We will begin this lesson in Genesis 41:1 “And it came to pass
at the end of two full years,that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold,
he stood by the river.”
Genesis 41:2 “And, behold, there came up out of the river seven
well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.”
Genesis 41:3 “And, behold, seven other kine came up after them
out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the
[other] kine upon the brink of the river.”
Genesis 41:4 “And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat
up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.”
This was the fifth dream of Joseph’s life. It would play an
important part in Joseph’s history. What a shame Pharaoh’s servant
waited two years to tell the Pharaoh of Joseph.
The Nile River was worshipped in Egypt. Life was believed by the
Egyptians to be controlled by the Nile. Cows were, also, an object of
worship. It was no wonder that this was what this Egyptian Pharaoh
dreamed.
Genesis 41:5 “And he slept and dreamed the second time: and,
behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.”
Genesis 41:6 “And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the
east wind sprung up after them.”
Genesis 41:7 “And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and
full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, [it was] a dream.”
Having this second dream was verification of the severity and
certainty of the dream coming true.
Genesis 41:8 “And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit
was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt,
and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but
[there was] none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.”
Here, again, the dreamer was troubled because he did not know the
meaning of the dream. Pharaoh first tries the world, but the world
cannot give an answer to God’s business.
Genesis 41:9 “Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying,
I do remember my faults this day:”
Genesis 41:10 “Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in
ward in the captain of the guard’s house, [both] me and the chief
baker:”
Genesis 41:11 “And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we
dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.”
Genesis 41:12 “And [there was] there with us a young man, an
Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he
interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he
did interpret.”
Suddenly the butler remembered. He told Pharaoh about the dreams
he and the baker had. Also about Joseph, the Hebrew boy, who interpreted
their dreams.
Genesis 41:13 “And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so
it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.”
Genesis 41:14 “Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they
brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved [himself], and
changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.”
God had accomplished what He set out to do. Joseph was out of
jail. He must have been filthy, so he had to be cleaned up before he
faced the Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:15 “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a
dream, and [there is] none that can interpret it: and I have heard say
of thee, [that] thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.”
Genesis 41:16 “And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, [It is] not
in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Pharaoh was desperate to find out what these dreams meant. Joseph
did not take any credit within himself. He quickly gave God the
credit. He told Pharaoh that God would bring him peace.
Genesis 41:17 “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold,
I stood upon the bank of the river:”
Genesis 41:18 “And, behold, there came up out of the river seven
kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow:”
Genesis 41:19 “And, behold, seven other kine came up after them,
poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all
the land of Egypt for badness:”
Genesis 41:20 “And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up
the first seven fat kine:”
Genesis 41:21 “And when they had eaten them up, it could not be
known that they had eaten them; but they [were] still ill favoured, as
at the beginning. So I awoke.”
Genesis 41:22 “And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears
came up in one stalk, full and good:”
Genesis 41:23 “And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, [and]
blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them:”
Genesis 41:24 “And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears:
and I told [this] unto the magicians; but [there was] none that could
declare [it] to me.”
He had gone into detail, and told both dreams to Joseph. His
magicians and wise men were worldly, and could not interpret dreams
given by God. Joseph was his only hope.
Genesis 41:25 “And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of
Pharaoh [is] one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he [is] about to do.”
Genesis 41:26 “The seven good kine [are] seven years; and the
seven good ears [are] seven years: the dream [is] one.”
Genesis 41:27 “And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came
up after them [are] seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with
the east wind shall be seven years of famine.”
Genesis 41:28 “This [is] the thing which I have spoken unto
Pharaoh: What God [is] about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.”
Genesis 41:29 “Behold, there come seven years of great plenty
throughout all the land of Egypt:”
Genesis 41:30 “And there shall arise after them seven years of
famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt;
and the famine shall consume the land;”
Genesis 41:31 “And the plenty shall not be known in the land by
reason of that famine following; for it [shall be] very grievous.”
Genesis 41:32 “And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh
twice; [it is] because the thing [is] established by God, and God will
shortly bring it to pass.”
Joseph stressed over and over that God was the author of these
dreams. Anyone hearing this interpretation would know that this was a
true interpretation. The fact that this would happen soon was
established by two dreams. This famine would be grievous.
“Seven” means spiritually complete.
I believe for our day the message is clear. If God tells one of
His servants to prepare for a problem. Do it. Just as God told Noah to
build the Ark, He told Joseph ahead of this famine, so Joseph would prepare.
God will help His people get through the tribulation. We must
listen and follow God’s instructions. There is a way out for every
problem. We must follow God’s instructions exactly and do whatever He
tells us to do, no matter how silly it might seem at the time. Just as
God made a way for Noah and Joseph, He will make a way for us. Notice
the seven years of famine will be like seven years of tribulations.
Genesis 41:33 “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet
and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.”
Genesis 41:34 “Let Pharaoh do [this], and let him appoint
officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of
Egypt in the seven plenteous years.”
Genesis 41:35 “And let them gather all the food of those good
years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let
them keep food in the cities.”
Genesis 41:36 “And that food shall be for store to the land
against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of
Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.”
Joseph told him of problems about to come when he interpreted his
dreams. It is no good to tell of problems, unless we have a solution
to offer. We are telling people now of the terrible seven years of
tribulations about to come on the earth. We must, also, offer some
answers to the problems. Joseph did just that.
God had given Joseph a plan, and he had passed it on to Pharaoh.
Joseph did not ask Pharaoh for the job.
In verse 33, there is a play on words. Pharaoh had already called
Egypt’s wisest man. They did not have an answer to the problem. They
were not even smart enough to know that there was a problem. Pharaoh
would have to recognize Joseph’s plan as a good one. If he was smart
enough to be Pharaoh, he had to be smart enough to realize this was a
good plan.
Genesis 41:37 “And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh,
and in the eyes of all his servants.”
Genesis 41:38 “And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find
[such a one] as this [is], a man in whom the Spirit of God [is]?”
This was an interesting statement. Not only did Pharaoh agree,
but his servants as well. The world can see the Lord in us, even if He
is not their Lord. Spirit is capitalized, so this is the Holy Spirit.
Spirit filled Christians are ridiculed and put down by the world. When
a crisis arises in their lives, these worldly people, who have made
fun of them, will cry for help from spirit filled Christians. They
know where the power is.
Genesis 41:39 “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God
hath shewed thee all this, [there is] none so discreet and wise as
thou [art]:”
Genesis 41:40 “Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto
thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be
greater than thou.”
Genesis 41:41 “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee
over all the land of Egypt.”
God had raised Joseph from prison to being number two man in all
of Egypt. Here, again, Pharaoh realized that God was directing Joseph in
all that he did.