World Economic Control Prophesied
Part 2 - Diocese of Des Moines Bans Preferred Pronouns - Davos Summit &
Prostitution - Moore Cosponsors Bill to Abolish the IRS - Vietnam Communist President
Resigns – Income Tax On the Road to Zero - NESARA / GESARA Debt Economy &
Debt Forgiveness and more.
Researched & Comments by Pastor
Gary Boyd
Jan. 17th 2023
MAIL ONLINE: Black attorneys slam San
Francisco's 'outrageous, unconstitutional and unlawful' reparations plan to
hand longtime black residents $5m each -especially when California wasn't even
a slave state - Leo Terrell and Larry Elder slammed the proposal as 'racist' - Terrell
vowed to fight the plan, which will be submitted to the mayor in June - Both
lawyers noted that California was never a slave state - By MELISSA KOENIG FOR
DAILYMAIL.COM - PUBLISHED: 12:03 EST, 17 January 2023 - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11645055/Black-attorneys-SLAM-San-Franciscos-reparations-committee.html
MAIL ONLINE: MLK 'was assassinated by
the US government' says relative after slamming 'awful' $10.5m 'penis' statue
unveiled over the weekend to honor legend - Seneca Scott, a relative of MLK,
claimed Monday night that the civil rights icon had been assassinated by the US
government - Scott appeared on the Fox News show Monday night to discuss
Boston's controversial newly unveiled statue dedicated to MLK - Scott claimed
his relative had been assassinated just as he was broaching social issues
outside of race, like class and economics - By SOPHIE MANN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM - PUBLISHED:
10:10 EST, 17 January 2023 - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11644463/MLK-assassinated-government-says-relative-civil-rights-icon.html
MAIL ONLINE: Welcome to Zombieland -
Medic reveals devastating impact of 'tranq' on Philly - as the animal
tranquilizer floods city's opioid supply and leaves addicts with open gaping
wounds and unable to walk - The drug leaves users with 'four-finger wide'
wounds that take months to heal - When mixed with opioids, traditional overdose
treatments do not work as well - There are no FDA-approved treatments specifically
for xylazine withdrawal - By CAITLIN TILLEY, HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
- PUBLISHED: 12:36 EST, 17 January 2023 - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11644891/Philly-Zombieland-amid-rise-animal-tranquilizer-xylazine.html
MAIL ONLINE: Nine US nationals are
charged after being caught in space of six days trying to smuggle £5.5m of
cannabis from LA into Heathrow - Nine US nationals have been arrested and
charged in the past week - Each suspect was found with between 66lbs and 110lbs
of cannabis - First passenger was stopped on Tuesday January 10 and latest on
Monday - By HARRY HOWARD FOR MAILONLINE - PUBLISHED: 10:42 EST, 17 January 2023
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11644689/Nine-nationals-caught-space-six-days-trying-smuggle-5-5m-cannabis-Heathrow.html
WORLD NET DAILY: China currently owns
or operates terminals in 96 ports in 53 countries, many of which perform
maintenance on Chinese military vessels, as part of longstanding Chinese policy
to expand the country’s influence, according to an April 2022 report by
researchers at the U.S. Naval War College (USNWC) and Indiana University. China's
network of foreign ports fuel Beijing's intelligence, military ambitions - Building
an advanced surveillance network around the world - Published January 13, 2023
at 7:12pm - https://www.wnd.com/2023/01/chinas-network-foreign-ports-fuel-beijings-intelligence-military-ambitions/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=wnd-brief&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=brief&ats_es=41b27adec705499be73f085319c0dda4
They’re Hiding Something & I Think
We Found It! - Dan Bongino - Monday, January 16, 2023 12:46 - https://beforeitsnews.com/opinion-conservative/2023/01/theyre-hiding-something-i-think-we-found-it-dan-bongino-3652329.html
New ShariRaye Shocking News Jan 17,
2023! - Tuesday, January 17, 2023 14:24 - https://beforeitsnews.com/prophecy/2023/01/new-shariraye-shocking-news-jan-17-2023-2537562.html
MAIL ONLINE: At last! Diocese of Des
Moines bans preferred pronouns in schools and parishes and rules students and
worshipers must use toilets and locker rooms of their biological sex -
triggering woke fury at 'un-Christian' move - The seven policies from The
Diocese of Des Moines went into effect Monday - They mandate that students only
play on sports teams matching their birth sex - Other rules include a ban on
gender blockers - Students questioning their gender should be brought to
ministers in the church - By ALEX HAMMER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM - PUBLISHED: 02:12
EST, 17 January 2023 - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11642739/Activists-erupt-Diocese-Des-Moines-enacts-anti-woke-rules-churches-schools.html
MAIL ONLINE: Prostitution skyrockets
during Davos summit - while global elite gather to discuss issues including
gender inequality - Prostitutes report a surge in business during the annual
gathering of leaders - Escorts are booked into delegates' hotels alongside
business executives - Sex workers dress in business attire and rub shoulders
with the global elite - By JACK NEWMAN FOR MAILONLINE - PUBLISHED: 05:10 EST,
17 January 2023 – (Comment: The global elite have no moral foundation except to
do as thou whilst, a saying by the Freemason Satanic Secret Society. It is no
wonder these reprobate degenerates carry on with women of the night during
these conferences with sponsored orgies for the global elite who think there
will never be any punishment for their sins. Justice is coming however.) https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11643585/Prostitutes-gather-Davos-annual-meeting-global-elite-demand-skyrockets.html
TROY MESSENGER - Moore cosponsors
bill to abolish the IRS, eliminate income tax Published 12:25 pm Monday,
January 16, 2023 – Last week, U.S. Representative Barry Moore (R) cosponsored
The Fair Tax Act, which would eliminate the tax code, abolish the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) and replace federal income tax with a sales tax. Read
more at: https://www.troymessenger.com/2023/01/16/moore-cosponsors-bill-to-abolish-the-irs-eliminate-income-tax/
ZIMBABWE INDEPENDENT: Zim asset
manager launches gold coin unit trust – Business - By Rugare Mubika | Jan. 17th
2023 - ASSET management firm, Bard Santner Investors has launched a gold coin
unit trust to drive financial inclusion in Zimbabwe. The asset, called Bard
Santner Gold Coin Unit Trust, is also meant to reignite a savings culture in
the country, according to a statement released by the firm. Savings in Zimbabwe
have generally been affected by episodes of inflationary rages since 2000,
which eroded investor confidence in formal markets. https://www.theindependent.co.zw/business/article/200006247/zim-asset-manager-launches-gold-coin-unit-trust
INSIDER PAPER: Vietnam president resigns
amid major anti-graft purge - AFP January 17, 2023 4:27 am - Vietnam President
Nguyen Xuan Phuc has resigned, state media said Tuesday, after days of rumors
he was about to be sacked as part of a major anti-corruption drive that has
seen several ministers fired. Phuc has “submitted his resignation from his
assigned positions, quit his job, and retired”, state news agency VNA said. Phuc’s
sudden departure is a highly unusual move in communist Vietnam, where political
changes are normally carefully orchestrated, with an emphasis on cautious
stability. https://insiderpaper.com/vietnam-president-nguyen-xuan-phuc-resigns-state-media/
JUST THE NEWS - On the road to zero:
More states phasing out the income tax - "There are 10 states that are in
the process of moving their personal income tax to zero," said tax
reduction activist Grover Norquist. mericans in search of economic freedom and
oportunity are flocking to Florida, Tennessee and Texas, and at least part of
the attraction is that these three states, along with six others (Alaska,
Nevada, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming and New Hampshire), don't levy an
income tax. Other states may soon follow. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/wdk-many-states-are-moving-direction-eliminating-income-tax
Zimbabwe’s Gold Coins Sell Above
$2,000 Each For The First Time - Ray Ndlovu and Rene Vollgraaff, Bloomberg News
– INVESTING - Zimbabwe’s Gold Coins Sell Above $2,000 Each For The First Time -
Ray Ndlovu and Rene Vollgraaff, Bloomberg News - (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe’s gold
coins introduced in July are selling above $2,000 for the first time. The
so-called “Mosi-oa-Tunya” gold coin, named after Victoria Falls, a key tourism
site which straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, were priced at
$2,002.51 for a one-ounce coin on Monday, according to data on the Reserve Bank
of Zimbabwe’s website. Spot gold was at $1,914.21 an ounce at 2:45 p.m. in
London. The central bank introduced the gold coins to halt a collapse of the
Zimbabwean dollar and to help ease demand for US dollars. Smaller units were
brought into circulation in November. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/zimbabwe-s-gold-coins-sell-above-2-000-each-for-the-first-time-1.1870740
Rep. Thomas Massie Leads Coalition to
End COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for International Travelers Entering the U.S.
- By Shane Trejo - Jan 17, 2023 - Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is
leading a group of Republican lawmakers who want to end the mandate imposed by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requiring virtually all
international travelers to submit proof of COVID vaccination in order to enter
the U.S. https://bigleaguepolitics.com/rep-thomas-massie-leads-coalition-to-end-covid-19-vaccine-requirement-for-international-travelers-entering-the-u-s/
LIBERTY NATION: Montana Wants to Pump
the Brakes on California’s Great Migration - Big Sky Country doesn’t feel so
big these days. - By: Sarah Cowgill - January 17, 2023 - 6:47 am - Either
Taylor Sheridan’s epic Yellowstone franchise is enticing folks to leave
California for Montana in droves, or people are simply done with the political
antics of the Golden State. Either way, Californians are abandoning the mess of
a state – a mess of their own making – and heading to Big Sky Country, and the
natives aren’t happy about it. https://www.libertynation.com/montana-wants-to-pump-the-brakes-on-californias-great-migration/
The U S Air Force Admitted They’ve
Created Something So Advanced That It Will Destroy Everything - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrgN5FHi8FA
NESARA / GESARA: Debt Economy | Debt
Forgiveness | National Debt & Fiat Currency - The National Economic
Security and Recovery Act (NESARA) is a set of proposed economic reforms for
the United States suggested during the 1990s by private citizen Harvey Francis
Barnard. Barnard claimed that the proposals, which included replacing the
income tax with a national sales tax, abolishing compound interest on secured
loans, and returning to a bimetallic currency, would result in 0% inflation and
a more stable economy. The proposals were never introduced before Congress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7yrwt0as6Y
WORLD NET DAILY: EDUCATION FAITH
HEALTH POLITICS U.S. WND NEWS CENTER WORLD – WND - Look who leads the world in
children changing their sex - 'We are dealing with what may be the biggest
medical and ethical scandal of modern times' - By Peter LaBarbera - Published
January 16, 2023 at 7:46pm - The United States is
the most permissive country in the world in allowing children to pursue extreme
transgender "transitions" such as puberty blockers and
"surgeries" removing young women's healthy breasts, a new report by
the group Do No Harm reveals. https://www.wnd.com/2023/01/look-leads-world-children-changing-sex/?ats_es=276a0384250dff1b269a3d80247dc528
GCAPTAIN: South African Navy Set To
Welcome China And Russia – Bloomberg - By Antony Sguazzin (Bloomberg) –South
Africa will next month go ahead with naval exercises off its eastern coast with
Russian and Chinese warships in a decision that could further strain its relationship
with some of its biggest trading partners. Operation Mosi, which means smoke,
will take place from Feb. 17 to Feb. 26. South Africa’s reluctance to condemn
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its decision to allow sanctioned Russian
vessels to dock at its ports have already ramped up tensions with the US, UK
and European Union who are backing Ukraine in the conflict. The country’s
biggest opposition party questioned the wisdom of going ahead with the
exercises. https://gcaptain.com/south-african-navy-set-to-welcome-china-and-russia/
MAIL ONLINE: 'Our water tanks will be
dry within days': Arizona city cuts OFF water to neighbors amid drought - as
desperate residents demand 'water now' and count down until dwindling supply
runs out - On January 1, Scottsdale stopped selling water to the neighboring
area of the Rio Verde Foothills, eliminating the water source of 1,000 people -
Last week, residents of the foothills sued Scottsdale for cutting off a utility
as families struggle to procure water to power their lives - Water in Arizona has been a major
socio-political issue for years as authorities and communities understand the
reality that Lake Mead is drying up - By SOPHIE MANN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM - PUBLISHED:
13:25 EST, 16 January 2023 - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11640903/Were-not-going-make-Arizona-city-cuts-neighborhoods-water-supply-amid-drought.html
HAL TURNER SHOW: Klaus Schwab and
George Soros BOW-OUT of World Economic Forum Conference (Starting today) in
Davos – WORLD - HAL TURNER - 16 JANUARY 2023 - Steve Qualye brought out in a
private briefing that Soros and Klaus have some big boys after them, gonna
arrest them so they are hiding out. (Comment: My Intel says the big boys are
the World Military Alliance Special Forces who know where they are hiding. However,
to cause the least amount of collateral damage they are waiting for an
opportune moment to snag them for crimes against humanity.) https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/en/news-page/world/klaus-scwab-and-george-soros-bow-out-of-world-economic-forum-conference-starting-today-in-davos
FREENVESTING: Ray Dalio has studied
the last 500 years of history and economic cycles. As a global macro investor
for over 50 years, he explains how the world order is changing before our eyes,
and how one can prepare for what is coming. Raymond T. Dalio is an American
billionaire investor. He founded the world's largest hedge fund, Bridgewater
Associates, in 1975. The firm serves institutional clients including pension
funds…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMyr0CnPJ-g
WIREPOINTS: Property Tax Foreclosure
As Theft? U.S. Supreme Court Will Decide and Illinois Is in the Crosshairs –
Wirepoints - January 17, 2023 - By: Mark Glennon* - Here’s something you don’t
see every day: An opinion piece in Minnesota’s very liberal StarTribune aligned
with one in libertarian Reason. This is about when property taxes become theft,
and both columns are more applicable to Illinois than Minnesota, which spawned
a case now heading to the U.S. Supreme Court. https://wirepoints.org/property-tax-foreclosure-as-theft-u-s-supreme-court-will-decide-and-illinois-is-in-the-crosshairs-wirepoints/
GELLER REPORT: Wisconsin Special
Counsel Finds Zuckerberg’s Election Money Violated State Bribery Laws - By
Pamela Geller - on January 16, 2023 - Here we are again, more election fraud,
more election interference, and yet there is no redress, no recourse. No
action. We are living a dystopian nightmare. The special counsel who was
appointed to study the 2020 election in Wisconsin submitted his official
report, in which he determined that the millions of dollars that Mark
Zuckerberg spent on the Wisconsin election violated the state’s laws in regard
to bribery. https://gellerreport.com/2023/01/wisconsin-special-counsel-finds-zuckerbergs-election-money-violated-state-bribery-laws.html/?lctg=87791646
God Shall Arise and Scatter Our
Enemies - By David Wilkerson – Jan. 17th 2023 - Learning Triumphant
Praise for Our Victorious King - “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered”
(Psalm 68:1, NKJV). In every generation, God is rising to scatter his enemies.
He puts to chase all demonic principalities, driving them from his people. The
very words of this verse, in fact, were quoted by Moses when the ark went
forward in Israel. “So it was, whenever the ark set out, that Moses said: ‘Rise
up, O Lord! Let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee
before you’” (Numbers 10:35-36). - 12
Minutes In Heaven | You Won't Believe What Is There - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIpdjeXlFo
ISRAEL 365 NEWS: Netanyahu predicts
massive increase in Western Aliyah (immigration) - He brought us to this place
and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. DEUTERONOMY 26:9 (THE
ISRAEL BIBLE) - This same prayer applies to God’s people today. We won’t be
able to withstand what is coming in the days ahead without standing firmly on
this promise from the Lord. We need a triumphant faith to see us through, and
we need to cling to this word: “You in your mercy have led forth the people
whom you have redeemed; you have guided them in your strength to your holy
habitation” (Exodus 15:13). https://www.israel365news.com/365497/netanyahu-predicts-massive-increase-in-western-aliyah/
ZERO HEDGE: World Economic Forum Invents
New Word To Describe The Extreme Chaos Gripping Our Planet - BY TYLER DURDEN -
MONDAY, JAN 16, 2023 - 03:50 PM - Authored by Michael Snyder via The End of The
American Dream blog - This week, 2,658 of the “world’s decision-makers” will
gather in Davos, Switzerland for the annual meeting of the World Economic
Forum. Protected by thousands of police officers and soldiers, the elite of the
world will feast and party throughout the week as they shape the global agenda
for the coming year. Needless to say,
our input is not desired or welcomed. In
order to get into this conference, you have got to be a part of their club, and
in order to be a part of their club you must be a very important person. It is being reported that the official list
of 2,658 attendees this year includes “heads of state, business royalty, actual
royalty, media honchos, and academics”… (Comment: Trouble is these global elite
are wanted for crimes against humanity and only their serfs will show up to do
their bidding. The NSA is tracking all the fun with Special Forces waiting in
the wings to do their thing while bringing these criminals to justice. Sons of
Liberty are about to strike.) https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/world-economic-forum-invents-new-word-describe-extreme-chaos-gripping-our-planet
ZERO HEDGE: Ron Paul: Isn't It Time For Adam
Schiff To Be Expelled From Congress? - BY TYLER DURDEN - MONDAY, JAN 16, 2023 -
05:35 PM - Authored by Ron Paul via The Ron Paul Institute for Peace &
Prosperity - With each new release of the “Twitter Files” we learn more and
more about the deep corruption in Washington. We sensed during Covid that
something was really wrong – for example the bizarre denial of natural
immunity. But thanks to Elon Musk’s decision to open the books, our worst fears
have been proven true. Each new release seems to show something even more
criminal inside America’s rotten ruling class. In the latest release, thanks to
the excellent reporting of independent journalist Matt Taibbi, we see outgoing
Chair of the House Intelligence Community, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA),
continuously pressuring Twitter to validate his fantasies of “Russian bots”
manipulating US politics. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ron-paul-isnt-it-time-adam-schiff-be-expelled-congress
ISRAEL NATIONAL NEWS: Jewish
Pennsylvania governor will be sworn in with historic Bible - Holy book belonged
to Jewish US army soldier who landed with infantry on Omaha Beach during D-Day.
- By Israel National News - Jan 16, 2023, 9:05 PM - https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/366008
WORLD ISRAEL NEWS: ‘If the world abandons
Israel, Netanyahu will bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities,’ says National Security
Council chief - January 16, 2023 - “We won’t wait until the sword is on our
neck,” says Netanyahu, after head of Israel’s National Security Council claims
PM is prepared to bomb Iran to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. -
By World Israel News Staff - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that
Israel is prepared to use force to confront Iran, hours after a senior security
official claimed the prime minister would be willing to bomb Iran’s nuclear
facilities if other options for preventing the Islamic Republic from acquiring
nuclear weapons are exhausted. https://worldisraelnews.com/if-the-world-abandons-israel-netanyahu-will-bomb-irans-nuclear-facilities-says-national-security-council-chief/
ISRAEL TODAY: The Proof – of the
World’s Antisemitism – Is in the Praying - A British politician’s visit to the
Temple Mount, hosted by the anti-Israel Islamic Waqf, highlights the hypocrisy
of the United Kingdom, the prejudice of the international community. - By Stan
Goodenough | January 16, 2023 - JERUSALEM – British Minister of State for
Security, Tom Tugendhart, Thursday affirmed Israel’s unique connection with the
Temple Mount when he visited the flashpoint site in Jerusalem that is holy to
all three major monotheistic religions. https://www.israeltoday.co.il/read/the-proof-of-the-worlds-antisemitism-is-in-the-praying/
FOX NEWS: Abortions in Texas plummet
nearly 99% months after Dobbs ruling - A pro-life advocacy group estimated that
approximately 50,000 lives have been saved in Texas since September - By Jon
Brown | Fox News - Abortions in Texas dramatically decreased in the months
following the overturning of Roe v. Wade last June, according to recent state
data. Only three abortions took place in Texas in August 2022, all of which
were "medically necessary," according to statistics from the Texas
Health and Human Services Commission. Compared with the 2,596 abortions
recorded in the state in June 2022, the number in August represents a decrease
of nearly 99%. Sixty-eight abortions were performed in July. https://www.foxnews.com/us/abortions-in-texas-plummet-nearly-99-months-after-dobbs-ruling
GATEWAY PUNDIT: Temporary Morgues are
Being Built Across UK Due to Unprecedented Increase in Excess Deaths - By Jim
Hoft - Published January 15, 2023 at 8:30am - The unprecedented increase in
deaths has prompted the construction of temporary morgues in various locations
throughout the UK, including tourist hotspots and airports. The Gateway Pundit
reported last year that the death toll in England and Wales continues to rise,
even though Covid-related deaths have dropped. As a result, health experts have
requested an immediate investigation into the source of the rising non-Covid
excess death. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/01/temporary-morgues-built-across-uk-due-unprecedented-increase-excess-deaths/
TIMES OF ISRAEL: Chevron says it
discovered ‘significant’ natural gas find off Egypt’s coast -The operator of
Israel’s Leviathan and Tamar gas fields says exploration at Egyptian offshore
field in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea ‘encountered high-quality reservoirs’ -
By SHARON WROBEL 15 January 2023, 6:55 pm - The Middle East Economic Survey
reported in December that the size of the new well was 3.5 trillion cubic feet
of gas. https://www.timesofisrael.com/chevron-says-it-discovered-significant-natural-gas-find-off-egypts-coast/
THE NATIONAL PULSE: Corporates Have
Begun ‘Geoengineering’ The Climate, With Basically No One’s Consent. - THE
DEPLOYMENT OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE IS ONE OF THE WAYS THE
CLIMATE CHANGE LOBBY ARE CONSIDERING MANIPULATING THE WEATHER. - https://thenationalpulse.com/2023/01/14/corporates-have-begun-geoengineering-the-climate-with-basically-no-ones-consent/
SENSOR RECEPTOR NEWS: Pharma Insider
Reveals Irrefutable Evidence of Conspiracy to Commit Mass Murder by the US DoD,
HHS, and Pharma Cartel Via the COVID Injections in New In-Depth Presentation –
Jan. 17th 2023 - In a new hour-plus-long presentation pharma
industry insider Sasha Latypova lays out irrefutable evidence (with all the
“receipts”) showing that the COVID-19 injections have been nothing more than a
bioweapon unleashed on humanity. Latypova, who worked with 60 pharma companies
from all over the world during her career (including Pfizer), also shows how
the COVID injections have been entirely the product of the Department of
Defense, and how the entire FDA regulatory process for the experimental
substances has been a literal fraud. https://sensereceptornews.com/?p=15980
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By Wilfred Hahn
Researched by Pastor Gary Boyd
Jan. 17th 2023
Lightning Developments
We continue our three-part study of
Joseph’s life and his prophetic foreshadowing of worldwide conditions in the
last days. To this point in the story, Joseph had responded to the first pleas
of starving Egyptians. Joseph collected ALL the money that was found in Egypt.
Joseph took every last penny in return for grain he sold so that people might
eat and be saved from the famine.
He deposited all of this money into
Pharaoh’s coffers. Joseph then controlled all payment specie (money) in Egypt.
What happened next? Predictably, once
all the monetary savings of the people had been depleted (ending up in
Pharaoh’s coffers), the people then faced a cash crunch—what Wall Street
practitioners today call a “liquidity crisis.” There was no more transactional
specie (cash) circulating in the land after that point.
Thereafter, from that time on, people
could only barter.
The famine continued for another
year.
At this point, the populace again had
no grain or money left. What to do next? They needed to replenish their
cupboards.
They again begged Joseph to give them
food. What did Joseph do in response? He provided handouts. Actually, no, that
would be a false statement. Truly, what did he do next? He demanded the
people’s livestock.
In an agrarian society, as existed
during that time, livestock represented assets that generated a large part of
household income. Consider also that in that era, livestock was the equivalent
of today’s industrial capital. They were the equivalent to our factories and
transportation systems today. Horses, cattle, sheep, and other animals in
Joseph’s time were the means to the production of wool, butter, and many other
products. What was the result?
Here is what the hungry people did:
“[…] they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange
for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he
brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock”
(Genesis 47:17).
Now Joseph—on behalf of Pharaoh—was
in control of ALL the capital stock of Egypt. Joseph had secured ownership of
the land-based transportation system (donkeys and horses) and the productive
capacity of factories (livestock). He could now sell the outputs of milk and
meat, as well as transportation services.
Pharaoh had become a countrywide
rentier.
However, the takeover by the state
didn’t stop there. Relentlessly, the famine continued yet another year.
People needed more grain, and they
again became desperate. What were they forced to do? They now said to Joseph:
“Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in
bondage to Pharaoh” (verse 19). What did Joseph do next?
He reduced the people to complete
servitude. He took all their land. Now, everything from one end of Egypt to the
other became the property of the state and under the control of one man—
Pharaoh (with the exception of a small amount of land that was owned by the
priests and special elites).
At this point, the populace owned
absolutely nothing and was totally enslaved. They probably remained as such
until the end of their lives.
Will the Real Joseph Stand Up?
Are there two Josephs mentioned in
the Bible, or are we dealing with the one and the same?
Many see Joseph as an Old Testament
picture of Christ. We would not disagree. He suffered so that he might be able
to save his family in Egypt; to go ahead and, like Jesus, prepare a place for
them (John 14:3). It is also noted that Joseph is the only major person in the
Israelite lineage of Christ found in the Bible, of which no character flaw or
sin is explicitly mentioned.
Joseph surely was a sinner like every
other human being, so why are his sins not mentioned? Yet, we do discover that
through his errors, this instrument of God—like all the others from Abraham to
King David—has bequeathed lessons to mankind that are very relevant for our
day.
An impartial examination of Joseph’s
life reveals that the results of his actions were not entirely beneficial, nor
his techniques virtuous. That statement will likely strike the reader as
disrespectful. Should this be said of Joseph, a venerated person mentioned in
the Bible?
While it is true that Joseph
succeeded in saving many lives, his mission was not performed entirely in the
spirit of a merciful rescue operation. Egyptians and others seeking to buy
grain had to virtually sell their souls and freedoms to gain access to grain.
We note that Joseph did not donate
the grain to needy people but instead required payment. Think of it. People
were starving, and he asked for money for grain. Few Christian aid
organizations today would think they are fulfilling Christ’s command to “feed
the poor” (Luke 11:41) or their enemies (Romans 12:20) if they were profiting
from their ministries.
To the contrary, the entire ownership
structure of the land of Egypt was changed virtually overnight from private
ownership to vassalage. With the exception of a few Egyptian priests, the
immediate family of Joseph, and probably some other high-ranking elites—the
entire land of Egypt came under the direct ownership of Pharaoh.
Moreover, we are told that as a
result of Joseph’s policies, a system of onerous taxation resulted that is
“still in force today” (Genesis 47:26). Indeed, government taxation is the norm
today.
Just imagine what would happen if
this type of “absolute” power that Joseph attained for Pharaoh were given to a
diabolical entity or person in our day? Indeed, the Bible does clearly indicate
that just such an individual is prophesied to appear in the last days.
Thankfully, Joseph was a person whom
God prospered and blessed in almost everything that he did (Genesis 39:2). Yet,
as mentioned, the Bible remains silent in its judgment of his techniques. It
will be evident to any reader that the consequences of Joseph’s actions were
not entirely ideal.
As such, a major conundrum must be
noted in this story: People were saved from hunger on the one hand, yet taken
captive in the process on the other. It is clear that the whole saga turned out
to be a giant opportunity for the secular Pharaoh to gain power and wealth at
the expense of those in need.
But did this need to occur? Joseph
could have saved everyone from hunger without making Pharaoh an extremely
wealthy potentate and everyone else an oppressed vassal. So, why did he not
choose to do so?
We can recognize here the classic
problem of mankind. People who have power and/or the opportunity will most
often choose wealth … and more wealth. That is certainly the case in our day.
Elites and plutocrats become ever richer.
There is one other lesson. Just as
Mammon and God are incompatible, so are charity and profit. One cannot give
equal weight to both. On earth, at least, money and wealth eventually win out.
Other Prophetic Parallels to Today
It may well be asked: If Joseph’s
actions did indeed save millions of lives, then what does anything else matter?
Wasn’t the trade-off worth it—putting entire populations into vassalage and
even further widening the imbalances of the wealth distribution?
That may appear to be the same type
of situation faced by those today who are making policy decisions in response
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Should we save everyone from dying
from the virus but completely destroy the global economy and place massive
debts upon the shoulders of citizens? How can it be ensured that the stimulus
of massive new indebtedness (created by fiat) will be distributed fairly?
Is everyone being forced into
economic bondage? Attempts may be made to achieve fairness. But it would be
foolishness to believe that mankind’s primordial unfaithfulness with money will
suddenly turn benevolent. Pharaoh, as we have shown, ended up being super-rich.
The same tendency is at work today, especially so when crises are seized as
catalysts for major wealth heists and transfers.
Once policymakers begin going down
the road of fiat money (Modern Money Theory) and economic interventions, there
is no easy return. Temporary government policies and interventions tend to
eventually become permanent fixtures. Even Joseph faced this dilemma. After
serving Pharaoh for 26 years—including 12 years after the famine was over—he
claimed that he was still saving lives (Genesis 50:20). Here we note that a
temporary government policy measure will tend to become a permanent one.
Another specter of the Joseph story
is that “[…] all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because
the famine was severe in all the world” (Genesis 41:57). Here, in the first
book of the Bible, we find the very roots of modern-day “globalization.”
The whole world converged together
for reasons of “bread” (a euphemism for “money”). Egypt had become the world’s
commercial center, and its grain became the senior currency of that epoch.
Pharaoh came to this position of
controlling the entire world by dispensing the means of obtaining bread and
prosperity. Here we see that the incentive of gaining “bread” had been
harnessed by one centralized system … even one man. We may see that aspects of
that process are again sweeping the entire world today under the guise of the
promise of more bread for the entire world.
An Endtime Trap Foreshadowed
How long did it take for the entire
known world of Joseph’s time to come under economic bondage to Pharaoh?
According to this writer’s calculations, once the drought began, this process
required only a period of three-and one-half years.
Three one-year periods are indicated,
and an additional half year is deduced. Explicitly mentioned to last a year are
these two yearly stages: Livestock was used as payment for one year of grain
supply (Genesis 47:17). Another year was survived by giving up ownership of
land and their “bodies” (verse 18).
What about the period before these
two yearly spans? In response to the first request for grain, Joseph took all
the money in the land (verses 13-15). We judge that the monetary transactions
could not have purchased more than a year’s worth of grain consumption. As it
was in those times, most wealth was represented by livestock and land.
Transactional money did not play as significant a role in the livelihoods of
people as today.
As already reviewed, Joseph did not
buy the excess grain during the plenty period in the first place. Therefore,
the seven years of plenty would not have produced a big cash hoard in people’s
pockets, which may have been sufficient to purchase an adequate grain supply for
all year.
With this logic, we so far count the
duration of three years on the road to serfdom for Egypt’s population.
We next note that the Nile Basin at
times supported two grain harvests each year. As such, it would be logical to
assume that people would only have laid aside provisions of grain for one
half-year, this being long enough to last until the next harvest. That suggests
that six months of drought would have first taken place before food shortages
began to occur. As of that point, money would have been used to purchase the
next year’s grain supply.
If our estimates are correct, we can
conclude that it required a three-and-one-half year period to bring the entire
world under the control of one system, under the authority of one man.
In the final part of this series, we
focus on the prophetic indications of global economic bondage of the entire
world. What can yet be expected to occur in the future? Maranatha
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