Genesis 41:1-2 NKJV
41 Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river.
2 Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow.
The cattle came up out of the river. Cattle often submerged themselves up to their necks in the river to escape from insects.
Genesis 41:3-6 NKJV
3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river.
4 And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.
5 He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good.
6 Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them.
The Palestinian Sirocco would blow in from the desert in late spring and early fall, often withering vegetation.
Genesis 41:7-8 NKJV
7 And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.
8 Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.
PHARAOH’S SPIRIT WAS TROUBLED: He couldn’t get the dreams out of his mind. The dreams were important, and God would not let him rest until he dealt with them, so he called in the magicians. These were probably priests who claimed to possess occult knowledge. Magicians had power, but it was Satanic. They were unable to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, but God had revealed it to Joseph in prison.
Genesis 41:9-13 NKJV
9 Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day.
10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker,
11 we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream.
12 Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream.
13 And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”
The chief butler FINALLY keeps his promise to remember Joseph and tell Pharaoh about him and his ability to interpret dreams. His interpretation of the Butler and Baker’s dreams had indeed come to pass just as he had said they would. His words were from the Lord.
Genesis 41:14-15 NKJV
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.
15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”
Our most important opportunities may come when we least expect them. Joseph was brought hastily from the dungeon and pushed before Pharaoh. Did he have time to prepare? Yes and no. He had no warning that he would be suddenly pulled from prison and questioned by the king, yet Joseph was ready for almost anything because of his right relationship with God. It was not Joseph’s knowledge of dreams that helped him interpret their meaning. It was his knowledge of God. Be ready for opportunities by getting to know more about God. Then you will be ready to take on almost anything that comes your way. This effected Joseph’s permanent release from prison. SHAVED: Egyptians were normally smooth shaven, while Palestinians wore beards. Joseph did what would make him most presentable to Pharaoh, not what his flesh dictated.
Genesis 41:16 NKJV
16 So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
It’s not in ME, GOD will give Pharaoh an answer of peace. Joseph gives God all the glory and credit for his ability.
Daniel 2:27-28 NKJV
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.
28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:
Like Joseph, Daniel give God the credit. Do we remember to do that when God does something through us?
2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
No one can claim to be adequate without God’s help. Without the Holy Spirit’s enabling, our natural talent will fizzle in the dust.
Genesis 41:17-24 NKJV
Pharaoh repeats his dreams in detail for Joseph to hear.
Genesis 41:25-27 NKJV
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do:
26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good heads are seven years; the dreams are one.
27 And the seven thin and ugly cows which came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty heads blighted by the east wind are seven years of famine.
Long famines were rare in Egypt because of the regularity of the annual overflow of the Nile River, but not uncommon elsewhere.
Genesis 41:28-32 NKJV
28 This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29 Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;
30 but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. 31 So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following, for it will be very severe.
32 And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
God gave Pharaoh the same dream in two different versions for emphasis. He wanted to make an impression on the man. Repetition of a divine revelation was often used for that purpose. God was warning Pharaoh of what was coming so he could be PREPARED. Without a “famine plan” Egypt would have turned from might to ruin. Do YOU have a famine plan? If you are ABLE to do that you SHOULD do that. Many years ago a woman I knew kept saying she was putting her money away so she’d be ready for “Hard times”. Well, in my naivety as a young Christian, I didn’t believe there would ever BE hard times for a child walking close to God. In some ways, that has been true for me. God has made really good provision, but things COULD have been a lot better if I had listened to what God was saying to me through this woman. It is NOT counter to faith to save money. God gives an example of a grasshopper and an ant. One saved, one didn’t. The result wasn’t pretty for the one who didn’t. Don’t throw away your extra provision and don’t fail to put aside savings for the future if at all possible. One never knows when famine will come. It’s important not to just pass off God’s warnings when He gives them to us. Many find detailed planning boring and unnecessary, but planning is a responsibility of mature adults, not an option. Joseph was able to save a nation by translating God’s plans for Egypt into practical options. God is always PRACTICAL. Keep your head out of the clouds spiritually. My pastor used to say some Christians are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good. Don’t be that person.
Genesis 41:33-36 NKJV
33 “Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years.
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.”
Now God not only gives his warning, but also gives wisdom in how to deal with the coming problem. He gives his wisdom through Joseph so that Pharaoh was very impressed with Joseph as much more than just an interpreter of dreams. He was giving Joseph incredible favor in this foreign land that he had been sold into as a slave.
To be continued.
sherrycook 