Genesis 41: 14-37
We have followed Joseph from the time of his youth, and we have seen how God encouraged him early in his life with the prospect of respect and homage, even before his brothers betrayed him. Everything that has happened to him since those early days has not been very positive from the Earthly point of view, being sold into slavery, and being the property of another man, a foreigner in a foreign land. And even when he maintained his integrity and it put him into prison, he still maintained his faith and trust in his God.
Because he was faithful to the Lord God even through all this extended hardship, God gave him a tremendous purpose to fulfill, something that he never would have imagined. Our God is like that.
The longer we faithfully wait on the Lord, without wavering, then the greater is the purpose God has planned for us, too.
(14) Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh.
When the king summoned him, they rushed him through cleaning up, and he "ran" to Pharaoh!
(15) Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it, and I have heard it said about you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it."
Pharaoh asks Joseph if it is true that he is able to interpret dreams; remember, all his magicians and wise men had no idea what they could mean, can Joseph really do this?
(16) Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, "It is not in me, God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer."
Joseph still maintains his humility, and tells the king that he is just another guy, there's nothing special about him. But his Lord God is the One who has all the answers! He just witnessed to the king!
(17) So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, "In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile; (18) and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass. (19) Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I had never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt; (20) and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. (21) Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had devoured them, for they were just as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
(22) "I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk; (23) and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them; (24) and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me."
Pharaoh is putting Joseph to the test: will he have any kind of answer or reason for these dreams? Can he make sense of either one?
(25) Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, "Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Joseph is telling the king that the Lord God is talking to him! Since Joseph knows this God, he is able to tell him what He is saying. And he is telling him that it is the Lord God who is going to do these things. Even in Egypt, a land where the people don't even know Him, but He cares for them, and is telling their king what He is going to do, so they can prepare for it.
Joseph is telling Pharaoh that the Lord God has authority over him and his land and people. And that He cares for them, even though they have not known Him.
(26) "The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same. (27) The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. (28) It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Joseph has recognized that both of the dreams were about the same subject, the same time period that is still to come, a prophesy. And he tells the king again that it is the Lord God who has the power over the climate and growing seasons. He is still witnessing to this king.
(29) "Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; (30) and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land. (31) So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe.
Now Joseph repeats what the dreams mean in practical terms; that the abundance of the seven good years will not carry them through the seven years of famine that are coming, so the king needs to do something about it.
(32) "Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.
And he says that because God gave him the same dream twice in a row, that He is serious and that this turn of events will certainly come about.
I wonder when Joseph realized this, because God repeated the dream of encouragement that He gave Joseph in his youth. Is this why he was able to persevere through so many years of hardship?
(33) "Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. (34) Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. (35) Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it. (36) Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine."
Now Joseph boldly takes another step, and advises Pharaoh as to what he thinks he should do about this new information he has received from God.
Pharaoh only asked him to interpret the dreams, now Joseph is stepping into the role of an advisor to the king. The response to his advice will determine whether Joseph will be punished or rewarded!
Will Pharaoh say, "How dare you tell me what to do, when I haven't asked you!"?
(37) Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.
This is a positive response. Joseph's courageous daring to take a risk will pay off.
Stay tuned tomorrow to see what happens next in this thrilling adventure! Truth really is better than any fiction!
O my Father, Help us also to have the confidence in You to be courageous and bold to take the risks that will pay off for us. Show us, Father, when the risk would be foolish, and teach us to weigh the consequences.
My Father, You are so good to us, You love each one of us, and You want us to succeed in what we do, to bring You the glory! Show us how to do everything You have called us to, both concerning worldly and spiritual things.
Send out Your children into all the world, Father. Let every living being hear and perceive Your love and care, and Your provision, Your generous and gracious gift. Bring all of Your children to the birth into Your family, and fill Your great house with all of Your uncountable progeny.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
