There are so many aspects to the story of Joseph. He is the favorite son of the Patriarch Jacob. His brothers burn with jealousy and hatred toward him because his ten older brothers know he is the favored one of his father. The special ornamented coat Jacob gave Joseph made that evident. The Joseph was a dreamer and told his brothers that in his dreams they served him. In one dream where sheaves of grain bowed to his and the other the moon and stars bowed to him.
The jealousy of his older brothers was so intense that they planned to kill Joseph. In the end they backed down from killing him but threw him in a pit and sold him into slavery. While a slave in Egypt he rose to manage the affairs of Potiphar.
Potiphar saw how the Lord was blessing Joseph, so he put Joseph in charge of his household. Then Potiphar’s wife constantly tried to seduce Joseph. When he would not bend to the wishes of Potiphar’s wife, she makes up false charges against Joseph that he tried to attack her.
He is in prison because of his integrity. Joseph experience firsthand just how unjust and unfair life can be. Through a series of bad breaks and hard knocks the favorite son of the wealthy patriarch.
Joseph is in prison in Egypt, but he has a clear conscience. His moral character, purity, his faith and his relationship with God are strong. He was in prison, but he was freer than his brothers who had none of the moral standing Joseph did.
Joseph is not the only one to be put in prison for doing what is right. The New Testament is full of others who were imprisoned for their faith in Christ. Much of our Bible Old Testament and New Testament was written from a prison cell.
The all-time best Christian classic after the Bible, Pilgrims Progress was written from prison. To be locked away in prison does not mean God cannot use Joseph. We must admire anyone in prison for integrity and does not lose sight of God’s purpose in their life and can keep their joy and relationship to God vibrant even in prison.
But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden (Genesis 39:20-21)
Joseph’s dreams played a role in him being a slave in Egypt. I wonder if Joseph ever wondered if his dreams of being a ruler could possibly come to pass now that he is in prison. It was eleven years since he had those dreams. Was he just a wishful thinker of dreams that would never come to pass?
Now at 28 years old the issue of dreams came back in Joseph’s life. Apparently, Joseph still believed his dreams came from God. Joseph was put in charge of his fellow prisoners. Two prisoners came who were servants of Pharaoh. The cupbearer of Pharaoh and the baker of Pharaoh.
Both of these men had dreams. After they had been in custody for some time, 5 each of the two men—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison—had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. (Genesis 40:4-5)
Joseph had confidence that God was acting powerfully in his life. He interpreted the two dreams. We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” (Genesis 40:8)
First the cupbearer shared his dream and Jacob told him the meaning.
This is what it means,” Joseph said to him. “The three branches are three days. 13 Within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your position, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. (Genesis 40:12-13)
It all happened for the cupbearer as Joseph had foretold. The cupbearer was brought up after 3 days. Joseph requested him to remember him, But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.” (Genesis 14-15)
The Baker shared his dream with Joseph also. The interpretation Joseph gave was that in 3 days Pharaoh would call for the baker and have him beheaded. This also came to pass just as Joseph shared.
It was obvious that God was giving Joseph the meaning to these dreams. The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. (Genesis 40:23)
Joseph spent the next 2 years in prison. Now he is age 30. He has spent 13 years as a slave or prisoner. It was his dreams that contributed to his situation. And the dream interpretation had not improved his situation.
Now is God’s timing Joseph’s dreams and interpretation of dreams is about to take him to the top. How could there be any doubt God could trust Joseph with the important position of chief ruler. Joseph had been faithful in every position he had so far.
Then Pharaoh had a dream!
Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “Today I am reminded of my shortcomings. 10 Pharaoh was once angry with his servants, and he imprisoned me and the chief baker in the house of the captain of the guard. 11 Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own. 12 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, giving each man the interpretation of his dream. 13 And things turned out exactly as he interpreted them to us: I was restored to my position, and the other man was impaled.” (Genesis 41:10-13)
We so easily forget that God is in control. Pharaoh is the absolute ruler of the world’s superpower, Egypt. The most powerful man on earth seeks out a prisoner Joseph, because Joseph was a man in touch with God. Spiritual power is more important than political power.
So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:14)
After Joseph got cleaned up out of his prison clothes he spoke a bold testimony before Pharoah.
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.” (Genesis 41:15-16)
Joseph was clear. What he was about to do was not him, it was God himself. Joseph used the opportunities he had to bring glory to God. He did not shrink back. We should not shrink back with our opportunities.
In the fifteen hundreds there was a protestant reformer in England by the name of Hugh Latimer. He was known as a great preacher of his day and he had many opportunities to preach. One of his opportunities was to preach before the King Henry VIII of England. He thought about his great responsibility to bring a message before the King. He also thought that the message that God laid on his heart was not the message that the King was going to want to hear.
As he contemplated this, he said that he heard a voice, Latimer, remember you are preaching before King Henry VIII who, if he wills, can take away your life. Then as he began to contemplate this, he heard another voice, Latimer, remember you are preaching before the King of Kings, do not displease him.
Latimer had a struggle with motives. Would he preach what man wanted to hear or would he preach what Christ would have him preach. Latimer chose to preach what Christ would have him to preach. Ultimately it cost Latimer his life.
Pharaoh told Joseph the dream he had. It was two dreams back to back. The first dream:
Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, 18 when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. 19 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. 20 The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first. 21 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)
Then the second of the two dreams:
In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. 23 After them, seven other heads sprouted—withered and thin and scorched by the east wind. 24 The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me.” (Genesis 41:22-24)
Pharaoh had two dreams, but Joseph explains there is one meaning of both. He explains that the two dreams mean the matter is firmly decided by God. I wonder if Joseph thought about the two dreams he had that his brothers would serve him. They also had the same meaning.
For the first time in so many years the dreams Joseph had seemed plausible. Now that he was standing before Pharaoh interpreting his dreams.
Joseph gives Pharaoh a clear and decisive interpretation.
“It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 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 Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. (Genesis 41:28-31)
Joseph also gives Pharaoh advise on what to do about this very certain coming famine.
“And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.” (Genesis 41:33-36)
Pharaoh will need to find a discerning man. One who has the Spirit of God. Who do we find like this, Pharaoh asked? The answer came back clearly. It is Joseph.
Josephs own dream 13 years earlier is now fulfilled. It would have seemed impossible one week earlier. It is the ultimate rags to riches story. Joseph goes from the dungeon to the palace. With man it is impossible. With God all things are possible.
Joseph is in charge of the whole land of Egypt. In seven years the whole world will be at his feet. Joseph’s 10 older brothers who acted wickedly against him. Potiphar’s wife who falsely accused Joseph of rape. All of them will be at the feet of Joseph.
Joseph did not use his position to retaliate. He let God be the one to bring about vengeance. God blessed Joseph beyond what he could have asked or imagined. It becomes a lesson to us to trust God We need to trust God even when we cannot see the outcome.
Joseph did not need to wait until he was standing before Pharaoh and put in charge of the whole land. Faithfulness to God is always the right path. Joseph needed to trust God the whole time he was the forgotten prisoner. And he did!
We do not need to put our energies into creating some prestigious platform to make an impact for God. We need to put our energies into God’s work. Faithfulness counts more than position. God will be the one who lifts us up to a position of status.
We can make an impact with who we are. Serving the King of Kings is more important than serving the king. Joseph spoke boldly about Almighty God to Pharaoh the king.
What God did with Joseph shows us that we are to trust God despite our own circumstances and limitations. Stand faithful to God. He will not abandon you.
Remain faithful to God. Trust God.
