Read: Genesis 41
Joseph spent
another two years in jail before the cupbearer remembered him and his was only
remembered because Pharaoh had a dream that no one could interpret. Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the
Nile and seven cows that were attractive and plump came out of the Nile to feed
in the reed grass. Then seven other cows
that were ugly and thin came out after them and ate up the seven attractive
cows (v. 1-4). This dream caused Pharaoh
to awaken and upon falling asleep again he had a second dream where seven plump
and good ears of grain were growing on one stalk and after them sprouted seven
thin and blighted ears which swallowed up the seven plump ones (v. 5-7). Pharaoh awoke again and was troubled by the
dreams. He called all the magicians of
Egypt and all the wise men to interpret the dream but no one could do it (v.
8).
It was then
when the cupbearer remembered Joseph and how he had accurately interpreted both
his and the baker’s dream (v. 9-13).
This prompted Pharaoh to call Joseph to come before him in order to
interpret the dream (v. 15). Joseph,
once again, gave all credit for his dream interpretations to God (v. 16). Pharaoh then told his dream to Joseph and
explained how no one could explain it to him (v. 17-24).
Joseph
responded to Pharaoh with the interpretation of the dreams, which both had the
same meaning. The seven good cows were
seven good years and the seven ugly, lean cows were seven years of famine (v.
26-27). God was showing Pharaoh what He
was about to do (v. 28). There would be
seven years of great plenty throughout Egypt after which there will be seven
years of famine (v. 29-30). The famine
would be severe and consume the land (v. 31).
The duplicity of the dreams (cows and grain) meant that this was fixed
by God and would come about soon (v. 32).
Joseph then told Pharaoh to get a discerning man to take one fifth of
the produce of the land during the seven plentiful years and store up the grain
and keep it to be used during the seven years of famine (v. 33-36).
Pharaoh was
pleased with the proposal given by Joseph and saw the hand of God upon him (v.
37-38). Pharaoh saw that no one was as
wise and discerning as Joseph (because of God) therefore he set Joseph as the
ruler over his people as second in command in Egypt (v. 40). Pharaoh then gave Joseph his signet ring and
fine clothes and put a gold chain around his neck (v. 42). Joseph was set over all the land of Egypt (v.
44). Joseph was thirty years old when he
entered the service of Pharaoh and he faithfully gathered all the food and
stored up great in abundance during the years of plenty (v. 46-49). During the years of plenty Joseph’s wife bore
him two sons – Manasseh and Ephraim (v. 50-52).
When the famine spread over the land, Joseph opened the storehouses and
sold the grain to the Egyptians (v. 56). The famine was so severe that people
from all over the earth came to buy grain from Joseph (v. 57).
Prayer and Journaling
1. Most
of this chapter describes Pharaoh’s dreams.
It is clear that the cupbearer and baker as well as Pharaoh received
dreams from God. Not all dreams are
prophetic in nature but some are from God.
Some dreams just serve to help our minds sort through the perplexities
of our day but some dreams are from the Lord.
Thank the Lord for the various ways He speaks to people. Thank Him for being a real, living God who
interacts with humanity and who we can have a relationship with. Ask Him to grow you in hearing His voice more
clearly and more accurately.
2. Joseph’s
slavery, Joseph’s imprisonment, and Joseph’s rise to second in command in Egypt
all were part of God’s plan and purpose for Joseph’s life so that he could be
used as God’s instrument to bring Jacob’s family to Egypt and save them from
the famine. Whether God has given you
much or little, His desire is for you to use whatever position you are in to
advance the cause of truth and justice and to advance His Kingdom. Ask God to speak to you about the wealth and
influence He has given you. Are you
using it for the benefit of His Kingdom?
Are there any changes that you need to make?
3. Joseph
was 17 years old when he was sold into slavery (Gen. 37:2) and he was 30 years
old when he was exalted by Pharaoh (Gen. 41:46). That means that he spent 13 years in slavery and
it would be many more years before his brothers would bow down to him. God has His own timetable. When we push our own timetable we are showing
that we know better than God. We must learn
to patiently seek God’s timing and let Him work in our lives according to His
purposes and plans. He sees things that
we can’t see and He knows things that we do not know. Thank the Lord for His Sovereignty and His
Providence. God is in control of even
the smallest circumstances! Spend some
time praising Him for this. Ask Him to
show you 4-5 areas of your life where He is in control and has lead you
according to His will. Thank Him for
each one.
