Genesis 41:1-45
The Dreams of Pharaoh
“After two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing beside the Nile, when seven cows, sleek and well-fed, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly and thin, came up from the Nile and stood beside the well-fed cows on the bank of the river. And the cows that were sickly and thin devoured the seven sleek, well-fed cows.
Then Pharaoh woke up, but he fell back asleep and dreamed a second time: Seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, came up on one stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted, thin and scorched by the east wind. And the thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven plump, ripe ones. Then Pharaoh awoke and realized it was a dream.
In the morning his spirit was troubled, so he summoned 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 recall my failures. Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he put me and the chief baker in the custody of the captain of the guard. One night both the chief baker and I had dreams, and each dream had its own meaning. 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 individually. And it happened to us just as he had interpreted: I was restored to my position, and the other man was hanged.”
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, who was quickly brought out of the dungeon. After he had shaved and changed his clothes, he went in before Pharaoh.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have received word about you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”
“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, when seven cows, well-fed and sleek, came up from the river and began to graze among the reeds. After them, seven other cows, sickly, ugly, and thin, came up. I have never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt! Then the thin, ugly cows devoured the seven well-fed cows that were there first. When they had devoured them, however, no one could tell that they had done so; their appearance was as ugly as it had been before. Then I awoke.
In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, plump and ripe, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted—withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind. And the thin heads of grain swallowed the seven plump ones.
I told this dream to the magicians, but no one could explain it to me.”
At this, 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 ripe heads of grain are seven years. The dreams have the same meaning. Moreover, the seven thin, ugly cows that came up after them 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. Behold, 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 the land of Egypt will be forgotten and the famine will devastate the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, since the famine that follows it will be so severe.
Moreover, because the dream was given to Pharaoh in two versions, the matter has been decreed by God, and He will carry it out shortly.
Now, therefore, Pharaoh should look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh take action and appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Under the authority of Pharaoh, let them collect all the excess food from these good years, that they may come and lay up the grain to be preserved as food in the cities. This food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine to come upon the land of Egypt. Then the country will not perish in the famine.”
Joseph Given Charge of Egypt
This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his officials. So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, in whom the Spirit of God abides?”
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
And Pharaoh declared to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission, no one in all the land of Egypt shall lift his hand or foot.”
Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah, meaning “God speaks and lives,” and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph took charge of all the land of Egypt.”
That morning when Joseph got up, he was still in a dungeon and still in slavery. But by evening that same day, Joseph would be a free man and the second most powerful person in the kingdom of Egypt. What happened? God moved in. Pharoah had two frightening dreams and none of his priests or soothsayers could interpret them. That’s when the cupbearer remembered Joseph’s interpretation of his dream and recommended him to Pharaoh. It’s likely that Pharoah had already learned about Joseph, since the prison warden had handed over the management of the prison to Joseph. Now Pharaoh learned that this same man might also interpret his dreams and give him peace.
Long before Pharaoh’s summons, God was already preparing Joseph for this moment. First, God stripped Joseph of a family situation in which he was a spoiled younger son. Next, God brought Joseph to Egypt, where he would work in an upper-class household before being unjustly thrown into prison. Then God allowed Joseph to remain in that prison, gaining administrative experience as he listened to his fellow prisoners describing their lives. Since poor people were more likely to wind up in prison than rich people, Joseph got a good idea of life in Egypt from the ground up. These insights would later save millions of people in Egypt. Now God was allowing the cupbearer to remember Joseph’s interpretations of dreams just in time to recommend him to Pharaoh. But none of this would have been possible had Joseph been a slacker.
Joseph gained his freedom because he was willing to give of his best even when unjustly imprisoned. Refusing to waste time in self-pity, Joseph tackled jobs given to him and did them well, learning everything he could in the process. Not only did the prison warden recognize Joseph’s worth, but God also approved it. Now Joseph was getting the opportunity to demonstrate the results of all those years of hardship.
Sometimes we might look at others and wonder why they are progressing while we seem to be stuck in a rut. But what are you doing while you are in that rut? Are you learning everything you can about that rut or are you merely indulging in pity-parties? Joseph became fabulously successful; however, God approved his work just as much when he was still in prison as He did once Joseph was free. God knows our hearts and God knows when we are really trying and when we are not. Sometimes we feel that nobody is watching, so why try? God is watching and the trying is worth everything. Don’t give up! Do your best and God can give you peace.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, some of us are very tired! We’ve been struggling to do good work but nobody seems to care. Help us to remember that we are working for You and not just for people and that You always see our efforts. Give all in this situation Your peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment