Genesis 50:22-26

••KEEP••Gary Barker 1 of 1bw
Dr. Gary Baker is an independent columnist for The Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email him at pastor@gracebaptistpaso.org.

It is a true saying that many people start out their life well, but few finish well. Joseph was one of those few. The way a life will end well is to live it according to God’s divine plan. This is one of the foundational and fundamental truths that is clearly taught in the Bible.

God’s divine plan will cause a believer to live a fruitful life of service that will cause a believer to experience many blessings. God desires that a believer finish the work that He has planned for him to accomplish. A successful life for every believer is to do all that God has planned for him to accomplish. God promises to enable a believer to do His will.

Jesus said in John 4:34: “My food is to do the will of God and to finish His work.” Jesus is the example for every believer. Joseph was a believer who clearly understood God’s will for his life. Over a period of 30 years, God revealed His will to Joseph as he did it one event after another. On several occasions, he told his
brothers what God had purposed for him to accomplish in his life (Genesis 45:3-8, 50:15-21).

Joseph was sold as a slave in Egypt because God sent him there to become a deliverer of his family. God
exalted Joseph in order to save his family from starvation. As prime minister of Egypt, Joseph had
the power and ability to care and provide for his family.

Joseph’s family moved from Canaan to Egypt
and was greatly provided for in the land of Goshen. God’s divine plan of preservation for the nation of
Israel was accomplished by Joseph, who became the prime minister in Egypt according to God’s divine plan. Everyone prospered greatly as God’s good plan was fulfilled in their lives. God’s divine plan and will is good and always ends in great blessing for those who do it. Joseph was able to live with his family and friends in abundant happiness and comfort for over three generations.

Joseph lived to be 110 years old, and his life ended with great blessing because God’s plan and will was accomplished in his life. Joseph’s life ended very well. Lessons to Be Learned.

  1. God has a wonderful and good plan for every believer’s life.
  2. A believer must choose to do God’s will in order to experience God’s blessing.
  3. The real purpose and meaning of life are to know and do God’s will: Ephesians 5:17.
  4. Lasting satisfaction and blessing will certainly happen when God’s will is accomplished. This
    should be the ultimate desire of every believer: Psalm 37:4, 40:8