20...DREAMER & PROVIDORE EXTRAORDINAIRE

Based on GN Chs. 40- 41...Read more there

Languishing in the Pharaoh's prison, Joseph earns himself quite a reputation as a God-gifted interpreter of dreams. As it happens, the Pharaoh's chief butler & chief baker are both imprisoned with Joseph for incurring their master's ire. They both have dreams. The butler dreams of picking grapes from three branches of a vine, squeezing them into the Pharaoh's cup, & serving it to him. Joseph tells him this means that in three days he will be restored to his former position, & asks the butler to put in a good word for him with the Pharaoh when that happens - which it does! But he doesn’t! The baker tells Joseph a dream he has of carrying three trays of cakes for the Pharaoh on his head, but birds eat the cakes from the trays. Joseph tells the baker this means that in three days time the Pharaoh will have him hanged! This, too, happens as Joseph has said.

Despite the accuracy of Joseph's predictions, the butler doesn't put in that good word for him that he's asked for. However, a couple of years later the Pharaoh himself has a dream. Two dreams in fact. The first is of seven cows in very good condition emerging from the Nile followed by seven cows in very bad condition. The seven poor cows then eat the seven fat cows! The Pharaoh’s next dream is of seven ears of full, ripe corn growing on one stalk, but these seven fat & full ears are eaten by seven poor, scraggy ears. The Pharaoh can't find anyone to tell him what his dreams mean until the butler comes good on Joseph's behalf & tells him how Joseph has interpreted his & the baker's dreams for them & the accurate outcomes. Joseph is quickly brought before the Pharaoh, & interprets both his dreams, about the cattle & the ears of corn, as meaning that God is showing him that Egypt will experience seven years of bounty only for these to be followed by seven years of scarcity & famine.

After consulting his advisers, the Pharaoh appoints Joseph as Supremo to lead the nation's response to both the bounty & the famine. This he does by ordering the collecting of all the surplus during the seven good years & storing it in warehouses all over the land. This will have far-reaching consequences not only for the Egyptians, but also for others, including Joseph's family back in Palestine when the famine strikes! But that's another story! Next time: 21… Family Reunions

(1) For a sneak peep at God’s overall plan through Hebrew eyes see PS 105.

Question: Do we have a gift we offer, or could offer, to our community or nation?