to what is coming. When God tells us that the end days will be a very perilous time, He isn’t just writing it for page filler – He is trying to get our attention and action! Another burr under my saddle is that most leaders do not know what perilous times are. They assume that the term refers to dark, evil, sinful times; yet, that is not what the word means! The word perilous means hazardous and dangerous. God tells us in II Timothy 3:1 that dangerous and hazardous times are coming because the days are sinful and rebellious. We are entering perilous times because our lives will be in peril.

God has told us in several places what some of the perils would be: pestilence, famine, earthquakes, etc. With any of those comes social unrest and disorder as well. God told Noah ahead of time so he could prepare. Once the rain started, it wasn’t going to stop. God told Joseph ahead of time so Joseph and Egypt could prepare. Once the famine started, there would be no more crops. The same goes for us today. Once the perilous times start, they will continue to the end of the world – which won’t be far after anyway. It is during this later time of this peril, that the world will look for a global leader to give them peace and safety – antichrist. Then will the world drink the dregs of its own peril. The church will be taken out prior to this, though. In this manner, Noah was also spared – from the perils of the floods, but also the judgment.

There are many thought-provoking and commanding phrases in God’s Word. However, in this one chapter, we find some of them repeated. In the explanation of the dream to Pharaoh, Joseph emphasized twice that the only reason God told it to Pharaoh, was because God was about to do it. He wasn’t just thinking about it or playing with the possibility of it – no, He was about to do it! Likewise, when we as Christians see the warning signs that God told repeatedly in Scripture, describing in detail the last days, we need to sit up and pay attention, because the perilous times are about to begin! In Matthew 24 and the gospels, God describes major conditions in the world that occur simultaneously as a sign. In II Timothy 3, God describes the heart and moral condition of mankind that will result in perilous times. The world conditions are already engaged and will be fully in motion soon. The description of the world’s heart and morals is already dead on. Christ will be returning soon, but it will get worse before then.

What was Pharaoh’s reaction to the warning of what God was about to do? The same that ours should be. After he finished explaining the dream, Joseph recommended: (vs. 33) “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine. And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art…”

Pardon my sarcasm, but notice that Joseph did not recommend using the crop profits from the seven plentiful years to build a beautiful new church building and have non-stop prayer meetings once the famine started. Joseph recognized that God will be providing during the perilous times by providing a way before the perilous times! Yet, how come so many pastors and Christians fail to see that God provides today to prepare for the perilous times?! Most American Christians see any extra money that they get as money that must be spent on trinkets, vacations, and other useless frivolities. Has it occurred to them that God is blessing them now with a job and availability of food to put some away for when the money fails and there is no availability of food? Notice that Joseph did not even recommend that they start preparing for the famine in the last two years of plenty. He knew what was coming, and he knew that it was going to take prudent steps to be ready for the days that God described. Notice that they saved up twenty percent of each year’s crop. Are you saving/utilizing a similar portion of your wages, or do you just waste it? Why should God give additional provision to someone who already has wasted what He gave them?

In Luke 16:1-2, we find the parable of the steward who was about to lose his position and opportunities. In verse one, it tells us that he was not being fired because of extortion, theft, murder, or some other heinous crime. The steward was losing his position solely because he “had wasted his [master’s] goods.” If we are wasteful with the goods that God gives us now, why should we expect God to give us more (or any) when we may really need them? Like I’ve said before, God provides for different people in different ways. There were other famines in history where God did not give them a several year advance notice. Yet, there is a common thread running through all of these case studies we have looked at. When Pharaoh heard the news, he did not turn to his magicians and false priests – no, he turned to seek the wisdom of God at the hand of Joseph. When we recognize and see what God is “about to do”, then we, likewise, need the counsel and wisdom of God above anything or anybody else. Before we start buying books on survival, homesteading, food preservation, etc., we must, must, must kneel before the throne of God and ask for His wisdom, grace, and mercy. In Ezra 8:21, Ezra explains what he did before leading the people back to their land: “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.” God is interested and concerned about our children and “our stuff”. He has placed us as stewards over them. A wise steward asks his master the way in which He wants them best used. It is interesting in the account of Ezra, that even though he told the king that God would protect them and they would not need the king’s soldiers, he still divided up the priests into different groups (Ezra 8:24-30) and divided the gold and silver out among them so that if they were robbed by bandits, they would not lose everything. Trusting God still entails prudence.

Gen 41:47-48 continues… “And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.” Moral of the story: If you want your city to make sure you have plenty to eat during famine, plant and store as much as you can because that will be stored in your city – don’t depend on some government aid from Washington or some other city – they will have their own problems.

Gen 41:49-50 continues… “And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.” Moral of this story: Even though it may seem that you might have overkill, we are not prudent stewards just for ourselves, but for our little ones and brethren who will also be going through it as well. If you read the rest of the chapter, you find that Joseph’s prudence allowed him to provide for his entire extended family during the famine.

Gen 41:53-54 soberly states: “And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.” The ‘good times’ are about to end. The perilous years are beginning to come.

While God provides for different people in different ways, the Bible does provide some general guidelines of what should guide our prudent steps. Firstly, our priority list is rather short. Television, cable, vacation times, movies, lavish toys, etc. are not on the list. Isaiah 55:2 asks the poignant question, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread?” I Timothy 6:8 reminds us, “…having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Luke 22:36 also reminds us, “Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.” Certain priorities come first. Notice in the list (that Jesus Himself told the disciples), He mentioned three things: purse, scrip, sword. Purse – you had better have some money saved in your wallet for when you need it. Heaven’s blank check for the disciples was only good when Jesus was walking the Earth. Secondly, scrip i.e. backpack or pouch for food. Make sure it is not empty because you might get hungry. Thirdly, a sword will be necessary in the perilous (2Co 11:26) road journeys that they would be on. Food, water, adequate clothing, and means of self-defense in perilous times are on the starter list. The where’s, when’s, and how’s will vary – seek the Lord’s wisdom and direction. Notice in His admonition to His disciples, that Jesus mentioned the concept that we may have to sell some of our stuff to get what we should have. Joseph prioritized and did cost-cutting during the years of plenty.

Another brief case study is the actions of Obadiah. 1 Kings 18:4 records, “…it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.” Again, God provides different ways for different people. In this instance, God used one man to help an hundred. Obadiah had access to food and water that these prophets did not. He also had a place of refuge where he could retreat to. Whilst we keep in mind different ways for different people, remember that Hebrews 11:38 records of some persecuted faithful, “…(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” There is nothing wrong or sinful about leaving an area for you and your family’s protection. Many a godly family has made the right decision in moving out of a wicked area or city to raise their family in an area more conducive to godly raising, and to an area with fewer evil influences.

Our final case study that we will look at will be Ruth.
Ruth 2:2-3 “And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find grace. And she said unto her, Go, my daughter. And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.” (vs. 17) “…So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.” In the book of Ruth, we find that Naomi had originally gone to the land of Moab because there was a famine where she lived. Now she has returned with Ruth. God provided for this young woman be opportunity. God will often bring up “coincidental” opportunities and open doors of provision. However, God will do His part, but He expects us to be faithful stewards of the abilities He has given to us. If we can do our part, then we are expected to do our part. Ruth did not wait until God provided freshly gleaned, threshed, and ground barley on her doorstep every day – she had to do that. God provided an open door, the rest was up to her. All the opportunities that God would provide her would have done no good if she did not avail herself of when and how God chose to provide.

God provides us all with opportunities, talents, abilities, and circumstances that can be for our good - if we avail ourselves of His wisdom, grace, and mercy – and act on it. Seek His face, and be a faithful steward in what He calls you to do.

1 Peter 5:7 exhorts: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” As a steward, we should have no qualms about the future if we are doing what our Master expects us to do.