Genesis 41
This chapter started with reference that after two years, which is continuation from the event that occurred in the preceding chapter where Joseph had interpreted the dream of the chief Cup bearer and the baker while they were in prison. He actually asked them to remember him when they got out but it's been two years since that event and it appears as if they had forgotten him. Then Pharaoh had a dream.
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.
Genesis 41:2-8 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.41.2-8.ESV
Pharaoh's dream although was two different dreams on thesame night but they were pointing to thesame thing and this troubled Pharaoh when he woke up. He called all the magicians and wise men of Egypt but not one of them could interprete the dream. This magicians and wise men were trained in spiritual divination of the religion of the Egyptians in those days so they would have been the first contact in matters that appears to be beyond human comprehension but they were unable to tell Pharaoh the meaning of his dream.
Then the chief cupbearer approached Pharaoh to report himself that he remembered his offense. He then went on to narrate how Joseph had interpreted his dream and his colleagues dreams, and how the interpretation was spot on.
Remember in the previous chapter Joseph actually asked that they should mention him to Pharaoh that he is an innocent boy sold into slavery then innocent of the offence he was thrown into the prison for. But they forgot him.
God always have a way of remembering his own.
Isaiah 49:15 confirms that, if a mother forgets her suckling child God will never forget us. So in our daily lives, where we had thought people would put good word in for us but they didn't either intentionally or not at the appointed time God will make room for us and advocate for us in areas our human ability can't.
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.” 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. 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.”
Genesis 41:14-16, 25-36 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.41.14-36.ESV
Joseph was released, in thesedays we will say discharged and acquitted. He left without a criminal record he became a free man. Before he could appear before the king he had to shave and change clothing. There are some levels you can't go into in thesame garment or look. Joseph interpreted the dream and even gave solutions of the best way forward but before he did, he acknowledged that he was not the one doing it but God.
As a child of God whatever skill or gift we have or possess is from God. We need to learn not to worship our gift but worship the giver of the gift. Joseph as a child had dreams and he narrated them as a child from the wisdom of a child. This led to him being hated and sold into slavery. The Joseph that interpreted Pharaoh dream was not a child. He had grown in the knowledge of who God called him to be. The gift was no longer about him but about what God has deposited in Him to the glory of God. So even in your work place if you are doing greater than the founders acknowledge the God who gave you the skills and creative ability in doing so, He will give you more.
We might wonder why God showed Pharaoh the dream why not Joseph, God is the potter and we are all vessels in His hand. He can choose any vessel to use to deliver His divine purpose at any time.
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.
Genesis 41:37-42 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.41.37-42.ESV
Note Joseph didn't put himself forward as the best man, He was appointed. Joseph received divine appointment because Pharaoh made him head over everything due to his gift and the hands of God on Him. Even Pharaoh acknowledged that the spirit of God was inside Joseph. Proverbs 28: 16 states that the gift of a man open doors for him and brings him before great men. Whatever gift God has given to you stir the gift, use it as He has ordained you to but always acknowledge God in all you do. Don't envy anyone's gift, don't covet people's gift follow what God had deposited in you. Grow your skills by investing in your self-esteem, self development, always seek God as you grow the gift.
Genesis 41:46-57 recorded how Joseph was given a wife (Asenath the daughter of Potiphera the priest of On). Within the firs year of the plenty they had two sons Manasseh (God made me forget my hardship) and Ephraim (God made me fruitful in the land of my affliction). It is important to note that Joseph put the work in. In the year of plentiful all the strategies he mentioned to Pharaoh was actioned. He ensured they stored food more in preparation for the famine (If you fail to plan, you plan to fail). The lesson here, you go for that job interview or that business proposal when you get it, be a person of integrity do what you said you can do or will do. Where you don't have the expertise employ people, go for training, upskill, do that duty as unto God not unto man and let God bless you above your pay.
Genesis 42
The famine had hit all Egypt and the environs however, Egypt has now become the main source where people can get food. This is a profound aspect of human living, may we heed to God's instructions that will make us the source for great exploit in all fields in Jesus name.
When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” And he said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with his brothers, for he feared that harm might happen to him.
Genesis 42:1-4 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.42.1-4.ESV
Jacob sent his 10 sons leaving behind Benjamin. I can only imagine the trauma Jacob lived with since they brought the coat of Jacob with blood.
Joseph was a child when he was sold, he spent years in prison and also with potiphar. He had grown as a slave, a stranger and now a governor in a strange land. His brothers might have forgotten the impact of what they did but Joseph remembered. They obviously couldn't remember what he looked like, he was no longer that little boy he was a grown man perhaps in his 40s when they met again.
Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. “Where do you come from?” he said. They said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them. And he said to them, “You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land.” They said to him, “No, my Lord, your servants have come to buy food. We are all sons of one man. We are honest men. Your servants have never been spies.” He said to them, “No, it is the nakedness of the land that you have come to see.” And they said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan, and behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is no more.” But Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you. You are spies. By this you shall be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here. Send one of you, and let him bring your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. Or else, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” And he put them all together in custody for three days.
Genesis 42:6-17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.42.6-17.ESV
I like the way Joseph interrogated them, calling them spies. But before we go there the stars that Joseph dreamt of (Genesis 40), that was bowing to him eventually bowed to him. The dream might seem impossible, but at the appointed time it will come to pass. God is not a man that will lie. If it is His plan it will surely manifest.
And Reuben answered them, “Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.” They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.
Genesis 42:22-24 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.42.22-24.ESV
When they sold Joseph, Reuben was not in full agreement of that act. He now reminded his siblings of what they did and related what they were currently going through aspay back for what they had done Joseph but they didn't know that right before them was Joseph standing and understanding every thing they said.
“The man, the Lord of the land, spoke roughly to us and took us to be spies of the land. But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we have never been spies. We are twelve brothers, sons of our father. One is no more, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.’ Then the man, the Lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, and take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. Bring your youngest brother to me. Then I shall know that you are not spies but honest men, and I will deliver your brother to you, and you shall trade in the land.’”
Genesis 42:30-34 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.42.30-34.ESV
Joseph ordered that they be given the food and their money should be returned. It is important to treat people well even if they treat you bad. Paying evil with evil is not Christ like. Most times let God convict people don't be there to always want to give piece of your mind or have the last say because eventually God will give you the last say. It might be through a period of prolong separation where you eventually find yourself but don't seek vengeance.
Then Reuben said to his father, “Kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.” But he said, “My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is the only one left. If harm should happen to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.”
Genesis 42:37-38 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/gen.42.37-38.ESV
Reuben was playing the role of a first child a leader. He tried persuading their father to release Benjamin. He even said Jacob should take his own children's life if anything happened to Benjamin. But Jacob refused. The grief for loved ones can take away a lot of things from a person and that includes trusting people around you especially when you don't have closure on the loss of the loved one. Please take it easy with people out there. Many are living each day from the place of hurt especially hurt that was inflicted on them by people close to them who they can't bring to justice, please be nice to people.
