Genesis 47:14-26 – Be an instrument of blessing

Joseph’s plan helped Pharaoh to prosper greatly. Egypt was the only place food could be found in such a sever famine. So from Egypt to Canaan people came to buy grains from Pharaoh. Joseph’s strategy of storing grains for the seven years of famine had indeed brought in great wealth to Pharaoh. Money came endlessly into his treasury during this time. When the money of the people were exhausted, they came with their livestock in exchange for food. Soon all the money and all the livestock became Pharaoh’s assets. Finally without money and livestock, the people came next bringing themselves and their land, and said to Joseph, “There is nothing left for my lord except our bodies and our lands. Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we and our land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and not die, and that the land may not be desolate.” So the land became Pharaoh’s possession and the people became his employees to work in his field. Previously they were land owners and were their own bosses. Now their lands belonged to Pharaoh and to survive they became his workers.

Everyone became Pharaoh’s slave. For they had given their livestock, their lands and themselves to Pharaoh. Joseph bought up everything as we can see in verses 20-21.  “So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. Thus the land became Pharaoh’s. As for the people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the other.” The only group of people that did not suffer such an end were the priests. For Joseph did not buy their land. They didn’t need to sell them because Pharaoh had allotted a portion of grains for their sustenance.  

Since all the land now belonged to Pharaoh, Joseph hatched a plan that had everyone working for the monarch. He gave to them seed to cultivate the lands that they had sold to Pharaoh. And from the harvest the people could keep 80 percent of the produce and surrender the other 2o percent to Pharaoh. Though they had become slaves to Pharaoh, no one complained about it. They instead praised Joseph and hailed him as their savior. They said to him, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s slaves.”    

At a causal glance, we get the idea that Pharaoh became very wealthy and he truly was. He possessed not only his people’s livestock but also their lands. Besides, each one would gladly serve him. But how did he get to where he was? How did he become so blessed? Firstly, we can attribute his prosperity to the blessing pronounced over him by Jacob. Remember, the patriarch blessed him twice when they met. Now the blessing pronounced over him was taking effect. Words spoken do have an impact on the people we speak over. Let us bless and not curse. Secondly, God was keeping His promise to bless those who would bless Abraham and his people. Because Pharaoh blessed Jacob and his family by providing the rich land of Goshen and all that they needed, he now received God’s blessing in return. The blessing Pharaoh received was truly over and beyond his expectation. Thirdly, it’s because of Joseph’s wise stewardship. Pharaoh got the right person for the job and the yield was way beyond his imagination. As Christians, like Jacob, we are called to be a blessing. This must be our mandate. And like Joseph, we can have God’s wisdom and become His instrument to someone else’s blessing. Let’s do it!