And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
The seven plenteous years in Egypt were years when the land produced extraordinarily abundant harvests by handfuls while Joseph served as ruler over all the land under Pharaoh. Though exalted to that high position and separated from his father and brethren, often sorrowful as a stranger in a strange land, he did not forget God. He believed that God had overruled his course to place him there, and in continual dependence on God he performed all his official duties faithfully.
Through wisdom, with a clear mind and excellent judgment, he faithfully gathered all the food of those seven years and secured it for the coming long famine. He laid up in the cities the food of the field surrounding every city in that same city, traveled throughout all Egypt, directed the building of immense storehouses, and accumulated an immense amount beyond numbering. That stored abundance gave Egypt a liberal supply of food while other lands were perishing and greatly enriched the kingdom. Pharaoh was thus led to acknowledge his indebtedness to the God of Joseph and to Joseph himself. The same abundance enabled Joseph to supply his father and brethren liberally with food without taxation from the king of Egypt.
The seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine had been foretold to Pharaoh, and both periods occurred within the given time exactly as predicted. Events once only a matter of prophecy were fulfilled in accordance with prediction, showing that predicted events occur within a given time. This fulfillment proves that the chronological portions of the Bible deserve serious consideration like any other portion. It gives confidence that the chronological periods extending to the second coming of Christ are divinely revealed appointed times.
The verse teaches stewardship of divinely provided plenty to relieve prevailing poverty and distress. To act the part of Joseph is to use provided means to break every yoke and set the oppressed free. It means never to look on suffering people and pass by on the other side, because relief given to the least of Christ's brethren is done to Christ himself.
The seven plenteous years in Egypt were years when the land produced extraordinarily abundant harvests by handfuls while Joseph served as ruler over all the land under Pharaoh. Though exalted to that high position and separated from his father and brethren, often sorrowful as a stranger in a strange land, he did not forget God. He believed that God had overruled his course to place him there, and in continual dependence on God he performed all his official duties faithfully.
Through wisdom, with a clear mind and excellent judgment, he faithfully gathered all the food of those seven years and secured it for the coming long famine. He laid up in the cities the food of the field surrounding every city in that same city, traveled throughout all Egypt, directed the building of immense storehouses, and accumulated an immense amount beyond numbering. That stored abundance gave Egypt a liberal supply of food while other lands were perishing and greatly enriched the kingdom. Pharaoh was thus led to acknowledge his indebtedness to the God of Joseph and to Joseph himself. The same abundance enabled Joseph to supply his father and brethren liberally with food without taxation from the king of Egypt.
The seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine had been foretold to Pharaoh, and both periods occurred within the given time exactly as predicted. Events once only a matter of prophecy were fulfilled in accordance with prediction, showing that predicted events occur within a given time. This fulfillment proves that the chronological portions of the Bible deserve serious consideration like any other portion. It gives confidence that the chronological periods extending to the second coming of Christ are divinely revealed appointed times.
The verse teaches stewardship of divinely provided plenty to relieve prevailing poverty and distress. To act the part of Joseph is to use provided means to break every yoke and set the oppressed free. It means never to look on suffering people and pass by on the other side, because relief given to the least of Christ's brethren is done to Christ himself.