Joseph prepared for and managed the famine for the entire 14 years of its history. When one reads the story, it is clear he did so with the wisdom and grace that only God could have provided him. He was careful to collect the food in the prosperous years. He then was equally careful to distribute the food carefully and according to the law.
But Joseph was also practical as he would never leave his nation feeling entitled. He did want them to know they would be fed. They remained grateful even as they handed over their possessions, livestock, and lands.
Even as Egypt fed the world, it had to carefully manage its people and property. Failure to do so would have set them up for civil unrest and ultimate cultural breakdown. Under Joseph’s leadership, that never happened. Pharaoh prospered, and the famine eventually passed with little death, destruction, or devastation.
Genesis clearly sets out that God would lead differently than how men would lead. Joseph never became greedy, prideful, or selfish. He followed God’s lead and literally saved the known world.
If our culture of today could do the same, imagine the brokenness that could be repaired. Authority respected, families reunited, no homeless no hungry only peace and unity. Egypt was not living on unicorn kisses and rainbows. All their property and possessions were lost to Pharaoh so that they could survive. But the selflessness of leadership was contagious, and the people were able to band together and endure the devastation.
It needs to be our prayer and our mission to honor God as a country, as a church, as families, and as individuals. We must remember that we can be “One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for ALL!” But it takes selfless leaders, selfless citizens, and a selfless commitment to unite and weather the storm. For that to work, our nation needs revival. Our nation needs a Joseph and our nation needs to change.
God Bless You
There was no food, however, in the whole region because the famine was severe; both Egypt and Canaan wasted away because of the famine. 14 Joseph collected all the money that was to be found in Egypt and Canaan in payment for the grain they were buying, and he brought it to Pharaoh’s palace. 15 When the money of the people of Egypt and Canaan was gone, all Egypt came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? Our money is all gone.”
16 “Then bring your livestock,” said Joseph. “I will sell you food in exchange for your livestock, since your money is gone.” 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.
18 When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. 19 Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude,[c] from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”
25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”
26 So Joseph established it as a law concerning land in Egypt—still in force today—that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. It was only the land of the priests that did not become Pharaoh’s.
Walking With God 