The Bible in a Year
“When money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread; for why should we die in thy presence? for the money fails.”
Genesis 47:15
As we continue our year-long journey through Scripture, this brief but sobering verse from Genesis arrests our attention with a phrase that still unsettles modern hearts: “money failed.” It failed not in a marginal economy or a forgotten corner of the world, but in Egypt—the greatest, most powerful, and most resource-rich nation of its day. Egypt represented stability, infrastructure, and abundance. If money were ever to prove dependable, surely it would be there. Yet Scripture tells us plainly that it did not. This is not merely a historical observation; it is a theological warning written into the story of God’s people for every generation that follows.
The context is a devastating famine, one foreseen by God and wisely prepared for through Joseph’s obedience and discernment. Grain had been stored, systems had been put in place, and leadership had been exercised with foresight. Still, as the crisis deepened, people discovered that their financial reserves could only take them so far. Money could purchase food—until it couldn’t. When the famine stretched on, currency lost its power. The people’s cry was not, “Give us work,” or “Give us opportunity,” but “Give us bread.” Survival had eclipsed status. The illusion of financial security evaporated under the weight of real need.
Scripture is careful to show us where money failed. It failed not only in Canaan, which depended on Egypt for sustenance, but in Egypt itself. The lesson is unmistakable. No nation, however affluent, is immune to financial collapse. No system, however sophisticated, can guarantee provision in every season. This truth presses against our tendency to believe that economic strength equates to personal safety. We may live in a time of relative prosperity, with access to resources unimaginable in the ancient world, yet the fundamental reality remains unchanged: money is a fragile foundation for hope.
The text also shows us when money failed. It failed in a moment of great crisis. When circumstances were manageable, money appeared sufficient. When the famine intensified, its limitations were exposed. This pattern repeats throughout Scripture and human history alike. In ordinary seasons, wealth can mask its own weakness. In extraordinary seasons—loss, illness, uncertainty, fear—it is quickly revealed as an inadequate savior. The psalmist later captures this truth with enduring clarity: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Trouble is the proving ground of trust. What we lean on most in calm moments is often exposed when the ground begins to shake.
The study presses us further by asking why money failed. The answer Scripture provides is not economic but spiritual. Money is temporal. It belongs to the material realm and has no authority beyond it. It cannot heal a broken heart, redeem a guilty conscience, or secure eternal peace. The psalmist speaks with sobering honesty when he writes, “They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” Money may solve certain problems, but it is powerless to address the most important ones. It depreciates rapidly in the realm of the soul.
Joseph’s role in this narrative is instructive. He does not condemn the people for trusting in money; he simply administers provision where God has already made a way. Joseph stands as a quiet witness to faithful stewardship under God’s authority. The grain that saves lives was never meant to replace trust in God, but to demonstrate God’s faithfulness through human obedience. The people come to Joseph, but Joseph himself stands under God’s providence. This distinction matters. Scripture does not teach us to despise resources, but to refuse to deify them.
As we walk through this passage today, we are invited to examine where our own trust resides. Many of us would confess that we believe in God, yet functionally rely on financial security to steady our fears. Savings accounts, retirement plans, and income streams can subtly become substitutes for prayer, dependence, and surrender. Genesis 47 does not argue against wisdom or preparation; Joseph’s life is proof of the value of both. What it challenges is misplaced confidence. Trusting in money is not the same as using it wisely. One is idolatry; the other is stewardship.
For those reading this during a season of uncertainty—financial or otherwise—this passage offers both warning and comfort. The warning is clear: money will fail you when you need it most. The comfort is greater still: God will not. Scripture consistently reveals a God who meets His people in famine, exile, and loss, proving Himself dependable when all else falters. As one commentator observed, “God often removes our lesser securities so that we may finally cling to the One security that cannot be shaken.”
As we continue through The Bible in a Year, Genesis 47:15 calls us to re-center our confidence. Wealth is a tool, not a refuge. Provision is a gift, not a guarantee. Trust belongs to God alone. When money fails—and at some point, in some way, it will—faith reveals where our true hope has been anchored all along.
For further reflection on biblical stewardship and trust, see this helpful article from The Bible Project:
https://bibleproject.com/articles/bible-money-generosity/
FEEL FREE TO COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, AND REPOST, SO OTHERS MAY KNOW