November 12, 2023
Reading: Genesis 41:1-40
Focus: Genesis 41:16 – “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharoah, “but God will give Pharoah the answer he desires.”
Father God, Praise Your name above all others. You alone are the answer that we seek. Open our eyes to see what You want us to learn. In Jesus Name. Amen.
It’s been two years since the cupbearer was released from prison and the baker was executed. The cupbearer forgot all about Joseph as he returned to his duties. Leaving Joseph to wonder if he would ever get out of that prison. But even then Joseph kept his faith in God, as we shall see.
Have you ever had a dream that just stuck with you? Most of the time we don’t remember our dreams. I often wake up feeling like I’ve had a weird dream but don’t remember what it was. Frustrating, right? Well, Pharoah had a dream and not just one, but two dreams that would not go away. We are not told when he had the dream but suffice it to say that he probably lost sleep over them (LOL). It apparently bugged him so much that the next morning he called on his magicians and priests who were supposed to be able to interpret dreams. Interpreting dreams was big business in ancient times. There were many books on dream elements and their meanings. The magicians and priests who were supposed to be able to interpret dreams didn’t have the first inkling of what Pharoah’s dreams meant.
Remember this, Pharoah was supposed to be a living ‘god’. The Egyptians believed him to be the incarnation of the god, Horus. We know that Pharoah was a man, fortunate enough to be born to be king, but the Egyptian people and their religion saw him as a god and the figure who held the nation together. No pressure there. So, to have a dream that could not be interpreted was a major stressor.
Now, the cupbearer who was supposed to have told Pharoah about Joseph, was probably one of the men surrounding the Pharoah as he paced back and forth, demanding a meaning to his dream. Oh, snap! He had forgotten the man in the prison who had interpreted his own dream and that of the baker as well. Not on interpreted it but was spot on with the interpretation. He spoke up and told Pharoah of the young Hebrew he had met and who had interpreted his own dream. Pharoah commanded that he be brought to court to see if he could interpret his dream. One would think that you would remember the name of the man that interpreted your dream, but the cupbearer apparently had forgotten that too.
Joseph was called up from the dungeon, bathed, shaved and clothed. Then he was hurried into the presence of the Pharoah. Now remember, Joseph had had no warning that he was going before Pharoah until they came for him, but he was ready because of his right relationship with God. He stood before the ruler of Egypt. Pharoah cut to the chase. “I hear you can interpret dreams.” Joseph was quick to say that he couldn’t but God would give Pharoah the answer. Joseph would not take credit for the interpretation. Joseph knew that God had send the dreams and only God could give the meanings.
Pharoah told Joseph his dreams. As he slept, he saw seven cows that came up from the Nile. They were fat and healthy. Then seven more cows came up from the river that were emaciated and sickly. These skinny cows ate the fat ones and still remained skinny and sickly. He woke up and wondered about the dream. Then he fell asleep again. He saw seven stalks of grain which were full and healthy. These seven more stalks of grain grew which were thin and blighted. These blighted stalks swallowed up the good stalks and remained as blighted as before.
Joseph was given the answer to Pharoah’s dreams and he told him. The dreams were the same. The seven healthy cows and the seven full heads of grain were seven years and the seven sickly cows and seven blighted heads of grain were also seven years. Joseph told Pharoah that God had shown him what He was going to do. Seven years of abundant harvests would be coming, followed by seven years of famine worse that any had ever seen, so bad that the abundance would not be remembered. The reason it was given twice was to show that the abundance and famine were firmly decided by God and that God will do this soon.
But Joseph did not stop there. When God sends a warning, He also sends a plan. Joseph went on to advise Pharoah what he should do to prepare for the next fourteen years. He gave a plan of appointing men to over seen the abundant harvests and to store one fifth of it to prepare for the famine. He gave a detailed plan. Some people feel that planning is boring and unnecessary. But Joseph knew that without planning and preparation, Egypt would be devastated.
Pharoah recognized that God was the one who had given Joseph the meaning of the dreams. He also recognized that Joseph was a wise man. As with Potiphar, Pharoah saw that God was with Joseph. Since Potiphar was Pharoah’s Captain of the Guard, Potiphar may have told Pharoah of a talented Hebrew slave that he had had until he was thrown into prison by the accusations of his wife. He may have also told of the advancement of said Hebrew within the prison itself. Either way, Pharoah saw that Joseph was the man for the job.
Joseph was promoted from slave to the highest official in the land under Pharoah himself. Talk about jumping the ranks! Joseph went from being in charge of a prison to being in charge of the Pharoah’s palace and the whole of Pharoah’s people. Major responsibilities. But Joseph had been prepared for this. Later in this chapter, we see that Joseph is now age 30. He was seventeen when he was sold by his brothers. For thirteen years, Joseph was prepared for his job. He was educated in the culture of Egypt, learned the language and how to write it. He learned how to run a home, then how to run a prison. All in preparation for running a nation and preparing it to survive a severe famine. In each situation he learned the importance of serving God. All of his trials then were training for the responsibilities that had been place on his shoulders now.
As before, here are a few parallels between Joseph and Jesus. Joseph was raised from prison by the hand of God. Jesus was raised from the tomb. Joseph revealed the secrets of Pharoah’s dream. Jesus revealed the Truth of God. Joseph is exalted and set over all of Egypt. Jesus has been exalted by God and all will bow before Him. Joseph and Jesus were both age 30 when they began their ministry; Joseph to Egypt and Jesus to all the world.
There are a number of takeaways in this portion of Joseph’s story. We must always be ready. We never know when or where God will call us to serve. Always give God the credit. Don’t be silent on that. I know that some people thank God for things that happen to them and it seems empty. Live your life in such a way that people KNOW you serve God. Remain faithful to God, no matter what. It can be hard to have faith when it seems that even God is against you but remember that God will take all the bad and use it for good, just as He did here with Joseph. God did not have to leave Joseph in prison. He could have sprung him at any time. However, the timing was not right yet. God had a purpose and a plan. God’s timing is everything. We often get impatient. We want to jump in a do God’s job for Him. But patience pays off, no matter how hard it is to wait. Finally, God is always working for your good. Even, and especially, when you don’t see it yet.
Can you see it?
Father God, Thank you for the reminder that You are always working for us. Help us to keep the faith and to always give You the glory. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Food for Thought
- Joseph went through a lot. What are some of the things that he learned along the way?
- Do you think it was hard for Joseph to just wait and see? Why or why not?
- Are you ready for when God calls you to do something? Why or why not?
- Have there been time when you almost gave up? What did you do?
- Do we, as Christians, have a responsibility to address our leaders about God’s word? Why or why not?
