Joseph And The Founding Fathers

Rory Richardson - Warrenton- August 4, 2009

I am sure most of you are aware of the story of Joseph and his "coat of many colors." He was a man who loved and trusted God. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, but he excelled in every situation and ended up as ruler over the Egyptian people. Only Pharaoh was above him.

Joseph ruled Egypt from the age of 30 until his death at age 110. Joseph's father and brothers came to Egypt and prospered.

Exodus 1: 6-7 reads, "And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them."

Joseph set the scene for everyone in Egypt to live abundantly and peacefully.

Our founding fathers did this for us in America. They, like Joseph, were men who loved and trusted God. This is why He blessed them with the wisdom (again, like Joseph) to set up a nation where people could be fruitful and prosper.

But Joseph and the founding fathers did not live forever. They died, and the lessons of their leadership were forgotten. A new king arose over Egypt, and he viewed the freedom and prosperity of the Israelites as a threat. So he set taskmasters (slave drivers) over them. He made their work harder and forced them to build supply cities for him.

Now we don't have slave drivers in America anymore. But we do have more and more regulations that make it harder to run a business. Remember, businesses are where the jobs are. We also have a higher and higher tax burden that makes it harder to provide for our families.

Our government was designed to be very limited, but it is looking more and more like the new pharaoh who did not know Joseph. Government is taking more control of our lives every day. We are not being whipped physically, but we are being whipped economically. And every lash diminishes our freedom.

Now, God delivered the Israelites. Some people have told me that they don't worry about these things because they trust God to resolve it. I trust God, too. But notice that God did not teleport the Israelites to the promised land. He could have, but He didn't. They had to walk. God wants us to have abundance. We are His children. But if we don't want it enough to do something about it, we don't deserve it. "But they had Moses." Yes, they did. Where is our Moses? He is you. He is me. He doesn't have to be one person.

We, the American people, have risen up to right many wrongs in our history. We must tell the new pharaoh (government) that we will not be controlled with new law after new law. Government involvement in health care and cap and trade will lash our wallets and our health. Please, don't just repeat what someone tells you. Seek to understand these bills and the impact they will have on us. This is a small step to preserving what our founding fathers risked their lives to give us: freedom. I just have one question. Will you walk?


Mr. Richardson is Chairman of the Warren County Republican Party