Dreams of Pharaoh
Genesis 41-42
Dreams of Pharaoh, Genesis 41-42. It was not unusual in Old Testament times for God to use dreams to speak with people or to show them things that were coming.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called
Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had
shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. 15
And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who
can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a
dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in
me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17 Then Pharaoh said to
Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18
Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in
the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very
ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And
the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they
had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for
they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw
in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven
ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after
them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told
it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
Genesis 41:14-24, English Standard Version
Dreams of Pharaoh
Genesis 41-42
It was not unusual in Old Testament times
for God to use dreams to speak with people or to show them things that
were coming. This was particularly true in the life of Joseph. In
Genesis 40 we see Joseph interpreting dreams to fellow prisoners who were servants of Pharaoh. In each case everything happened exactly as Joseph had said it would. However, the cup bearer forgot about telling anyone about Joseph until the dreams of Pharaoh.
Two years after the cup bearer was release, two dreams of Pharaoh troubled him, especially when no one in the land was found who could interpret these dreams. Pharaoh's cup bearer, who now remembered the interpretation Joseph had given for his dream, told Pharaoh of this fellow prisoner. Pharaoh immediately called for Joseph.
I love this exchange between Pharaoh and Joseph, "I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." Even when standing before Pharaoh, Joseph remembered to give God the glory for the interpretation of dreams.
But,
this is only the beginning; after all of these years Joseph is
beginning to understand why all of these evils have come upon him. And,
even though he has lived away from his family for many years, he has
remained faithful to the God of his fathers. This same God has now
chosen him to become a great ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself.
Remember
those dreams Joseph had had years before when he was still a child?
[See Genesis 37:5-11] Slowly the true meaning of these dreams is being
made known to Joseph. Look at the way God has worked in the life of
Joseph preparing him for just such a time as this--a time when God will
use him in a mighty way to save His people.
Does
it seem as though nothing important is happening in your life? Do you
feel as though your life has no purpose? Does day to day living become
more and more difficult? Go to Christ! Only Christ can give true meaning
to your life. Though that purpose may never be made known to you until
eternity, be assured that God does work through all of those daily
routines to bring glory to Him and to advance His kingdom here on this
earth.
Does your life lack purpose? It always will lack purpose apart from God!
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