Last week we read about Joseph’s dreams. They were so obvious no one needed an interpreter. Everyone immediately knew the meaning of both dreams. At the end of last week’s Parashat Joseph interpreted the dreams of the Baker and Cup Bearer. Now this week Joseph will be put in the position to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams.
Notice that all the dreams come in pairs. Joseph’s dreams began with him tying bundles of grain. All of his brothers were there and they were tying bundles of grains too. Then their bundles of grains began to bow down to Joseph’s bundle of grain. This upset the brothers as he was the younger brother. Next Joseph dreams that the Sun, Moon and 11 Stars bowed down before him. This not only upset his brothers, but also his father. Jacob asks will your and your mother and I bow down to you. These dreams were so obvious that no one needed outside help to interpret it.
Next the dreams that are interpreted are for the Cup Bearer and the Baker. The dreams represent the same thing just as the 2 previous dreams. The Cup Bearer dreams of a vine that has 3 branches that begin to bud and blossom. A big cluster of grapes appeared and the Cup Bearer squeezed the grapes into Pharaoh's cup and he served it to him. Joseph tells him that in 3 days the Cup Bearer will be restored.
The Baker then tells Joseph his dream. The Baker has 3 baskets on his head filled with pastries. Suddenly birds came and began to eat the pastries from off his head. Joseph tells him that in 3 days he will be called before Pharaoh and he will impale you and birds will eat your flesh. Exactly what Jospeh said is what happened.
Fast forward 2 years later Pharaoh had 2 dreams no one in his court could interpret. Finally the Cup Bearer remembered Jospeh. Jospeh was brought before Pharaoh and told the 2 dreams. Here are Pharaoh’s Dreams
Genesis 41:15-24
“Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.” “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.” So Pharaoh told Joseph his dream. “In my dream,” he said, “I was standing on the bank of the Nile River, and I saw seven fat, healthy cows come up out of the river and begin grazing in the marsh grass. But then I saw seven sick-looking cows, scrawny and thin, come up after them. I’ve never seen such sorry-looking animals in all the land of Egypt. These thin, scrawny cows ate the seven fat cows. But afterward you wouldn’t have known it, for they were still as thin and scrawny as before! Then I woke up. “In my dream I also saw seven heads of grain, full and beautiful, growing on a single stalk. Then seven more heads of grain appeared, but these were blighted, shriveled, and withered by the east wind. And the shriveled heads swallowed the seven healthy heads. I told these dreams to the magicians, but no one could tell me what they mean.””
No one can interpret these dreams except Jospeh. Look at the symbols and numbers of the dream. It is Joseph’s life and the life of his father. For 7 years Jacob worked for a beautiful girl whose name means livestock. Yet Jacob had to work for another 7 years after Laban gave Jacob an unattractive wife. This unattractive wive gave Jacob 7 children, they ate up everything even the beautiful cows. Yet they were still skinny. They were never accepted for who they are. They were alway looked at as the unattractive wife’s kids.
The next dream is the same Pharaoh saw 7 heads of grain on a single stalk that were full and beautiful. Then 7 shriveled heads appeared they were withered from the east wind. These shriveled heads swallowed the beautiful ones. It is the same dream. The 7 years Jospeh worked for Rachel and then tricked into working another 7 years after Laban gave Leah instead. Notice Joseph never asks God the meaning of the dream. It is Jospeh’s and Jacob’s life. These dream’s of Pharaoh are the catalyst to manifest the original dreams dreamt by Joseph. What in your life is God using to give wisdom to people you can influence them? Your story is not just for you. Your trial is not just for your personal growth. It is for people who you will influence in the future. Will you go through complaining, or will you be like Joseph?
