GENESIS 41 CHANGE MAY COME QUICKLY Time spent in isolation or being side-lined may seem like time wasted. The passing of time when one is in a situation over which they have no control, can be taken in two ways. One way is to be frustrated, over-anxious, discouraged, irritated and angry. The other is to consider the waiting times as times of training and preparation for things yet to come. The one view is a normal human respond to our own expectations, and the other is a testimony of our faith in God. It is then we are assured that “our times” are in God’s hands. He will make plain His will in the most appropriate way at the most appropriate time.
Joseph was continuing to do his time in prison “as unto the Lord,” as he went about the routines necessary to maintain prison order and life for those who were there. Then, without warning or opportunity to think about what happened so quickly, Joseph was urgently pressed to get ready and go to the highest person in Egypt – the Pharaoh. He was to appear before the Pharaoh right away and all he had time to do was to change his clothes and shave.
It is important that we live in conscious awareness that the next thing that may happen to us is for us to be quickly caught up into the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. There we will meet Him in the air, and everything of the past that seemed so important to us will seem like nothing. However, it is also important that we be ready for a sudden intervention in our life that will change everything we do from now on. It may be a person comes into our life who will affect the way we think and feel, or even what we believe. Incidents, accidents or illness can come quickly and they will change everything we are able to do. Events, good or bad, have the ability to change our lives and the lives of those around us in a very short time.
The King’s Dreams, v.1-7. Not very much is written about Egypt before the writing of Moses, and the time of Joseph except for a brief reference to Abraham’s short time there and a few other comments in the earlier parts of Genesis. In this account we read that Joseph shaved before going before Pharaoh. Egyptians were clean shaven while the sons of Jacob likely had facial hair. To adapt to that which is suitable in order be accepted, is not wrong as long as it doesn’t go against a command of the Lord.
Dreams were one of the ways God got the attention of people in those ancient days. The fact that in Pharaoh’s dream the cattle came out of the Nile River which was the source of Egypt’s food supply, indicated to Pharaoh the dream he had was important. The hot dry wind also was significant because that “sirocco” could kill all vegetation. The meaning was obviously important to Pharaoh, in that it had to do with the needs and conditions for survival in that country.
The Failure of the Magicians, v.8. Deceit and misinformation were ways that clever and unscrupulous men made a place for themselves in idolatrous societies in the past. A little bit of common sense and an active imagination were all that were needed to create an illusion that those magicians were a “cut above” the rank and file. Similar people today are in politics, education and religion where they influence people by dogmatically saying what people want to hear. “Hucksters” are in a lot of areas of public life because they know most people will accept dogmatic statements without questioning the validity of what is said.
Deception will generally be exposed sometime, but much damage can be done which is very hard to undo for a long time. The tried and proven word of God gives us assurance that what God says can be relied upon to be the truth. When a person knows the truth, “the truth shall make you free.” The ideas and explanations of men’s opinions can be very deceptive.
The Butler Remembers, v.9-13. Urgent situations can bring to our minds past events and experiences that relate to present circumstances. There are certain things hidden in the human mind that trigger certain responses. For whatever reason, two years had passed without the butler having any recollection of Joseph. Then came the urgency of Pharaoh’s dream and the butler remembered his own dream and that of the baker, and the results. The chain of events for two years did not awaken the butler, but that one simple link opened a whole new chapter in the life of Egypt, of Joseph and ultimately the children of Israel and the whole world.
To be conscious of God with us as we move through each day, will keep us ready and alert to act on God’s revealed will. At His beckon, we need to take action without question. That happens when each day we commit ourselves to serving Him where we are, to the best of our ability. Then when the time comes that our Lord wants us to rise up and follow Him into some different place to do a different work, we are not hindered by a lot of baggage.
The Call of Joseph, v.14-16. A call can come quickly and unexpectedly when God opens a door for us. When we remember we are not our own but have been bought with a price, then we should not be surprised when an opportunity for divine service comes quickly. It is incumbent on us to be ready for some way to go beyond our normal activity and comfort zone, to fill a new role God has for us.
The monarch and the prisoner connected, and instead of Pharaoh considering Joseph a despised slave, he looked at him in the same way as he did the wise men and magicians of Egypt. The very first words of Joseph to Pharaoh revealed a marked difference between him and the other advisers. Joseph humbly and positively gave his testimony about the God he served. He was not too concerned about what would happen to him when he passed on the meaning of the dreams. He had already learned that was up to God. His concern was that God would be glorified and that Pharaoh would know there was a greater authority over Egypt than he.
To claim personal credit for something God does, should never cross our mind. In any victory, rescue, recovery or extra-ordinary event that turns out well, always GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY! When we are living in conscious fellowship with God, it will be natural for a spiritual person to act and speak with integrity, respect and fearlessness to people – and reverence toward God.
The Interpretation, v.17-36. The similarity of the subject matter indicated the point of the two dreams had to do with the same matter, yet from two different points of view. The source of life that was full and plenty coming from the Nile, was going to be stopped. The favorable weather conditions needed to produce crops, would be dried up, and success and plenty would be gone.
Frankness of speech spoken with dignity and concern, has a powerful effect on those who hear a message. Balance with quiet firm counsel make those who listen, compelled to pay attention. We can learn from Joseph that humility and courage, diligence and integrity; dignity and conscientiousness are the characteristics we should demonstrate when we speak for God.
The Reward, v.37-40. Truth is its own defender. Counsel given in a clear concise and understandable way can be easily discerned. There are times when we hear a message given that is obvious to all who hear it, that the Spirit of God has been speaking through an appointed vessel. When the Spirit of God speaks through a man, there is power in the words as well as in the non-verbal forms of communication the messenger uses.
For thirteen years Joseph lived in Egypt in Potiphar’s house and in the prison. Those years gave him a unique understanding of Egyptian life from the view of the high side of society to the lowest. With wisdom and tact learned during those training years, Joseph learned the needs of the nation and how they could be met. Sin defiles and dulls the morals and mentality of any people. When the Spirit of God works in a person, that person is cleansed, refined and clear-headed in their thinking.
To be soft-hearted does not mean a person has a better mental perception of the needs of the people. There is needed balance, far-sightedness, clearness of thought, honesty of speech and an awareness of what is going on around us, in order to actually meet the needs of the people. Moral and intellectual qualifications give a person credibility when they speak and/or deal with issues and problems. To define a problem concisely is about ninety percent of getting the right answer to problems.
Joseph had humility and wisdom when those things were joined to his management skills, his far- sightedness and his integrity. He was the obvious choice to take the lead in what needed to be done to prepare for the famine. He had been faithful in the small things, and consequently could be trusted to be faithful in the big things. Spiritual insight and spiritual gifts from God had been learned and used during the thirteen years of training. He didn’t need to bargain to be released from prison. He had been trained by God through the circumstances of life, and was able to act with confidence and faith in God.
We all have a purpose in life. God knows who we are and has gifted and prepared us to fulfill that God-given role. The discipline of life lived in this world under adverse circumstances, prepares us to act on the education we received in the school of hard knocks. It is our duty in life to be loyal to our Lord, to be faithful to God, committed to the work He gives us, and holding fast to our integrity. The assurance of life is that nothing takes God by surprise. In His own time, He will make known to those who want to do His will, exactly what they are supposed to do for Him. Waiting time is training time, and the glory of life is to know that God can use us to bring glory to our Lord as we serve Him by serving others.
FROM PRISON TO THE PALACE Following the life of Joseph in the scripture is a journey that takes us from the first seventeen years in his father’s house, to thirteen years of bondage in Egypt, first in Potiphar’s house and then in prison. Then in dramatic moment in one day, he goes from being a prisoner to the prime minister of Egypt. The road the sovereign God laid out before Joseph, reminds us that we too, on the road of our life, are not without guidance when we are children of God. Our sovereign Lord has a path of life and usefulness in which He has plans for us. It will include training times, testing time, good times and bad times. There is an objective and meaningful purpose in the life of every believer which will open up before as we live day by day in fellowship with Him.
To go from slavery to the second highest authority in the land of Egypt in one day, is beyond human design. The young man who was known for his faithfulness to God in spite of the circumstances of life in which he was found, was now ready to take God-given authority. A lesson for us to remember is that the small and seemingly insignificant things that happen in our lives, are allowed and even designed to teach, train and prepare us for other responsibilities that our sovereign Lord has for us. He knows the way we take every day. He knows our attitude toward disappointment and injustice that may be laid against us. It may take a long time before a servant of the Lord realizes that whatever we do, is to be done as “unto the Lord and not unto man.”
When a person is able to discern the true state of affairs around us, and can see coming danger as a result of present conditions, that is important, but that is not all that is needed. To know what the problem is and to be able to define it, is evidence of a discerning person. To see the danger ahead, and to have the foresight to know how to prepare to deal with the problem that is coming appropriately, calls for wisdom. To actually be able to step ahead and implement that solution in the best possible way, needs a person who knows their need of divine intervention, and is willing to act on the word and will of God.
Joseph saw the coming danger, knew what was needed to deal with it, and had a specific plan as to how to go ahead and carry out that plan. His open, honest and straightforward explanations to Pharaoh, with his upright and non-apologetic way, impressed Pharaoh and all his advisors that this young man knew what he was talking about. He defined the problem, pointed out the consequences, gave the solution, and urged them to take action right away. He didn’t complain about the unfairness of his past years of slavery, he didn’t focus on himself or try to bargain to get a favorable outcome for himself.
He didn’t grovel in humiliation before the highest authority in the country, but maintained his dignity as one who spoke for God. Joseph wisely and boldly used the power that God gave him. His testimony about God was clear. God gave Pharaoh the dream, God had decided the famine was coming, God was going to carry out His plan soon and action had to be taken right away. There was no question as to Joseph’s conviction that what was going to happen was exactly as he stated. He didn’t let injustice and the cruelty that had been shown to him, create a spirit of revenge in him. He had accepted what had been done to him with submission. The time of training and preparation was over in one day. Now was the time to take action.
His appointment was immediate and definite. The circumstances of his life changed at once, but the grace God had shown to him and taught him, and the power of God used through him, made Joseph the man he was. That had prepared him to take the great leap from being a slave to being a person with great authority, without any hesitation. He had learned a lot through the thirteen years of training, and it stood him in good stead.
Our experiences with God, and the lessons we learn from God through His word; circumstances in our lives and things we learn from other people, prepare us to do what God wants. It is up to us to go forward in faith without hesitation when we know what the will of God is. Where we live, what we have actually learned, who we associate with, what we do with what we know, and our attitude toward God and other people, all make it important that we understand the fact that God makes us capable to do what He wants from us.
Joseph’s life changed quickly, and Joseph did not hesitate to go to work right away. To deal with the problem of the coming famine with which he was faced, he had to know what assets he had that could meet the difficulties that he faced. On a journey through the whole country, the nation was warned ahead of time, and the solution was given. He could identify all the assets in the nation that he could use, and then he would know how best to use them. He came to a conclusion as to how to prepare for and then overcome, the obstacles famine would bring.
He also had a new personal life as a married man, and then becoming the father of two sons. The training time had taught him how to deal with a variety of personalities with whom he lived and to be able to maintain his own identity and yet live at peace with others when possible. He had learned how to deal with change and how to take advantage of what God had entrusted to him. Prosperity and an active new way of life didn’t change his character, but it likely would have made the bitter disappointments of the past thirteen years, mere memories of lessons learned, grief endured and divine deliverance. He would have learned that he needed God’s grace more in times of prosperity and responsibility, than in times of slavery and incarceration.
God’s sovereign plans for us will be learned when we do the small things entrusted to us in the best way we can, because those essential things that are “working for our good,” will open doors to larger things. God will give to those servants who have experienced and yielded to divine direction in His service, larger more important things to accomplish for His sovereign purposes. God’s righteousness does not depend on what we think is right, but in how He chooses to use those who honor and obey Him. Things that once seemed small, will be revealed to us as part of the big picture of the overall work of God.
As we rest in God’s wisdom being unfolded to us and through us, we realize that He has been working on us all along, in good times and bad, to make us usable and profitable in the work of the kingdom of God. Then we will be made conscious of God’s grace being demonstrated in our weakness. We will find that His grace is sufficient for our needs, and it also teaches us how to be balanced persons. We will be able to see people and events through spiritual and sanctified insight instead of the uncertainty of human wisdom and perspective.
When God is real to us in our daily lives and we “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” our Lord Jesus Christ will be first in our interests and hopes for this day and for the future. There will be dark times when His Light will give more clear guidance to us than we could get through the light of our own understanding. When the heat is on and we are not sure how much more we can take, He is there as our cloud by day and fire by night. He keeps us, empowers us, supports us and uses us so our lives can be a blessing to Him and others. Hopefully, we will give a little fragrance of our Lord Jesus Himself, to others who don’t know Him, but know we belong to Him and love Him.