Because we live in a prosperous capitalist world, money is often the source of our security. When we have it, we feel safe, we feel more courageous, we are more willing to take on risks and so on. But when we don’t have it, the lack of money becomes a source of fear. We feel exposed, we feel as if we need to find some way to provide for ourselves. But what if there was a greater source of provision? That is what this passage teaches us. Eventually all human resources will run dry. It is at these times that we realise that God is the only true provider.
Genesis 47:13–26 (ESV)
Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished by reason of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought. And Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.
So the famine gets worse and then as the famine worsens ordinary people’s money dry up quickly. Every coin in the land eventually finds its way into Pharaoh’s treasury. Now the point here is not so much that we should be frugal with our spending (although we should), or that this teaches us the prudence of saving for lean times (although of course that is true too). The point is that the people who once thought their wealth would cover them and protect them quickly find out that they can’t eat money. That is as true today as it was back then. So spending our lives chasing security in our possessions and our wealth really isn’t worth it. When real need comes, things like sickness or death, money cannot save you.
And when the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food. Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.” Joseph answered, “Give your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.” So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. He supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock that year.
It is amazing to me how quickly meaningful things become meaningless when we are faced with death. All of a sudden these people are willing to part with their last possessions, their livestock, so that they can have food. Death is the great equaliser, the great humbler. Why is this? Because deep down we know that once we die, we will face our maker. This terrifies most people. But not the Christian. We know death is but a doorway to joining our Saviour forever.
And when that year was ended, they came to him the following year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that our money is all spent. The herds of livestock are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our land. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we with our land will be servants to Pharaoh. And give us seed that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.” So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. For all the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe on them. The land became Pharaoh’s. As for the people, he made servants of them from one end of Egypt to the other.
Here the crisis reaches its lowest point. The Egyptians hand over themselves. Money, livestock, and now their very lives. They all belong to Pharaoh. They have nothing left. It’s sobering to see how suffering strips us of everything we think we own. It forces us to face the truth: we are not in control. But as we will see, even in this, behind the scenes, God is still working.
Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh. Now here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And at the harvests you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.” And they said, “You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be servants to Pharaoh.” So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; the land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s.
Notice that Joseph here is merciful and prudent. He could have let them starve, but he was a good and merciful man. God had restored him out of his poverty and slavery and he now treats the people with similar mercy. He gives the people seed to plant crops. He provides a way for them to live. Sure, they are Pharaoh’s servants now, but they have a way forward because Joseph provided it.
Now we should be careful here because Joseph is not Christ, and Pharaoh is not God. But we should note that this story does point us forward to Jesus. Our sin and idolatry are like a spiritual famine, and it leaves us spiritually bankrupt. It sucks us in and keeps sucking the life out of us. We spend all we have spiritually trying to save ourselves, and still we come up empty.
But Jesus makes a way. He redeems us, not like slaves, but as adopted children. And while Joseph gave seed for food, Christ gives us Himself as our daily bread. In a sense he is the true seed who fell into the ground and died, that He might bear fruit and give us life forever.
And that gives us far better security than money.
Prayer
Father, we confess how often we trust in money, possessions, and control to keep us safe. But like Egypt in famine, we find that it all slips through our fingers. Thank You that in Christ we have a greater security, one that cannot be taken away. Help us live humbly, dependently, and gratefully, knowing that You have provided the true bread of life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.