Page 5 - October 2026 - Truth & Tidings

in him a well of water springing up into aspect that helps us with our John 4 study:
everlasting life” (v14). A bona fide offer of the timing of the harvest. While many
eternal life through the Lord of Glory is bureaucrats would be happy to study,
the best news a guilty sinner could hear. procrastinate and put things off, Joseph
But on the heels of those very words, the knew that for the salvation of the world,
Saviour broached a touchy subject: sin. He the harvest starts right now!
pointed out her unholy lifestyle. It had to The comparison draws itself. Little did
be said, for the reception of eternal life first anyone know that an insignificant en-
demanded the acknowledgment of per- counter with an outcast in prison would
sonal guilt. Remember, not one of us could eventually affect so many. As we watch
ever improve on the Lord’s example, so the butler leave his chains behind to re-
let us prayerfully seek to be balanced and turn to the king’s court (Gen 40:13), none
faithful to the Word of God as we share of us could anticipate that his personal
the gospel. Neither Joseph nor the Lord encounter with God through a faithful
Jesus prioritized their audience's feelings servant-messenger was about to change
over faithfulness, and we shouldn’t either. the course of the entire world and result
Joseph’s faithful witness then led to in the salvation of many nations. But that’s
even greater opportunity. In Genesis 41, exactly what happened. Likewise, nobody
standing before Pharaoh, he applied the could have seen the potential of the meet-
same principles of preaching used in the ing at Sychar. Still, when the ostracized
prison. He showed confidence in God and sinner left her waterpot behind to go into
faithfulness in presentation. If there was the town, her account of her personal
ever a time of pressure, this was it. Fear dealings with God through the Messiah
could have led him to compromise, but was enough to start a revival throughout
he knew that diluting the message would the entire city!
mean the death of the masses! So he told But what about the harvest? At Jacob’s
the whole truth, even the difficult news well that day, the disciples began insisting
of the coming famine. As we know from that the Lord eat something. His answer
our previous meditations, the king was implied that He had a different focus:
so impressed by Joseph that he elevated obedience and spiritual meat, reminding
him to second-in-command, but with that them that the most important needs are
came great responsibility. not physical and that the priority should
Now the son, sent by his father thirteen be on spiritual work. “Say not ye, there
years earlier to check on his shepherd are yet four months, and then cometh
brothers, was in charge of the largest agri- harvest? Behold, I say unto you, lift up
cultural operation ever. But perhaps even your eyes, and look on the fields; for they
more important for our current study, we are white already to harvest” (Joh 4:35).
see that the man who had a vision for In one concise sentence, the Lord brought
the future became “lord of the harvest.” their thinking from the physical, seasonal
Joseph’s wisdom is highlighted as he harvest to the spiritual, immediate har-
implemented the plan to appoint officers vest. Joseph-like, He was insisting that the
to oversee the harvest and to store 20% for time for ingathering is now, not later, and
the future. While the plan was innovative the salvation of many depends upon it!
and ambitious for its time, there is a third But was He not also recalibrating their
Continued on p. 300
293
TruthandTidings.com I October 2026 293