by Tim Green
executioner's house. The chief baker and I both dreamed a dream on the same night, at the same time. There was there with us a young man, a hansom Hebrew, a slave to the chief of the executioners. We told him our dreams and he interpreted our dreams for us. He interpreted our dreams so accurately that it happened exactly according to his interpretation. He predicted that I would be restored back to my office serving you my king and that the chief baker would be hanged. Everything happened according to his prediction and interpretation of our dreams.”
On hearing this Pharaoh quickly sent and called for Joseph. The King’s men hurried Joseph out of his dark dungeon. They made him bath and shave, then adorned him with cloths fit for a king to look upon. They rushed him to the palace to appear before the great Pharaoh of Egypt. Joseph finally stood before Pharaoh according to his own dream. Pharaoh explained to Joseph of how he had dreamed a dream and that no one in all of Egypt could interpret his dream for him. Pharaoh then asked Joseph if it was true what they had said about him having a unique gift to understand and interpret dreams. Joseph having the wisdom of Almighty God answered Pharaoh saying, “It’s not me but the Lord God that can understand and interpret dreams.”
Then Pharaoh told Joseph of his dream. How that he was standing on the edge of Egypt’s great river. He explained how he saw seven fat cows grazing in a meadow and suddenly seven sick and lean cows came up out of the river and devoured the seven fat cows. Then he explained how he dreamt again a second time of seven ripe and healthy ears of corn. Suddenly seven thin dry ears of corn sprung up after them and devoured the seven ripe and health ears. Pharaoh then awoke troubled from his dreams and desired to know their meanings.
Joseph interpreted and prophesied that the dream of Pharaoh was one and the same. “God has shown Pharaoh what He is about to do in the future. The seven good cows were seven years and that the seven good ears of corn were seven years. The seven thin and evil-appearing cows that came up after them were seven years. These are the things which God has spoken to Pharaoh. This is what God is about to do in the land of Egypt and in his great mercy he has shown his future deeds to Pharaoh. There are coming seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.
Then there shall arise after them seven years of famine. All the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt and the famine shall consume the land. Plenty shall not be known in the land because the famine shall be extremely severe. The dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice, because God has established it in heaven, and God will shortly bring it to pass. Now let Pharaoh appoint a man who is discreet and wise, and set him over all the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh act, and let him appoint officers over the land to take up one fifth of all the harvests in the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. Let them gather all the food of those good years and store up the grain in the cities. That food shall be for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt, so that the land does not perish through the famine.”
These things seemed good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants, so Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find any man like this, in whom the Spirit of God dwells?” So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you these things, no one is as discreet and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall kiss your hand. Only on the throne will I be greater than you. See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand. Then he dressed Joseph with fine linen robes, and put a gold chain around his neck.
He made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh called Joseph, Zaphnath-paaneah and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, the priest, for his wife. Joseph went out overseeing all the land of Egypt. Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh King of Egypt. The gift that God had given to Joseph had made room for him. The gift of God had taken him before kings. Joseph had sacrificially paid a great price for the gift of God to work its work within him. He had gone through many tests and trials to develop patience and perseverance. Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh and diligently prepared Egypt for the coming famine.
When the famine had fully come it was so severe that all the neighbouring countries had not choice but to turn to Egypt as their source of supply. Suddenly Joseph’s dreams that he had dreamt many years earlier came to pass. His spiteful brothers who desired him dead appeared before him in Egypt. The famine was fierce in the land of Canaan. Joseph’s father, Jacob saw that there was an abundance of fine grain in Egypt so he said to his sons, “Go down to Egypt and buy for us grain that we may live.” So Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt, but Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother, did not go with them. Jacob, his father was fearful should any harm befall young Benjamin, his new favourite son born of Rachael.
So Joseph's brethren went to Egypt, and bowed themselves down before Joseph with their faces to the earth. They did not know that it was Joseph who was the governor over the land of Egypt. They had not recognized their brother, but Joseph recognized them. He spoke roughly with them not wanting to give away his new identity and Egyptian disguise. “Where do you come from?” he questioned in an aggressive manner. “We have come from the land of Canaan to buy food,” answered his brothers.
Then Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, “You are spies, you have come to see if the land is vulnerable.” They quickly replied unto him, “No, my lord, we have come only to buy food. We are all one man's sons, we are men of truth and not spies as you suggest.” Joseph continued to pursue the matter, “You are spies that have come to expose the vulnerability of the land.” They replied, “We are all brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is with our father at home and is not with us.” Joseph continued to accuse them of being spies while his brothers were adamant that they were merely there to purchase food. Joseph in all his wisdom was “setting” them up. He had a plan and he was going to persuade his brothers into it without them even knowing. “You shall prove to me that you are not spies,” demanded Joseph, “Send one of you and let him go home and fetch your youngest brother, the rest of you shall be bound in prison until his return.”
Joseph’s brothers began to argue with one another, “We are guilty and dammed because of our brother Joseph, in that we saw the awful distress of his hurting soul. When he sought for us to save him, we would not listen and give heed to his call. Therefore has this calamity and distress now come upon us.” Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not say unto you, do not sin against the young man and you would not listen to me? Therefore we are also guilty of shedding his blood. Now our blood is required.” They did not realize that Joseph had understood their every word as he was a Hebrew. Joseph had used an interpreter to communicate with them so they presumed that as an Egyptian he did not know their language. On hearing them Joseph turned away from them and wept uncontrollably. Then he took Simeon away from among them and bound him before their eyes.
Then Joseph secretly commanded his servants to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore every man's money back into his sack. It was the very same money that they had received when they had sold him as a slave. Joseph’s brothers then packed their asses with the grain, and departed for home. The next morning as one of them opened his sack to feed his donkey he discovered his money in the mouth of his sack. He said to his brothers, “My money has been restored back to me.” Their hearts pounded heavily in their chests. They turned trembling, looking at one another. They gasped saying, “What deed is this that God has done to us?”
When they came unto Jacob their father they told him all that had befallen them. They told him how the Lord of the land had spoken roughly with them and accused them of being spies. They told him of how Simeon had been taken captive until they could prove that they were men of truth by bringing their youngest brother to him. They told their father that when they had emptied their sacks that every man's bundle of money was retu
rned in his sack.
When Jacob saw their bundles of money, they were all afraid. Jacob sighed deeply and said, “I’ve lost my precious son Joseph and now I’ve lost my son Simeon.” Then Jacob decided for them not to return to Egypt with Benjamin. He considered the life of Simeon a small price to pay for the safety of Benjamin. Everyday he prayed for God to send the rains to deliver them from the drought and the severe famine. While everyday Joseph prayed to be united once again with his father. However each day their supplies grew less and less until Jacob was forced into making another life changing decision. They would have to return to Egypt for more supplies and face the Lord of the land, Joseph in disguise. Jacob had no choice but to send Benjamin back with them. Jacob instructed his sons to take gifts of fresh fruits, honey, almonds, nuts, spices, myrrh and a little balm. He commanded them to take double the money in order to return the money given back to them.
Joseph knew how long the famine would last because God