MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
March 18, 2026
God’s Purposes Revealed
God’s Men in High Government Positions (Part 1)
JOSEPH TRUE TO GOD WHILE GOVERNOR IN ANCIENT EGYPT’S ATHEISTIC EMPIRE
For the thrilling account of its fuller history, thus first establishing a firm Biblical foundation with its true contextual background, read Genesis chapters 39-45 on your own Bibles, KJV of RSV.
We now proceed to quote extracts from E. G. White’s book ‘Patriarchs and Prophets,’ Pacific Press Publishing Asso., 1913, pp. 210-223. (All emphases, bracketed words, and Notes provided):
“Arriving in Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar, captain of the king’s (Pharaoh) guard [by the heathen Ishmaelite traders whom his brothers sold him to], in whose service he remained for 10 years. He was here exposed to temptations of NO ordinary character. He was in the midst of IDOLATRY. The worship of FALSE GODS was surrounded by ALL THE POMP AND ROYALTY, supported by the wealth and culture of the MOST HIGHLY CIVILIZED [yet atheistic and heathen] NATION THEN EXISTING.
“Yet Joseph preserved his SIMPLICITY, and his FIDELITY TO GOD. The sights and sounds of VICE were all around him, but he was one who SAW NOT AND HEARD NOT. His THOUGHTS were not allowed to linger upon forbidden subjects. The desire to gain the favor of the Egyptians could not cause him to CONCEAL his principles.
“Has he attempted to do this, he would have been OVERCOME by temptation; but he was NOT ASHAMED of the religion of his fathers [the godly patriarchs] and he made no effort to HIDE the fact that he was a worshipper of Jehovah.
“‘And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a PROSPEROUS MAN. . . . And his master SAW that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made ALL that he did to prosper in his hand.’ (See Genesis 39). Potiphar’s confidence in him increased daily, and he finally PROMOTED him to be his steward [to the captain of the Pharaoh’s guard/security detail] with FULL CONTROL over all his possessions. ‘And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not aught what he had, save the bread which he did eat.’ (Gen. 39).”
Now take note all Christian evangelists, preachers, ministers, pastors, and believers of the popular “prosperity gospel.”
“The marked prosperity which attended everything placed under Joseph’s care was NOT THE RESULT OF A DIRECT MIRACLE; but his industry, care, and energy were crowned with the DIVINE BLESSING. Joseph attributed his success to the FAVOR of God, and even his IDOLATROUS MASTER accepted this as the SECRET of his unparalleled prosperity.
“Without steadfast, well-directed effort, however, success could NEVER had been attained. GOD WAS GLORIFIED BY THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS SERVANT. It was HIS PURPOSE that in purity and uprightness the BELIEVER in God should appear IN MARKED CONTRAST to the worshippers of idols [in all its variant forms, animate and inanimate, including the idol of self in self-worship, philosophical ideas, opinions, theories, traditions, doctrines that contradict Bible truth] that the LIGHT of heavenly grace might shine forth AMID THE DARKNESS OF HEATHENISM.” (end quote).
NOTE: These earliest form of ancient heathenism and paganism (religions) entered early Christian church through the “great compromise” and “falling away,” resulting in the development of “the man of sin,” in “the mystery of iniquity,” revealed by Paul as “already at work” in his time! See 2 Thess.2: 1-12, etc.
Prophecy and history, both
sacred and common (secular) silently witness to the grand truth that God is in control, His divine purposes revealed and fulfilled in the rise and fall of nations and empires till “all is fulfilled” and His eternal kingdom finally rules over the “restored first dominion” of “the new heaven and the new earth.”
To be continued, God willing. Bless all, NMF.