Joseph and the dreams Genesis 41
Apparently Joseph did not learn that dreaming got him into trouble. Remember earlier when he was dreaming in
chapter 37? He dreamed his brothers were
bowing down to him. That did not go over
too well with the family. The response by the brothers in 37:19 was
when they saw him coming was to say ," Behold this dreamer cometh. Come
now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit..." Reuben gets them to agree not to kill him but
just to put him into the pit in the wilderness.
Dreams got Joseph into trouble.
We may say that happens a lot.
Anyone have any dreams lately?
God does work through His people in various ways and He certainly used
dreams in Scripture.
When
God communicates it sometimes gets us in trouble as well. I just remember when that happens what my
grandfather had over his study door, " One with God is a
majority." William Gladstone. At eight years old I lived with him while my
father was in Viet Nam for a year. I
used to go into his study and look at all the books and read the little Bible
he gave me. The small things are the
beginnings of dreams . We are dust but
God gives us His glory through many people, and yes even His dreams.
Joseph answers Pharoah after dreaming again. He lets God use him. Pharaoh says, " I have dreamed a dream
, and there is none that can interpret it....Joseph answered Pharoah ,' It is
not in me: God shall give Pharoah an answer...." 41:16 I like how Joseph gives God the credit.
This parish is getting ready to celebrate an big anniversary. At the minister's meeting at Schreiner
university this week I got into a discussion with another pastor, and said
," Ideas and great ideas are more important than people." Well that started a discussion. I think this is true. We come and go. Of course people are important but what is
more important is the idea of dreaming of a great place where God is loved
worshipped and adored. He works through
people . But we are dust. We are here for only a few years. God and His work go on and on as from
eternity past to the future.
We do not glory in people but in the ideas that are the foundation of
what God is doing. For example, His Word
which is eternal . A lovely form of
worship and praise in the Book of common prayer & a wonderful anglican
tradition of discussion, prayer and common worship and love for all. " It is not in me.....God shall give
...an answer." That should be our
feeling as well I think.
Well what happens? Remember
Joseph has been in prison, and he has been forgotten even though he interpreted
dreams before and got it right. It is
possible that some of us feel forgotten.
We sit and wonder if we have any influence at all. Joseph had an influence because he was
someone who the Lord was with . 39:20
. Not only that at the root of it was
that Joseph was someone who had convictions about right and wrong. He refused to lie with Potiphar's wife 39: 8
. That got him into trouble. If we stand for God we will inevitably get
into trouble too . This happens in the
church too. When the world gets into the
church then the true church must reform and stand, and say , " This idea
is not of God." " We say no,
and resist...." This is not a
negative thing. It is a standing with
God and that is always a good thing. It
may not be safe but it is good. ( CS
Lewis)
Pharoah listens. It may be we too
will see that our government will listen.
Pharoah listens and he appoints Joseph as head of all . Joseph was not asking for that position. But he was the right man at the right time in
the place that God made for him. He was
" wise and discreet". He
understood God's ways and that was more important than anything else in his
life. " Wise"- Proverbs says
the " wise man is strong" 14:24 and Job could not find any wise men
among his friends. 17:10 Joseph is not
only wise but he is a man of discernment.
That word means " understanding". It comes from the root " to separate
mentally." Jesus told us to be like
this in the Gospels as well...to be " wise as serpents and gentle as
doves."
The
end of the story is a happy ending for Joseph.
He is appointed by Pharoah as over all Egypt. God has a purpose for him even though it
seemed that his life was a real waste after going through very hard situations.
He was betrayed by his brothers, almost
killed, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, thrown into prison, forgotten,
and finally redeemed by Pharoah and brought into the leadership of the state. And how was your day? Joseph's faithfulness and wisdom before God
is rewarded and God works out His plan for His people despite the above. Well we may say through it , God works out
His plan. What do we say? Time heals all wounds or God works out all
things through it.
" And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn; because
that the famine was so sore in all lands." 41:57 I remember what a chaplain used to tell us in
the army, " Do the right thing."
Well it sounds so trite but it is so true. Do the right thing that God asks and He will
give us what we need and others too will be blessed by our faithfulness.
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