Gen 41
Pharaoh’s Dreams –
part 1
I.
Review
A. Joseph’s
dream
B. The
cupbearer and baker’s dream
1. The
cupbearer got a good interpretation.
2. And
so the baker asks for an interpretation, hoping for the same. He got bad news.
3. The
cupbearer knew of both interpretations.
And saw them both come true. And
remembered them to Pharaoh in our text.
II.
Pharaoh’s dreams
A. Two
dreams
1. Dream
of cows by The Nile
a. Fat
cows
b. Thin
cows eat fat and stay thin
2. Dream
of grain
B. The
interpretation
1. “All
sorts” of magicians and wise men came to interpret the dream.
2. None
could tell him. I don’t think we are to
understand this as meaning that none of the magicians said anything. It is more likely that they gave an
interpretation, but Pharaoh was not satisfied.
C. Pharaoh’s
sense about the dreams
1. While
Pharaoh did not know what the interpretation of the dreams was, he did have a
sense about them.
2. He
was “troubled in his spirit” over the dreams (KJV). “his mind was troubled” (NIV). Literally “pushed in his spirit” [1]
. He was inwardly tossed to and fro. Ps
77:4 – so troubled I can not speak.
a) He
had a sense that the dreams contained bad news.
3. Notice
also how Pharaoh sees the second group of cows – “ugly and gaunt” (RSV)
“ill-favored and leanfleshed” (KJV). “ugly” actually comes from the Hebrew root
for “evil” or”bad”. Ugly cows probably
give you a sense that something bad is here.
4. And
the magicians while they could not give him an interpretation probably had that
sense too, but did not want to give him any bad news. Risky. And what they told him did not square with his
spirit – he knew something was wrong.
D. Here
the cupbearer speaks up about Joseph.
1. Pharaoh
calls for Joseph.
III.
Joseph before Pharaoh
A. Joseph
is released from prison and shaves and puts on a clean set of clothing. Pharaoh is disturbed and Joseph takes the
time to shower and shave. There is a
sense of urgency and Joseph is taking his time.
1. The
Story of Sinuhe – (an Egyptian story that Joseph would have quite possibly
heard.) It tells of an Egyptian who went into voluntary exile and was later
called to come back home. One of the
first things he did after he saw the Queen and was given his new title was to
be cleaned and have his hair combed and change his clothes. These changes in his appearance indicated
that his status had been changed. [2]
a) As
Moses tells the story of Joseph – Joseph’s clothes have a telling role. We can see how Joseph’s life is going by his
clothing.
1) His
father gives him the coat – 37:3 - favored.
2) His
brothers strip him – 37:23 – cast down
3) Potipher’s
wife rips his garment from him - 39:13 – cast down
2. Joseph
had been waiting for the day when his status would be changed from prison slave
to that of a ruler. That was part of the
dream that the Lord had given to him.
And he knew that the time had finally come. So, he cleans up and dresses for the part in
anticipation.
3. Pharaoh
will later acknowledge his change in status by giving his a signet ring and a
gold chain and fine linen clothing. (41:42f)
4. Joseph
was taken from Egypt
when he was 17 or thereabouts. (37:2).
He is now 30 years old (41:46). 13 years
had passed since the Lord gave him the dream.
He spent a considerable part of that away from home in Egypt
and at least two years of it in prison.
5. The
Lord keeps his word. He keeps it on his
own timetable. And he keeps it according
to his grace. And that grace and time
have arrived and Joseph takes the necessary steps of faith.
a. How
long do we pray for someone? How long do we hold onto our faith when so many
are going away from it?
b. In
the fullness of time God sent his son…
c. In
the fullness of time he will send him again.
And we can expect some trouble and trials in our life before then. The question for us, is will we know what we
are to believe until then and keep the faith.
Faith is confidence in God’s word.
B. Soap
box – Aside
1. PBS
and History channel like to cast doubt on the stories of Scripture. They say the stories are all late in time. …
a. The
vocabulary of this story contains several words that are Egyptian, not Hebrew,
words. (illus: Dan – googlare – take an English word “Google” and add Spanish
ending)
2) 41:8
– magicians – an Egyptian word. Used
only here an in Daniel.
3) 41:43
“Bow the knee” (RSV) – textual note.
4) The
Nile is obviously Egyptian
5) There
is a story in ancient Egypt,
before the time of Abraham, of seven lean years in Egypt.[4]
The temple at Elephantine was built as a result.
6) The
gold chain around Joseph’s neck is also Egyptian custom.
2. Moses,
raised on Pharaoh’s courts would have known the language and customs. The stories and heritage of Egypt
is reflected in his writing.
C. Why
did Pharaoh believe Joseph’s interpretation?
1. Joseph
told the truth as God revealed it to him.
He gave Pharaoh the bad news.
a. He
lets him know the Lord will give him a favorable answer. One you can believe. (vs. 16) Not just a happy answer. But a satisfying answer.
b. He
gives him the good and the bad news.
That is the same thing he did with the cupbearer and the baker. One got good news. The other did not.
c. Pharaoh
could tell that the magicians could not or would not tell him the truth. He knew there was bad news. His soul/spirit was troubled.
1) Part
of the story of salvation is bad news.
2) People
know they are sinners. That is what is troubling them. That is what disturbs us in our soul. There is something wrong in the world and as
G.K. Chesterton said, when the London Times asked what was wrong with the world
– “I am”.[5] That is our point of contact.
3) All
good news – and they walk. The bad news is essential.
4) The
law incites us to sin (Rom 7) and from that we come to realize just where we
stand before God.
5) The
gospel contains both bad news – I am a sinner – and good news which is that
there is a just and righteous forgiveness through Christ and the opportunity
for us to begin anew.
[1] Theology
of the OT v. 2, p. 132. Eichrodt. Cf Dan
2:3 same phraseology.
[2] ANET v.
1 p. 11
[3] Brown
Driver Briggs
[4] ANET v.
1 p. 24ff. The Elaphantine temple is
built as a result of the dream the king has regarding the period of
starvation. The story was written late
in history and whether it accurately reflects the events or not is not known.
[5]
Orthodoxy intro p. 20 , G.K. Chesterton
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