Text; Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do…” (Genesis 41:25).
When you or I have a dream, it usually involves one incident and then we awaken. We might be having a pleasant dream that places us in a happy or joyful environment and we don’t want the dream to end.
On the other hand, our dream might involve disaster, pain, or grief and we would like it to end. I would venture to say that each of us has awaken from a dream all stressed out and damp from perspiration. When we open our eyes a sight of relief falls upon us.
As we know, Joseph had two dreams that he shared with this brothers and his father. The butler and the baker each had one dream. Pharaoh experienced two dreams. The butler, the baker and Pharaoh needed someone to interpret their dreams. Joseph did not look for someone to interpret his dreams because of his strong character and his deep Godly wisdom.
As you recall, after Joseph interpreted the dream for the butler and the interpretation was realized by the butler, Joseph made one request of the butler. The request was: “But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house” (Genesis 40:14).
The butler did not remember Joseph, but instead completely forgot about him. This resulted in Joseph remaining in prison for two full years. At the end of that time, Pharaoh had two dreams. He obviously needed someone to interpret the meaning of these dreams so he called for people to interpret these dreams.
“Now it came to pass in the morning that his (Pharaoh) spirit was troubles, 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” (Genesis 41:8).
In the days of Pharaoh, magicians and so-called wise men were a very common entity in the palaces of the ruling body. All these men had power to interpret dreams, read the stars, perform magic and tell about what was going to happen in the future. This all sounds wonderful and great, but the problem was that their power came from an evil source and that evil source was Satan himself.
They were unable to interpret Pharaoh’s dream because God was instrumental in revealing this dream to Pharaoh. In other words God had a plan and that plan needed to be carried out. This plan was going to involve everyone, including Pharaoh and Joseph. It addition, the reality of this dream would bring about an event which would show the enormous power of Almighty God.
God would carry out this plan through Joseph. The meaning of the dream was given to Joseph while he was still in prison. Joseph already had favor from God, but now he would find favor in the eyes of Pharaoh. Pharaoh would soon find out that there was something different about Joseph.
When you and I go out of our way to do something for someone and expect nothing in return, those people begin to look at us as being different. The thoughts that form in our mind and the words that flow from our mouth should indicate to people that we are Christ centered.
The places we visit and the social life we carry on should reflect the principles set forth by Christ Himself. The way we treat our brothers and sisters should be one of love, compassion, and understanding.
God was a major part of Joseph’s life just as He should play a major part of our life. Joseph faced temptation but kept the faith and did not commit the sin of disobedience leading to adultery. We have all faced temptation at some point in our life, and each temptation we have faced has been faced by other people at some time.
Paul told the people at Corinth these words: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” ( I Corinthians 10:13).
Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife, but by keeping the faith and keeping his eye on God was able to resist that temptation and flee from the house. Joseph passed the test of temptation which strengthened his faith and character. Just as Joseph was tempted and tested, we too, can expect to receive our share of testing.
While Joseph was in prison, he never blamed God for his misfortune. He never felt sorry for himself, but he relied on God to lead him in the way he should go. The unfortunate circumstances that you and I sometimes find ourselves in should encourage us to look up and be positive. We need to remember who is in charge and who is still on the throne and then ask Him for guidance, wisdom and direction.
Scripture says, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison” (Genesis 39:21).
Joseph was kind and considerate to the other prisoners. He helped them in whatever way he could and he did everything the prison warden told him to do.
When we are kind and considerate to people who are down, or need help, or are misunderstood, or are just having a bad day, our acts will be noticed by God and other people who might be present.
The prison warden or keeper noticed what a helpful and obedient person Joseph appeared to be. As he watched him day after day, Joseph found favor in the eyes of the prison keeper. Soon Joseph was given more and more privileges and responsibilities. God was with Joseph.
The same thing will happen to us as we reach out to people with the love of Christ. We are not to make a show of what we do for people so that other people will notice, but instead we are to proceed according to the will of God. God knows our intentions and will guide us and lead us just as He did Joseph.
Joseph was concerned about the butler and the baker and proceeded to find out why they were sad and what he could do for them. Whatever Joseph did, credit was given to God. He never intended to receive honor or credit because Joseph knew that without God, he could do nothing, but with God, he could do many things.
All Joseph did was done for the glory of God. The same applies to us today. All the good we do for people is done because God is working through us.
All the knowledge and wisdom we possess is imparted to us through the Holy Spirit who lives within our heart. This message and all the messages I share with you are not mine, but are given to me by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was in prison for a full two years and he never kept from doing what he could for other prisoners. You and I have never spent time in prison, but perhaps we have had times in our life when we felt down, unhappy, ill, lonely, etc. What did we do during these times?
Did we just mop around and feel sorry for ourselves? Did we thank God for our predicament? Just maybe we were like Joseph who praised God and looked to God for guidance and direction. God led Joseph to the needs of other people and if we listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit we, too, will be directed to help those who are in need of a shoulder to lean on, a receptive ear ready to listen or a hand to reach out and say, “I am here for you, I love you.”
Pharaoh had a dream which involved seven healthy cows and seven ugly cows. In the dream, the seven ugly cows ate the seven healthy cows. When he awoke from this dream, he did not know what the dream meant. He probably thought it was just a nightmare and he could forget about it and go back to sleep.
Pharaoh did go back to sleep and in a very short time, he had another dream. This dream involved seven heads of good healthy fine looking grain. In addition, the dream showed Pharaoh seven heads of very thin shattered ruined heads of grain. The seven thin ruined heads of grain devoured the seven healthy heads of grain. At this point, Pharaoh again awakened.
Scripture tells us: “In the morning his, Pharaoh’s, 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” (Genesis 41:8).
I believe God’s planned the failure of the magicians and wise men. He had already revealed this dream to Joseph while Joseph was in prison. God was working through Joseph and using him as a witness to reveal His power. Joseph’s relationship to God was such that God used him as a vehicle to bring others into a right relationship with Him.
God’s plan involved the butler who would tell Pharaoh how Joseph correctly interpreted his dream while he was in prison. Pharaoh would then have another source for the interpretation of his dream.
After the butler told Pharaoh what Joseph had done for him, Scripture tells us that Pharaoh summoned Joseph to be brought into his presence. When Joseph appeared before Pharaoh, Pharaoh said, “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” (Genesis 41:15).
Joseph was faced with an opportunity that he least expected. We are faced with opportunities in life at the most unexpected and inopportune times. Have you ever been faced with a request from someone that was really important to them, but you turned it down because you were just too busy?
How many times have our children asked us for help with their school work, or invited us to watch them play ball or attend their band concert or take them shopping, and we would put them off until another time? We might have responded to them by saying, we are too tired or we have to get this project done or we just don’t feel well.
What if Joseph had turned down Pharaoh’s request to appear before him? Joseph would have been disobedient to Pharaoh and he would have been disobedient to God. We do not know what Pharaoh’s next move would have been.
Opportunity comes when we least expect it just as it came to Joseph after two full years. Joseph did not know what to expect when he appeared before Pharaoh. Even if he had known what Pharaoh wanted, Joseph had no time to prepare. Why did he accept the opportunity?
Joseph did not worry because he knew God was in control. He had no magical powers for interpreting dreams, but he had wisdom and knowledge imparted to him by Almighty God.
The more we know about God, the more wisdom and knowledge God will impart to us. If we have a right relationship with God, we will be ready to face challenges and opportunities that come our way.
As Joseph stood before Pharaoh, Pharaoh told him that he had a dream about cows, woke up, went back to sleep and had a dream involving heads of grain.
Pharaoh told Joseph no one could interpret his dreams. Joseph had the opportunity to bring God into the picture at this point. He was not going to take credit for anything because he knew only God had the answer. Joseph knew that if he took the credit, he would be taking what belonged to God. Whenever we take honor that belongs to God, we are stealing from God and stealing is breaking one of God’s Laws.
He said to Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:16).
Pharaoh spoke these words to Joseph: “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile (River), 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.” (Genesis 41:17-21).
Pharaoh told Joseph he then went back to sleep and dreamed another dream. “In my dreams I also saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted – withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none could explain it to me” (Genesis 41:22-24).
Have you ever had dreams like the dreams of Pharaoh? We have dreams, but not to this magnitude. What if the Holy Spirit revealed something like this to us, what would we think?
There is a good chance that we would not even listen. Listening is not something most of us do very well. We don’t listen to other people, but we should. Why? God uses other people to reveal things to us just as He used Joseph to reveal the meaning of Pharaoh’s dreams to Pharaoh. The bottom line is that we need to pay attention.
Joseph paid attention to God when God spoke to him concerning Pharaoh’s dreams thus enabling him to give Pharaoh the correct interpretation of his dreams. Joseph told Pharaoh that the two dreams were really only one dream. He indicated to Pharaoh that seven was significant in the dreams.
The seven healthy cows and the seven healthy heads of grain meant that there would be seven years of abundance at which there would be plenty of food for everyone.
The seven ugly cows and the seven worthless heads of grain represented seven years of famine in which there would be a shortage of food. During this seven years of famine people would starve if some kind of plan was not put into effect during the seven years of plenty.
God had laid out his plan before Pharaoh in a dream and if Pharaoh did not take action, Egypt would soon be forgotten. The famine would be so bad that the days of plenty would not be remembered. Pharaoh was to plan ahead.
This is something that many people fail to do today. They fail to plan for a rainy day or a day when their lifestyle will change. Young people tend to live for the day and not think about tomorrow. A few years ago, people did not think the economy would be as it is today.
Builders were building houses, office structures, shopping centers and strip malls everywhere. Small business establishments were flourishing and many chain businesses were opening. Money was being spent like there was no end to the supply.
People were not saving money for emergency situations. Savings accounts were not replenished. Unemployment is at an all-time high. Employee’s hours are being cut. Benefits are being lost. The time of abundance is not a time of scarcity. The flow of milk and honey has drastically slowed down.
Did people fail to heed the prompting of the Holy Spirit? Did people take God out of their lives and replace Him with material possessions? Did people forget who is in control of everything? Did people decide to live worldly instead of heavenly?
I firmly believe that when we fail listen to the voice of God speaking to us through the Holy Spirit, we are doomed for trouble. When we fail to praise God for all He has created and all He has done for us and for sending His Son to pay for our wrongs, we are headed down the road of destruction and our eternity will be spend hell.
God laid out a plan for Pharaoh and it was up to Pharaoh to implement that plan. The plan was laid out through a vessel named Joseph. Pharaoh bought the plan, Joseph was used to carry out the plan and the people of Egypt survived.
God has a plan for each one of us. If we follow that plan, we can be assured of spending eternity in His presence. I choose to follow His plan, what about you?
Amen.
