Genesis 47:13-21, 25, 27-31 (New Living Translation)

¹³ Meanwhile, the famine became so severe that all the food was used up, and people were starving throughout the lands of Egypt and Canaan. ¹⁴ By selling grain to the people, Joseph eventually collected all the money in Egypt and Canaan, and he put the money in Pharaoh’s treasury. ¹⁵ When the people of Egypt and Canaan ran out of money, all the Egyptians came to Joseph. “Our money is gone!” they cried. “But please give us food, or we will die before your very eyes!”

¹⁶ Joseph replied, “Since your money is gone, bring me your livestock. I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.” ¹⁷ So they brought their livestock to Joseph in exchange for food. In exchange for their horses, flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and donkeys, Joseph provided them with food for another year.

¹⁸ But that year ended, and the next year they came again and said, “We cannot hide the truth from you, my lord. Our money is gone, and all our livestock and cattle are yours. We have nothing left to give but our bodies and our land. ¹⁹ Why should we die before your very eyes? Buy us and our land in exchange for food; we offer our land and ourselves as slaves for Pharaoh. Just give us grain so we may live and not die, and so the land does not become empty and desolate.”

²⁰ So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold him their fields because the famine was so severe, and soon all the land belonged to Pharaoh. ²¹ As for the people, he made them all slaves,^[a] from one end of Egypt to the other.

²⁵ “You have saved our lives!” they exclaimed. “May it please you, my lord, to let us be Pharaoh’s servants.”

²⁷ Meanwhile, the people of Israel settled in the region of Goshen in Egypt. There they acquired property, and they were fruitful, and their population grew rapidly. ²⁸ Jacob lived for seventeen years after his arrival in Egypt, so he lived 147 years in all.

²⁹ As the time of his death drew near, Jacob^[b] called for his son Joseph and said to him, “Please do me this favor. Put your hand under my thigh and swear that you will treat me with unfailing love by honoring this last request: Do not bury me in Egypt. ³⁰ When I die, please take my body out of Egypt and bury me with my ancestors.”

So Joseph promised, “I will do as you ask.”

³¹ “Swear that you will do it,” Jacob insisted. So Joseph gave his oath, and Jacob bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.  

Desperation does things to people. They don’t seem to think wisely in desperate situations. It’s hard enough to breathe much less think at times.

Everyone looks for a way out of desperate times. When our faith or understanding has dissipated, we, more often than not, settle for that which will make us the most comfortable even at the detriment of our rights.

Warnings of desperate times and desperate measures have been coming at us in America for centuries. But they have been more prevalent since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Our security and safety had been compromised, and desperate measures had to be taken. At least that’s what we were told. Some groups complained about government entrance and interference in private citizens lives. Others postulated that these measures would be the only thing that could save us from another attack.

Political winds change with the actual temperature of the bodies who vote in each election. People look to those who they believe will present the “most comfortable” situation. More government, less government, more pay, less pay, more taxes, less taxes, the mantras go on and on and on. Prudency would be the best bet. But wisdom is far from home in the halls of governments and private citizen’s homes. History is a repetitious monster at times.

So, what does any of this have to do with Joseph, the Egyptians and the Hebrews? More importantly, what does it have to do with me? Nothing…nothing unless you can read the annals of history in Genesis and realize that our choices must be carefully considered and prudently executed. The Egyptians did not have faith in any god except Pharaoh. They trusted his representative Joseph to take care of their need for food. But that trust cost them everything they owned and even ownership of themselves.

On the other hand, the Hebrews were living in Goshen, Egypt. It seems as if they had prepared for the famine for there is no mention of them selling of property or people in order to eat. In fact, the passage says that they prospered and their numbers increased greatly! And I think I found out why. In verse 31, their patriarch, their leader, bows himself in worship. He knew and had followed the one, true God all of his life. And all of his people followed along.

I am convinced the lesson of all these things is simple – know who you are trusting for your daily bread and worship Him.

Peace,

Pastor Tim