This is how coincidences work through events happening without any of the same apparent causes. Let’s look at the life of Joseph, the eleventh of twelve sons of Israel, Jacob. Benjamin was Joseph’s younger brother. Jacob protected Benjamin, being the baby of the family. But he also favored Joseph, because he was first son of his favorite wife, Rachel. When Jacob blessed his children right before he died, he called Benjamin a ravenous wolf. Jacob didn’t do right by his other ten sons, who were the sons of Rachel’s sister Leah. When God chose Joseph to be the one who saved his family, God gave him a dream about how Joseph would do it. Jacob also gave Joseph a coat of many colors. Which showed the other brothers that he was the favorite son.

One day when Joseph was out in the field with his brothers, he told them about the dream God gave to him. His brothers had had enough and plotted to kill Joseph and blame it on a wolf. Reuben stopped them from killing Joseph and instead sold him into slavery to an Egyptian. Eventually Joseph was sold to Potiphar and then put into prison for thirteen years. By the hand of God, Joseph could interpret dreams. He interpreted a dream for a servant of Pharaoh, who was restored to service with Pharaoh.

God gave Pharaoh two separate dreams which no one could interpret. Finally, the servant that Joseph helped spoke up to Pharaoh about him interpreting dreams. They took Joseph out of prison, cleaned him up and presented him to Pharaoh. Pharaoh told him the two dreams and Joseph said they are one and the same from God. Joseph gave him the answer and Pharaoh made him Prime Minister of Egypt.

Eventually the famine that God showed Pharaoh came. Joseph had prepared Egypt against famine. They stored enough food to save not only Egypt but the rest of the known world. This made Egypt very rich and powerful. Famine came to Canaan and Jacob, Israel, had his sons to go to Egypt and buy food. They appeared before Joseph twice before telling them who he was. When he revealed himself to them he told them this:

Genesis 50:20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

There are no coincidences with God. It may have seemed that the two events were unrelated, but God prepared a way to save as many people as possible through Joseph. God is still making a way for people not only to survive, but to live through His planning.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com