Despite God acting in the prison cell, Joseph remains in prison, forgotten about. His brother Reuben had of course failed to come back to rescue him from the pit, now the cupbearer fails to remember to help. How could God’s promises come true.
Read Genesis 41
Now Pharoah himself is troubled by dreams. First seven fattened, healthy cows appear by the Nile but these are soon swallowed up by seven skinny cows. In a second dream the sequence is repeated, except this time it’s seven bails of corn He wakes up disturbed and calls his advisors but no one can interpret the dreams. You will notice that throughout, whether it’s Joseph’s dreams of corn and cosmic signs, or the two prisoners’ dreams that the dreams are paired, a reminder of the need for at least two witnesses (v1-8).
The cupbearer’s memory is triggered and he tells Pharoah about Joseph and the time he interpreted his dream and that of the chief baker (v9-13). Pharoah has Joseph released and brought to him. He asks Joseph if he is the one who can interpret dreams. Contra the lines in Lloyd Webber’s musical, Joseph doesn’t say “I’ll do my best” but rather he points to God as the one able to interpret (v14-16).
Pharoah retells his dreams and Joseph interprets the dreams. He says that there were two dreams to confirm the certainty of God’s decision to act. He explains that the dreams point to seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.(v17-32).
Joseph goes on to advise Pharoah on what to do. He should appoint a wise person to oversee the harvests during the years of plenty to ensure that reserves are stored up for the tim of famine and then to oversee the distribution of grain (v35-36). Pharoah deliberates and concludes that he cannot think of anyone wiser than the one whom God is clearly with (v39). Echoing what had happened in Potiphar’s house and the prison, he appoints Joseph to high rank, second only to himself (v39-40
Pharoah clothes Joseph with robes representing power and authority, gives him his ring representing his personal authority and sends him out in a chariot representing military power. He gives him a new name to indicate his including in the Egyptian people and a wife (v41-45).
Joseph takes charge of the famine relief project. It’s now 13 years since he dreamed about being raised up to a position of authority and power (v46-49). He has children of his own, an encouragement that even here in exile, God’ is keeping his promise to Abraham of descendants. The names Manasseh and Ephraim have meanings which point to this, his ability to forget suffering and persecution and to be fruitful away from home (v50-52).
The famine hits and not just in Egypt but all around the known world so that people come from further afield willing to pay for grain (v53-57).
Digging a little deeper
We now see Joseph raised up out of prison, vindicated, given a name, clothed with power and authority so that the people must bow to him, or at his name. If he is second in command, then he is Pharoah’s right hand man, the one who would sit at his right side. Does that remind you of anyone? It should. We are transported to Ephesians 1 and Philippians 2 by the imagery here. Jesus is the one, clothed with majesty and authority, seated at the right hand of the father. It is to Jesus that every knee must bow.
A look at ourselves
Pharoah recognises that if God is with Joseph and he is wise, then he must also be given authority and must be followed. Do we recognise that Jesus too must be followed and his word not just read but obeyed?
Faithroots 