Seven Years

There are two stories in the scriptures in which a group of people gathers enough food upon which to subsist for seven years.  The first of course is the story of Joseph in Egypt.  Joseph revealed to Pharoah that there would be “seven years of great plenty” and “seven years of famine” that would come upon the land (Genesis 41:29-30).  Because of this, they did “gather all the food of those good years” and that food would “be a store to the land against the seven years of famine” (Genesis 41:35-36).  The Egyptians were not only able to survive the great famine but they were also able to help other nations because they had so much food stored up; in particular Joseph was able to save his own family by providing them food when they could no longer survive in the land of Canaan.  

                The other seven year story is in the Book of Mormon.  When the Gadianton robbers were threatening to destroy the Nephites, they joined together in a common land and “reserved for themselves provisions, and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might subsist for the space of seven years” (3 Nephi 4:4).  It was this act that ultimately saved them, because the Gadianton robbers were unable to have any effect on them when they tried to siege because the Nephites had so much in store.  The Nephites were so well-prepared and so unified that nothing the robbers did could weaken the Nephites.  Ultimately the Nephites triumphed, destroyed the Gadianton robbers, and after about seven years they returned to their lands.

                So what do these stories teach us?  Surely they are a witness of the Savior’s teaching: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).  Both of these groups faced very difficult situations, and it was in large part their preparation that preserved them.  In our time we know that trying times are ahead for all of us, and surely both great physical and spiritual preparation are needed to see us through.  A second lesson from these two stories is the importance of heeding the Lord’s anointed.  Though the Egyptians probably didn’t really appreciate the ways of the Lord, they understood that Joseph was a man to be listened to and the Pharoah was very wise to heed Joseph’s warnings.  The Nephites put their trust in Lachoneus and Gidgiddoni their leaders, who both had “the spirit of revelation and also prophecy” and were “a great prophet” (3 Nephi 3:19).  Because the Nephites followed their counsel they were ultimately saved from destruction at the hands of the robbers.  In our day as we must combat “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” our security likewise resides in heeding the words of the prophets (Ephesians 6:12).  We don’t know all of the challenges that lay ahead for the Saints, but surely it will take the kind of preparation and obedience to prophetic counsel that these two stories illustrate to see us through.