Links for today’s readings:
Read: Genesis 47 Listen: (5:03), Read: Matthew 8 Listen: (4:09)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Read: Genesis 48 Listen: (3:43), Read: Matthew 9 Listen: (4:56)
Read: Genesis 49 Listen: (4:54), Read: Matthew 10 Listen: (5:07)
Scripture Focus: Genesis 47.20-25
20 So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 However, he did not buy the land of the priests, because they received a regular allotment from Pharaoh and had food enough from the allotment Pharaoh gave them. That is why they did not sell their land. 23 Joseph said to the people, “Now that I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh, here is seed for you so you can plant the ground. 24 But when the crop comes in, give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.” 25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “May we find favor in the eyes of our lord; we will be in bondage to Pharaoh.”
Reflection: Don’t Empower Villain Eras
By John Tillman
The problem of sorting the Bible into “heroes” and “villains” is forgetting that the same person who is heroic in one moment can be villainous in another.
Joseph is one of the most wholesome characters in the Bible. But he has villain moments. It’s debatable how prideful he was as a young man with his dreams. However, his actions in Genesis 47 read as if he had entered a villain era.
Joseph’s plan to get through the famine was for the state to collect twenty percent of harvests during the plentiful seven years. Then, Egypt would be saved from being “ruined by the famine” during the seven lean years. (Genesis 41.35-36) But when the famine hit, Joseph didn’t distribute the grain freely. Joseph took the people’s grain. They had to buy it back.
Selling the grain might not be unreasonable, but Joseph’s villain era started in the final years of the famine, when people grew desperate. The sixth year, they had no money so Joseph took their livestock. The final year, they had no money or livestock, so Joseph took their land and made them slaves.
It’s possible that Joseph didn’t have a choice. Maybe Pharaoh ordered this? Maybe there were terrible administrative costs? But scripture seems to imply it was Joseph’s decision. Pharaoh said, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.” (Genesis 41.55)
Even if this was not Joseph’s villain era, it empowered a future villain era.
Joseph was complicit in using a crisis to consolidate power and wealth under Pharaoh. Egypt was already a monarchy, but after the famine it was a nation of slaves in which Pharaoh owned the land, livestock, and the lives of the citizens. The power and wealth Joseph gave Pharaoh, turned against future generations of Israelites. (Exodus 1.8-14)
Joseph was dealing with a real crisis. Many leaders today create fake crises in order to consolidate power for themselves. You may have the right or ability to grant leaders emergency power or approve their expansion of power, but what will happen when the crisis is over? What if the hero turns villainous? What will tomorrow’s leaders do with the power you give today’s leaders?
Whether national or local, political or pastoral, leaders who desire unaccountable power, loyalty without transparency, and removal of checks and balances are dangerous.
Be careful that you don’t unintentionally empower a future villain era.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
For your name’s sake, O Lord, forgive my sin, for it is great. — Psalm 25.10
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.
Read more: Playing the Game for Fickle Pharaohs
If they break rules to help us, they will break rules to harm us.
https://theparkforum.org/843-acres/playing-the-game-for-fickle-pharaohs
Read more: Divining the Truth by Actions
When reconciling with people, trust but verify. Watch for evidence of change. Don’t doubt their intentions, but divine the truth by their actions.
