Joseph’s Successful Management of the Food Crisis | Lessons We Can All Learn (Genesis 41:46-57; 47:13-26)
Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl
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For Rabbi Tovia Singer
Joseph Sets To Work Immediately
Joseph immediately went about the work to which Pharaoh had appointed him. His primary interest was in getting the job done for others, rather than taking personal advantage of his new position at the head in the royal court. He maintained his faith in God, even giving his children names that credited God with healing his emotional pain and making him fruitful (Genesis 41:51-52).
Joseph's Gifts From God
He recognized that his wisdom and discernment were gifts from God, but nevertheless that he still had much to learn about the land of Egypt, its agricultural industry in particular.
Joseph's Position and Extraordinary Abilities
As the senior administrator, Joseph’s work touched on nearly every practical area of the nation’s life. His office would have required that he learn much about legislation, communication, negotiation, transportation, safe and efficient methods of food storage, building, economic strategizing and forecasting, record-keeping, payroll, the handling of transactions both by means of currency and through bartering, human resources, and the acquisition of real estate.
Learn Wisdom and Live
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His extraordinary abilities with respect to God and people did not operate in separate domains. The genius of Joseph’s success lay in the effective integration of his divine gifts and acquired competencies. For Joseph, all of this was godly work.
Pharaoh Recognises Joseph's Qualities
Pharaoh had already characterized Joseph as “discerning and wise” (Genesis 41:39), and these characteristics enabled Joseph to do the work of strategic planning and administration.
Being Wise and Having Wisdom
The Hebrew words for wise and wisdom (hakham and hokhmah) denote a high level of mental perceptivity, but also are used of a wide range of practical skills including craftsmanship of wood, precious stones, and metal (Exodus 31:3-5; 35:31-33), tailoring (Exodus 28:3; 35:26, 35), as well as administration (Deuteronomy 34:9; 2 Chronicles 1:10) and legal justice (1 Kings. 3:28). These skills are found among unbelievers as well, but the wise in the Bible enjoy the special blessing of God who intends Israel to display God’s ways to the peoples of the Nations (Deuteronomy 4:6).
The Wise Man Has Eyes in His Head, He Sees Danger And Begins to Take Action (Proverbs 22:3)
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Teach Us To Realize The Brevity of Life (Psalms 90:12)
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Joseph Went Through All The Land
As his first act, “Joseph...went through all the land of Egypt” (Genesis. 41:46) on an inspection tour. He would have to become familiar with the people who managed agriculture, the locations and conditions of the fields, the crops, the roads, and means of transportation.
Joseph Employs Expertise of Others
It is inconceivable that Joseph could have accomplished all of this on a personal level. He would have had to establish and oversee the training of what amounted to a Department of Agriculture and Revenue.
The 7 Years of Plenty and 7 Years of Famine
During the seven years of abundant harvest, Joseph had the grain stored in cities (Genesis 41:48-49).
During the seven lean years that followed, Joseph dispensed grain to the Egyptians and other people who were affected by the widespread famine. To create and administer all this, while surviving the political intrigue of an absolute monarchy, required exceptional talent
Paul MacDonald RN MA Dipl ©
