Joseph has been called by Pharaoh to interpret a couple dreams he had. Pharaoh's magicians couldn't interpret these particular dreams, though it appears they had had come success with dream interpretation previously. But these dreams they can't figure out so Joseph is called in.
Joseph is able to interpret the dreams after making sure Pharaoh knows that it is not Joseph's smarts but God who will reveal the dream to Joseph so he can fill Pharaoh in. This is an incredible story of how God brings Joseph, a no-account Hebrew, into the second highest position in Egypt.
But lets look back at all the moving pieces here.
- Joseph the spoiled child has to have some dreams about his brothers and family bowing down to him knowing that he is the kind of kid who would blabber his dreams to his family instead of keeping them quiet.
- Joseph's brothers, sick of his spoiled attitude, decide to kill him, then leave him for dead in a cistern and finally, when a band of traders comes through at the exact right moment, they sell him and make a few dollars. All the while they are thinking that they are rid of Joseph and surely now his dreams will come to nothing.
- Joseph serves in Potiphar's house and is blessed and put in the highest position until the wife takes a liking to him. But instead of giving in to her and possibly saving his job (for awhile at least) he runs away and is still thrown in prison for something he didn't do.
- While in prison he's put in charge once again and there meets two men who work directly for Pharaoh who just "happen" to be in prison also.
- These two men, the baker and the cup bearer have two different dreams with two completely opposite outcomes - both of which come true. Neither of these men are followers or believers in God but they have dreams about eminent future events that only God could know.
- Later, when Pharaoh has a dream the cup bearer remembers Joseph and he is brought to Pharaoh to interpret the dreams. Pharaoh is not a follower or believer in the God of Joseph but he also has a dream about future events.
- The magicians who would normally be able decipher Pharaoh's dreams (but not by God) although perhaps his dreams didn't come by God previously could not do so this time.
- Joseph is able to interpret this dream and lays it out for Pharaoh.
- The Pharaoh not only believes Joseph but trusts his interpretation so much that he makes puts in command of the entire nation.
Joseph is the only one who knows about God, yet God uses the dreams to three other men, an adulterous wife, jealous brothers, a band of traveling salesmen and a stretch in the joint to bring about His ultimate plan - the salvation of not only Israel (Joseph's family) but all of Egypt and much of the known world (all who came to buy grain from Pharaoh).
Are you in a difficult situation right now? Perhaps you're feeling like your in a pit like Joseph or maybe something just happened to you that you think is unfair or maybe you even found yourself in a cell that you didn't deserve. Your life is not the only life that God has control over. It is not ONLY your circumstances that He can rearrange. Don't think that God is limited by your abilities, your bank account, your know how or your influence.
God is unlimited. He can use anyone at anytime for any reason He chooses. AND, He is already working your situation out in ways you can't possibly imagine. It may be that you have to spend time in the pit in order to get to the promise. You may have to sit in a cell in order to accomplish your call, but He is faithful and you are His child. He will always bring you to the promise.
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