Joseph’s Dream Began to Come True
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Key Verse: “Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art.” Selected Scripture: |
PHARAOH HAD TWO troubling dreams. The first was that seven gaunt cows came out of the river and consumed seven fat cows. In a second dream, seven thin ears of corn devoured seven plump ears of corn.
The king’s wise men were unable to interpret the dreams. Pharaoh’s chief butler then recalled that Joseph had correctly interpreted his own dream while both of them were in prison.—Gen. 41:8-13
Pharaoh summoned Joseph. In a humble manner, Joseph acknowledged that it was God who gave him the power of interpretation. After Pharaoh recounted his dreams, Joseph explained they both had the same meaning. There would be seven years of bountiful harvests in Egypt followed by seven years of famine. Preparations were needed to prevent the people from starving during the time of scarcity.—vss. 14-32
Joseph gave the king some profound advice. “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.”—vss. 33-36
In our Key Verse, Pharaoh acknowledges the superiority of this wisdom and appoints Joseph to be in charge of gathering the surplus grain during the years of plenty and disbursing it throughout the time of famine.—vs. 40
“Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.”—vss. 41-45
Joseph’s elevation from a dungeon to be second in power to Pharaoh finds a parallel during this Gospel Age. Jesus Christ came to earth in the form of a bondservant, entered the prison house of death, and is now highly exalted, next to his Father. “Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.” (Phil. 2:8,9) Faithful Christians who follow in the Master’s footsteps have a similar hope to be raised to glory and associated with Christ in his kingdom.—Rom. 8:34