THROUGH THE BIBLE COMMENTARY

This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears.

Bruce McGee, Pastor
205 Adams
Columbia, LA 71418

GENESIS
CHAPTER 41

1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. 2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. 3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. 4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. 7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. 8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

This chapter brings God's plan for Joseph into fullness. He will be
placed in charge of ALL Egypt.
Pharoah begins having dreams.
Pharoah can't understand the dreams, and asks for magicians to come
and interpret. But no one is able to interpret.
Where do the dreams come from? Does God indeed speak to the lost?

9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker: 11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream. 12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret. 13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. 14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

Now the butler remembers Joseph. He tells Pharoah about the dreams he and
the baker had, and Pharoah sends for Joseph. See how swiftly worldly
people will come to those who believe in God, when something is
troubling them.
People (human beings) are created with a sense of spiritual awareness.

15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it. 16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

Notice that Joseph is quick to say interpretations do not come from him,
but from God. All we have in life comes from God. Christians should be
careful to give God praise in everything. Especially when dealing with
those who are lost.

17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: 18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: 19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: 20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: 21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke. 22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: 23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

Now Pharoah explains just what his dreams were.

25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

Joseph makes another point. It is the answer to the question I posed above in
verses 1-8. Yes. God "hth shewed Pharoah what He is about to do." Then
Joseph explains the dreams. He tells Pharoah that both dreams mean the same thing.

26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine. 28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

Joseph explains that the sevens are years, and God is telling Pharoah of the future.

29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.

The reason the dream was received twice is to assure Pharoah that the
prophecy will really happen. Friends, God is very conservative with words.
He has written all we need to live life correctly in the Bible - a library
of 66 rather small books. So when God says something TWICE, we oughta LISTEN.
Now Joseph is going to go beyond his charge to interpret, and offer some advice.

33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. 35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. 36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.

Joseph proposes a 20% reserve "tax" on all non-perishable produce. This is
to be kept in storage until the seven years of "plenty" are gone. Then, the storage
produce is to be used during the seven years of famine.

37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. 41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt. 42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Pharoah recognizes Joseph as a man filled with God's spirit. Indeed a great
PREMIUM seems to be put on such men by Pharoah.
Rulers recognize the value of godly men and women; and great respect is paid them.
Pharoah puts Joseph as "Vice-Pharoah" over all Egypt. Every decision Joseph makes
will be honored. To prove this, Pharoah gives Joseph his signet ring, and parades
him around the capitol city in his own chariot.

44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-pa'aneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

In verse 37, the proposal to give a man this special honour seemed good in the eyes
of all Pharoah's servants. But, when Joseph was chosen, nothing is said of the assent
of Pharoah's wise men. Probably they were jealous and wanted the post for themselves.
But Pharoah makes his decree irrevocable. He has given Joseph his signet ring, and
paraded Joseph around in his chariot. Now he gives Joseph his daughter as a wife.
And Joseph is given a new name: Zaphnathpaaneah - which means "interpreter of dreams."
See how Joseph again typifies the Christ to come.
John 1:18 says, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him.
"
Joseph is revealing the Lord to a nation that knows him not.

46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. 48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same. 49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. 50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him. 51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. 52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

Joseph goes about the work he is given, and is very diligent in it. Joseph here reminds us
of a statement in Col. 3:23: "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and
not unto men;..
"
Notice now that Joseph is 30 years of age, therefore, some 13 years has passed since he was sold into slavery by his brothers.
Two sons are named here: Manasseh, which means "God has caused me to forget," and Epharaim, which means "double pasture land."
These two boys are only half-Jews. But they will be given prominence as one of the TRIBES of Israel right alongside Jacob's other sons. In other words, Joseph's descendents will receive DOUBLE inheritance from Jacob.

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. 54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

Just as God had prophesied in the dreams, and just as Joseph had interpreted, the seven years of plenty came and went; and the seven years of famine began.
God is always true to His Word. Let us who are prophets always be true to it also.
All those who are seeking food came, and Pharoah told them to see Joseph. It is
Joseph now, not Pharoah, who determines the payment for the food.

56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. 57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Here we are told, in no uncertain terms, that this famine was WORLD-WIDE. It didn't
just happen in Egypt, but in ALL nations.
Now ALL NATIONS will come to Egypt to buy food. And guess who will determine the PAYMENT? Yep, this young man who was despised and rejected by his own people.
This young man who was sold into slavery by his own brothers, will now be the
"heartthrob" of ALL NATIONS!
Joseph continues to typify the Christ to come. See Is. 53:3-4.

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