Clicktivist to Activist

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what’s important in ruling a country. All looked well. Unfortunately Potiphar’s wife had her own plans. She thought she was in love with me. She constantly tried to flirt with me—a slight touch of my hand, a coy look in my direction. But I did not give in to her advances. Could I disappoint God or deceive my master, who trusted me? One day she laid a trap for me, and when I refused, she screamed for help and accused me hysterically of wanting to rape her. She put on a great act, but I am not sure that Potiphar believed her. However, he had to watch his reputation, so he had me arrested and put into prison. Not the prison for common criminals, but the prison for political prisoners. *** The first few months were hard, but before long the prison master figured out how he could make life easier for himself. He began giving me more and more responsibility. I had free access to the political prisoners. At that time I learned even more about politics, diplomacy, and the intrigues at court. I spent more than two years in prison, when suddenly I was taken before Pha- raoh. He needed me to interpret his dreams. Word had gotten out that I had correctly interpreted the dreams of the palace baker and cupbearer. Pharaoh was greatly disturbed by two dreams that God had sent him. And God showed me what He wanted to tell Pharaoh. God warned the king about a devastating seven-year-long famine. However, the harvests in the seven years preceding the famine would be abundant. I suggested to Pharaoh that grain should be stored up in these plentiful years. Then we would have enough for the years of hardship that would lie ahead. Surprisingly, he liked my suggestion. Not only that, he appointed me as his second in command. Pharaoh realized that God sometimes speaks through me. He even gave me a new name: Zaphenathpaneah, which in Egyptian means “God speaks, he is alive.” Would you have ever believed it possible that the most powerful ruler of the world would recognize the Creator-God? I still marvel at it. The people in Egypt have been very diligent. In the seven years that the harvests were plentiful, they brought so many sacks of grain to the storehouses that we stopped counting them. Today everyone is glad that we have these provisions. Not only Egyptians buy the grain; many people come to us from Canaan, and I am glad that I provide so many people with food, even our family. *** Maybe you are asking yourself: “Joseph, you could have contacted me long ago. Why didn’t you send me a message? Why do I only hear today that you are alive and have become a powerful man in Egypt?” Father, I have traveled to you so many times in my thoughts. I have dreamed so often of putting my arms around your neck and crying on your chest! But what would have happened if I had just come and stood outside your tent? I have written many papyrus sheets— only to discard them immediately. I felt that it was still too soon for us to be reunited. If I had been in a hurry to come to you, I would have ruined God’s plan. Imagine if, 22 years ago, I would have managed to escape from the slave traders and come back home. What would you have done to my brothers? What would you have said to them? You wouldn’t have changed them. They would have hardened their hearts even more against you and me—and God. And later on, if I had run away from Potiphar and returned to Canaan, we would all be dead by now—starved to death. I sensed that I had to wait longer. I wanted God’s go-ahead, the right time for our family to be reunited. *** When my brothers came, I recognized them immediately. They bowed down before me, showed their respect, and suddenly I saw my two dreams again. Yes, they were being fulfilled before my eyes. I knew that God had led me to Egypt so that I could keep you all alive! At first my brothers were afraid of me. I was very strict with them. I had to find out if they had changed. I cannot have a gang of robbers and violent men in the country. As the second in command of the country of Egypt, I cannot allow my family to cause scandals. You must understand that. I put them to the test, and I know now that they too have grown. They are no longer jealous or spiteful; quite the opposite. They look out for one another and stick together. Would you believe that your fourth son, Judah, even offered his life in exchange for Benjamin’s? But I will tell you that story another time. Now get ready, Father, and come in the carriage that I sent you. Don’t pack anything; you will get the best of everything that Egypt has to offer. Just come quickly, for I cannot wait any longer, my dear Father! I want to finally hold you in my arms. Your Joseph n Sylvia Renz works for the German Voice of Prophecy in Alsbach-Hähnlein, Germany. She is an accomplished author and has published numerous books for children and adults. 16 (1040) | www.AdventistReview.org | November 21, 2013
Cliff’s Edge “This Gospel” Again and again Scripture authenticates itself, giving us more reasons to trust it, even the parts that present a reality so much grander than the narrow parameters a rationalistic twenty-first-century worldview easily allow. The text in question is so familiar that we often overlook the powerful validation of faith it presents. Speaking with His disciples a few days before the cross, Jesus opens to them world events leading to the Second Coming. Amid it all He says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:14). Reading the text now—with Christianity having more adherents than any other faith, and a presence in most every country—we can easily forget what a bold, even daring prediction this was when spoken, or decades later when recorded. For starters, when Jesus made that prediction, what was the status of the “this gospel,” not in terms of being spread into “all the world” but in terms of simply being understood? At that point, who but the Godhead knew the plan of salvation? Even those who might have had an inkling about what the sacrifices pointed to surely didn’t expect a crucified and risen Messiah. One powerful argument in favor of the resurrection of Jesus is that no one would have concocted the story of the resurrection, because no one expected a crucified and risen Messiah, especially one dying as atonement for the world’s sins. Then, even after Jesus gave His followers 40 more days of instruction, some would ask before His ascension, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6), which shows that “this gospel” wasn’t fully understood by those He called to spread it. Also, how many were believers in Jesus when He first spoke those words? Perhaps a few thousand Jews throughout the Jewish nation and some scattered Gentiles, an insignificant number in contrast to the world’s millions. When Jesus made that prediction, Judas hadn’t yet turned Him in, nor did He yet face the reaction of His followers at His arrest: “Then everyone deserted him and fled” (Mark 14:50). Hardly an auspicious beginning of a movement whose message was to be heralded worldwide. Besides the wrath and opposition from other Judeans, the early church would soon be hated, hunted, and persecuted by Rome, the greatest power the world had seen to that time. In the ensuing centuries the empire tried to eradicate this Jewish sect arising from the troublesome province of Judea. When Rome couldn’t eradicate Christianity, it co-opted it instead, and “this gospel,” with scattered exceptions, all but vanished for more than a millennium. And unless you call the Crusades or the attempted forced conversion of the Jews (often under the threat of death) “evangelism,” the gospel hadn’t made a whole lot of progress outside the European continent in the sense of fulfilling Jesus’ bold first-century prediction about it. Then, of course, with the Protestant Reformation “this gospel” was rediscovered. But it took a few more centuries before the great missionary movements began to spread it worldwide. Today Christianity in one form or another is the world’s largest religion, and its adherents can be found in most every country. Seventh-day Adventists have established work in 209 of 233 countries recognized by the United Nations, making the church perhaps the most widespread Protestant denomination in the world. And though many areas that need mission work remain, with today’s technology it’s not hard to imagine “this gospel” being proclaimed everywhere. Again, think back almost 2,000 years ago with Jesus, surrounded by a handful of followers in a world that not only had never heard of Him, but was often hostile when it did. Nevertheless, He made an exceedingly implausible prediction that, though taking long centuries, is coming true. We have been privileged in seeing a prediction all but fulfilled, which earlier generations of Christians would have had to take only as a great leap of faith. Thus with all the other solid reasons for belief in Jesus, we can add Matthew 24:14, powerful evidence for rational, twenty-first-century minds regarding truths that go far beyond rationality itself. n Cliff Goldstein Clifford Goldstein is editor of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. He is also featured on the Web site 1844made simple.org. www.AdventistReview.org | November 21, 2013 | (1041) 17
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