Today's Scripture Reading (April 1, 2026): Amos 6
His name was Joseph. The boy was just one of Jacob's twelve sons, the
same Jacob who would be renamed Israel. Joseph was a spoiled child. He was the
son of his father's favorite wife and was treated as such. Until the day that
dad gave him a beautiful multicolored coat, and his brothers decided that they
had had enough. A plan was developed by the brothers to kill Joseph, but they instead
decided to sell him into slavery. For the next portion of his life, that was
Joseph's reality. He was sold and resold. He eventually became the property of
an Egyptian official. Then Joseph was accused of raping his boss's wife, and
spent the next few years in jail.
One of Joseph's talents was interpreting dreams with God's help. He had
interpreted dreams when he was back home with his brothers, and he did so while
in prison. Eventually, the Pharaoh had a dream, and Joseph was brought from
prison to interpret it. The Pharaoh might have been Amenemhat III (1860 – 1814
B.C.E.). What makes Amenemhat III a good candidate for Joseph's unnamed Pharaoh
is that improvements in agricultural practices and administration occurred
during this time, changes that correspond well with the story of Joseph.
Joseph interpreted the Pharaoh's dreams and warned of a time of surplus
and a time of famine that was in Egypt's near future. Joseph's advice to the
Pharaoh was to save grain during the time of plenty so that there would be food
for the people during the coming famine. It was good advice then, and it is
good advice now.
Amos prophesies during a time of economic plenty in Israel. But the
prophet sees a time of famine approaching, much as Joseph did in his day. Maybe
that is not much of a surprise. The ancient world experienced predictable
periods of plenty and famine. And, much like Joseph taught in Egypt centuries
earlier, the expectation was that people would save during times of plenty so
they could survive times of famine.
However, that wasn't what Amos's Israel was doing. Instead, they were
spending in the time of plenty as if the time of famine would never come. Amos
felt he needed to remind them of the principle of plenty and famine so they
would be prepared for the approaching time of scarcity. And it is advice that I
think we all need to take seriously. The wise person puts away for times of
famine and is prepared for sickness, job loss, and even retirement. I know, it
is hard, but life comes with the good and the bad, and if we understand this
principle, we will be ready when the day of scarcity arrives in our lives.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Amos 7
