The Famine Was Severe Upon Them: Genesis 47:1-31

Genesis 47:1-31: "1 Then Joseph went and told Pharaoh, and said, 'My father and my brothers, their flocks and their herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; and indeed they are in the land of Goshen.' 2 And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, 'What is your occupation?' And they said to Pharaoh, 'Your servants are shepherds, both we and also our fathers.' 4 And they said to Pharaoh, 'We have come to dwell in the land, because your servants have no pasture for their flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.' 5 Then Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, saying, 'Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is before you. Have your father and brothers dwell in the best of the land; let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if you know any competent men among them, then make them chief herdsmen over my livestock.' 7 Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob and set him before Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, 'How old are you?' 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, 'The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.' 10 So Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh. 11 And Joseph situated his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Then Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father's household with bread, according to the number in their families. 13 Now there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. 14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house. 15 So when the money failed in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, 'Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For the money has failed.' 16 Then Joseph said, 'Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone.' 17 So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the cattle of the herds, and for the donkeys. Thus he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock that year. 18 When that year had ended, they came to him the next year and said to him, 'We will not hide from my lord that our money is gone; my lord also has our herds of livestock. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. 19 Why should we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate.' 20 Then Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land became Pharaoh's. 21 And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end. 22 Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had rations allotted to them by Pharaoh, and they ate their rations which Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their lands. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, 'Indeed I have bought you and your land this day for Pharaoh. Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.' 25 So they said, 'You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.' 26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have one-fifth, except for the land of the priests only, which did not become Pharaoh's. 27 So Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions there and grew and multiplied exceedingly. 28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the length of Jacob's life was one hundred and forty-seven years. 29 When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, 'Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt, 30 but let me lie with my fathers; you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.' And he said, 'I will do as you have said.' 31 Then he said, 'Swear to me.' And he swore to him. So Israel bowed himself on the head of the bed."

This evening's reading relays the narrative of Jacob and his sons settling in the land of Egypt, and the increase of the famine that caused them to be there. Joseph makes Pharaoh a very wealthy man. It was because of the dream of Pharaoh that Joseph knew about the coming famine, and was able to prepare for it. However, the famine lasted such a long time that not only did the bread run out in Canaan, but it also ran out in Egypt. When in did, the people of Egypt did not have anything to eat, therefore they were forced to give all their money to buy food, so that the Pharoah had everyone's money. Having given all their money to Pharoah for bread, they had nothing with which to buy food to eat, so Joseph agrees to exchange bread for their livestock, so Pharaoh had everyone's livestock. Then, having given up all the livestock they could spare, they didn't have any thing to buy bread, so Joseph agrees to buy their land in exchange for bread, so that Pharoah, now owned all the land. So Joseph made Pharaoh a very rich man, because he had all the money, all the livestock and all the land of Egypt.

Joseph was then able to even supply workers to work the fields of Pharaoh, that is, the people who sold their land. They would be allowed to work the land, and would be allowed to keep 4/5 of was grown from the seed that Joseph gave them. They only had to give Pharaoh 1/5 of what was grown on his land by their hands.

This is more than just an informative narrative about Joseph's dealings with the Egyptians during the famine. This whole pericope, including Jacob and his whole family settling in the land of Goshen, and the indebted servitude of the people of Egypt, sets up the Exodus. For eventually it would be the Jews, who would grow into a large nation, that would end up in slavery and working in Pharaoh's fields, and building his cities. The sad thing about all of this, is that Joseph, a Jew, sets up Pharaoh to be a very wealthy man, and by all of his dealings with the people, does great things for Pharaoh. But, a Pharaoh arises who does not remember all that Joseph did for Egypt, and Joseph's kindness is repaid with harsh labor and enslavement.

Today, through this reading, we stand poised at the cusp of our Lord God's deliverance. He reveals to us how He sets things up for us, so that He may deliver us, just like He delivers the Israelites from slavery and bondage. He delivers us from the slavery and bondage of sin and death. Our Lord is not slow in fulfilling His promises, as some would count slowness, but instead is patient, waiting for all things to be fulfilled in their proper time, so that we might have a more abundant harvest.

God be with you!

Deacon Dulas

I Will Make You A Great Nation: Genesis 12:1-20

Genesis 12:1-20: "1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 4 So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.' And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. 9 So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. 10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, 'Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, "This is his wife"; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.' 14 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. 15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels. 17 But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, 'What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, "She is my sister"? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.' 20 So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had."

There are several similarities between the calling of Abram, and the Exodus account. Abram is caused by a famine to go to Egypt. So was Jacob and his sons. The Pharaoh of Abram's time is plagued by plagues. So is the Pharaoh of Moses time, who is the writer of this book. The Pharaoh of Abram's time commands him to leave his country. After the plagues during the time of Moses, Abram is Pharaoh demands Moses and all Israel, the descendants of Abram, to depart from the land.

Given the season of the year, this text hearkens us back to the flight into Egypt of our Lord and Savior Jesus, St. Mary, and St. Joseph. Although our Lord was forced from the land, not because of famine, but because of the rage of an evil king, one cannot help but consider that our Lord like Abram, and the Israelites before Him, had to seek shelter, solace, and succor in the land of Egypt. The question that has to come to mind is "Why Egypt?" After all, Egypt is not looked upon all to well by Scripture. There is an answer, and it is a spiritual one. This is really a picture of our own lives. Egypt represents this world. The world is at odds with the True God. It would rather have a god of its own choosing. The god the world chooses is an amalgamated god, one that embraces all religions as the same, and lumps them all together, as just different ways to the same end result of heavenly bliss. This is not the True God. The True God, is only the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and the true Savior is only the Lord Jesus Christ, Who suffered and died on account of our sins, for our salvation.

However, in this world we must live. In a sense we have been exiled to Egypt, we are forced to live a world, and in a land, that is not our true home and land. Our true home and land, is heaven. Our Lord sends plagues, that is, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, war, bloodshed, and the like. He sends these things not just as a punishment for our sinfulness and wicked lives, but He sends them so that all those in the world, might do as the Pharaoh in the time of Abram did, that is, repent. God desires that we turn from our sinful lives, and live according to His ways. But even more than that, He desires that we trust and rely on Him for everything that we need and desire in this life.

Here is truly the amazing thing about this pericope: God tells Abram to leave his home, his family, the place in which he grew up and in what he was familiar, and go someplace else. If the command was given to us, we would balk at it. Moving is a hassle. The packing boxes, the lifting of heavy objects, making sure that everything is marked so that one is able to find it again and easily once we have reaced our destination, doesn't sound like a very attractive task, even when it is desired and/or necessary. For some of us, even just rearranging the furniture can be a hastle that is best avoided. But the fact that Abram, not only packed up all that he and his wife Sarai owned, and all that he acquired, along with his nephew Lot's things, and did as God commanded him, is a sign of absolute faith.

Abram could not have known what was in store for him, nor did he know where he was going. But he faithfully did as God commanded. Such faith is hard to find these days. To find a person that truly trusts and relies on God is a great and precious thing. There are certainly people who belong to the One True Church who fit this example of faith, who by all appearances trust in God completely, just like Abram did. Such a person is truly blessed.

Abram's leaving of Haran is not unlike a small band of brothers, who either forced out or leaving of their own free will the Synod in which they were raised, left to go into a new Diocese, a land of Canaan, flowing with the milk and honey of the pure teaching of God's holy Word and a blessed fellowship of love and trust. To leave this Synod, and form and join this Diocese, took a leap of faith. A leap of faith not unlike the faith the Abram showed. Abram, as well as this Diocese, desired to do what was right, and desired to do the will of God, and he did it trusting in His Divine grace and mercy.

The desire of Abram to pass his wife off as his sister, in order to save his neck, must also be discussed. This is a weird move on the part of Abram. Afterall he has shown such faith up to this point. Why the doubt? Why the mistrust of God? Why all of a sudden is he trusting in his own abilities, or lack their of, instead of God's? The truth of the matter is that Abram displays that which is inside all of us.

There are always doubts that come to us. We see the world, and what it teaches, and how it behaves, and for some of us we desire to be like the world, and in fact, there are those in the Church, who try to fashion God into the type of god the world wants. This is seen in their preaching, which is nothing more than how to live a good life, or handle a certain situation, and not a true preaching about our Lord Jesus Christ, and what He has done for us. We can also see this attitude in these people's worship. It resembles a rock concert, more than a sacred meeting between God and His people, in order that He might give out His gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation. These people's worship is focused on themselves, and what they feel, and experience, instead of what God does for them. And they even turn that around, and make their feelings, and emotions, something that God has to effect in them.

For others of us, we are saddened by the abject faithlessness of the world, and wonder why God doesn't do something about it. We secretly desire that God would do something drastic, in order that people would repent, and turn back to Him. Sometimes, there are even people, who do illegal things, like blowing up an abortion clinic, thinking that it is God's will. Abortion is wrong, and it is clearly contrary to God's Commandment, but breaking one commandment to fulfill another doesn't do anybody any good.

Abram had these same doubts, and so he tells his wife to pretend to be his sister. God, however, used the plagues and Pharaoh to get Abram back on track. God sends us these trials and tribulations in this life, so that we might also get back to trusting and relying on Him alone.

There is a true joy that comes, when one trusts in God completely, and is free of doubt. That person hears God more clearly, he trusts in Him more completely, and chases after God wherever He is to be found, desiring and demanding those gifts from Him in all of their grace and purity. That person will also desire to do what is truly God's will, and desire that he receive pure teaching of the Gospel, that the he receive the Sacraments according to Christ's institution, and he will demand that the vehicle in which the Word and the Sacraments are administered be properly adorned like a beautiful Bride set for her wedding, and not a harlot trolling the street for tricks. The historic Liturgy is such a beautiful Bride, and the Liturgy done well, truly adorns the Word and Sacraments in a worthy vehicle.

May all who read this find that True Canaan, where the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and the Sacraments are adminstered according to Christ's institution, and delivered in a worthy vehicle.

God be with you!

Deacon Dulas