The Famine was Over

The Famine was Over

Genesis 47: ²³ Then Joseph said to the people, “Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. ²⁴ And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”

 

²⁵ So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” ²⁶ And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh’s.

 

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In the final year of the famine, Joseph told the Egyptians what to do with the land he purchased. Each household were now under the rule of Pharaoh and had to give one-fifth of their harvest annually. This became a law that was pleasing to Pharaoh.

 

My Observations:

• Every household had to clearly divide the way they planted their fields so it could be monitored by the Egyptian enforcers.
• Five fields had to be planted and one of the best would go to Pharaoh.
• The people gladly bought into this new way of life because they did not have seed to plant in their fields during the famine.

 

Joseph essentially developed commerce amongst the Egyptians that did not exist before the famine. Pharaoh would get a twenty percent cut and the people could do as they pleased with the rest. GOD put Joseph in a position to make

 

This shrewd move would keep Pharaoh wealthy without having to lift a finger. There were only seventy Israelites at this time. They would tend the best land and plant food for themselves and their animals. Joseph had developed a semi-harmonious lifestyle for Pharaoh, the Egyptians and the Israelites. The Egyptian priests, did not have to pay. The famine was over. GOD brought them out of the famine.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about the tax Joseph placed on the Egyptians?
• Have you ever been put in a position where you had to do something different and you gladly did it?
• When GOD takes you out of your famine, will you stay with HIM and be a new creation for HIM?

When the Money Failed

When the Money Failed

Genesis 47: ¹³ Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. ¹⁴ And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.

 

¹⁵ So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.”

 

¹⁶ Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.” ¹⁷ So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year.

 

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After putting his family in the best territory of Egypt, Joseph had to return to his duties of running Egypt. This as now year two- or three of a seven-year famine. The people came to Joseph with their money and bought bread. But they ran out of money.

 

My Observations:

• The famine could not be prayed away because GOD had a purpose for it.
• Joseph was put into leadership of Egypt and had to deal with some very difficult issues.
• Egypt prospered because of Joseph.

 

Horses, flocks and cattle were given to Egypt so that the people would survive. The Canaanites and the Egyptians who could care less about GOD, were losing everything. Meanwhile, the family of Israel prospered. They were placed over the herds that were given to Egypt.

 

When the money fails, it changed the people. Survival was the new mindset and the people gave up everything simply to survive. Joseph used the wisdom given to him by GOD to make the Egyptians and Israel strong.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about the severe famine HE caused?
• Are you in the middle of a severe famine?
• What is GOD doing to make you prosper in the middle of the famine in your life?

Something Had to be Done

Something Had to be Done

Genesis 43: ⁶ And Israel said, “Why did you deal so wrongfully with me as to tell the man whether you had still another brother?”

 

⁷ But they said, “The man asked us pointedly about ourselves and our family, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ And we told him according to these words. Could we possibly have known that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”

 

⁸ Then Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. ⁹ I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. ¹⁰ For if we had not lingered, surely by now we would have returned this second time.”

 

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When “Israel” questioned his sons about the situation they were in, the sons immediately tried to cover up what they actually said. They blamed Joseph, saying he asked questions versus telling the truth that they voluntarily spoke about Benjamin. Instead of going back and forth as to why they were in the situation, Judah spoke up.

 

My Observations:

• Israel’s sons were still trying to protect themselves.
• Israel was being resistant and waited until all the food had run out.
• Judah said in so many words “We have to do something.”

 

Shame and blame were the tactics of the sons of Israel. They seemed to be ashamed they opened their mouths about Benjamin and blamed Joseph for his reaction. Little did they know that it was Joseph who they were speaking to, so they would still be in thins situation.

 

Earlier, Reuben pledged that Jacob could kill two of his sons if Benjamin were not returned. Jacob, otherwise known as Israel, did not accept this plan. But Judah came up with another way to convince Israel. “If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever” was his promise. He would become the walking shame if Benjamin died.  He gave some logic. “We could have been back by now.”

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about this distressful conversation between Israel and his sons?
• Have you ever wanted to avoid getting blamed for something you did or blame someone else for something you should own up to?
• Is it time to face the situation, knowing GOD is with you, so you can be brave and tell the truth?

Protective

Protective

Genesis 42: ³ So Joseph’s ten brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. ⁴ But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he said, “Lest some calamity befall him.” ⁵ And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who journeyed, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

 

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Ten of Joseph’s half-brothers were sent to Egypt to buy grain. But “Jacob” did not send Benjamin with his half-brothers. So the sons of “Israel” went to buy grain.

 

My Observations:

• Jacob may have suspected his sons were not telling him the truth about what happened to Joseph.
• Rachel was the woman Jacob loved, so he treated Joseph and Benjamin, her sons, differently.
• Jacob sent ten of his sons to buy enough food that each could carry.

 

Jacob had hundreds of servants who tended his animals, so they would need to be fed as well. But Jacob sent only his sons to Egypt. He clearly showed a difference between Benjamin and his other sons by saying “Lest some calamity befall him.”  Jacob may have seen something in his sons that he could not quite put his finger on. All he knew in his mind was Joseph was dead.

 

The sons of “Israel” went to Egypt. I believe this distinction was given to Moses on purpose. As Moses writes this book, he flows between Jacob and Israel. I believe GOD is showing how the tribes of Israel ended up in Egypt. The importance of the tribes would become known later. GOD chose a very complex family.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD tell Moses about Jacob’s protective statement to his other sons about Benjamin?
• Has something ever happened in your life that made you more protective of people around you?
• Is GOD moving you to a place where HIS new work will begin?

Do Something!

Do Something!

Genesis 42: When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” ² And he said, “Indeed I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down to that place and buy for us there, that we may live and not die.”

 

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GOD made the famine so severe, that there was no place to go to get food. Jacob heard there was food in Egypt. He told his sons to do something!

 

My Observations:

• Jacob’s sons were willing to perish because they had no vision.
• Jacob had to step in and tell his sons to do something!
• Jacob saw that his sons did not have vision and they would perish.

 

GOD turned HIS attention to Jacob and his sons as they faced the seven years of famine. Jacob was a survivor and would not let his family just tit and die. His sons had plotted against Joseph and wound up selling him into slavery. But their plan only went as far as the harm they caused. They did not know where to turn.

 

GOD may have had many reasons for causing the famine, but the one that is revealed is the famine forced the sons of Israel to go to Joseph, just as the dream of Joseph said. This difficult time was being used by GOD to bring HIS people to Egypt.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about Jacob’s statement to his sons?
• Have you ever felt hopeless?
• Do you realize GOD’s plan is greater than your circumstance and HE will move you to where HE needs you someday?

Deliverer

Deliverer

Genesis 41: ⁵³ Then the seven years of plenty which were in the land of Egypt ended, ⁵⁴ and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵ So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” ⁵⁶ The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷ So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands.

 

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After the seven years of plenty ended, seven years of famine began, just as Joseph prophesied. First the Egyptians came to Pharaoh, asking him to fix their problem. But he sent them to “Joseph.”

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave Joseph the interpretation of the dream HE gave Pharaoh.
• Joseph used his gift of administration to store up food all over the providence of Egypt.
• Pharaoh called Joseph “Joseph” versus using the name he gave him.

 

Maybe it was a good guess that the land would provide abundance, Pharaoh may have thought. If  abundance happened for eight or nine or ten years, Pharaoh would still look good. But it happened just as Joseph predicted. How can this be, Pharaoh may hove thought. Then he realized, GOD was speaking through Joseph.

 

Pharaoh sent everyone who asked to Joseph. Even Pharaoh recognized this was no coincidence. GOD positioned Joseph to deliver the Egyptians and all the countries from the famine. GOD provided the abundance and positioned Joseph as HIS deliverer.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about Pharaoh’s reaction to the cries of the people regarding the seven years of famine?
• Are you going through a difficult time?
• Is GOD positioning you to be HIS deliverer by using the gifts HE has given you?

Significant Revival

 

Significant Revival

Genesis 41: ⁵⁰ And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On, bore to him. ⁵¹ Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” ⁵² And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

 

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Sometime during the years of plenty, Joseph had two sons Manasseh and Ephriam. Asenath, an Egyptian daughter of a priest who worshipped Ra the sun god, is mentioned for the second time.

 

My Observations:

• Asenath influenced her sons to live as Egyptians.
• Manasseh would later struggle with GOD
• Ephriam would become a huge tribe, yet would also struggle with GOD.

 

The birth of these two sons was so significant to GOD, that one of the tribes, Dan, was replaced in the book of Revelation with Manasseh. My guess is Manasseh was born somewhere around year three of the famine and Ephriam was born around year five. I have no factual basis for the numbers other than Joseph was extremely busy storing up food for Egypt.

 

Joseph struggled with being separated from his father. He may have thought of Jacob every day. Joseph may have learned how to manage people from Jacob. Naming Manasseh “Making me forget my sorrow” indicates He missed his father. Naming Ephriam “Double fruitfulness” was done after collecting so much food that the amount could not be counted.

 

Joseph recognized that he was in a land that afflicted him. He had been taken from his father, enslaved  and imprisoned. This land started off as a place of doom. BUT GOD healed the situation and made Joseph fruitful in all he did.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD tell Moses about the birth of Joseph’s son in such detail?
• Have you ever come out of a trial and remembered what you went through?
• Does GOD’s revival of you have to come in the way you think?

Quick Preparation

Quick Preparation

Genesis 41: ²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do: ²⁶ The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one. ²⁷ And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine. ²⁸ This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do. ²⁹ Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; ³⁰ but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. ³¹ So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe. ³² And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

 

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GOD gave Joseph a dream and the ability to interpret dreams. After Pharaoh told him the dreams, Joseph interpreted the meaning. He told Pharaoh something that would take fourteen years to prove out. Joseph also told Pharoah this is urgent.

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave Pharaoh a dream, even though Pharaoh may have considered himself a god.
• GOD used Pharaoh even though he abused people and killed them at the slightest mistake.
• GOD was going to do what HE said HE would, whether Pharaoh believed HIM or not.

 

After hearing about Joseph’s supernatural gifts from the butler, Pharaoh was intrigued. He could feel in his spirit that the dreams had to be something substantial. Joseph explained the urgency of the dreams. Since the dreams were repeated and were food related.

 

Two sets of seven are mentioned in the two dreams. One set showed plenty and the other showed extreme loss. GOD has revealed that seven is important throughout scripture. HE chose to rest on the seventh day during creation. Later GOD will reveal that there are seven spirits of GOD. In this case GOD showed Pharaoh what HE will do so Pharaoh could prepare. It wasn’t about Pharaoh, rather GOD was using this to raise up Joseph and HIS people.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about Joseph’s interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream?
• Is GOD doing something bigger that your circumstance?
• Despite your situation, are you prepared for what GOD is about to do?