Saturday 5 July 2025 | Written by Supplied | Published in Church Talk, Features
Joseph was able to interpret the dreams of two of Pharaoh’s former officials who were also convicted and imprisoned. LDS/25070306
Reading from Genesis 41:1 – 16, the passage focuses on Pharaoh’s two dreams that no-one can interpret. Followed by a former incident in prison that Joseph was able to interpret the dreams of two of Pharaoh’s former officials who were also convicted and imprisoned. One of them, known as the chief butler, remembered Joseph and recommending him as an interpreter, led to his release for the purpose of interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh.
Joseph’s first words upon being summoned are, “It is not in me to interpret dreams; it is God who will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (Genesis 41:16), highlighting God’s ultimate role in the events. The world by wisdom knows not God, any more than Pharaoh’s magicians could interpret his dreams. Joseph stepped from the prison to the palace, from the tower to the throne, from the wearing of iron fetters to the wielding of regal power; and such honour will have all the saints in the day of the manifestation of the sons of God. This foreshadows the divine purpose behind Joseph’s rise to power and his ability to save Egypt and his family from famine.
If Pharaoh gave Joseph the opportunity to glorify himself, he would refuse it because this case was only to glorify God. Joseph here seems much wiser and perhaps humbler than he was before. In the past he told his brothers a similar episode when he interpreted his dreams of what the future holds for him and his family. But due to envy he was mistreated by his brothers and eventually sold into Egypt.
As Joseph stood in Pharaoh’s presence, he asked Pharaoh to reveal to him his dream. Speaking through Joseph, God used him as a guide to Pharaoh in discerning the future. Pharaoh perceived the presence of God’s Spirit in Joseph and landed the whole security of the land of Egypt in his hands as second in command. The words of Pharaoh to Joseph: “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
This episode with Pharaoh’s, connects to Christianity through the story of Joseph and its broader implications for understanding God’s communication and providential care. This dream sequence serves as a foundational moment where God reveals future events and empowers Joseph to interpret them, foreshadowing Jesus’ role as the divine interpreter and saviour. This demonstrates God’s ability to communicate through dreams, a method used throughout the Bible to reveal important messages and guidance. Joseph, empowered by God, unveiled their meaning and the preparation for the worst to come. This highlights the importance of divine insight and the ability of God to reveal His plans through His chosen individuals.
Joseph’s role as an interpreter of dreams, foreshadows the role of Jesus as the divine interpreter and saviour. Just as Joseph prepared Egypt for the coming famine, Jesus would prepare the world for the coming kingdom of God. The story emphasises God’s sovereignty over all things, including dreams and future events. The narrative touches upon themes of faith, obedience, divine guidance, and the power of God to work through human means. While the specific content of Pharaoh’s dreams may not directly map onto modern-day spiritual contexts, the overall message of God’s communication through dreams and the importance of seeking divine interpretation can be applied to understanding one’s own spiritual journey and calling.
God has strange ways of developing the talents, maturing the experience, and advancing the honour of his sons. The case of Joseph is a signal illustration of the beneficial uses of adversity, and shows that the true road to success in life, to the acquisition of wisdom, power, wealth, fame, of all combined, often lies through early hardships and trials, disasters and defeats. “I have dreamed a dream....”
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