Genesis 47:13-17

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 fainted by reason of the famine. 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. When the money was all spent 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 our money fails.”

Joseph said, “Give me your livestock; and I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.”

They brought their livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, and for the herds, and for the donkeys: and he fed them with bread in exchange for all their livestock for that year.

This was not a good time to be a leader. The world was in the middle of a seven year famine. We read here that all of the money in Egypt was spent buying food from Pharaoh through Joseph. It’s is pretty remarkable that so much grain had been saved. Can you imagine what would have happened if Joseph hadn’t saved up that grain for seven years?

The Bible tells us that it is wise to prepare for bad times when we know that they are likely to come. Things don’t always go well in this damaged world of sin. We know from the very first few verses of the Bible that the reason that things get so bad is that we have corrupted the world by our sin. God is not to blame. We actually deserve bad things, but God is full of mercy. In this case, God was proving to Egypt that He was working through Joseph, the Hebrew.

We read here that Joseph never gave away any food. Did you notice that? It was probably a worse economy than the world had ever seen, but food was only exchanged for money or for livestock. This tells us that the way that many governments work today is wrong. There is no biblical excuse for taking money from some people and giving it to others for nothing. Not even when people are dying. Work must be exchanged for food. Notice, however, that Joseph was always willing to sell. He wasn’t hording, but was saving the people by finding ways that they could pay. Even among people in church this is a principle that must be obeyed.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 :

For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.”