Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians
The seven years of famine
I. JOSEPH’S ADMINISTRATION.
1. It showed great prudence and skill.
2. It showed a spirit of dependence upon God.
3. It was the exhibition of a character worthy of the highest confidence.
II. Lessons:
1. How quickly adversity awaits upon prosperity.
2. What an advantage to have a true and powerful friend in the day of calamity.
3. God often brings about His purposes of love and mercy by affliction. (T. H. Leale.)
Joseph opening the storehouses
I. JOSEPH OPENED THE STOREHOUSES BY ROYAL AUTHORITY.
1. The king was only to be approached through Joseph (Genesis 41:55). So with Jesus (John 14:6).
2. The king commanded that Joseph should be obeyed (Genesis 41:55; see John 5:23).
3. In all the land no other could open a storehouse save Joseph (see John 3:35).
II. JOSEPH WAS A FIT PERSON TO BE THUS AUTHORIZED TO OPEN THE STOREHOUSES,
1. He planned the storehouses, and was justly appointed to control them (Genesis 41:33-36; Genesis 41:38).
2. He carried out the storage, and so proved himself practical as well as inventive (Genesis 41:49).
3. He did it on a noble scale (Genesis 41:49).
4. He had wisdom to distribute well (see Colossians 1:9; John 1:16).
III. JOSEPH ACTUALLY OPENED THE STOREHOUSES.
1. For this purpose he filled them. Grace is meant to be used.
2. To have kept them closed would have been no gain to him.
3. He opened them at a fit time (Genesis 41:55-56).
4. He kept them open while the famine lasted.
IV. JOSEPH OPENED THE STOREHOUSE TO ALL COMERS. Yet Joseph did but sell, while Jesus gives without money.
V. JOSEPH ACQUIRED POSSESSION OF ALL EGYPT FOR THE KING. Full submission and consecration are the grand result of infinite love. (C. H.Spurgeon.)
Lessons
1. Providence puts an end to plenty at His will, however sensual men think not of it.
2. The fruitfulest land becometh barren if God speak the word; even Egypt.
3. Periods of full conditions are observable by men; God’s Spirit notes them (Genesis 41:54).
4. In the design of Providence, wants succeed plenty at the heels.
5. Entrance of dearth, though grievous, yet may make but small impression on souls.
6. Not a word of God falleth to the ground, but as He saith, so it is.
7. Providence orders lands for scarcity as well as plenty.
8. God can give bread to Egypt when He denieth it to other nations for His own ends (Genesis 41:54). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Providence orders some countries to depend on others for their sustenance.
2. Wants make nations stoop and seek about for the support of life.
3. Grace can make poor captives become preservers of nations.
4. Sore plagues may be made to make men inquire after and prize abused mercies.
5. General judgments are sent to manifest God’s special ends of grace to His (Genesis 41:57). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Egypt’s indebtedness to Joseph
Egypt’s indebtedness to Joseph was, in fact, twofold. In the first place he succeeded in doing what many strong governments have failed to do: he enabled a large population to survive a long and severe famine. Even with all modern facilities for transport and for making the abundance of remote countries available for times of scarcity, it has not always been found possible to save our own fellow-subjects from starvation. In a prolonged famine which occurred in Egypt during the middle ages, the inhabitants, reduced to the unnatural habits which are the most painful feature of such times, not only ate their own dead, but kidnapped the living on the streets of Cairo and consumed them in secret. One of the most touching memorials of the famine with which Joseph had to deal is found in a sepulchral inscription in Arabia. A flood of rain laid bare a tomb in which lay a woman having on her person a profusion of jewels which represented a very large value. At her head stood a coffer filled with treasure, and a tablet with this inscription: “In Thy name, O God, the God of Himyar, I, Tayar, the daughter of Dzu Shefar, sent my steward to Joseph, and he delaying to return to me, I sent my handmaid with a measure of silver to bring me back a measure of flour; and not being able to procure it, I sent her with a measure of gold; and not being able to procure it, I sent her with a measure of pearls; and not being able to procure it, I commanded them to be ground; and finding no profit in them, I am shut up here.” If this inscription is genuine--and there seems no reason to call it in question--it shows that there is no exaggeration in the statement of our narrator that the famine was very grievous in other lands as well as Egypt. And, whether genuine or not, one cannot but admire the grim humour of the starving woman getting herself buried in the jewels which had suddenly dropped to less than the value of a loaf of bread. But besides being indebted to Joseph for their preservation, the Egyptians owed to him an extension of their influence; for, as all the lands round about became dependent on Egypt for provision, they must have contracted a respect for the Egyptian administration. They must also have added greatly to Egypt’s wealth, and during those years of constant traffic many commercial connections must have been formed which in future years would be of untold value to Egypt. But, above all, the permanent alterations made by Joseph on their tenure of land, and on their places of abode, may have convinced the most sagacious of the Egyptians that it was well for them that their money had failed, and that they had been compelled to yield themselves unconditionally into the hands of this remarkable ruler. It is the mark of a competent statesman that he makes temporary distress the occasion for permanent benefit; and from the confidence Joseph won with the people, there seems every reason to believe that the permanent alterations he introduced were considered as beneficial as certainly they were bold. And for our own spiritual uses it is this point which seems chiefly important. In Joseph is illustrated the principle that, in order to the attainment of certain blessings, unconditional submission to God’s delegate is required. (M. Doris, D. D.)
Christ’s storehouse
William Bridge says: There is enough in Jesus Christ to serve us all. If two, or six, or twenty men be athirst, and they go to drink out of a bottle, while one is drinking, the other envies, because he thinks there will not be enough for him too; but if a hundred be athirst, and go to the river, while one is drinking, the other envies not, because there is enough to serve them all.”
Riches in Christ
Dr. Conyers was for some years a preacher before he had felt the power of the gospel. As he was reading his Greek Testament he came to Ephesians 3:8 : “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” “Riches of Christ!” said he to himself;” ‘Unsearchable riches of Christ!’ What have I preached of these? What do I know of these?” Under the blessing of the Spirit of God he was thus awakened to a new life and a new ministry. Are there not some yet living who might put to their own consciences similar questions? (C. H.Spurgeon.)
Spiritual blessings by Christ
All the spiritual blessings wherewith the Church is enriched are in and by Christ. The apostle instances some of the choicest (Ephesians 1:3). Our election is by Him (Genesis 41:4). Our adoption is by Him (Genesis 41:5). Our redemption and remission of sins are both through Him. All the gracious transactions between God and His people are through Christ. God loves us through Christ; He hears our prayers through Christ; He forgives us all our sins through Christ. Through Christ He justifies us; through Christ He sanctifies us; through Christ Pie upholds us; through Christ He perfects us. All His relations to us are through Christ; all we have is from Christ; all we expect to have hangs upon Him. He is the golden hinge upon which all our salvation turns. (Ralph Robinson.)
Christ the only source of supply
If any of the people of Egypt had refused to go to Joseph, they would have despised not Joseph only, but the king, and would have deserved to be denied that sustenance which he only could give them. Are not the despisers of our great Redeemer in like manner despisers of His Father, who has set Him as His King upon the holy hill of Zion?.. . If Joseph had thrown open his storehouses before the Egyptians felt the pressure of hunger, they might soon have wasted the fruits of his prudent care. .. Hunger, though very unpleasant, is often more useful than fulness of bread. They were very willing to give the price demanded for their food as long as their money lasted. What is the reason why so many are unwilling to come and receive wine and milk without money and without price? They feel no appetite for it. They are not sensible of their need of it. (George Lawson, D. D.)
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