Welcome to the “But first, Bible” daily devotional podcast with Dave Miers.
I wanted to let you know that I’ve just had an article published with Eternity Newspaper entitled “7 things to help you actually read the Bible” I’ve posted a link on our Facebook page. I hope you find it helpful.
Today’s readings are Genesis 41 and Matthew 13:1-32.
Before we discuss Genesis 41, it’s worthwhile doing a recap of Joseph’s story so far…
When Joseph was a teenager, he had dreams that he would one day be a ruler and that all his brothers, father & mother would one day bow down to him. You can understand why a dream like that would get him into trouble!
His brothers, as one author said “wanted to kill the dreams by killing the dreamer.” They came very close to killing him, but instead they sold him to slave traders.
By the end of Genesis 37, Joseph had become the slave of Potiphar – who was the captain of Pharaoh’s guard in Egypt. Not quite the ruler that his dreams said he would be!
But then things got worse. Joseph, with great integrity, fled from the advances of Potiphar’s wife. He was falsely accused of attempted rape. He became lower than a slave by being sent to prison in Egypt.
In chapter 40 two new prisoners were brought in. They were important men, officers of Pharaoh. The chief cupbearer (like a butler) and the chief baker. But they’d offended Pharaoh, hence getting sent to prison.
One morning, both of them are troubled by dreams they’ve had, but can’t they don’t understand their dreams. And so Joseph is like, “You’ve come to the right guy!” God enables him to interpret both of their dreams.
Now things don’t go well for the baker. He ends up being killed as a result of his dream.
But for the cupbearer? Things go well for him. Joseph interprets the dream and it’s all about him being restored to his office as cupbearer with Pharaoh. Knowing that the cupbearer will soon be released, Joseph says,
“Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.” (ESV)
A few days later Pharaoh releases and restores the cupbearer. But the cupbearer forgot about Joseph.
By the start of chapter 41, 2 years have now passed. Joseph is still in the pit, but things are about to change.
Chapter 41 traces the story of how Joseph goes from the pit to the palace. In a great reversal of fortunes he ends up in the second highest position in Egypt!
How did that happen? One of our common themes has been seeing the sovereign hand of God throughout these events. Joseph may feel forgotten, but God hasn’t forgotten him.
Pharaoh has a dream about cows and grain. Good looking cows and ugly ones. Good looking grains and ugly ones.
[8] 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. (ESV)
Pharaoh is trouble by the dream and this is when the chief cupbearer remembers the dream interrupter – Joseph – whom he met in prison.
[14] 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. [15] 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.” [16] Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
I love the God-centredness of Joseph’s response. He knows that it’s only through God’s help that he’ll be able to understand the dream. You see it all the way through the interpretation too…
- Verse 25 – “God has revealed”
- Verse 28 – “God has shown”
- Verse 32 – “is fixed by God”
- Verse 32 – “God will bring it about”
The dream was basically all about 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine. Joseph proposes a strategy for storing produce during the 7 years of plenty so that Egypt will be able to survive the 7 years of famine. Pharaoh then employs him to implement this strategy as the Prime Minister of Egypt! The strategy works and Egypt is then poised to sell their plenty to the surrounding nations in need during the famine.
This is all setting the scene for the re-entry of Joseph’s brothers in the chapter that follows and the ongoing fulfilment of God’s promises.
Until tomorrow, keep trusting Jesus.