Spurling Silver: Favor in Famine, Genesis 47:1-12

The famine is severe, times are hard, crops won’t grow, nevertheless Jacob and family are blessed and find favor, not so much for what they do, but because of who they know.

The same is true for me and you.

The Good Shepherd leads His sheep to green pastures, still waters and favor in the midst of famine.

Genesis 47:1
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.”

1) Finding favor in famine: HUMILITY

Joseph knew his place. He didn’t strut his stuff like he was king Tut, he humbly went to Pharaoh for approval to grant the land of Goshen to his family.

Even Jesus said, to the sons of Zebedee, James and John, when they requested places of honor in the Kingdom. “To sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” Matt. 20:23, Mark 10:40.

Our first step to finding favor in famine is humility.

In Luke 14:7-14, Jesus tells us to take the lowest seat when invited to a fancy dinner. And when hosting dinner invite what the world considers the least of these.

Don’t take the best spot in the parking lot, think of Jesus, humble yourself, be considerate, park in the back.

Don’t take the last item off the shelf, think of Jesus, humble yourself, leave it for someone who needs it more.

Don’t just invite your family and friends, think of Jesus, humble yourself, invite that person you don’t like, invite that beggar on the street. And then, think of Jesus, humble yourself and sit with them.

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Luke 14:11.

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18.

Humble yourself under the might hand of God, that in due season, He exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6, James 4:10.

Lord, we understand that a famine of Your Presence is a result of pride. To keep us from that, we intentionally, right here, right now, humble ourselves before You. Help us Lord, to stay in this place, forever.

Joseph knew his place and respectfully, humbly went to Pharaoh to intercede, for his family.

2 And he took five men from among his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh.

2) Finding favor in famine: FAITHFULNESS

Joseph knew his own, and even though they had previously disowned him, he did not disown them. He remained faithful to them and brought them before the ruler of the land.

Even though they were shepherds, and shepherds were despised in Egypt, and Joseph was esteemed in Egypt, yet he was not ashamed to call them his family, his brethren.

Jesus does the same for us. Hebrews 2:11.

Joseph knew his own, and prepared a place for them, in the fertile pastureland of a place called Goshen.

Jesus knows His own, and has prepared a place for them, in His Father’s house, in a place called heaven.

Do you know if you are one of His own?

Do you know your own?

If you are His own, then you have your own. He has given you those He wants to reach through you.

You will be held accountable for your treatment of them. No matter how they treat you, even if they’ve disowned you.

Do you remain faithful to them, and bring them before the Ruler of all the Universe?

Are you faithful to what God has given you?

Are you preprayering those who are Yours?

Preprayering: prayer and preparation.

Preprayering: As much as it depends on you, faithful to lead, by prayer and deed, those God has given you, to the place called heaven.

Jesus says to the faithful in the parable of the talents:

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

However, do you want to hear what He says to the unfaithful, those who did nothing with what He gave them?

Are you sure? It’s not so nice.

Okay, buckle your seatbelt.

He says: “You wicked and lazy servant.” And then orders that they be cast into “the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:14-30.

Lord Jesus, whatever it takes, please help us to be found faithful.

3 Then Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?”

Evidently, Jesus (according to the parable just mentioned above) and Pharaoh expect folks to work, to be productive. Not just sit home, drink beer, play video games, and collect a welfare check. Not just sneak across the border and be given free food, phone, housing and medical.

2 Thessalonians 3:10. A man who does not work, should not eat.

What a concept.

So, Pharaoh asked the brothers what they did for a living.

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.”

Dear Mr. Pharaoh, your servants are from a long line of hard-working shepherds. We’re not here for a handout. We’re here for a hand up. We’re here to be productive in your land, because the famine destroyed ours. So, Mr. Pharaoh, we respectfully request the opportunity to dwell in, be stewards of, 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.”

3) Finding favor in famine: RELATIONSHIP.

Joseph’s faithful relationship with Pharaoh resulted in favor being given to his brothers.

Pharoah basically said: “Joe, if you have any bros like you, put them in charge of my herds, too.”

Notice after the brothers answered, Pharaoh spoke directly to Joseph, using, “you and your” five different times.

Joseph is the one who went to Pharaoh, interceding for his family.

Joseph is the one who was humble.

Joseph is the one who was faithful.

Now the family finds favor with Pharaoh, not because of anything they did, or said, but simply because of their relationship with Joseph.

Jesus, our Joseph, is the One who intercedes to the Father for His family. Hebrews 7:25.

Jesus is the One who humbled Himself, to death. Philippians 2:8.

Jesus is the One, faithful to the end. John 13:1.

Relationship with Jesus is the One Way to favor with the Father. John 14:6.

In Matthew 25:1-13, all ten bridesmaids showed up, dressed up, holding their lamps. However, half of them heard the saddest words ever spoken, “I never knew you” and they were turned away because their relationship with Him was empty.

One day soon, many will say, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?” But they too, will hear those sad, sad, words, “I never knew you” because their relationship with Him is lacking. Matthew 7:22-23.

Dear friends, famine has everything to do with lack.

However, favor in famine has everything to do with a relationship with El Shaddai, (the God of more than enough), the very opposite of famine and lack.

Is your relationship with Him lacking, or more than enough?

Lord God Almighty, El Shaddai, All Sufficient One, please search our hearts, our thoughts, our ways, for any area in our relationship with You that’s lacking. Fill what’s empty, strengthen what’s weak, so the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts are pleasing to You oh Lord, our Strength, our Redeemer.

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.

4) Finding favor in famine: BLESSING.

Notice Jacob viewed his life as a pilgrimage.

The Hall of Faith speaks of this, saying, “They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims.” Hebrews 11:13.

Jacob considered himself a stranger, not just in Egypt, but this world, a traveler passing through, this earth his inn, not his Home.

This world is not our Home. This life is but a vapor, here today, gone tomorrow. James 4:14.

Not to say that this life doesn’t matter. It matters a LOT. This is when we decide where to spend eternity.

IF we decide to follow Jesus, it makes life so much simpler. Way less stress. Harder, probably, but simpler, nonetheless.

Once we get a proper eternal perspective, we save a fortune on anxiety meds and counseling sessions because we don’t spend all our time, money, and energy stressing over remodeling the hotel room. Matthew 6:25-34.

When we finally obey Jesus and view this life as a pilgrimage we’re briefly passing through, then we can have peace and be of good cheer in this world of tribulation, because we know Jesus has already overcome it. John 16:33.

Then we can be about our calling of, finding favor in famine by being a blessing.

Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old. Even here in Florida, in a retirement village, that’s no spring chicken.

Jacob just moved in with his son, Joe. Well, not actually in the same house, but near him, to be taken care of by him.

Now this centenarian, this silver haired senior saint, stands (or probably sits) before Pharaoh, who was at the time considered the most powerful man on the planet.

Picture them.

Powerful Pharaoh, elderly Jacob.

Who is the greater?

It’s easy to tell, by who blesses who.

Twice we’re told that Jacob blesses Pharaoh.

We’re told in Hebrews 7:7 that without contradiction, the lesser is blessed of the greater.

You are never too old to be a blessing.

You are never too young to be a blessing.

You are never too—anything, to be a blessing.

You were created and called to be a blessing, and to be blessed.

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:9.

“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:28.

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14.

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Proverbs 25:21-22.

That is an old idiom that means we are not to be cruel to our enemies when they are down.

It does not mean that our kindness will kill them, make them miserable, drive them crazy, like burning coals of fire on their head.

It does mean, if they are hungry, feed them, thirsty, give them drink, and if their fire has gone out, give them all the coal they need to keep warm and carry home and start a fire. Don’t just give them one measly coal hoping it’ll go out before they get home. Bless them.

One of the most powerful components to finding favor in famine is to be a blessing.

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.

Joseph followed Jacob’s example in blessing.

He blessed his entire household with the very best of the land.

The famine was severe, times were hard, crops wouldn’t grow, nevertheless Jacob and family were blessed and found favor, not so much for what they did, but because of who they knew.

The same is true for me and you.

Do you know, the Good Shepherd who leads His sheep to green pastures, still waters, and favor, in the midst of famine?

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, our Good Shepherd, help us find favor with You in this world of famine, by walking in humility and faithfulness, in close relationship with You, being a blessing to those You’ve given us, so we all dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Thank You, Lord.

We love You, forever.

Amen.