Giving It Back
Opening Prayer
Loving Father God, You’ve given me so much and You give me more each day. What a great God You are!
Read Genesis 47:13-31
[13] 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, 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. [27] Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number. [28] Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and the years of his life were a hundred and forty-seven. [29] When the time drew near for Israel to die, he called for his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor in your eyes, put your hand under my thigh and promise that you will show me kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt, [30] but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried.” “I will do as you say,” he said. [31] “Swear to me,” he said. Then Joseph swore to him, and Israel worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
Reflect
How did Joseph serve both the people and Pharaoh well?We live in a culture where we are told that the more stuff we have–widescreen TVs, iPhones, designer clothes–the more successful we are. The idea of Joseph gradually taking all Egypt’s possessions–first their money (15), next their livestock (17), then their land and, finally, even themselves (20,21)–in exchange for grain seems cruel. Why did Joseph not have mercy on the people and simply give them the grain? Joseph’s actions are, in fact, in line with Old Testament teaching on this subject (see Lev. 25:14-43). Joseph takes whatever the Egyptians can offer to stay alive, but while they give up the ownership of the land, they still have use of it. It’s like the relationship between a landowner and a tenant. When we read on, we see that this deal is a very healthy one; Joseph is only charging 20 per cent tax as the Egyptians work their way back out of poverty (24). In tough times we may be called to sacrifice our wants for our needs. As the Egyptians gave themselves back to Pharaoh in exchange for life, are we called to entrust to God what was only his to grant us in the first place?
Apply
What do you need to give up to prosper spiritually? Ask God to show you anything that’s getting in the way.
Closing prayer
Lord God, may nothing at all come between us so that I fail to grow in faith as You want me to.
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