Genesis 47
Joseph presented his brothers and his father to Pharaoh. Pharaoh gave them the best of the land of Egypt---the land of Rameses and asked that capable men be put in charge of his own livestock. Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
The rest of Egypt suffered under the famine and people ran out of money to pay for grain, so they gave their livestock to Joseph in payment. Then they sold themselves and their land for grain. Joseph moved the people off the land and into the cities, and allowed them as slaves to farm the land, giving one fifth of the harvest to Pharaoh. Only the land that belonged to the Priests and that belonging to the household of Israel did not become Pharaoh’s land. Israel lived in the land of Goshen and became fruitful and very numerous.
Would you be willing to give your own life for food? That is what the Egyptian people did---they became Pharaoh’s slaves so that they could eat. Then Joseph gave them seeds to plant---in turn they would give Pharaoh a fifth of their harvest. The drought must have been nearly over at this point---but they were still without food until the harvest. It is hard for us to even imagine being without food to eat. We live in such a land of plenty---and the shelves at Albertson’s and Winco are constantly restocked for our convenience. What will it be like if that comes to an end? What will you do for food? Be careful that your spiritual food does not dry up, too.
Lord, thank you for the abundance that you provide for us, both in physical and spiritual food.
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