SCRIPTURE; GENESIS 41
IMPORTANT VERSE:
PHARAOH’S DREAMS (vs. 1-40)
When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank. And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fate cows. then Pharaoh woke up.
He fell asleep again and had a second dream” Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted – thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “today I am reminded of my shortcomings. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. Now a young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them for us, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it. “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up – scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. but even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so; they looked just as ugly as before. Then I woke up.
“In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. Afder them, seven other heads sprouted – withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The tine heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me.”
Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ”
the dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. the seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads of grain are seven years; it is one and the same dream. The seven lean, ugly cows that came u8p afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind: They are seven years of famine.
“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God and God will do it soon.”
“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wiseman and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that country may not be ruined by the famine.”
The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this know to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only u with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
JOSEPH IN CHARGE OF EQYPT (vs. 41-57)
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’
s finger. he dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. he had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, “make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of on, to be his wife. And Joseph wen throughout the land of Egypt.
Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. During the seven years of abundance the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced in those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because itt was beyond measure.
Before the years of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph by Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On. Joseph named his first born Manasseh and said, “It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” The second son he named Ephraim and said, “It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.”
The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt there was food. When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “:God to Joseph and do what he tells you.”
When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. And all the countries came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the world.
THOUGHTS: (By Warren Wiersbe)
(1) – EXPLANATION:
For two years, Joseph was forgotten by the cupbearer but he was not forgotten by the Lord. It is disappointing to depend on people, for of the their help never comes. When Joseph spoke to the world’s greatest ruler, he gave all the glory to God.
(2) – EXALTATION:
God always exalts the humble “in due time”. Joseph started as a servant, but then God made him a ruler. he experienced suffering before God gave him glory. God invested thirteen years in making a man out of Joseph. When it comes to building character, God is never in a hurry.
(3) – EXPECTATION:
Joseph’s new name probably means “the one who furnishes nourishment to the land.” he married an Egyptian wife, and she bore him two sons who were given significant names. Manasseh (one who forgets) and Ephraim (double fruit). Joseph determined to forget the past and live for the future. In the Bible, forgetting means “not holding it against another.” Joseph certainly did not forget what his brothers did, but he did not hold it against them. instead, he concentrated on living a fruitful life to the glory of God.
THOUGHTS (From Life Application Study Bible)
When the subject of dreams came up, Joseph focused everyone’s attention on God. Rather than using the situation to make himself look good, he turned it into a powerful witness for the Lord. One secret of effective witnessing is to recognize opportunities to relate God to the other person’s experience. When the opportunity arises, we must have the courage to speak, as Joseph did and give credit to God.
After interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph gave the king a survival plan for the next 14 years. Without careful planning, the famine would have turned Egypt from prosperity to ruin. Joseph was able to save a nation by translating god’s plan for Egypt into practical actions (implementation). We must take time to translate God’s plan for us into practical actions, too.
Pharaoh recognized that Joseph was a man “filled with the spirit of God”. How about you? Do people able to see God in you through your kind words, merciful acts and wise advice?
Joseph was 30 years old when he became second-in-command in Egypt. He was 17 when he was sold into slavery by his brothers. Thus, he spent 13 years as an Egyptian slave and in prison.