Monday, November 15, 2021

Genesis 41: "When Dreams Come True! " [#2 Pharaoh's Dreams]

 


Chapters 40 and 41 have dreams and interpretation of dreams contained in their story lines.   This fact does not make this a proof text for a “theology of dreaming”. It does not lend legitimacy to make something of every dream we dream. This is not the point of the narrative. Dreams are incidental and not central to this narrative. The point of the story of Joseph’s life is the story of God’s leading and preservation of His covenant people. And today again,  we shall move closer to   seeing how God uses ‘all things’ to work out His plan of saving and preserving His chosen people, now through Joseph, against the background of many setbacks  and disappointments.

Outline

41:1-8  Pharaoh’s dreams.

41:9-14  Joseph remembered

41: 15 -28 Joseph  hears and interprets the dreams

41: 29- 36 Joseph counsels Pharaoh 

41:37- 57  From prison to  prime minister

1. 41:1-8  Pharaoh’s dreams.

41:1 “After two whole years…”. One of the great disappointments for Joseph must have been the fact that he was forgotten in prison.  The cupbearer to Pharaoh who was spared from death (40:13,21) was asked  specifically by Joseph to  remember him to Pharaoh, but instead he forgot  him (40:23). Imagine that! This act of forgetfulness earns Joseph two more long years in prison before God’s providence brought him out. Again we see and observe that God’s mills grind slowly. This phrase was coined by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow[1] who wrote, 

Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience He stands waiting, with exactness grinds He all.”  

God is in all the tedious details. What seems  a  waste of time to man  is the outworking of God’s plan with all patience, and  precise timing, working everything for His own glory, whilst preserving His people through  some hectic situations.

The situation unfolds as Pharaoh has a troublesome dream (41:1-8): “So in the morning, his spirit was troubled” (41:8). His dreams troubled him. The cupbearer and baker were likewise troubled by their dreams (40:6). He immediately sent for his magicians and wise men, “but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh” (41:8).  All the magic of Egypt could not solve Pharaoh’s anxiety.  And it’s time for God to shine again, as He brings   His servant Joseph   out of the shadows, out of the most unlikely place – prison, and  into the presence of the mightiest man in Egypt!  We are on the verge of an amazing development. In a short while we shall see Joseph rise from prison to prime minister!     

2. 41:9-14 Joseph remembered

As no one is found to help the Pharaoh, the chief cupbearer suddenly ‘remembers his offenses’ (41:9). He remembers how Joseph helped him with an accurate interpretation of a disturbing dream. He tells Pharaoh about this young Hebrew and the accurate interpretation of his dream (41:12). Pharaoh wastes no time. We are beginning to see that God had appointed Joseph for such a time as this. Joseph groomed himself before he appeared before Pharaoh, “he shaved himself and changed his clothes” (41:14). The Hebrews tended to wear beards, whilst Egyptians did not. Joseph made himself presentable.

3.  41: 15 -28 Joseph hears and interprets the dreams

Pharaoh begins by explaining his dilemma to Joseph:  ‘I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it’ (41:15) …. and in 41:24:  and I told it to the  magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me’.   Before we get to the dream we take note of this important caveat.  Joseph tells Pharaoh, with utter humility:   It is not me that can interpret the dream. God will give a Pharaoh favourable answer.’ (41:16), Joseph’s faith in God shines. He tells Pharaoh that neither his magicians, nor Joseph himself, but God is the revealer of dreams (41:25). It is not because he has some innate power, but because God is at work here. God is using   Joseph to reveal to Pharaoh how He is intending to sustain them   through a very trying time.

In 41:16-24  Pharaoh  tells him the  two disturbing dreams, and before  Joseph  interprets them, he gives Pharaoh another important theology lesson.   He makes 2 things clear: (i) God is the Revealer of dreams (ii) God ordains the future …’God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.’ (41:25). God not only knows what is going to happen, but He knows what is going to happen because He has ordained what is going to happen.  Even Egypt is in the hand of the God. Nothing and no nation  is outside the reach of God.

After hearing the dreams Joseph sees that ‘the dreams are one.’ (41:25,26).  Pharaoh needs  to understand that it is God  that rules Egypt and the world and so  we find this  insignificant  Hebrew boy, a prisoner, lecturing  the mighty Pharaoh (considered a god in Egypt)  about the  doctrine of  the One True  God! He controls the future of Egypt, and He will show you in a moment what is coming upon your nation, and He will tell you what to do in that situation.

4.  41: 29- 36 Joseph counsels Pharaoh 

Pharaoh is now being given additional advice by this  young  Hebrew prisoner – slave,   who becomes to him a   prophet from God, and in the hand of God.  Not only does  God provide  Joseph  with prophetic foresight concerning the weather patterns for the next 14 years, but He also gives  Pharaoh wisdom and insight through Joseph  concerning the course of action that needs to be taken, and  the planning  that needs to be done.  All this needs speedy resolve, because God will bring this about shortly (41:32). Moreover   Pharaoh is advised that he will need an overseer – a wise and discerning man (41:33) to lead this process. We have no reason to believe that Joseph is thinking of himself in terms  of a future solution  here (cf. 41:39).  He is merely acting as God’s spokesman– period! And God is clear in His counsel through Joseph. This is the plan of action needed. You must get going immediately. Now, you must remember that Joseph did have organisational and managerial talent. We already saw that he left Potiphar’s home his first owner/ employer) in a better shape (39:3). He even left the (39:23) prison in a better shape. So, wait for it, as we see Joseph moving from prison to prime minister! Oh how the logic of God amazes us. David was the shepherd boy who against all odds became the greatest king is Israel’s history. And his greater son, the Lord Jesus, the Son of David, the eternal Son of God, became the incarnate Son of a humble peasant mother called Mary. He comes from glory into this sinful world. After His humiliation He takes up His majestic throne once more. He moves from this sinful world (having completed the work that the Father has given Him, back to glory). Truly God specialises in ‘calling into existence the things that are not’[2] (Rom.4:17). Joseph is called from prison to  high office.

5. 41:37-57  From Prison to  Prime minister

41:37 “…This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants (advisors)”.   How the tables are turned in a moment!  Pharaoh knows that this man Joseph is God’s spokesman, “since God has shown you all this, there is none  so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house….”. 41:38,39  shows us that  Pharaoh had  understood  Joseph's message. Joseph was plain and clear in letting Pharaoh know that his source of authority was God (41:16 cf. 40:8). Pharaoh instinctively knows that it will be with his household – the nation of Egypt – because the sovereign God of the Universe is in charge here. It is a good thing when politicians listen to the one true God and when they care about their   people’s future.  And so he makes Joseph second in charge, that is, prime minister of Egypt (41:4-44). Again, remember that Joseph is a foreigner, from the tribe of  the Hebrews,  a shepherd tribe,  who are an abomination to the Egyptians (46:34).  This is a rare political move. Sadly,  we see politics often mixed up with nepotism, close  political allies , or bribery. Truly God rules here.  This is an application of Proverbs 21:1:  “ The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hands of the LORD;  he turns it  wherever He will.”[3]

And Pharaoh heaps authority and honours upon Joseph. He makes him second in charge (41:40), give him his signet ring and garments of fine linen, a gold chain (41:42)… a second chariot (42:43), … for citizens to bow the knee. Pharaoh also provides Joseph with a family (41:45). From this marriage will be born two sons, Manasseh (God has made me forget  all my hardship and my father’s house)  and Ephraim ( God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction) (41:51,52), raised  in the fear of YAHWEH who will be incorporated into the nation of Israel and who  will  become tribes  in Israel.  All this reinforces  the fact that this  could only have happened by the providence of God.  And Joseph was only 30 when all this  happened. He was sold into slavery more or less at the age of 18  or so. It would take more than 20 years  before he would be reunited with his family.

It is wise  to stop and reflect here upon the path that  Joseph  had  to tread  to get to this point. For many years, from being sold into slavery by his brothers, he had to patiently endure humiliation. His pain is reflected in the names which he gives to his sons. Through it all he remained faithful, patient and God focussed. And God, in His own time would bring His servant out.  

God did the same thing in the life of Abraham. For a long time Abraham waited for the fulfilment of the promise- a covenant son.  God did the same in the life of Jacob. It took many years and many difficulties, after being in exile for him to return to the land of promise. Patience and trusting in God is a major lesson God is us on our way to  our promised land- heaven!

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). It is a Christian  virtue  (Col. 1:11,3:12). It is one of Christ’s characteristics (1 Tim. 1:16). Hebrews 6:12 teaches us to, “through faith and patience inherit the promises”.  2 Pet. 3:15 teaches us  to “count the patience of our Lord as salvation”. 

In  41:46-57  we find  a description of  Joseph’s administration – and all done , just as God had said and directed, as we move from the 7 years  of plenty to  the 7 years of  the famine – just as God had said. And  all this, though he does not yet know it, sets the stage for a reunification of Joseph  and his family – the covenant line of God in the world.   We see the beginnings of this in 41:56,57: 

“So when  the famine had  spread over all the land,  Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the  earth came to Egypt to Joseph  to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.”  

And Chapter 42  will begin with these words, “ When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt…”

What a grand view of the sovereignty of God.  Here we are shown that God will send a famine upon the entire known world  in order to advance  and  bless the family of Jacob- the offspring of Abraham to whom the  promises of the covenant apply.  God rules the world for the sake of his people! God is shaping world events in order to  preserve His chosen family.

So, dear Christian family, do not fear.  God rules this world and the Universe for His glory, and if you are in Christ, then He rules this universe for your benefit also.

 



[1] Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator

 

[2] The reference here is to  Abraham whose wife Sarah was barren and could not produce  an offspring for the covenantal line. God did the impossible by giving her a son (Isaac) in her old age.

[3] The same can be applied in reverse. God may take his hands away from the king and hand him over to his own wicked designs.

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