“Joseph’s Rise in Power”

Genesis 41

 

Today’s chapter is not the longest chapter in the whole of Genesis, but it comes close, with 57 verses. The longest chapter has 67 verses. Because of its length, we have not read through the chapter completely. Pharaoh manages to tell about his dreams, almost verbatim, in verses 1 through 8 as well as verses 17 to 24. This may seem unnecessary, however in the Torah, repetition is meaningful. 

 

In fact, this whole story has been about doubling. We have had double dreams, the double stories of brothers, double deception stories and counter deception stories, along with double dreams down in prison and the double dreams here. Then smack dab in the middle of this section Joseph says to Pharaoh, “the two are one.” 

This points to the fact that whenever you have double parallel stories, they point to one reality. 

 

Today’s Scripture begins with the revelation that two years had passed since the baker and the captain of drinking had been released from prison. Joseph has probably given up on the thought of ever getting out of his pit. 

 

At the palace, we read that Pharaoh had a dream that went like this: Pharaoh was standing by the Nile and out of the river seven cows came up. They were beautiful to look at, fat and grazing in the marshes. Next, seven other cows came up after them. These cows were bad and ugly and they ate the seven beautiful cows. Then Pharaoh woke up. 

 

He fell asleep and dreamed a second time. 

This dream had seven ears of grain come up, healthy and good, growing on one stalk. After that, seven ears of grain that were thin and burned sprouted up and swallowed the fat and full grains. Pharaoh woke up again and realized they had been dreams. 

 

In the morning, Pharaoh’s spirit was agitated. So like any spirit agitated middle eastern leader, he called for all the sorcerers of Egypt, the wise ones and he recalled his dreams to them. Not one of them could interpret them. 

Just then, a lightbulb went off in the head of the captain of drinking. He remembered his encounter with Joseph in prison. He begins to speak to Pharaoh in third person, reminding him of the time he and the baker had been sent to prison. He and the baker had each had a dream on the same night and there was a young Hebrew there who was able to interpret their dreams. In fact, things turned out exactly as he had interpreted them. 

No sooner had the captain of drinking finished his story then Pharaoh sent for Joseph. He was quickly brought out of the dungeon. Before meeting with Pharaoh, Joseph was shaved. The image of cutting your hair is symbolic in the Bible, it is done as a mourning ritual, over someone who has died. Symbolizing a former period of one’s life, marked by someone’s death, or demonstrating a transition from a former state to a new state. Following the shaving ritual Joseph was given new clothes. 

 

He arrives before Pharaoh and Pharaoh states, verse 15, 

“I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.”

Joseph replies, verse 16, 

“I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

Pharaoh then repeats his dreams to Joseph. To which Joseph interprets the dreams stating that the two dreams are in fact one. Joseph then relays that Pharaoh’s dreams are from Elohim and are a description of what Elohim is about to do. The seven good cows are seven good years of grain. The seven thin and ugly cows represent seven years of famine. This is confirmed by a second dream where the seven good heads of grain represent seven good years of grain, followed by seven worthless heads of grain representing seven years of severe famine. The doubling of the dreams confirms that God has decided it and God will do it soon. 

Joseph goes on to offer some advice. 

Pharaoh should find a wise administrator and put him in charge of all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh should appoint underneath that guy, commissioners over all the land. 

They should be in charge of saving a fifth of the harvest from their district during the seven years of abundance. By collecting food during the good years there will be food for the cities when the seven years of famine occur. This way the country will not be in ruin during the seven years of famine. 

All the language Joseph uses to describe his plan is the exact language used to describe the flood in Genesis 6 and 7. His description of a famine that will bring an end to the land is the same language used of Yahweh bringing ruin or bringing an end to life on the land. In fact, in God’s second speech to Noah, He says, “Just seven more days and I will wipe away, or cut off all life from the land,” is exactly what Joseph uses. The famine was described as strong and mighty, just like the flood waters were described as being strong and mighty.  Joseph suggests storing up lots of food, just like God told Noah, to “store up lots of food for him and the animals. 

The comparison of the flood story leads us to expect analogies between the role of Joseph with the role of Noah. 

The plan Joseph suggested seemed like a good idea to Pharaoh and to all of his officials. Pharaoh questions whether they can find anyone to be in charge who has the spirit of Elohim. Lo, and behold, there was one such person, standing in front of him. God had made all of this known to Joseph, he was the only one who was discerning and wise enough to interpret the dreams. So why not put him in charge of the palace? 

Here is where knowing ancient Hebrew comes into play. The Hebrew word for palace is the word, “habayit” another word for “house.” The Hebrew words were originally written with no vowels, just consonants. This word “house” had the same consonants, only written backwards, as the word for “ark.” 

The word “ark” plays the same role as the word house in a lot of instances in the Bible. Passover is one of them. There is the picture of the destroying angel doing his thing, but in the “house,” which is the word “ark” spelled backwards, is where your family and animals are covered by the substitute blood. Which is a mirror of Noah in the ark with the raging waters. When Noah gets off the boat he offers a sacrificial animal and surrenders his future over to God.

The use of wordplays and anagrams with the Hebrew letters are common literary devices. The ark is the house. In today’s story we have a house being ruled by a Spirit-empowered human. One who has been given wisdom is an excellent description of an image of God. Exactly what Adam and Eve wanted from the tree, but didn’t receive. 

In this story, we have someone who wouldn’t take the forbidden wife, or fruit, and had passed the test. Now he is filled with the spirit of wisdom and given power over the house or over the ark. 

In verse 40, Pharaoh places Joseph in charge of his house and all the people will submit to his orders. Only Pharaoh will be greater. Joseph was being set up as an image of Pharaoh, filled with the Spirit, second-in-command. 

Next, Pharaoh said to Joseph, verse 41, 

“I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 

Think about it. Since being sold as a slave to Egypt Joseph has been exalted, first by Potiphar, then by the captain of the prison, and now by Pharaoh. The third time is a charm!

 

Joseph receives Pharaoh’s signet ring from his finger, is dressed in robes of linen and given a gold chain to go around his neck. Next, he had Joseph ride in a chariot as his second-in-command. 

The narrator has taken a lot of time to describe how Pharaoh has appointed a second self. Here we have a human who really fears God above all things. 

Look what is possible. 

In the midst of the world’s undoing, seven years of severe famine, a wise image of God, someone who fears God can save life. We finally have someone who stands out in contrast to all of the other characters who were much more compromised, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Judah. Joseph has become the partner Yahweh has been looking for. 

Next we read that Joseph gets a new name, an Egyptian name, “Zaphenath-Paneah,” which means, “The Deity Says He Will Have Life.” He is also given a wife. 

We now have a ruler, from Abraham’s family, that becomes a blessing to the nations and actually becomes one with the nations. In fact, Joseph was a descendant of Shem and Egypt was a descendant of Ham, so we have the sons of Noah uniting, becoming one family. The image of God, one full of the Spirit, with wisdom and rule has started to bring the nations back together again. 

The narrator then provides us with Eden blessing language. We read about brothers and sisters dwelling together in unity, seven years of abundance. Remember the blessing to Abraham? “I will make your seed like the stars of the sky or like the sand of the seashore?”, verse 49, 

“Joseph stored up huge quantities of grain, like the sand of the sea;”

Not only was there the abundance of the land there was also abundance of the womb, Joseph was given two sons. 

But as soon as the Eden comes, the seven years of fruitfulness finish and so begins the seven years of de-creation. We are given a long paragraph of how things begin to fall apart. Yet, there is one place where you can find bread. 

We have come full circle. Joseph’s brothers were eating bread when Joseph sat in his first pit. Now he is the one giving out bread to everybody. The bread of deception turns into the bread of blessing.  Today’s narrative ends with, verse 57,

“And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere.”

For now, we are left with a little bit of Eden in the midst of the desert. 

Check in time. 

Have you ever noticed that God continues to provide bits of Eden whenever the flood waters rise? 

We have all experienced seasons that resemble a famine; unproductive times that have tested our faith and endurance. At such times we may feel abandoned or forgotten. Yet, the promise of God stands sure. He is able to transform our wilderness into an Eden, a place of life, joy and fruitfulness. 

When we find ourselves in the famine we need to remember that we are not at the end of God’s plan for our lives. We are often in a place of preparation, pruning and transformation. 

It is during the dry seasons that we build depth in our walk with God. With God’s grace, what once looked and felt like disaster, God uses as a testimony of restoration. 

Today’s story reminds us there is hope. Our God is one who restores, revives and beautifies. When we allow God to step into our difficulties we allow Him to bring forth an abundance only His Spirit can produce. 

May we like Joseph, put our trust in Yahweh. 

Let’s pray.