GENESIS
JOSEPH
Joseph in Egypt
It All Comes Together
Genesis 40:1-41:57
INTRODUCTION
Joseph is 28. Eleven years have passed since he was kidnapped and sold into Egypt; he is now incarcerated in Pharaoh's prison. He responded to this new situation though by being faithful with the administrative gifts God had entrusted to him. As a result God elevated him to being second-in-command of the entire jail, only the jailer himself being above him. (This is not the first time, nor will it be the last time that he is second-in-command to a higher up. His whole adult life basically has been to be second-in-command.)
By moving Joseph first to Potiphar's house and second to the jail, Joseph has been able to develop his administrative capabilities. It is quite likely that the administrative needs of the jail were more extensive than the needs of Potiphar's house. If so, Joseph is using his gifts in bigger and greater capacities. At least he is using them in different areas. In either case he is developing in the area of administration, the area he will need most in another 2 years.
THE CUPBEARER'S AND BAKER'S DREAMS (40:1-23)
While Joseph is supervising Pharaoh's prison system, 2 notable officials of Pharaoh's court are thrown into prison: the cupbearer and the baker. These were notable officials because their tasks involved the king's own security. Assassination by poisoning was a common way to rid the country of a king or any other high official. As a result, the cupbearer and the baker of any court made sure that the food and wine of the officials were poison-free.
Moses does not explain the exact nature of the offenses of these 2 officials; however, whatever they did, or whatever suspicion they fell under, Pharaoh was angry to such an extent that he had both imprisoned. Unbeknownsts to Joseph things are now beginning to move more rapidly in his life.
One morning Joseph finds both men very despondent. During the night the 2 men had had a dream which baffled them both. Joseph, who had been acquainted with dreams at least from youth, asks the men to repeat their dreams to him. Although they feel that there is no one to interpret their dreams since they no longer have access to the court magicians, Joseph replies that dreams are not the domain of magicians but of the Lord. The Lord will interpret their dreams for them. (Look at Joseph's confidence in God.)
The cupbearer says that in his dream there appears a vine which has 3 branches, each branch bearing an abundant supply of grapes. He then took the grapes, squeezed their juice into a cup which he in turn offered to Pharaoh. Joseph informs him that the 3 branches refer to 3 days. In 3 days Pharaoh will restore the cupbearer to his former position of serving the wine to Pharaoh.
The baker is encouraged when he hears the favorable interpretation given to the cupbearer's dream. In the baker's dream he is supporting on his head three baskets. In the top basket are all sorts of bread. Birds from the sky are lighting upon the bread and devouring it. Joseph informs him that the 3 baskets refer to 3 days. At the end of 3 days though Pharaoh will hang the baker.
Up to this point in time we have not heard Joseph utter one complaint. In fact we have been ignorant as to what was exactly going on in Joseph's mind during all his ordeals. Now Joseph opens his heart to the cupbearer. After Joseph had interpreted the cupbearer's dream, he asks him to remember him to Pharaoh: "Keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house. For I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon."
All turns out just as Joseph had predicted. Three days later when Pharaoh celebrates his birthday, in honor of his birthday he restores the cupbearer to his former position and yet has the baker executed by hanging. You would think that the cupbearer would have been so grateful to Joseph for what he had said to him that he would have immediately shared with Pharaoh what had happened. Once again Joseph's hopes are dashed. The cupbearer forgets about Joseph. Joseph is left to languish in the prison for another 2 years.
It is easy to feel sorry for Joseph; however, unseen forces are definitely at work in Joseph's life. Throughout the story of Joseph, Moses continually comments that the Lord was with him. Just how much with him we shall now see. Moreover, there is something more important than Joseph's release from prison at this present time. If Joseph had been released from prison at this time, he just might have possibly left for home in Canaan. If he had done so, he would have made his father very happy indeed. He could have lived out the rest of his days in the joy of his father's home. However, the rest of his days would have been short indeed. He would have missed out on the opportunity to save not only Egypt from famine but his entire family also. When we whine and cry about God's delay in vindicating us, we need to realize that God's plan for our lives is much greater and bigger than anything we will envision for our own lives. We really need to trust God and remember that many times God delays our "vindication" for our own benefit.
PHARAOH'S DREAMS AND JOSEPH'S EXALTATION (41:1-57)
Two years pass before Joseph is finally released from prison. He is now 30 years old. From Joseph's perspective he has "wasted" 13 years in prison. Yet during that time God is developing his administrative skills, developing his character, even providing contacts for him which will change his life. Now all the pieces of the puzzle are coming together for one pivotal moment in his own life, in the life of his family, and in the life of Egypt.
See how quickly events move once God has put all the pieces of the puzzle into place. When God moves, He moves with seismic, tornadic force. The sleepy little town of Lancaster is changed forever when in the span of a few minutes a tornado rips through its town center. Because of an earthquake which last only a few minutes San Francisco changes from being the barbary coast of the west into one of the great American cities. When God finally has all the pieces of the puzzle in place, He moves decisively and speedily with great force.
The greatest example is that of Jesus Himself. For 30 years He resides quietly in the backwater town of Nazareth. At the age of 30 He launches into a 3-year ministry which changes this world forever. How could such a short life make such a dramatic impact? It could make such a dramatic impact because it was nothing less than the life of God Himself.
In our own church I've seen God move decisively and rapidly with great force. For over 5 years we had tried to create a more free-flowing worship style at First Baptist. Being tied down to the hymnals though prevented this from happening. After some serious struggle, everything changed in a minute whenever the church's roof collapsed. All the hymnals were destroyed during that episode. One of the few things that survived was the church projector. The next Sunday we were singing without hymnals. We've never looked back.
One night 2 years after Joseph interpreted the cupbearer's dream, Pharaoh has 2 dreams which greatly trouble him. In the first dream he sees 7 fat, sleek cows emerging from the Nile river. After them come 7 gaunt and ugly cows. In fact Pharaoh says they were the ugliest cows he had ever seen. Although the 7 gaunt cows eat the 7 fat cows, they remain skinny and ugly. Following this dream, Pharaoh dreams that 7 ears of grain grow on one stalk. This is followed by another 7 ears of grain which are thin because of the blast of the scorching east wind.
Pharaoh summons his court magicians and wise men to interpret the 2 dreams for him. When they fail to interpret the dreams, the cupbearer remembers Joseph. After the cupbearer informs Pharaoh about Joseph, Joseph is summoned before Pharaoh to interpret the dreams. Before entering Pharaoh's presence though, Joseph undergoes certain preparations: he is washed and then shaved, and finally given appropriate clothing. When Pharaoh informs Joseph that he has heard that Joseph is able to interpret dreams, Joseph responds with true humility: "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer [that is, a correct interpretation]." Once more notice Joseph's confidence in the Lord, that the Lord will use him in this situation.
In Joseph's response we see one of the major reasons God used Joseph so mightily. Joseph knew that when it was all said and done that greatness did not reside inherently in him. True greatness resides in Jesus. By honoring God this way, God was able to use Joseph and finally to honor him.
After Pharaoh relates the dreams to Joseph, Joseph replies that the 2 dreams have the exact same meaning. The reason God gives Pharaoh 2 dreams with the exact same meaning is to assure Pharaoh that the 2 dreams will in fact come true.
As for the meaning of the 2 dreams, the number 7 in each dream refers to 7 years. The 7 fat cows and 7 "fat" ears refer to 7 years of abundant harvest in Egypt, while the 7 skinny cows and 7 thin ears refer to 7 years of famine in Egypt. These 7 years of abundance will come first; they will be followed by the 7 years of famine. Moreover, the 7 years of famine will be so severe that unless preparations are made in advance, Egypt will be destroyed.
At this juncture Joseph suggests a plan in order to help Egypt prepare for the 7 years of famine. "And now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 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 7 years of abundance." The food will be gathered into Pharaoh's grain cities and there kept in reserve until the 7 years of famine come.
Just who would be a good candidate for such a position? By interpreting Pharaoh's dreams AND the cupbearer's dream accurately, Joseph showed that he was indeed a man of great wisdom because God was definitely with him. Pharaoh selects Joseph for this position, second-in-command of all Egypt. Of all the land of Egypt only Pharaoh will not be subjected to Joseph.
This is one of the greatest rags-to-riches stories in the entire Bible. Twice Joseph had been humiliated, first sold into slavery to Potiphar and second thrown into prison on the basis of a trumped-up charge. Yet in each situation Joseph had responded with great humility. He knew that he had been wronged. He could have sat down and cried over his victimization. Instead he humbly responded by being faithful to the tasks assigned to him. Moreover, when asked by Pharaoh if he could interpret dreams, he humbly replied that only God can truly interpret dreams. Because of his humility Joseph was 3x elevated to second-in-command, first Potiphar's house, second the jail, and third Egypt. Only Potiphar, the jailer, and finally Pharaoh were over Joseph in each situation.
Some claim that Jesus is the "true Joseph." This last event probably demonstrates the connection between Jesus and Joseph more clearly than any other. Joseph was humbled as much as any man can be while living on earth. The result was that he was placed second-in-command of the entire world (Egypt being the great power in the world at that time). Jesus, on the other hand, was humbled more than human being could ever be humbled. Paul says that Jesus was humbled to such an extent that He even descended to the lower parts of the earth (Eph. 4:10); it can't get any more humiliating than that for the Son of God. Yet what happens to Jesus? He is placed second-in-command of the entire universe (1 Cor. 15:27). Just as everybody but Pharaoh was subjected to Joseph, so everyone except for God will be subjected to His Son Jesus.
That is the way God works: first comes humiliation and then comes exaltatioin. First comes the cross, then comes the crown. There is no other path to God's glory than death and humiliation.
Joseph shoots into political society like a meteor in fame and glory. He implements his plan of gathering 1/5 of all the grain harvested in Egypt during the 7 years of abundance and stores them in Pharaoh's granaries. Joseph is so successful at it that he and his assistants are eventually unable to keep track of just how much grain they do gather.
Joseph's success also extends to his personal life. Pharaoh gives to him in marriage the daughter of the priest of On (the third most important religious site in all Egypt). She bears him 2 sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Nothing could be better for Joseph than what he was experiencing right now.
What is interesting is not what he does during these 7 but what he does not do. He is second-in-command of the world's super power at that time. A highly developed system of communications is at his disposal. But does he use Egypt's communications to reach his family which lives only a few hunded miles away? No. He brushes the thought of them aside. In fact he names his first son "Manasseh" because it meaans "[God] made me forget." All this success has helped him put aside the pain his family has caused him. He has closed the chapter on his family.
Although Joseph may have closed that chapter on his relations with his family, God is about to reopen it. First, God has elevated Joseph for the explicit purpose of saving his family. Second though, God is not finished transforming Joseph. Until Joseph is finally reconciled with his family, he will not be the man God is intending him to be. For Joseph's own sake God is going to reopen that chapter.