Gen. 41: “Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream And Then Is Placed Second In Command Over All Of Egypt”

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1.                  INTRO:

 

1.1.         In our study today, we are going to study chapter 41 of Genesis.

 

1.1.1.  Previously in our studies in Genesis, we have seen that Joseph was a son of the patriarch Jacob by his wife Rachel, the woman who was the love of Jacob’s life.  We saw previously that because Joseph was his father’s favorite, and he had had dreams of his being exalted above his brothers and parents, he became hated by his brothers.  They eventually sold him into slavery to some Ishmaelites who were on their way to Egypt.  In Egypt the Ishmaelites sold him to a man named Potiphar.  Joseph had been faithful there in his master’s house and so he had been placed in charge of all that he had.  However, one day when Joseph wouldn’t respond to the seduction of Potiphar’s wife, she accused him of attempting to rape her.  Therefore, Joseph was thrown into prison where he would then spent the next 13 years.  In prison he had again been found to be faithful and capable and so the jailer put him in charge of everything concerning the jail.  Finally, after he had been in jail for about 11 years, one day something had caused an offense to Pharaoh at his table and Pharaoh’s chief baker and chief cup bearer had been thrown into jail with Joseph.  After a fair amount of time, one night the two men each had a dream.  The next day as they were dejected because they didn’t understand what their dream meant to them they told their dreams to Joseph and he interpreted them to indicate that in three days the chief baker would be hanged and the chief cup bearer would be reinstated to his position.  These two dreams ended up being fulfilled just as Joseph said that they would.  As the chief cup bearer was being reinstated to his office, Joseph asked him to remember him and to speak a word to Pharaoh on his behalf.  However, the chief cup bearer forgot to do so.  Two years has now passed since that incident.

 

1.1.2.  In our last study, we looked at the fact that before Joseph interpreted the dreams of the chief baker and cup bearer that he had stated, “interpretations belong to God.” We observed that God sometimes works through His people to give them understanding of mysteries such as inspired dreams or statements uttered in tongues, words of wisdom and knowledge, etc.

 

1.1.3.  In our study today, we are going to see how what had been revealed to Joseph when he was a boy about being exalted above his brothers and even father and mother, is fulfilled.  We will look at the events that led Joseph to being placed over the entire nation of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. 

 

1.1.4.  When Pharaoh has a dream and is not able to find anyone to interpret it, the chief cup bearer tells Pharaoh about Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams.  Then, Pharaoh calls for Joseph and Joseph comes and interprets the Pharaoh’s dream.  When Pharaoh realizes that Joseph’s interpretation is from the Lord, he places Joseph in a high position over all of Egypt, second only to his own throne.

 

1.1.5.  I want to discuss something before we continue with our study.  Though we know that the Lord does sometimes reveal mysteries to His people, and we love it when He works in such a powerful way, there are also a number of places in the scripture where the Lord makes it clear that He does not want to remove many mysteries from us.  The Lord delights in having us live with a certain amount of mystery and ambiguity.  For instance, in the twelfth chapter of 2 Corinthians Paul writes about his having gone up to the third heaven after being stoned to death and saw and heard things that would take away much of the mystery and ambiguity, but the Lord forbid that he speak of what he experienced.  Likewise, in chapter ten of the book of Revelation John heard the thunders speak but he was forbidden to write what he heard.  The Lord requires His people to walk by faith and not by sight and thus He keeps certain things a secret to us, just as Moses wrote in Deut. 29:29, “29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.””  It is important for us who are Christians to be content with what the Lord has revealed to us, and also that we learn to walk in faith with that mystery He leaves with us.

 

1.1.6.  There are two things in our study today that have never been exceeded in history, making this an incredible story:

 

1.1.6.1.A greater reversal of fortunes for good has never happened to a person than what happens with Joseph.

 

1.1.6.2.A nation has never since taken heed to God’s counsel in order to avoid a tragedy as Egpyt does in listening to Joseph’s wisdom after he interprets Pharaoh’s dream for him.    

 

2.                 VS 41:1-7  - “1 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. 2 And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass. 3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. 5 He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. 6 Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. 7 The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.” – Two years after the cup bearer was returned to office, Pharaoh had two dreams, one in which 7 fat cows were eaten by 7 lean cows, and the 7 fat ears of corn were eaten by 7 lean ears of corn

 

2.1.         So, we are told that it was two years later that these events occurred.  This must be two years after the chief baker was hanged and the chief cup bearer was restored to his position.  Therefore, Joseph had now been in prison thirteen years for having been falsely accused of rape.

 

2.2.         In our previous study, we looked a little bit at the history of divining, or interpreting, dreams.  We saw that going back in history that all cultures placed importance upon dreams and sought to interpret dreams.  We saw that in the Bible there are at least a hundred instances and maybe more where God worked through people’s dreams.  We noted that it is even prophesied that in the last days that our old men would dream dreams, so God intends to work through His people’s lives at times through dreams that they have..  We talked about the fact that even in our modern era of history that psychologists place importance upon dreams and have various means of interpreting them depending upon their philosophy of psychological thought and treatment.

 

2.3.         The Egyptians in Joseph’s day would go to one of their soothsayer wise men if they wanted to understand a dream that they had, for the divining of dreams was very important to them.

 

2.4.         In Pharaoh’s first dream he was standing on the banks of the Nile River and seven plump and healthy cows came up out of the river and were grazing in the lush green grass on its banks.  Pharaoh surely looked upon this scene as portraying even greater prosperity and abundance than what they were experiencing in Egypt at this time.  He must have felt a certain amount of satisfaction seeing these cows.  Then, seven lean and ugly looking cows came up on the bank next to those lean cows, and the Hebrew text tells us that they began “chewing” them up until they had completely eaten them.  Then Pharaoh woke up from his dream and was puzzled.

 

2.5.         Pharaoh went back to sleep and he dreamed another dream.  In this dream he saw seven plump and healthy ears of grain on a single stock (the Hebrew text tells us they were some kind of wheat type of grain).  Then, seven other ears of grain sprouted up next to them but they were thin and scorched by the east wind.  Yet, these thin and scorched ears ‘swallowed up’ (or consumed) the plump and healthy ears of grain.  This dream was so real to Pharaoh he did not think he was dreaming.  Then, he woke up.

 

3.                 VS 41:8-13  - “8 Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so 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 to Pharaoh. 9 Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of my own offenses. 10 “Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. 11 “We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12 “Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. 13 “And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him.”” – In the morning Pharaoh was troubled about his dreams wanting to know their meaning in his life but when he called for the magicians and wise men they couldn’t interpret the dreams, then the cup bearer told Pharaoh about how that Joseph had correctly interpreted dreams for him and the chief baker

 

3.1.         When Pharaoh awoke in the morning he was very troubled over his dreams because he sensed that they revealed something that was very important and had significance to him.  In his mind he probably thought that the gods had some message for him through them and their vividness in his mind drove him to want to have them interpreted.

 

3.2.         Pharaoh called for the ‘magicians’ and ‘wise men’ of Egypt so that they might interpret his dreams.  But, they were not able to understand their significance.

 

3.3.         In the book of Exodus, we read about these ‘magicians’ and ‘wise men’ and we see that they had quite a bit of power.  They were able to mimic many of the miracles that the Lord gave Moses and Aaron the ability to perform.  Their power was of a demonic origin but they were deceived as to its source.

 

3.4.         Finally, the cup bearer came and spoke to Pharaoh.  As he was being reinstated to Pharaoh he had promised Joseph that he would make mention of him and his unique ability to interpret dreams, as demonstrated when he accurately interpreted the dreams that both he and the chief baker had one night. 

 

3.5.         The chief cup bearer first asked forgiveness of Pharaoh for not mentioning previously to him about the unique abilities of Joseph and what an asset Joseph might be to Pharaoh.  Then, he went on to tell Pharaoh about Joseph.

 

3.6.         The chief cup bearer told Pharaoh how that Joseph had accurately interpreted both his dream and the dream of the chief baker.  Just as Joseph had interpreted it to happen, after three days the chief baker was hanged but the chief cup bearer was reinstated in his office to Pharaoh.

 

4.                 VS 41:14-16  - “14 Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”” -  Pharaoh called for Joseph and they went and brought him to Pharaoh and when Pharaoh told Joseph that he had heard that he could interpret dreams, Joseph told Pharaoh that the ability to interpret dreams was not in him it was from God

 

4.1.         Pharaoh immediately called to have Joseph brought to him so that Joseph might interpret his dream.  Pharaoh was anxious to understand his dreams.

 

4.2.         They brought Joseph out of the ‘dungeon’ he had been in for the past thirteen years.  The Egyptians always kept their faces shaved and wore nice clothes, so they immediately had Joseph shaved and gave him appropriate attire to wear, and then they brought him to Pharaoh.

 

4.3.         Pharaoh tells Joseph that he has heard that Joseph has the ability to interpret dreams, however Joseph tells Pharaoh that this ability is not in him that it came from God.  This response showed the humility that now had been worked into his life from the Lord, and as a result of his thirteen years in prison.  Previously, when just a boy Joseph had dreamed dreams about himself and the fact that one day he would be exalted, but at that point in his life Joseph was a bit haughty and arrogant.  Now however, time and his many trials had tempered his character and squashed his pride.

 

4.3.1.  I wish that today many of those who believe they have spiritual gifts of healing and prophesy would look at Joseph’s life and his humility.  Some who claim they are “faith healers’ are taking the credit for themselves, as that term itself implies.  I wish that they understood that any spiritual gifting and abilities they might have are not from themselves but are from the Lord who is working through their life, and the Lord could have chosen to use anyone and worked just as powerfully through anyone.

 

4.3.2.  In Acts 3:12, the first miracle of healing was performed at the hands of the early church when Peter and John were at the temple and healed the man begging for alms saying “Silver and gold have I none, but what I do have I give to your, in the Name of Jesus Christ rise and walk.”  But notice in that story that after the healing, in verse 12 they gave proper credit where it was due:  “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?”  Peter continues with this thought then in verse 16:  “16 “And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”



5.                 VS 41:17-32  - “17 So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile; 18 and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass. 19 “Lo, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and gaunt, such as I had never seen for ugliness in all the land of Egypt; 20 and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows. 21 “Yet when they had devoured them, it could not be detected that they had devoured them, for they were just as ugly as before. Then I awoke. 22 “I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk; 23 and lo, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them; 24 and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. Then I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.” 25 Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 26 “The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same. 27 “The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. 28 “It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do. 29 “Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30 and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 “So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. 32 “Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.” -  Pharaoh recounts his dreams to Joseph and then Joseph interprets them for him

 

5.1.         Dreams for Joseph always came in pairs.  When he was a boy he had two dreams about his exaltation over his brothers and family, one in which his sheaf stood up and their’s bowed down to him, and another in which the sun, moon, and stars bowed down to him.  Then in our last study, Joseph had interpreted the pair of dreams of the chief cup bearer and chief baker.  Now, he must interpret this pair of dreams for Pharaoh.

 

5.2.         Pharoah told his dreams to Joseph, using the imagery that we have already discussed.  Then, he told Joseph about how the magicians and wise men were not able to interpret his dreams for him.  No one was able to interpret them.

 

5.3.         We aren’t told that Joseph bowed and prayed, or even that he lifted up a quick prayer before he began speaking.  However, I think these might be good assumptions.  At least though we know that Joseph had been in prayer and communion with the Lord and the Lord gave him an immediate interpretation of Pharaoh’s dreams.

 

5.4.         Joseph tells Pharaohs that both of his dreams are saying the same thing.  They are both to communicate to him that the ‘seven’ refers to seven years.  There are going to be seven years of incredible abundance for the nation of Egypt and the surrounding areas.  However, those are going to be followed by seven lean years.  The lean years will be the result of ‘famine’ which will be ‘very severe.’ 

 

5.5.         Finally, Joseph tells Pharaoh that the fact that this dream has been repeated to him is to indicate that the events are ‘determined by God’ and that ‘God will bring it about quickly.’AoHH

 

6.                 VS 41:33-36  - “33 “Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 “Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. 35 “Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them guard it. 36 “Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine.”” -  Joseph told Pharaoh that as a result of what God had revealed to him that would happen, 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine, that he should appoint a man to oversee the storing up of grain for the seven years of abundance

 

6.1.         Not only does Joseph accurately interpret these dreams for Pharaoh, he is also given a word of wisdom for him.  Joseph realized the importance of preparing ahead of time for this famine and lack of food.  This dream had been given to Pharaoh for a reason, and that was so that Pharaoh could prepare for those lean years and thus be an instrument of God to spare those in the middle east from starvation and death.  Joseph didn’t realize at the time the greater purpose of sparing the nation of Israel who were the godly seed from whom the Messiah would come who would provide redemption and salvation from on high.

 

6.1.1.  We Christians should plan ahead for the future.  Though we believe that Christ could return at any hour we should also plan for Him not to return in our lifetime.  For instance, this past week I read a Glen Beck article that stated that the Social Security system will be defunct by the year 2015.  There will be more money required to be paid out by that system than the nation itself will bring in for its gross national product.  This ought to affect how every one of plans for our retirement years.  Don’t depend upon Social Security to support you if you plan on retiring after that time.  Plan ahead for taking care of your own retirement.

 

6.2.         The other piece of wisdom that Joseph was able to understand and share with Pharaoh involved how to properly administrate this crisis so that it could be averted.  Joseph knew that the Egyptians were untrusting and untrustworthy.  If such a crisis were to occur he knew that some would take advantage of it, and plunder the poor and downcast.  Joseph tells Pharaoh that he would be wise to place an administrator over Egypt to make sure that grain was stored up in various cities throughout the nation.  This way also no one would think that Pharaoh had favorites and thus be incited to rebel against him.  Joseph tells Pharaoh that an income tax of one fifth (20%) should be exacted of all of the people either in grain itself, or money in order to buy grain.  The grain would then be stored for seven years straight, and it would need to be guarded during that time.

 

6.3.         Joseph tells Pharaoh that following his plan will keep the nation from starvation for the seven years of famine.

 

7.                 VS 41:37-44  - “37 Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants. 38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?” 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. 40 “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.” 41 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. 43 He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, “Bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt. 44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”” -  Pharaoh determined that since Joseph had understood his dreams as well as how to administrate a plan to spare the nation from the coming years of famine that Joseph ought to be appointed as second in command over all of Egypt

 

7.1.         This interpretation by Joseph immediately made sense to Pharaoh, as did Joseph’s practical advice for the administration of a plan to spare the nation through the seven years of famine that were ahead.

 

7.2.         Pharaoh then asked his servants the rhetorical question of whether there was a man whom they could find such as Joseph, who had ‘a divine spirit’ within him?  The assumed answer, of course, was negative.

 

7.3.         Pharaoh then tells Joseph that since God had informed him of all of these things that he realized that there was no one in all of his kingdom who was more ‘discerning and wise’ as Joseph.  Pharaoh then tells Joseph that he is appointing him over everyone and everything in his kingdom.  He tells him that no one will be greater than Joseph, except for Pharaoh himself.

 

7.4.         Then, Pharaoh gives Joseph his own ‘signet ring’ which would make official anything he placed his seal upon.  He also had ‘fine linen’ clothes put on Joseph and a ‘gold necklace’ around his neck.

 

7.5.         To emphasize Joseph’s position and responsibility Pharaoh uses hyperbole (exaggeration used to make a point) and tells him that ‘without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.’ 

 

7.6.         Pharaoh then had a procession in which Joseph rode in the second chariot behind him, and he had some riding before Joseph proclaiming that the people were to ‘bow the knee’ before Joseph everywhere he went.  Here we see the exaltation of Joseph which was the incredible fulfillment of what was foretold to him as a boy in the dreams that he had.  There has probably never been another person in history that has had such a complete reversal of his fortunes in a moment in time.  The complete fulfillment of the things Joseph’s boyhood dreams revealed to him will be in our next study when we see that Joseph’s brothers and father come and bow before him when they have journeyed to Egypt to purchase grain during the famine that ensues.

 

7.7.         Joseph’s story also reveals yet another type of Christ.  Jesus Christ came down from His throne of glory to such humble circumstances during the days of his earthly life.  However, after His resurrection from the dead He was exalted up far above all rule and authority and every name that is named, both in heaven and upon the earth.  Every knee both in heaven and earth will one day be bowed before Jesus Christ in His exaltation as King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

7.8.         This story is an illustration of the truth of a number of scriptures having to do with the fact that the trials and difficult and hurtful things that we Christians experience in life are designed by God to produce fruit and a good and worthwhile work in our lives, including:

 

7.8.1.   Romans 8:28, “28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” 

 

7.8.2.  1 Peter 5:10, “10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 

 

7.8.3.  James 1:2-4, “2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” 

 

7.8.4.  1 Peter 1:5-7, “5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

 

8.                 VS 41:45-49  - “45 Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as his wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt. 46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven years of plenty the land brought forth abundantly. 48 So he gathered all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and placed the food in the cities; he placed in every city the food from its own surrounding fields. 49 Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.” -  Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name, and also an Egyptian woman for a wife, then Joseph took up his responsibilities and began building the cities of storage for the grain, then the nation stored grain for 7 years

 

8.1.         Pharaoh was concerned that the Egyptian people would have a hard time accepting Joseph in his new position of authority and so he did a couple of things in order to make him more acceptable to the people:

 

8.1.1.  Pharaoh gave Joseph an Egyptian name;  Joseph would now be called ‘Zaphenath-paneah.’

 

8.1.2.  Pharaoh gave Joseph Asenath, an Egyptian woman and ‘the daughter of Potiphera priest of On,’ to be his wife.

 

8.2.         Joseph immediately took up his new role by going ‘through all the land of Egypt’ in order to see what crop production they might need and where he might be able to store grain.  Scouting the land in this way helped to pick out strategic areas for storing the grain.

 

8.3.         Everything went as planned those next seven years as great abundance was experienced in Egypt, and Joseph ‘gathered all the food’ which was exacted from the people and placed it ‘in the cities.’  In every one of the cities the grain was gathered ‘in great abundance like the sand of the sea’ which cannot be counted.  Eventually Joseph even stopped trying to keep track of how much grain had been brought into the cities for ‘it was beyond measure.’ 

 

8.4.         The abundance of grain that was brought into the storage cities in Egypt did indeed get used to feed all of the people throughout the nation and in that part of the world, but it is important to realize that God’s primary reason for bringing all of this about was to provide for and protect His covenant people Israel, for the Lord was in the process of bringing about the redemption of mankind by bringing the godly seed of the woman into the world.  The nations themselves though they may consider themselves mighty and important are really just a drop in the bucket to the Lord, as Isaiah has written in Is. 40:15:  “15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.”

 

8.5.         Joseph was 30 years old when he began the period of his exaltation, and Jesus was 30 years old when he began His ministry.  This age has significance in the scriptures.

 

9.                 VS 41:50-52  - “50 Now before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore to him. 51 Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” 52 He named the second Ephraim, “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”” -  Sons Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph

 

9.1.         To Joseph’s pagan wife, Asenath, were born two sons.  These boys will in time become the double portion blessing of the tribe of Joseph when Jacob blesses them with the patriarchal blessing before Jacob dies. 

 

9.2.         The names of the sons of Joseph reveal the fact that he missed his father and brother yet found conciliation in how the Lord had finally exalted him after his extended time in humble conditions:

 

9.2.1.  ‘Manasseh,’ his firstborn, his name means “causing to forget.”

 

9.2.1.1.This name helped Joseph to remember that God was helping him to forget all of his troubles and all of his ‘father’s household.” 

 

9.2.2.  ‘Ephraim,’ his other son, his name means “I shall be doubly fruitful”

 

9.2.2.1.This name means that Ephraim was going to be more than just a fruitful and faithful member of God’s family.

 

10.            VS 41:53-57  - “53 When the seven years of plenty which had been in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said, then there was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, you shall do.” 56 When the famine was spread over all the face of the earth, then Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians; and the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 The people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe in all the earth.” -  The seven years of famine began and people began to come to Egypt and to Pharaoh asking for bread, and Pharaoh told them to go and to talk with Joseph

 

10.1.    Finally, just what Joseph interpreted from Pharaoh’s dream of the seven years of famine began also to occur.  There ‘was famine in all the lands,’ yet because Joseph had helped prepare the land of Egypt beforehand for this famine, ‘there was bread’ in Egypt.

 

10.2.    The people tended to blame the Pharaoh for the famine and thus their poverty and hunger, but whenever they did this Pharaoh just sent them to Joseph and told them to do ‘whatever he says to you’ in order to be able to purchase food.  Joseph opened all of the storehouses to the people and sold grain to all of the people of Egypt. 

 

10.3.    Though the text does not go into detail stating anything other than that people came and bought grain for themselves in Egypt at this time.  However, surely we would think that Joseph gave some food to the poor of the land, working out some sorts of ways that they could perform work for Pharaoh and the storage cities in return for food.  I think that in our country we have made a big mistake in our government programs by catering to people who simply want a handout and aren’t willing to perform any work.  Anyone who gets handouts from the government ought to also be required to do an equivalent amount of work for the handouts that we give to them.

 

10.4.    The text here says that people from all over the earth came to Egypt at this time in order to buy grain.

 

11.            CONCLUSIONS:

 

11.1.    Remain faithful to the Lord and hold onto His promises that He will work all things for good in your life.  In due time you shall be rewarded.

 

11.2.    Even when it seems like there is no light at the end of the tunnel or that no one cares, do your work, whatever it may be, heartily as unto the Lord, giving a good testimony of the Lord in your life.

 

11.3.    Remember to plan ahead for the future as you await the imminent return of Christ.

 

11.4.    Though we Christians may not have in this our earthly life such a reversal of fortune as happened to Joseph, one day when Christ comes for us each of us shall have an even greater reversal of fortune than Joseph experienced.

 

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