More Than Food Storage; Famine and Atonement

by Autumn Dickson

The Old Testament is full of stories, and oftentimes, those stories come as a type of things to come. They teach us about life. They teach us about our relationship with God and our dependence on the Savior. Joseph’s life is no different. We can look at the parts of his whole life and find incredible symbolism, and we can look at his life as a whole for symbolism. There is so much there. Let’s talk about just some of it.

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. After a series of miracles and difficulty, Joseph is made a ruler in Egypt after interpreting a dream for Pharoah. Pharoah puts him in charge of gathering food to save up for a horrible famine that is going to spread throughout the land. Here is what happens when the famine hits.

Genesis 41:54-57

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.

55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

First, the Egyptians come and get food from Pharaoh. Other countries, including Joseph’s brothers, follow suit and start coming in to get food from Pharaoh.

We believe in food storage and self-sufficiency, and this is a powerful example of that. However, that’s not the most important lesson we can learn here.

Believe it or not, this is an incredible example of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Before we delve into the deeper symbolism, I want you to think about some of these poignant details. Joseph was originally with his family who would grow to be the twelve tribes of Israel. After they rejected him, he ended up with Gentiles – Egyptians. He saved them from the famine first, and then his brothers came to buy bread as well. Christ originally stuck with the House of Israel until they rejected Him. Then the gospel went to the Gentiles before returning to the House of Israel once again.

The details are too beautiful. Even beyond the incredible parallels, there are deeper principles here. As I mentioned previously, this isn’t a story about self-reliance despite its ability to teach that principle. This is a story about the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Joseph knew the dearth that the people on earth would face. It was revealed to him, and he had been foreordained to handle it. He had been prepared throughout his life to handle it. He had the gifts necessary in order to prepare for it. A plan was set in motion to save everyone from this dearth. He was betrayed and placed into a position where he would be enabled to provide that saving grace when no one else could.

Joseph had the corn that saved everyone. There was nowhere else to go in order to be saved. Joseph was the only one who had legitimate bread to offer. Perhaps other people and sources tried to offer and lie about having some, but you had to go through Joseph to get bread.

Christ knew the dearth that the people on earth would face. It was revealed to Him, and He had been foreordained to handle it. He had been prepared throughout His life to handle it. He had the gifts necessary in order to prepare for it. A plan was set in motion to save everyone from this dearth. He was betrayed and placed into a position where He would be enabled to provide that saving grace when no one else could.

Christ provided salvation. There is nowhere else to go in order to be saved. Christ is the only one who has legitimate salvation to offer. Perhaps other people and sources tried to offer and lie about having some, but you have to go through Christ to be saved.

There are implications for this, implications for your personal life as well as missionary work.

Implication one. The Egyptians could have stood in line, filled their buckets, gone home, and put those buckets in the corner. They could have looked at the buckets, maybe even opened them, and still refused to eat the food that had been given to them. The dearth still would have killed them. It didn’t matter if they did all the things that enabled them to have food if they didn’t consume the food and let it fill their bellies.

Are you going to church? Are you doing Come Follow Me? Are you studying the scriptures, going to the temple, serving, doing your calling, praying, and studying your patriarchal blessing and conference talks?

Here’s a more important question. Are you allowing those things to fill you? It is very easy to cross things off a to-do list. It takes a different kind of work to internalize the to-do’s and bring them into your heart to fill you like they were always meant to.

Which leads me to the next implication.

Why did the other countries come to Egypt for food? The other countries, including the House of Israel, came because they saw that the Egyptians had full bellies.

Is your belly full?

Other countries looked at the Egyptians and saw that they had food. They didn’t look at the Egyptians and notice that they were standing in lines or carrying buckets. Other countries saw that their bellies were full.

Missionary work becomes simpler when the gospel is filling your life with light. When you are utilizing the to-do’s of the church to internalize the light of Christ’s gospel (not just doing the to-do’s), people will come to you. They will be drawn to you. In a world that offers empty bellies, we have the sustenance that a person can live and thrive on.

Bring the sustenance home. Do the to-do’s.

Consume the sustenance. Let the to-do’s fill you up and make you whole.

The other countries will see what you have and want it. One of the most powerful ways to share the gospel is to let the gospel fill you so that everyone can see your light shine and glorify your Father in heaven.

I testify that there is salvation in the world, and I testify of a Savior who offers it. There is bread to fill your belly. I testify that it feels good to have a full stomach, and I testify that there are so many people out there consumed by emptiness. They will be drawn to what we have. Share it. Internalize the Savior and His promises, and share it.

Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR’s 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award.

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