God Speaks and Lives

We have been looking at the Life of Joseph

Not Jesus’s Dad

We discussed the family he grew up in, how dysfunctional it was,

And how even though he was the youngest he was set up by his Dad to become the head of the Family with the Coat of many colors.

And how he let his brothers know that He was Dad’s favorite, and God’s favorite.

And so his brothers in their jealousy took his coat, threw him in a pit, sold him into slavey and told their dad that Joseph died.

Then we discussed Joseph’s life as a slave in Egypt, and How God was with him.

How he faced temptation and lived with integrity,

and then was framed for a crime he did not commit and was thrown in Prison

and as a reminder, the ancient Egyptian Justice system did not see imprisonment as proper punishment for a crime.

Prisons were used to hold suspects of crimes, until it could be determined if they were innocent or guilty, and then if they were guilty until they could decide on the proper punishment.

So Joseph is in Prison, and he’s been stuck there for a while.

Long enough now that the warden of the Prison basically gives Joseph free reign, Because God was with Joseph.

And this is where we pick up:

Genesis 40:1–3 ESV

Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined.

The Cupbearer and the Baker of Pharaoh are imprisoned.

The People in charge of Pharaoh’s food and drink

This means that Pharoah probably got sick from something he ate or drank,

And now they are going to keep them there until Pharaoh determines who is guilty.

Genesis 40:5–8 ESV

And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?” They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”

Then the prisoners have dreams,

Now the Ancient Egyptians were really into dreams

They believed dreams were messages from their gods, which could tell them the future,

and there was an entire class of priests who’s only job was to interpret dreams

And they had a whole book full of hundreds of different possible dreams and what they could mean.

And usually it boiled down to This dream is good news, and that dream is bad news.

So the Baker and cup bearer, are in prison, waiting for pharaoh to decide their fate, and they have dreams and they want to know, Is this good news or bad news?

And They tell joseph that they don’t have a dream interpreter,

And Joseph says “Well God gave you the dreams, and God can give me the interpretation.”

The Same Boy who once boasted that God gave him dreams of the future, now says that interpretations belong to God.

Genesis 40:9–13 ESV

So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand, and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.” Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer.

Look at how Joseph interprets this dream, He pays attention to numbers, Three branches - Three days. And then the Cup bearer is back at Pharaoh’s side.

It sounds like a good dream - so perhaps its is good news.

In the ancient Egyptian Dream book, Squeezing grapes in a dream is a bad sign.

So Joseph’s interpretation is opposite what the Egyptians would have said

Genesis 40:16–22 ESV

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.” On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

So now its the bakers turn,

and again three baskets - Three days, and then he is attacked by the birds, that doesn’t sound good

But white bread appearing in a dream is considered a good omen by the ancient egyptians.

SO again the interpretation Joseph gives is opposite what the dream book says.

And three days later - Pharaoh’s birthday - a date Joseph likely knew, which helped him connect the three branches and three baskets to three days - Pharaoh gives judgement on the guilt of the the baker and cupbearer.

the cupbearer is found innocent and goes back to his job at pharaoh’s side,

The Baker is determined to be guilty and he is hung, just as Joseph said.

Joseph did not need a dream book to tell him what the dreams meant,

He had wisdom from the Presence of God in his life. And He let God show him the meaning, using thing Joseph was likely able to piece together.

And then Joseph is left there in prison, for two long years.

Remember the Egyptian prison system was supposed to be temporary, Its like he is trapped in limbo, never knowing if he was going to be set free or executed.

Genesis 41:1–8 ESV

After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

Then Pharaoh himself has a dream.

Seven Plump cows come out of the Nile, followed by seven sickly cows, and the sickly cows eat the good cows.

then he has another dream, Seven heads of Grain on a single stalk, ripe and full, and they are overtaken by seven withered heads of grain.

Now to those of us reading this, it seems pretty clear that these two dreams are saying something similar, Seven good things destroyed by seven bad things.

But not to the Ancient Egyptian Dream Interpreters.

Remember they had the dream book, which would help them determine what dreams meant.

Usually the way they figured this out was by wordplay and puns,

If you saw something in a dream it meant that something that sounds like that thing would happen

Cows and Grain do not sound alike even in Ancient Egyptian

In fact the ancient Egyptian, the Word for Cow is identical to the word for Beautiful young woman - Neferet - like princess Nefertiti

So the best the interpreters could probably do is say

YOu will have seven beautiful daughters, and something bad will happen to them.

But then Pharaoh has the dream and this time it is grain

And that throws everything off because walking through grain is a bad omen in dreams, but if the grain then dies that’s good.

They are so reliant on their system and their book and their own wisdom that they probably devolve into arguing with each other endlessly about the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream.

Genesis 41:9–13 ESV

Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”

So after 2 years the Cupbearer finally remembers Joseph, once it becomes clear that Pharaoh needs an interpreter.

And Joseph is still in the pit.

Genesis 41:14–16 ESV

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. 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.” Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”

Joseph is brought out of the pit,

He is shaved, because that what egyptains did, and he is going before Pharaoh.

And Pharaoh says “I heard that you can interpret dreams”

And Joseph correct him - I cannot, but my God can and he will give you the interpretation.

Joseph no longer takes the credit for himself. He recognizes his gift, is a gift from God and God alone.

So Pharaoh tells him the dreams

Genesis 41:25–32 ESV

Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.

Joseph hears the dreams, and he recognizes something none of Pharaoh’s advisors could recognize because they were doing things “by the book” the Two dream are one and the same

Seven healthy cows and Seven full heads of Grain, Seven years of plenty

Followed By Seven ugly cows, and seven withered heads of grain, Seven years of Famine.

Famine so severe that know one will remember the times of plenty.

Genesis 41:33–36 ESV

Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

Then Joseph goes beyond just interpreting the dream, he Gives Pharaoh advise on how to handle the coming famine.

Put someone in power and have them Take the excess grain grown during the years of plenty, and store it, then during the years of famine, it might just sustain Egypt.

Genesis 41:37–45 ESV

This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh listens to Joseph, and since joseph was wise enough to interpret the dream, Pharaoh deems him wise enough to run the plan that Joseph has already devised.

And Joseph is made Ruler of all egypt, Only pharaoh is above him in authority.

And he is clothed in fine garments

Much like the coat he used to have

And Joseph is called Zaphenath-Paneah

Which depending on who you ask can have multiple meanings, because as we learned from the dream book different words can sound similar.

“The One who reveals Secrets”

or the One I like “God speaks and Lives”

Both reveal the nature of Joseph, He does reveal that which is hidden, but only because his God lives with him and Speaks through him.

All this to say church, that Joseph’s rise to power was no accident.

And we will explore this more in a couple weeks, but i want you to consider this.

If Joseph had not been in the prison when Pharaoh had his dream, no one would have been able to interpret it, and they egyptain empire would have crumbled.

If Joseph had not been in prison two years earlier, the cupbearer would not have known that Joseph could interpret dreams.

If joseph was not framed by potiphar’s wife, he would not have been in the prison

If he had not been sold into slavery he wouldn’t have been in potiphars house to be tempted by potiphars wife

if his brothers had not been jealous, they would not have sold him into slavery.

But as it is Joseph was sold into slavery, where he was bought by the Captain of the Guard, a servant of Pharaoh,

and he was imprisoned where the royal prisoners were imprisoned, and so he was able to speak with them, and interpret their dreams

and when the time came they knew exactly where to find Joseph in order that he might find a way to save the lives of countless people.

Joseph was exactly where God wanted him every step of the way.

Church you are exactly where God wants you,

whatever you may be going through God has you where he wants you

Now Sometimes it takes time before it becomes clear why God has you where you are.

and that can be tough,

The Apostle Paul put it this way.

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

And if you feel stuck, or trapped, or hopeless, or in a strange situation, and you don’t know how you ended up there, maybe you need to stop asking How you got there, or why you are stuck in this place, and start asking Why did God bring me here?

Is there someone i can help?

Is there someone who needs to hear about Jesus?

Can i put my God given talents to use in this situation?