Part A Joseph's life points 9-11 Joseph interprets Pharaoh's dreams and is promoted.
Points 9 - 11 and finally the last three headings for Part A
Point - 9 Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams Genesis 41:1-36.
Point - 10 Pharaoh makes Joseph Prime Minister over Egypt.
Point - 11 Joseph has two sons born to him in Egypt, these sons are later adopted by Jacob to make up the half tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim.
Point - 9 Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams Genesis 41:1-36
Background to why God allowed Joseph to be put into prison.
If Joseph stayed at Potiphar’s house he may have been released eventually or stayed a slave and had a family.
If that was the case he would not have been in a position to bring salvation to his household.
⦁ God allowed Joseph to go to prison so that he can be recognized as being a man of discretion.
As Joseph proved himself to be a trustworthy man, the prison overseer trusted Joseph with the other prisoners.
God allowed Joseph to be in prison when the chief butler and the chief baker were put into prison by Pharaoh for displeasing him.
They both had a dream and Joseph was able to interpret their dreams accurately with God's help.
Pharaoh released both men on his birthday the baker was hung and the butler was reinstated into his service see details of this in Genesis 40.
⦁ Yet God didn’t release Joseph straight away from prison but kept him there two more years by allowing the chief butler to forget about Joseph until the time was needed for him to remember Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams.
⦁ If Joseph was released from prison too early by the butler telling Pharaoh about him he would have gone straight back his family in Canaan.
When Pharaoh had the dream of the upcoming famine there would have been no one to interpret this dream accurately.
For the simple reason that Joseph would not have been there to give sound advice to Pharaoh after telling him the meaning of his dreams.
⦁ If he had returned home from being set free from prison two years before he was really needed.
Then he and his family would have starved to death from the famine and there would have been no food even in Egypt all of those nations could have all starved to death due to the severity of the famine.
⦁ That would have been the end of the family of Jacob before they would have become a great nation.
However Yahweh is not silly nor is He caught out, He warns of what is to take place in dreams or prophetic visions or utterances.
He sets up His people in strategic places to save lives even if it means they may have to stay imprisoned for a little while longer.
They would be a prisoner of hope to fulfill Yahweh’s plans so that He can bring that person to the fore when needed to accomplish Yahweh’s purposes for that person, family or nation.
⦁ In this case concerning the family group of Jacob. God knew there would be a famine so severe the lands around Egypt which was the bread basket of that area would be affected by the drought that took place in Egypt and the surrounding lands
⦁ God wanted to keep the family of Jacob alive to allow them to stay in Egypt for 400 years to bring them out of slavery to Himself to make them a nation.
Here is the prophesy God gave Abram concerning his descendants. This was given to Abram before he was called Abraham and before Isaac was born.
Genesis 15:12-21
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
⦁ So God kept Joseph in prison until the time was right for him to be released from prison to tell Pharaoh the meanings of his dreams and what to do to preserve life.
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's dreams
2 And behold, there came up out of the river [Nile] seven well-favored cows, sleek and handsome and fat; and they grazed in the reed grass [in a marshy pasture].
3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river [Nile], ill favored and gaunt and ugly, and stood by the fat cows on the bank of the river [Nile].
4 And the ill-favored, gaunt, and ugly cows ate up the seven well-favored and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5 But he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came out on one stalk, plump and good.
6 And behold, after them seven ears [of grain] sprouted, thin and blighted by the east wind.
7 And the seven thin ears [of grain] devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
8 So when morning came his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but not one could interpret them to [him].
9 Then the chief butler said to Pharaoh, I remember my faults today.
10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker,
11 We dreamed a dream in the same night, he and I; we dreamed each of us according to [the significance of] the interpretation of his dream.
12 And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard and chief executioner; and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted them to us, to each man according to the significance of his dream.
13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; I was restored to my office [as chief butler], and the baker was hanged.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. But Joseph [first] shaved himself, changed his clothes, and made himself presentable; then he came into Pharaoh's presence.
15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream and interpret it.
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, It is not in me; God [not I] will give Pharaoh a [favorable] answer of peace.
17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood on the bank of the river [Nile];
18 And behold, there came up out of the river [Nile] seven fat, sleek, and handsome cows, and they grazed in the reed grass [of a marshy pasture].
19 And behold, seven other cows came up after them, undernourished, gaunt, and ugly [just skin and bones; such emaciated animals] as I have never seen in all of Egypt.
20 And the lean and ill favored cows ate up the seven fat cows that had come first.
21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be detected and known that they had eaten them, for they were still as thin and emaciated as at the beginning. Then I awoke. [But again I fell asleep and dreamed.]
22 And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears [of grain] growing on one stalk, plump and good.
23 And behold, seven [other] ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them.
24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. Now I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could tell me what it meant.
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, The [two] dreams are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears [of grain] are seven years; the [two] dreams are one [in their meaning].
27 And the seven thin and ill favored cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears [of grain], blighted and shriveled by the east wind; they are seven years of hunger and famine.
28 This is the message just as I have told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29 Take note! Seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming.
30 Then there will come seven years of hunger and famine, and [there will be so much want that] all the great abundance of the previous years will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and hunger (destitution, starvation) will exhaust (consume, finish) the land.
31 And the plenty will become quite unknown in the land because of that following famine, for it will be very woefully severe.
32 That the dream was sent twice to Pharaoh and in two forms indicates that this thing which God will very soon bring to pass is fully prepared and established by God.
33 So now let Pharaoh seek out and provide a man discreet, understanding, proficient, and wise and set him over the land of Egypt [as governor].
34 Let Pharaoh do this; then let him select and appoint officers over the land, and take one-fifth [of the produce] of the [whole] land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years [year by year].
35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and lay up grain under the direction and authority of Pharaoh, and let them retain food [in fortified granaries] in the cities.
36 And that food shall be put in store for the country against the seven years of hunger and famine that are to come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not be ruined and cut off by the famine.
And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
Background to why God allowed Joseph to be put into prison.
If Joseph stayed at Potiphar’s house he may have been released eventually or stayed a slave and had a family.
If that was the case he would not have been in a position to bring salvation to his household.
⦁ God allowed Joseph to go to prison so that he can be recognized as being a man of discretion.
As Joseph proved himself to be a trustworthy man, the prison overseer trusted Joseph with the other prisoners.
God allowed Joseph to be in prison when the chief butler and the chief baker were put into prison by Pharaoh for displeasing him.
They both had a dream and Joseph was able to interpret their dreams accurately with God's help.
Pharaoh released both men on his birthday the baker was hung and the butler was reinstated into his service see details of this in Genesis 40.
⦁ Yet God didn’t release Joseph straight away from prison but kept him there two more years by allowing the chief butler to forget about Joseph until the time was needed for him to remember Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams.
⦁ If Joseph was released from prison too early by the butler telling Pharaoh about him he would have gone straight back his family in Canaan.
When Pharaoh had the dream of the upcoming famine there would have been no one to interpret this dream accurately.
For the simple reason that Joseph would not have been there to give sound advice to Pharaoh after telling him the meaning of his dreams.
⦁ If he had returned home from being set free from prison two years before he was really needed.
Then he and his family would have starved to death from the famine and there would have been no food even in Egypt all of those nations could have all starved to death due to the severity of the famine.
⦁ That would have been the end of the family of Jacob before they would have become a great nation.
However Yahweh is not silly nor is He caught out, He warns of what is to take place in dreams or prophetic visions or utterances.
He sets up His people in strategic places to save lives even if it means they may have to stay imprisoned for a little while longer.
They would be a prisoner of hope to fulfill Yahweh’s plans so that He can bring that person to the fore when needed to accomplish Yahweh’s purposes for that person, family or nation.
⦁ In this case concerning the family group of Jacob. God knew there would be a famine so severe the lands around Egypt which was the bread basket of that area would be affected by the drought that took place in Egypt and the surrounding lands
⦁ God wanted to keep the family of Jacob alive to allow them to stay in Egypt for 400 years to bring them out of slavery to Himself to make them a nation.
Here is the prophesy God gave Abram concerning his descendants. This was given to Abram before he was called Abraham and before Isaac was born.
Genesis 15:12-21
12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
18 In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
For out of this nation He was going to bring the world’s and the nation of Israel’s Messiah through the tribe of Judah from the house of Jacob (Israel).⦁ So God kept Joseph in prison until the time was right for him to be released from prison to tell Pharaoh the meanings of his dreams and what to do to preserve life.
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's dreams
- When Pharaoh told his dreams to all his chief magicians and wise men not one of them were able to give him the meaning of the dream. For it was hidden from them.
- This was when the Lord brought Joseph to the remembrance of the chief butler exactly at the time his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams was needed. The chief butler spoke up about Joseph.
- He was sent for and brought out of prison. Pharaoh told him the dreams and Joseph was able to give the correct understanding of what the dreams meant for they were sent to Pharaoh by God Himself.
- Through Joseph's Godly interpretation of the dreams and wise council. God caused him to have favor in both Pharaoh's sight and those who were with him and Joseph is raised up to being second in charge over Egypt under Pharaoh.
- Next to Pharaoh Joseph was the most powerful man in both Egypt and the known world at that time.
- For the people of Egypt and the world would have to come to Joseph to get food to live.
- This is how Joseph's dream is fulfilled and his brothers and father and his step mother (for Rachel had passed away by then) will come to bow themselves down to him. More on this part B of Joseph's life.
Genesis 41:1- 36
1 AFTER TWO full years, Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river [Nile].2 And behold, there came up out of the river [Nile] seven well-favored cows, sleek and handsome and fat; and they grazed in the reed grass [in a marshy pasture].
3 And behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river [Nile], ill favored and gaunt and ugly, and stood by the fat cows on the bank of the river [Nile].
4 And the ill-favored, gaunt, and ugly cows ate up the seven well-favored and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke.
5 But he slept and dreamed the second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came out on one stalk, plump and good.
6 And behold, after them seven ears [of grain] sprouted, thin and blighted by the east wind.
7 And the seven thin ears [of grain] devoured the seven plump and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.
8 So when morning came his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but not one could interpret them to [him].
9 Then the chief butler said to Pharaoh, I remember my faults today.
10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me in custody in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker,
11 We dreamed a dream in the same night, he and I; we dreamed each of us according to [the significance of] the interpretation of his dream.
12 And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard and chief executioner; and we told him our dreams, and he interpreted them to us, to each man according to the significance of his dream.
13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came to pass; I was restored to my office [as chief butler], and the baker was hanged.
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. But Joseph [first] shaved himself, changed his clothes, and made himself presentable; then he came into Pharaoh's presence.
15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it; and I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream and interpret it.
16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, It is not in me; God [not I] will give Pharaoh a [favorable] answer of peace.
17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood on the bank of the river [Nile];
18 And behold, there came up out of the river [Nile] seven fat, sleek, and handsome cows, and they grazed in the reed grass [of a marshy pasture].
19 And behold, seven other cows came up after them, undernourished, gaunt, and ugly [just skin and bones; such emaciated animals] as I have never seen in all of Egypt.
20 And the lean and ill favored cows ate up the seven fat cows that had come first.
21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be detected and known that they had eaten them, for they were still as thin and emaciated as at the beginning. Then I awoke. [But again I fell asleep and dreamed.]
22 And I saw in my dream, and behold, seven ears [of grain] growing on one stalk, plump and good.
23 And behold, seven [other] ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them.
24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears. Now I told this to the magicians, but there was no one who could tell me what it meant.
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, The [two] dreams are one; God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears [of grain] are seven years; the [two] dreams are one [in their meaning].
27 And the seven thin and ill favored cows that came up after them are seven years, and also the seven empty ears [of grain], blighted and shriveled by the east wind; they are seven years of hunger and famine.
28 This is the message just as I have told Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do.
29 Take note! Seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt are coming.
30 Then there will come seven years of hunger and famine, and [there will be so much want that] all the great abundance of the previous years will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and hunger (destitution, starvation) will exhaust (consume, finish) the land.
31 And the plenty will become quite unknown in the land because of that following famine, for it will be very woefully severe.
32 That the dream was sent twice to Pharaoh and in two forms indicates that this thing which God will very soon bring to pass is fully prepared and established by God.
33 So now let Pharaoh seek out and provide a man discreet, understanding, proficient, and wise and set him over the land of Egypt [as governor].
34 Let Pharaoh do this; then let him select and appoint officers over the land, and take one-fifth [of the produce] of the [whole] land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years [year by year].
35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and lay up grain under the direction and authority of Pharaoh, and let them retain food [in fortified granaries] in the cities.
36 And that food shall be put in store for the country against the seven years of hunger and famine that are to come upon the land of Egypt, so that the land may not be ruined and cut off by the famine.
- Note that Joseph said to Pharaoh let him seek out such a man with certain qualities to store up food in Egypt during the good years of plenty.
- He didn't say that he was the one choose me. He didn't boast that he could do this he just offered advice.
- God then did raise Joseph up and caused him to be named by Pharaoh himself to be the one to rule over Egypt in this matter to gather food and store it.
- Only in the matters of the throne - politics - was Pharaoh greater than Joseph.
- Joseph had been in training all these years for this very important task.
- Even when he was younger his father Jacob relied on him to give account of his brothers and the herds.
Genesis 37:2 14
2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
- Then when he was a slave in Potiphar's house he managed the household well.
1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
2 And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the Lord was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
- When he was in prison he looked after the affairs of the prison and the prisoners.
20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
21 But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.
- In other words Joseph was a logistics person, an administrator he could handle people and goods well and wisely. He was a good steward and could be trusted.
- God was with Joseph in all that he did and where ever he was placed. God was watching over him, he gave Joseph favor and mercy in the sight of those he was with. God caused Joseph to prosper in all that he did and those with him.
- So much so God was able now to trust him with a much larger responsibility than some sheep, a household or prison.
- God now entrusts Joseph to saving, Egypt, the nations around Egypt and his family. For Joseph had been tested and tried through what he had gone through, he had matured and grown as a man and in his faith in God. He was steady and faithful a man of his word, a discrete man a fair man.
- Even though he went through many trials so much so the iron entered his soul, he did not get bitter, he didn't turn against God but he remained faithful to Him. Then when the time was right God allowed Pharaoh to have the dreams about the years of plenty and famine for Joseph to be brought forth to fulfil the role God had in mind for him all along. He had to go through many years of testing and proving to get to this point.
- This was no ordinary task God has assigned for Joseph and God had to be sure that Joseph could handle this responsibility before He could release Joseph to do the work He had for him.
- Also Joseph was given a new name by Pharaoh which is a reason why his brother's didn't know him when they came to buy grain in Egypt.
- Joseph's new name meant:
- This was taken off a bible dictionary web site there are many other sites with explanations about what this name means.
- As they get a bit complicated I kept it simple for those reading the blog.
- If you want to look deeper into this you can do so by googling it on the net. The name that Pharaoh gives to Joseph is in the next section of the passage from Genesis below.
- Zaphnath-paaneah [N] [H]the name which Pharaoh gave to Joseph when he raised him to the rank of prime minister or grand vizier of the kingdom ( Genesis 41:45 ). This is a pure Egyptian word, and has been variously explained. Some think it means "creator," or "preserver of life." Brugsch interprets it as "governor of the district of the place of life", i.e., of Goshen, the chief city of which was Pithom, "the place of life." Others explain it as meaning "a revealer of secrets," or "the man to whom secrets are revealed."
- Joseph was thirty years of age when he became second in command over Egypt under Pharaoh.
- This was the same age Jesus was when He began His ministry after being water baptised.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Point - 10 Pharaoh makes Joseph Prime Minister over Egypt Genesis 41:37-49
37 And the plan seemed good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants.38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find this man's equal, a man in whom is the spirit of God?
39 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Forasmuch as [your] God has shown you all this, there is nobody as intelligent and discreet and understanding and wise as you are.
40 You shall have charge over my house, and all my people shall be governed according to your word [with reverence, submission, and obedience]. Only in matters of the throne will I be greater than you are.
41 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.
42 And Pharaoh took off his [signet] ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in [official] vestments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 He made him to ride in the second chariot which he had, and [officials] cried before him, Bow the knee! And he set him over all the land of Egypt.
44 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without you shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphenath-paneah and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph made an [inspection] tour of all the land of Egypt.
46 Joseph [who had been in Egypt thirteen years] was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went [about his duties] through all the land of Egypt.
47 In the seven abundant years the earth brought forth by handfuls [for each seed planted].
48 And he gathered up all the [surplus] food of the seven [good] years in the land of Egypt and stored up the food in the cities; he stored away in each city the food from the fields around it.
49 And Joseph gathered grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he stopped counting, for it could not be measured.
- Joseph may have wondered if he would have a family. God did indeed bless Joseph and he did have two sons in Egypt and as I mentioned above. That these two sons of Joseph were adopted by Jacob as his own sons.
- They became the half tribes of Israel.
- Joseph married well, for he was given a priest's daughter in marriage. In Egypt the priests are considered elite a ruling class.
- Joseph had his two sons during the good years of plenty. We do not know if Joseph had other children after this or not.
Point - 11 Joseph has two sons born to him in Egypt
Genesis 41:50-52 beginning of the hard years of famine Genesis 41:50-57
50 Now to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On, bore to him.
51 And Joseph called the firstborn Manasseh [making to forget], For God, said he, has made me forget all my toil and hardship and all my father's house.
52 And the second he called Ephraim [to be fruitful], For [he said] God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53 When the seven years of plenty were ended in the land of Egypt,
54 The seven years of scarcity and famine began to come, as Joseph had said they would; the famine was in all [the surrounding] lands, but in all of Egypt there was food.
55 But when all the land of Egypt was weakened with hunger, the people [there] cried to Pharaoh for food; and Pharaoh said to [them] all, Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.
56 When the famine was over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians; for the famine grew extremely distressing in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all [the known] earth.
To sum up points 9-11
- God gave Joseph the gift of interpreting dreams which He used to His glory, when Joseph was finally released from prison to tell the meaning of Pharaoh’s dream.
- God had placed Joseph very strategically throughout his time in Egypt. Even though the way seemed to be going down and not up and away from having his dreams fulfilled
- God was preparing Joseph for the time when he will meet with Pharaoh. To give him the understanding of the meaning of his dream concerning the famine to come upon the land.
- From Joseph's wise answer, Pharaoh would raise up Joseph to be in charge over the land of Egypt for the gathering of food in the years of plenty in readiness for when the times of famine would come.
- Joseph himself will be fruitful and have sons in the land of Egypt.
- Now the stage is set for Jacob's sons Joseph's half brothers to come down to Egypt to buy food and for Jacob himself to come down to Egypt.
Next post
In the next few posts we will look at Lesson 2 which is Part B of the story of Joseph when his brothers come down to Egypt to buy food. The dream of Joseph’s is fulfilled of his brothers and his father and mother bowing down to him.
We look at the goodness of God in preserving the family of Israel and the beginning of the time of Israel’s sojourn in Egypt.
Which will culminate in the raising up of Moses to deliver the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt to begin their journey into the Promised Land after being in Egypt for over 400 years.
This will be dealt with in Lessons 3 & 4 on the life of Moses.
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