‘It is not in me’ - Part 2, The Interpretation
2004 : Week 24  |  Website Version  

Last week we saw Joseph set a bold example for all Christians; four times, as he stood before Pharaoh, Joseph proclaimed the power of God to him. This week, we will see our God continue to be magnified in the royal halls of Egypt.

Joseph, as he promised Pharaoh, shares the interpretation of the dream given by God. What all the wise men and magicians of Egypt failed to do, God is able to do with His willing servant Jospeh:

	29 "Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt; 30 and after them seven years of famine will come, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 "So the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very severe. 32 "Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about.
	Genesis 41:29-32 (NASB)

The dream foretold events about to unfold in Egypt. It was a warning to Pharaoh; after seven years of abundance, famine would crush Egypt. Joseph promises Pharaoh that these things will come to pass, because God has proclaimed it. Pharaoh is confronted with a stark reality for his people. How would he prevent their destruction?

As is always the case with our God, He provides more then we need, and He does more then we expect. The Lord did more then prompt Pharaoh with a bad dream. He did more then provide an interpreter of that dream. Before Pharaoh could ask for it, the Lord provided a way to save Egypt and the surrounding areas from the famine to come. Joseph advises Pharaoh,

	33 "Now let Pharaoh look for a man discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 "Let Pharaoh take action to appoint overseers in charge of the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance. 35 "Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh's authority, and let them guard it. 36 "Let the food become as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which will occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not perish during the famine."
	Genesis 41:33-36 (NASB)

What abundant love and mercy flow from our God. He provided a way of survival to an Egyptian people who did not believe in Him. In many ways, when we were not saved, we were similar to the Egyptians. We didn’t realize the path of destruction we were on. Yet the Lord in His grace and mercy did not leave us or the Egyptians to perish. In the case of Egypt, God uses Jospeh to proclaim a way through the physical destruction to come. In our case, God used His Son Jesus Christ to make a way through the spiritual destruction to come. Before we could ask for it, while Adam and Eve were trying to hide from Him in Eden, God promised salvation to those He had chosen; Jesus would die for our sins.

This story, like so many in the Bible, shows us the truth of Ephesians 3:20-21,

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.