“After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile…”
Now, really quick, I thought Wayne’s intentionality in highlighting the timeline of Joseph’s life here was super helpful last week. If you remember, Joseph was seventeen when he was sold into slavery, and in this week’s passage we will see that he is 30 whenever he’s elevated to a position of power. Therefore, he was living through hardship in Egypt for roughly 13 years of his life. His entire adult life was marked by suffering up until this point.
And at the end of last chapter we see that Joseph was forgotten. He asked that the chief cupbearer would remember him whenever he got out. But once he got out, the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
And now for two more years, Joseph has been forgotten. For two more years Joseph was sitting, waiting, and hoping that the cup bearer would remember him… and he never did.
And now, at just the right time, God is about to bring Joseph before Pharaoh. At God’s appointed time, Joseph is going to be remembered once again. At the right time, God acts on behalf of Joseph.
God’s timing is not always our timing. Sometimes he might work slower than we might have hoped. But, prolonged suffering is not equivalent to forgetfulness. And silence is not the same thing as absence. The cupbearer might have forgotten Joseph, but God never forgot him.
So, after two more years of suffering, Pharaoh had a dream. And lets see what he dreams.
“[1] After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, [2] and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. [3] 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. [4] And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke. [5] And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. [6] And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. [7] And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream.”
Pharaoh dreams of seven healthy cows coming out of the Nile, followed by seven thin and ugly cows that devour the healthy ones. He then dreams of seven healthy ears of grain, followed by seven thin ears that swallow up the healthy ones.
On a surface level, these two dreams possess a similar pattern that is disturbing to Pharaoh. Plenty is swallowed up by scarcity. The healthy are consumed by what is unhealthy.
And when Pharaoh wakes up, he is deeply troubled. And I think we’re allowed to ask the question, “Why is Pharaoh troubled by these dreams?”
Well, when you begin to dig into what some of these things represent, you will begin to better understand Pharaoh’s response.
First, the Nile river was the lifeblood of Egypt. It, in a very literal sense, sustained Egyptian civilization. If you were to look at Egypt from an arial view, you would begin to notice how green the land is alongside the river. But, the farther away from the river you get, the more arid the land becomes. So, it was understood during this time how important the Nile was to Egyptian society. In fact, the Egyptians had a god Hapi that personified this life giving power.
Likewise, cows were significant, as well. They were associated with Egyptian religious symbolism. They represented wealth, agricultural productivity, and prosperity. There was even an Egyptian goddess name Hathor who was commonly depicted as a cow or as a woman with cow horns.
So, you can begin to understand a little more of why Pharaoh was so disturbed here. He’s fearful of what these dreams might mean.
Therefore, he calls for the magicians and all of the wise men of Egypt, but none can interpret the dreams. The most powerful man in Egypt didn’t know what his dreams meant. And all of the wisest men in Egypt didn’t know what his dreams meant. Human wisdom and human power fell flat on its face at this moment.
And then, in verse 9, the chief cupbearer finally remembers Joseph.
Look at verse 9,
“[9] Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. [10] When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, [11] we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. [12] A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. [13] And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”
Notice what’s here and what’s not here. Back in verse 40:8, Joseph made it clean that all interpretations belong to God. Yet, here there’s no mentioning of God. Joseph was the one who possessed the ability to interpret dreams in this man’s mind.
[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.”
Clean shaven faces and bodies were commonly associated with cleanliness during this time in Egyptian culture. And I think this detail is showing us how Joseph is transitioning from prison to royalty. He’s now standing before the most powerful man in Egypt.
“[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.”
So, again, Joseph is standing before the most powerful man in Egypt. And if stewarded properly, Joseph’s life can change in an instance.
And look what Joseph says and does here. He refuses to take credit for what belongs to God. He shifts the focus off himself and onto God.
Church, if we’re not careful, suffering can push us away from the Lord and harden our hearts toward the Lord. But, it can also sanctify us, deepening our love for the Lord and making us more and more like the Lord.
For Joseph, it was the latter, wasn’t it? It seems that his prolonged suffering never pushed him closer to the Lord, not away from the Lord.
In Potiphar’s house, he worked hard and fled sexual sin because he feared God. In prison, he cared for others and used the gifts God had given him for the benefit of others. And now, standing before Pharaoh, he humbly acknowledges that the interpretation of dreams belongs to God.
His circumstances have changed, but his allegiance hasn’t. And, as he’s standing before the most powerful man in Egypt, he humbly paints an accurate picture of himself, fixing the focus off of himself back onto God.
Even in the midst of his suffering, Joseph was unashamed in giving God the glory.
This, if I’m honest, can be a difficult path to follow sometimes. I’ve found it true in my own heart and life that the higher the stakes, the harder it is to be loud with the gospel. The more prominent the individual, the easier it is to side step the gospel. The brighter the lights, the dimmer I shine sometimes.
But, not with Joseph. When the stakes are the highest for Joseph, he doesn’t back down or shrink away. Instead, he eagerly fixes the gaze of Pharaoh onto the one true God, the God of Joseph.
Church, may we be people who are faithful to speak of the Lord in the ordinary moments of life and in the extraordinary ones… when the stakes seem low and when the stakes seem high. May we be eager to paint a right picture of the sovereign and personal God of the universe at all times, no matter what that might mean for us!
Let’s continue reading,
“[17] Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. [18] Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. [19] Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. [20] And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, [21] but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. [22] I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. [23] Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, [24] and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
Now, as Pharaoh retells the dream to Joseph, I was curious if any of the details differed than the original telling of the dream in the following verses. There’s really not much difference outside of a few small details.
First, Pharaoh differs a little in his description of how disturbing the cows were.
Genesis 41:4– “[4] And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows.”
Genesis 41:19– [19] Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt.”
Second, he differed in how the thin cows didn’t change after eating the healthy cows.
Genesis 41:4– “[4] And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows.”
Genesis 41:20-21– [20] And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, [21] but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning.
I don’t think there’s a theological significance here… But, I do think these details are drawing our attention to how disturbed Pharaoh actually was of these dreams. These dreams have troubled Pharaoh deeply, and no one can provide comfort for him.
Joseph then interprets these dreams, telling Pharaoh what they mean. Look at verse 25.
“[25] Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. [26] The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. [27] 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. [28] It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. [29] There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, [30] 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, [31] and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe. [32] And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. [33] Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. [34] 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. [35] 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. [36] 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.”
There’s a couple things worth highlighting here.
First, I think it’s significant to note that Joseph consistently reiterates how the two dreams ought to be treated as one dream. These aren’t two separate dreams communicating two separate realities. They are two separate dreams communicating the same reality.
The redundancy here indicates how the matter has been firmly established by God and will soon come to pass. God has shown the Pharaoh what he is about to do.
Second, I also think it’s significant to note that Joseph wants Pharaoh to know that these dreams are from God and God alone. God has shown to Pharaoh what he’s about to do.
What a profound thought here, that God has spoken to a wicked, pagan ruler what was going to happen in the future.
But, third, I want us to also notice how Joseph doesn’t just interpret the dream, he also gives counsel to Pharaoh on what he should do in light of the dream— “Now therefore let Pharaoh…”
In other words, Joseph doesn’t merely explain what God has revealed. He also explains how Pharaoh should respond. This reminds us of the important truth that God’s word always demands a response.
This is one of the greatest challenges for pastors and Christians today: not merely explaining God’s Word but helping people understand how to live in light of it.
There’s a difference between knowing what a passage says and understanding how that passage ought to shape our lives. And we need both.
This is what I call the balance between being a teacher and a preacher.
My hope is that we walk away with a clear understanding of God’s word each and every Sunday. But my prayer is that we then know how to apply it.
My prayer is that God’s word will funnel from our minds to our hearts and that what impacts our hearts will drive our hands and feet.
What profit would it bring to know a famine was coming and to do nothing about it? Likewise, when we encounter God’s truth, we must respond with right action.
May we not merely hear the Word taught. May we be transformed by it, also.
God calls us to repent (turn away from our sins) and confess our sins, to believe and trust entirely in the finished work of Jesus, and to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.
So, Joseph tells Pharaoh what the dream means and what they ought to do in light of this meaning. They should set aside 1/5 of the produce of the land that they gather during the seven years of plenty so that they can be ready for the seven years of lack.
As we see in verse 37, “This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.”
Listen, I never want to be a “wait and things will get better” pastor. But, I do want us to notice the consistent timeline God seems to be operating out of in the book of Genesis.
Life was really, really difficult for Joseph for 13 years. But, eventually things turned around. Eventually things got better.
God’s timing is not our timing. The God who could carry out his will at the snap of his finger often carries out his will at the pace of a tugboat. He’s agricultural, not technological in his working. He cooks with a crockpot God, not a microwave.
So, if you find yourself in a difficult season, hold on. Things will get better, maybe not in this life, but certainly in the life to come!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
In Genesis 41, the chief cupbearer finally remembers Joseph after two additional years. What does this passage teach us about God's timing? Why is it sometimes difficult to trust God's timing when our circumstances don't seem to be changing? What are some ways we can remain faithful while we wait?
When Joseph stood before Pharaoh, he had an opportunity to receive recognition and potentially change his circumstances. Yet, in Genesis 41:16, he immediately redirected the attention to God. What does Joseph's response reveal about his heart? Why do you think we're sometimes more hesitant to acknowledge God in certain environments or around certain people?
Joseph didn't simply interpret Pharaoh's dreams; he also provided counsel about how Pharaoh should respond. Why is it important that we don't merely understand God's Word but also respond to it?
Personal reflection: Can you think of an area of your life where you know what God's Word says but have struggled to put it into practice?