For Such A Time Is This - Genesis 40-43

Genesis 41:9-13 (ESV)

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

One of the most famous lines in the Bible comes from this verse in the book of Esther:

Esther 4:14 (ESV)

For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

The words come for Esther’s uncle (playing the role of her father), Mordecai. He was trying to tell Esther that even though she went through some very bad times, she was put in place as the Queen to rescue her nation of Israel from certain tragedy.   This moment in history, Mordecai is saying, was why she was there.  It was a sovereign moment by God, orchestrated by God. This is what God does. He puts people in positions for certain moments to intact his plans.  Here is another example:

Acts 23:16 (ESV)

Now the son of Paul’s sister heard of their ambush, so he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

When Paul was about to be ambushed, God put a young child in a place to hear the plot and then report it to Paul. A sovereign act of God’s for such a time is this.

The above story about Joesph being in prison is one of those moments. God had, two years earlier, orchestrated that Pharaoh would become angry with his baker and cupbearer. God orchestrated that they would be tossed into a prison where Joesph had been elevated to meet them. He orchestrated them to have dream.  He gave Joesph the meaning of the dream.  And then, after two long years, God put a dream in Pharaoh’s head that NO ONE could interpret.  Then, as an amazing act of God’s sovereign rule, he reminds the cupbearer of all this, so that he can tell Pharaoh.  

We should never stop realizing that God uses all things in our lives for His good:

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

From the time Joseph was sold as a slave by his brothers (17 years old) to the time Pharaoh promotes him (30 years old), Joseph must have been wondering, “Why, Lord? Why?”  This passage gives us the why.  

Never doubt for a moment that God is using all the good and the bad in our lives for His glory and His purpose. Even when someone else forgets the good you did for them, when you want them to remember. Two full years later the cupbearer remembered. But he was not late, he was right on time. For such a time as this was he created.