Maybe this Pharaoh was a new one as ‘Pharaoh’ was usually a title like ‘king or queen’. Because v10 seems to indicate that he knew nothing about Joseph or even the butler’s imprisonment. Pharaoh was really troubled and tried all his magicians and wise men. He really meant business, no doubt it took some time for all of them to come and try but no interpretation was forthcoming. I’m sure some of them made some attempt but Pharaoh was not satisfied. THEN, God’s perfect timing, the butler remembered Joseph (v 12). The butler confesses (v9) that there had been a momentous event in his life, but he had forgotten about Joseph. Joseph is now 30 years of age. (v46) Joseph was sent for hastily (14) but notice Joseph was not going to go into the presence of the Pharaoh any old way — he shaved and changed his clothes. It would have been quite easy to say — “If Pharaoh wants me, he must take me as I am”. Sadly, we often do that with God.
It was important to Joseph. It may not have been a smelly dungeon, but he wouldn’t be at his best. Washing and shaving does not alter the real me, but it shows my attitude and respect for the one who requests my presence. To be shaven was a sign of liberty.
The way we come to God’s house is often a barometer of the way we are inside towards Him. Not that we have to wear the finest clothes or use the floweriest language, but there are limits! It is easy to put people off and they can be made to feel unwelcome, and it can be a stumbling-block. However, we must not go to the other extreme as if ‘anything goes’. And it’s not only how we come to God’s house, but our worship is 24/7 and our lives should display our love for God. We cannot fool God by dressing up or down — it is how we are before God that matters. Our God is an awesome God!
Lesson: May we be genuine in our approach to God.
Joseph’s reputation has gone before him and Pharaoh reminds him of the reputation he has gained (v15) but Joseph is quick to reply, “It is not in me, I cannot do it” (v16). He refuses to take any credit but assigns it to God and gives Him the glory.
In his youth he didn’t give credit to God — “l have dreamed …. and this is what I have dreamed. “ But now he is much wiser and has absolute confidence in his God — “God will give Pharaoh an answer …. God has revealed to Pharaoh (heathen king) what He is about to do. Never forget that God’s purpose and will can be carried out by whoever He chooses, even an unbeliever!
In these days let us pray for God’s will to be done through governments. God can use unbelievers e.g. Cyrus (Ezra) etc. Their authority comes from God, and it is our duty to obey (Romans 13:1-7) Jesus said that we are under a duty to render obedience (except when it conflicts with God’s law). We may face danger — same sex marriage became law.
Lesson: We should respect those in authority over us.
Pharaoh was privileged to be shown what God was about to do, but it required a man of God to explain it. He interpreted the seven years of plenty would be followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advises him to find a wise man to supervise the storing of food during the seven years of plenty in preparation for the seven years of famine. It would have been easy for Pharaoh to have doubted Joseph’s word but evidently there was something about him that rang true. Perhaps the fact that the butler and baker’s dreams had come true.
Pharaoh hired Joseph on the spot, giving him his signet ring (a symbol of authority), a new name (Zaphenath-Paneah, meaning either God speaks, and he lives, or that God has said he will live), and an Egyptian wife, Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, Priest of On. Pharaoh’s intention is that Joseph becomes totally identified with his new country. He is given power and position. (v40-45)
Joseph was 30 years old, and all that he had predicted had come to pass. During the seven years of plenty, Joseph and Asenath had two sons — Manasseh and Ephraim. Hebrew names, respectively meaning: “one who causes to forget” and “God who blesses.”
Joseph’s job was to store up grain for the famine to come. After seven years, the famine hit. Non-biblical records attest to a seven-year famine due to the Nile being low.
From PIT to POTIPHAR & PALACE to PRISON to PHARAOH & PALACE. Not even Joseph could have dreamt it, but God was at work.
Some may say that Joseph was wrong to marry an Egyptian, but she may have been a worshiper of the true God, and she was obviously a faithful wife and supportive of Joseph in his great responsibility. They stayed together all his life for this is God’s ideal, despite others before him and around him taking more than one wife, including his own father.
Joseph went about this monumental task of organising the gathering and storing of food. It became so plentiful he even stopped counting (v49). During these years God was healing the hurt in Joseph’s mind and the naming of his sons indicates this.
How like The LORD Jesus — Joseph maintained moral purity in the face of temptation; silence when accused under lies and false testimony; 2 fellow prisoners — one raised to life and the other to death; suffered the depths of humiliation and was highly exalted. No-one can fully exemplify The Saviour, but we are urged to be more like Him as He is holy so must we be and by His strength and power we can display Him.
v53 The seven years of plenty ended and the seven years of famine began. Up until now Pharaoh’s belief in Joseph has no doubt been tested. Seven years is a long probationary period. Joseph’s enemies may well have been waiting their time — ‘We’ll see if what he says is true’. I’m sure there were many Egyptians who resented him in his position of second-in-command and that Pharaoh may have been duped into believing him.
It would have been easy to sit back during those seven years of plenty, but Joseph worked hard and got others to do the same. Isn’t this so in our churches and Christian life in general? When things are going well and there is much blessing, we can be enthusiastic, but also there is a tendency to sit and let others do the work. When famine or lean times come, we are not prepared for the difficulties, and we give in under pressure. We become critical and moan. How important it is that we are consistent, persistent and insistent on the will of God in our lives and involved in His service.
We, in our own church, have seen years of plenty and years of famine. How important that we not only use what God has provided for us but that we store His Word in our hearts to see us through times of leanness. We cannot live in the past, but we can learn from it, and all should cause us to trust The God who has been with us for He never changes. Times of difficulty should throw us on Him for His guidance and wisdom and we must look to Him in complete trust and commitment. In times of plenty there is always the danger of wasting and self-reliance and carelessness. We need to get back to God and His Word and seek His face — and this is not just the elders, but all of us together and individually.
v54 The famine was widespread, not just in Egypt – while Joseph was gathering grain in Egypt, Jacob and his sons were suffering in Canaan. Amazingly God had only revealed His will to Pharaoh, via Joseph and not to Jacob.
Another parallel with Jesus — Joseph was taken to Egypt to preserve life, so Jesus also was taken as a small child to preserve His life from the murderous King Herod. Joseph is in Egypt with food and to spare, Jacob and his family are on the point of starvation.
In v55 even Egypt was famished. The people had put aside their own stash in addition to central storage to which they were to give one fifth and maybe now they had used up their own and had to go to Pharaoh who sends them to Joseph with instructions “Whatever he says to you do it”. Pharaoh seems satisfied that Joseph is special — “he rightly interpreted my dreams; he is in charge.” I guess he had a sense of awe in this young Hebrew slave.
The first year of famine may not have been so bad – they would have last year’s crop but now it becomes more severe and in v57 all countries came to buy grain — the news has spread “There is grain in Egypt”
Lesson: If we are given responsibility, seek God’s face and carry it out in His strength, recognizing that the power belongs to Him and Him alone.
