“Genesis 41:53-57”

Sunday, April 05, 2020

“When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, 'Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.' When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.”

---End of Scripture verses---

“Seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said...” (verse 54) “The seven years of plenty” were evidence that Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dreams were at least half-true. It was not until the time of famine which began seven years later that Joseph's wisdom and Pharaoh's instincts proved to be completely accurate and reliable as well. The fact that things happened “just as Joseph had said” indicates in reality that all things always comes to pass just exactly the way that the Lord God Almighty says they will.

“Lower Egypt, the northern area of the country, is virtually rainless. Its entire economy, of which agriculture was the core in ancient times, has always depended upon the Nile floods caused by the river's periodic rise during three summer months. The swelling of the river results from the torrential rains in the Upper Nile Basin being carried down to the Delta by the Blue Nile. In ancient times an elaborate series of artificially constructed irrigation works controlled the distribution and utilization of the flood waters... Normally, the floods come with remarkable regularity. But there are years when the rainfall in the southern Sudan provides an insufficient volume of water.” (Nahum Sarna)

“Then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.” (verse 54) The lack of adequate rainfall must have been vastly widespread in its nature to effect “all the lands” in an expansive enough area to include the land of Palestine as well. But in the land of Egypt, with Joseph at the helm of an elaborate plan to store up enormous amounts of grain during the years of plenty, and then distribute the surplus during the lean years, there was plenty of food available for resident and foreigner alike. And of course, this verse sets the stage for Joseph to finally confront the hungry and desperate brothers who had mistreated him and sold him as mere merchandise some two and a half decades earlier.

“Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” (verse 55) When the people of the land began to appeal to Pharaoh for food to feed their families, he ushered them directly to the authority and instruction of Joseph. With all the king's confidence and reliance, the Hebrew had been entrusted with the gargantuan task of keeping the people of the land alive and well during a time of extreme peril. In this regard, Joseph prefigured our Lord Jesus Christ in His mission to provide spiritual salvation for all humanity. Even the directive of Pharaoh foreshadowed the words that the mother of Jesus spoke at the Cana wedding feast concerning her Son: “Whatever He says to you, do it” (John 2:5).

“When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians.” (verse 56) “For, as he had bought it with Pharaoh's money, it was no injustice to sell it; and as it could be sold at a moderate price, and yet Pharaoh get enough by it, being bought cheap in a time of plenty, no doubt but Joseph, who was a kind and benevolent man, sold it at such a price.” (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible) “The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.” (verse 57) When Jacob “heard that there” was “grain in Egypt” (Genesis 42:2), the next step in God's plan to save the children of Israel and all mankind through His Beloved Son would be put into motion.

Please read Genesis 42:1-7 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed Lord's Day!

-Louie Taylor

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