SLAVES to Pharaoh or SUPPLIED by the Lord. Genesis 47
A system of commerce and government is next established throughout all of Egypt, where the people became enslaved to the ruler(s), ultimately Pharaoh, of the land. Some may have prospered within the system and others may have failed in it, but ALL WERE UNDER THE SYSTEM. What system are we living under today?
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. Genesis 47
Pharaoh took all the people’s money, for selling them food.
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.’ Genesis 47
Then they sold all their livestock to Pharaoh to survive the famine, they had no choice.
‘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.’ Genesis 47
Pharaoh would need some people to work the land, but only the strong and healthy and not the masses.
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, (PAGAN PRIESTS WHO BELONGED TO PHARAOH) because they received a fixed allowance from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allowance Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land. Genesis 47
There were only three groups of people in Egypt, the public masses, the pagan priests and God’s people. God fed His people through Joseph, their Deliverer (Christ is our Deliverer today).
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. (GOD ONLY ASKED FOR A TITHE OR TENTH PART) The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.’ Genesis 47
The whole of Egypt (the world) now lived under a system that controlled their lives. Pharaoh took his cut off the top and the people lived on the remainder.
27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number. Genesis 47 Hallelujah!
THE ONLY WAY OUT OF THE WORLD’S SYSTEM WAS TO BE UNDER GOD’S SYSTEM – HE SUPPLIED FOR HIS PEOPLE!
11 ‘The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her (Babylon, a trade system governing this earth) because no one buys their cargoes any more – 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; … 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; AND THE BODIES AND SOULS OF MEN. Revelation 18
This world system is set up to control and trade the bodies and souls of men and apart from the Lord, they would do it. The plan in Genesis 47, so long ago, is clear and hasn’t changed, but God’s people flourished in Egypt, the land of slavery.
May God bless and keep His people in this day.