Gen. 41:1-141And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favored kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favored and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4And the ill favored and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. 9Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker: 11And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. 13And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. 14Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:1‑14)
“And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed:... And he slept and dreamed the second time:... And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.” vv. 1-8.
Pharaoh’s two dreams were very similar. In one, seven kine “well favored and fat fleshed” fed in a meadow. Seven ill-favored and lean-fleshed followed them, and devoured the first seven; yet afterward they continued as ill-favored in appearance as at the beginning. In his second dream seven ears of corn (or wheat) appeared on one stalk, healthy and good, followed by seven poor, blasted ears, which in turn, devoured the first. Convinced that these dreams had special meaning, Pharaoh was greatly disturbed, yet unable to determine what message they contained. The best magicians and wise men of the country were hastily summoned, but they were all equally baffled by these strange visions and confessed their inability to interpret for him. Wisdom was needed, but not that which “is earthly, sensual, devilish,” but what comes down from above. (Jas. 3: 15,17).
We readily see why these men were perplexed. God himself was speaking to this heathen monarch and His was a voice with which neither the king, nor his counselors were familiar, reminding us that “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14). The Christian should not be disturbed if the world around him fails to understand things of God. The unsaved man cannot enter into such exalted things any more than the wise men of Pharaoh’s day could understand God’s message.
There was only one man in the whole land of Egypt who could help Pharaoh at this time and he was continued to the dungeon, entirely forgotten by the one who could, during the two-year period, have spoken for his release. During these two years Joseph must have suffered much and had his faith extremely tried. But through the extended trial he further learned that it was not in man that he should trust, but in God who did not forget His dear servant. Faith is tried to our profit, and never disappointed in result.
The trouble of the king, touched the conscience of the butler and recalled to his memory what he ought never to have forgotten. He spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I do remember my faults this day.” He told of him who still lay unremembered in the dungeon and who years before had been used of God to interpret his dream and that of his fellow-prisoner. “It came to pass, as he interested to us, so it was.”
“Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.”
ML 05/07/1967