Scripture
But then a new king came to the throne of Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph. This king exploited our people and oppressed them, forcing parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die. Acts of the Apostles 7:18-19 NLT
Application
In the scripture above, we are told that a new king ascended the throne of Egypt who doesn’t know Joseph. How is it possible for Joseph, the great Prime Minister who single handedly delivered Egypt and made it prosperous not to be remembered at all? The evidence should be there for all to see. There should be records of the great famine and how Egypt survived.
Have you ever been in a situation at work, in any setting where your efforts were majorly responsible for the success of the project or task and it was quickly forgotten? How do you feel? How about if it was attributed to something or someone else?
Now let's examine this. Egyptians are very meticulous in preserving records. They are so great at this that they even preserved the bodies of their former kings and stock their tomb with stuff for the "after life." What happened to Joseph's achievements?
The narrative in the verse above suggests that previous kings acknowledged Joseph and his contributions to the prosperity of Egypt. However, at the time noted above, the official records appeared to have been edited and Joseph's name permanently deleted. As a result, instead of the accomplishments of Joseph and his people celebrated they were turned to slaves.
Regrettably, everyday many people die before their time and the reward of their lifetime labor is assigned without their consent.
What can we learn from this? First, keep records. Second, examine all documents of importance that you need to pass on to your generations and keep them in a very secure place. Third, make sure your family is aware of important events, documents or anything of value so that all your efforts won't be in vain.
Prayer Points
- Thank you Lord for opening my eyes to this.
- Lord help me to conduct my affairs properly.