HealingStrong's Around the Word

Episode 9 - The Joseph Series: Joseph's Divine Interpretation (Genesis 41:15-45 NIV)

• HealingStrong • Episode 9

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Joseph's encounter with Pharaoh demonstrates how complete trust in God can transform impossibilities into divine opportunities. When summoned from prison to interpret Pharaoh's troubling dreams, Joseph's God-centered humility and fearless faith not only provided the interpretation but also a comprehensive plan that would save Egypt from devastating famine.

This quick episode covers:

• Joseph immediately gives God credit: "I cannot do it, but God will give Pharaoh the answer"
• God provides both supernatural insight into the dreams and practical wisdom for implementation
• Even Pharaoh, an Egyptian with many gods, recognizes God's spirit in Joseph
• Joseph demonstrates no fear despite standing before a ruler known for harsh judgment
• Crucial observation from the discussion: "You cannot have fear and faith"
• Joseph's two years in prison prepared him to rely completely on God rather than human connections
• Others can recognize God's favor on your life when you speak with confidence in Him
• Joseph's faith-filled response leads to extraordinary promotion from prisoner to prime minister

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Suggested Resources:

BIBLE PLAN - Trusting God's Plan in the Waiting: Lessons from the Life of Joseph

PODCAST - Genesis to Revelation Bible Reading

TOOLS - Refresh Your Spirit through God's Word




Speaker 1:

Do you ever see Joseph fearful at all? No, Under any circumstance. Do we have any evidence that he has any fear? Because we can't have fear and faith, can we?

Speaker 2:

Well, hello there. My name is Cheryl and you're listening to Healing Strong's Around the Word. So who are we? We're friends, sitting around a table discussing God's Word and what we see in it. Each day I'll read a Bible passage and then we'll chat about what we're learning from it. Today I'll be reading Genesis, chapter 41, verses 15 through 45 from the NIV version of the Bible. So join us Around the Word. Genesis 41, 15 through 45.

Speaker 2:

Pharaoh said to Joseph I had a dream and no one can interpret it, but I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it. I cannot do it. Joseph replied to Pharaoh, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph in my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile when out of the river there came up seven cows, fat and sleek, and they grazed among the reeds. After them, seven other cows came up, scrawny and very ugly and lean. I had never seen such ugly cows in all the land of Egypt. The lean, ugly cows ate up the seven fat cows that came up first, but even after they ate them, no one could tell that they had done so. They looked just as ugly as before.

Speaker 2:

Then I woke up. In my dream I saw seven heads of grain, full and good, growing on a single stalk. After them, seven other heads sprouted, withered and thin, and scorched by the east wind. The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven good heads. I told this to the magicians, but none of them could explain it to me. Then Joseph said to Pharaoh the dreams of Pharaoh are one in the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he's about to do. The seven good cows are seven years and the seven good heads of grain are seven years. It is one and the same dream. The seven lean ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and so are the seven worthless heads of grain scorched by the east wind. They are seven years of famine. It is just as I said to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten and the famine will ravage the land. The abundance in the land will not be remembered because the famine that follows it will be so severe.

Speaker 2:

The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon and now. Let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain, under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. This food should be held in reserve for the country to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.

Speaker 2:

The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials, so Pharaoh asked them can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God? Then Pharaoh said to Joseph since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you. So Pharaoh said to Joseph. I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.

Speaker 2:

Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second in command and people shouted before him make way. Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh said to Joseph I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt. Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphonath-Paneah and gave him Asenath, daughter of Potipharah, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. That was today's Bible reading. Now let's listen in on the discussion we had around the word. So our friend Joseph is now pulled out of prison and he's before Pharaoh and he has a chance to interpret the dreams. So what did y'all see in this passage?

Speaker 3:

he said I can't do it by myself, joseph, but god will tell you what it means. He didn't take any of the credit, and I almost think that those two years sitting and waiting gave him the being able to say that it wasn't the cupbearer that got him out, it was. God revealed the dreams to him. God gave him the answers. God was going to reveal it to Pharaoh.

Speaker 2:

God gave him the dream, talk about having favor and being put on the spot, because not only does he interpret dreams, but God gives him, like a plan of action for the country and how to deal with the years of plenty. I'm like think about how many people would have to form a committee and really like plan the heck out of this, and yet he's on the spot. Heck out of this, and yet he's on the spot. God's just almost giving it to him right then and there, to the point that you there was a verse you had said that stood out that Pharaoh himself said notice about Joseph.

Speaker 1:

Oh, Pharaoh, who was obviously an Egyptian and their gods were many, many gods, and he was certainly not a believer in Joseph's God. But the scripture says that Pharaoh recognized that his God was with him and he even Pharaoh gave God credit. He said since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, you are the wisest man in the country. Again, others can see favor on your life, and we got to remember too this is a Pharaoh, this is a cruel man. This is the Pharaoh that, just a little bit ago, impaled and beheaded one of his own staff. So, but we don't ever see. Do you ever see Joseph fearful at all? No, Under any circumstance. Do we have any evidence that he has any fear? Because we can't have fear and faith, can we? And he was full of faith and he spoke it confidently and the result was favor.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I love that word from Angie you cannot have fear and faith, isn't that so true? Anyway, thank you so much for joining us for Healing Strong's Around the Word podcast. I hope you were encouraged to dig deeper into God's Word with us and, if you're just a little curious, visit us at healingstrongorg, where you'll find out more about our mission and our community groups. Until next time, remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.