Today we see a familiar story concerning Joseph, famine, and meeting his brothers as we read from chapters 41 and 42 of Genesis.

Chapter 41

Thirty-year-old Joseph was still in prison when the Pharoah had a dream. There had been a seventeen-year gap since Joseph’s first dream and where he was at this time in his life. He was sitting in prison waiting for the knock on the door to be released. Remember Joseph asked the cup bearer to tell Pharoah what happened in the dream he interpreted for him and the chief baker. The cupbearer forgot to mention this to Pharoah.

Pharoah has a dream that neither he nor the magicians could interpret but God was at work in the bedroom of Pharoah. Seven scrawny cows eating seven healthy cows, seven scrawny ears of corn devouring seven healthy ears. Wise men had no interpretation but the cupbearer is reminded of what happened to him. Pharoah calls for Joseph to come to interpret his dream.

It is God who will give Pharoah a favorable answer was Joseph’s response taking no credit for himself. Joseph interprets the two dreams for the king. He not only interpreted the dream but he told him how to handle it. Pharoah immediately saw that Joseph not only interpreted the dream but showed him a solution he elevated him to second in command over his kingdom.

Famine struck the land as Joseph interpreted the dreams and Joseph instituted his plan from the pit to the palace. Joseph was given fine clothing, a gold chain, and a wife who gives him two sons. Pharoah pulled Joseph out of prison but it was God’s hand guiding him.

Famine came all over the land and Joseph was charged with selling grain to people from every land (41:57). Famine was also in the land of Canaan where Joseph was from.

Chapter 42

As it would go Jacob sends ten of his sons to buy food, keeping the youngest Benjamin at home with him. He had lost one son of his beloved wife Rachel he did not want to lose the other (Benjamin) since Joseph was missing under mysterious circumstances.

The brothers meet Joseph who did not recognize him but he recognized them amazing how God deals in our lives. He accuses them of being spies. He has them thrown into prison, we do not know the real reason behind this but it would ultimately lead to repentance and restoration, God’s goal in our life.

Three days they are imprisoned and while Simeon remains imprisoned the others return to get Benjamin as Joseph has instructed them. He gives them grain and places their silver back in their grain bags unknown to them at the time. When they find it, they immediately believe he will accuse them of spying once again. Fear comes over them.

Jacob refuses to allow Benjamin to leave and even with Rueben swearing that he could kill his two sons if the did not return with Simeon Jacob dug his heels in and did not waiver.  

Reading today from Genesis chapters 35 to 37 we see a revival in the life of Jacob. You might wander what I mean by ‘revival” but after abdicating his leadership role in the Dinah debacle he takes three steps to made his turn around.

Chapter 35

First, he gets rid of all the foreign gods in his servants have. The same holds true for us we need to rid ourselves of anything standing between us and God. Second, they purify themselves, this is the removing of sin in their lives and thirdly, they change their clothes. This simply means they reoriented their lives.

Jacob goes off the Bethel but during his trip he fears his enemies but God again delivers him by placing a terror from God around the cities. Jacob has stepped up to be the leader God has called him to be.

God again appears to Jacob and again reiterates His blessing upon Jacob. Rachel gives birth to a second son who Jacob names Benjamin but she dies. She is buried and Rueben went in and slept with the concubine of Jacob her name is Bilhah. As a result of this action Rueben will no longer inherit the covenant, sin will find us out.

Isaac dies and reunion between Esau and Jacob takes place at his burial.

Chapter 36

The narrative shifts with chapter 26 as the genealogy of Esau is laid out before us.

Chapter 37

Jacob’s family dysfunction continues into the next generation because of the reason of favoritism. Jacob loved Joseph more than his other sons and even made him a special coat of various colors.

Joseph, being young and unwise has two dreams and tells his jealous brothers of the dreams who become angry after the first and more angry after the second. Should Joseph have been wiser in relating these to his brothers? God had given Joseph these dreams as a prophecy and they would come to pass.

As a result of the dreams and the brothers’ feeling they were secondary and especially jealous of Joseph devise a plan to get rid of Joseph, it can be read in verses 12 – 24. Sometimes God has to strip us of what we love most before He can work things out in our lives.

He is now sold for twenty pieces of silver going from living like royalty to a slave so to speak. Be sure to read the account of the plot to kill Joseph if you have not.

Just as it seems God was absent from Jacob and Joseph He is about to do something amazing (as He does). What seemed like a family disaster is about to change. God’s whole plan was to bring the family to Egypt to avoid the famine. God was in the picture of setting the destiny of Joseph even when it seemed He was out of the picture.

Reading today from Genesis 38 to 40 is a story of Joseph who went from rags to riches back to rags a second time but for a short time.

Chapter 38

Much of the remaining book of Genesis focuses on Joseph. Judah, his son would ultimately become the son to inherit the blessing of Abraham but at this point he was another conniving son of Jacob. Reading verses in the remainder of the chapter give you insight into the flawed character of Judah. All the things you might read in a novel are found here, but that is life outside a true relationship with Jesus.

Chapter 39

Although a slave Joseph found favor in the sight of God. He was now a successful man in the house of Potiphar and God’s presence was with him.Potiphar did see the good work of Joseph and his work ethic. You could surmise from our reading that Joseph told Potiphar about his God. Potiphar made Joseph rule over his entire house, giving him authority to carry out his duties. We should look at the life of Joseph and give all we have to those we work for doing our very best.

Potiphar’s wife comes into the picture and sees how handsome Joseph is and decides she wants to seduce him which he wanted no part of Joseph had been given the keys of the estate so he had full roam of the property he had everything. Joseph reacts to her advances just the way we should everything but the one thing did not want was the wife of his master.First, he saw the consequences of sin and how it would damage Potiphar. He knew it was not only sin against Potiphar but also sin against God. Potiphar’s wife was relentless in her pursuit of Joseph. Finally setting him up and relaying a lie to her husband. He became furious and had Joseph imprisoned. Joseph’s situation now was even worse than when he arrived in Egypt, he is now imprisoned for something he did not do. But he found favor with the chief jailer.

Chapter 40

In prison Joseph meets two members of the king’s household, his baker, and his chief cup bearer. Both have dreams that need interpretation and Joseph is ready to help these fellows out. He interprets both dreams telling the cupbearer in three days you will be restored to his position but the news is not good to the baker who Joseph tells him in three days he will be hanged. Joseph was a wise man and asked the cupbearer to show him kindness and relay his interpretation to the king. It looked like Joseph was about to get out of jail “Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph.” (40:23). Victory was missed this time but Joseph continued to trust God.