Genesis 47:21

First, Joseph uses his position of supremacy to bring everything into absolute subjection to himself. All the wealth of Egypt passes into his hands: "Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan." Then when the money failed, Joseph claims their livestock. He said, "Give your livestock," and we read, "They brought their livestock to Joseph." Then the money was spent and the livestock gone. They say there is nothing left but "our bodies and our land," and so they add, "Buy us and our land for food."

Never, before or since, has any earthly king made such claims. Many a ruler has made crushing claims, but not one has ever dared to claim all in the manner of Joseph. Other rulers who made large claims on their subjects could not make them good. Some who tried provoked rebellion and revolution. Joseph, however, makes claims no one has ever made, and he makes them good. Not one voice is raised in rebellion.

He gives the Egyptians their lives out of his storehouses. But he gathers their money, their cattle, their lands, and themselves — all for Pharaoh. For himself he retains nothing but his place of honour and trust and service under the king... It is true that he settled the whole country by his own wisdom, moving the people into cities from one end of it to the other. But the land was still to yield its increase to Pharaoh and his throne.

This was oppressive legislation indeed, but the sort of thing that was quite ordinary in those days. Over many years it may have helped to provoke the uprising of the ancient Egyptian dynasty. Scripture records it this way: "There arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph."

Joseph's administration would make the people more equal, and all would have at least enough for their needs... The people of Egypt said they were willing to be Joseph's slaves, but Joseph did not treat them like mere slaves.

This action of Joseph strikes us as oppressive. Perhaps the hardest part is his moving of the people from one end of the land to the other. Still, we cannot help thinking it has value as a picture. It shows how fully he was "lord of all Egypt," and so a figure of Christ. Now the Lordship of Christ is absolute, for if He is not Lord of all and of every detail, He is not Lord at all. As Lord He also subdues everything to God, and disposes of everything according to God's mind. A time will come "when all things are subjected to Him," and then God will be all in all. What the Lord Jesus brings to pass will involve judgment, but it will be for the lasting blessing of God's whole universe.

Their money, their cattle, their lands, and themselves are made over to Pharaoh; and yet all pleases them, for they owe their lives to Joseph. Egypt, in those days, was a sample of the new world, the world brought back to God by redemption. It was a "purchased possession"... It was creation reconciled, delivered from the doom of famine, from death and the curse, by the hand of a saviour.