Opportunity Knocks God gives His followers opportunities to make a difference within His divine plan.

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1 Session 12 > Genesis 41:15-21,33-40 Opportunity Knocks God gives His followers opportunities to make a difference within His divine plan. The Bible features a number of women of faith in its pages. Two such women are the title characters of Old Testament books: Ruth and Esther. These two women found themselves in vastly different situations in God s plan. Ruth was a Moabite woman of the twelfth century BC who married into an Israelite family that came to her country for refuge during a time of famine. When both her husband and father-in-law suddenly died, Ruth accompanied her grieving mother-in-law back to Bethlehem in Judah. She embraced the God of Israel as her God and pledged to care for her widowed mother-in-law. In time, Ruth met and married an Israelite man named Boaz. She gave birth to a son, and that son later had a grandson whose name was David, Israel s beloved king and the ancestor of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Esther (her Jewish name was Hadassah) was a fifth century BC peasant girl living in Persia during the time of the Jews exile. Her parents had died, and she was being raised by a godly relative named Mordecai. Through a series of providential events, Esther became the queen of Persia at a time when one of the king s most powerful officials hatched a wicked plot to exterminate all Jews on a particular day. Only Esther s faith in God and brave intercession with the king on behalf of her people foiled the plot and saved the Jews from genocide. Her actions are celebrated to this day in the Jewish festival of Purim. Both Ruth and Esther followed in the path of faith pioneered by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. In this session, Joseph, imprisoned on a false accusation, received a providential opportunity to interpret the king of Egypt s mysterious dreams. He recognized the dreams as a message from God about an upcoming severe famine. The famine itself, however, would become an opportunity for Joseph to be reunited with and provide for his father, Jacob, and his Israelite family. 120 Explore the Bible

2 UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT GENESIS 40:1 41:57 Joseph landed in prison after Potiphar s wife falsely accused him of sexual assault. Nevertheless, the Lord was with Joseph, and he soon found favor with the prison warden (39:21-23). The seeds of a more far-reaching providential event occurred when Joseph was assigned to be the personal attendant of two members of the pharaoh s court the chief cupbearer and chief baker. Both men had been imprisoned because they offended the king (40:1-4). While in prison, the cupbearer and baker each had a mysterious dream. Joseph interpreted the two men s dreams, one of which portended the chief cupbearer s restoration and the other the chief baker s execution. Joseph asked the chief cupbearer to mention his case before the pharaoh upon the cupbearer s restoration. Unfortunately for Joseph, it was a promise the cupbearer forgot to keep for a long time (40:5-23). The cupbearer s forgotten promise to Joseph came back into play two years later when the pharaoh had a pair of mysterious, disturbing dreams one featuring seven healthy and seven sickly cows, and the second featuring seven plump and seven thin heads of grain. When none of the king s magicians were able to interpret the dreams, the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and told the king of Joseph s ability to interpret dreams. As a result, the king sent for Joseph to be brought before him (41:1-14). Joseph appeared before Pharaoh and testified that God alone was able to give the dreams true meaning. The king then related his two dreams to Joseph. Joseph confirmed that God was revealing through the dreams that He would soon send seven plentiful years of agricultural health on the region followed by seven devastating years of famine. Joseph further urged Pharaoh to appoint a wise administrator to oversee the storing of reserves during the abundant years so that people would not starve during the years of famine. Pharaoh decided providentially that Joseph would be that administrator, appointing him as second-in-command over all Egypt and giving Joseph an Egyptian wife (41:15-45). During the seven good years, Joseph oversaw the gathering of the excess grain, storing the reserves in cities throughout Egypt (41:47-49). During this time, the Lord also gave Joseph two sons Manasseh and Ephraim (41:50-52). When the years of famine came, Egypt had plenty of food (41:53-54). Pharaoh directed the people to appear before Joseph, who sold grain to the people as they needed it (41:55-56). Moreover, people of other lands affected by the famine also came to Joseph in Egypt to buy food (41:57). This fact would soon provide an opportunity for Joseph to see his family again. Session 12: Opportunity Knocks 121

3 EXPLORE THE TEXT A PROBLEM (Gen. 41:15-21) At least two years had passed since Joseph asked the chief cupbearer to mention his case to Pharaoh. Two long years and Joseph had not received a visit or even a message from the cupbearer. Probably, then, it came as quite a surprise when royal attendants came for Joseph and instructed him to quickly clean up for a face-to-face meeting with the king of Egypt. VERSE 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it. Pharaoh wasted no time in presenting his problem to Joseph. By speaking of a dream, the king may already have entertained the thought that his two dreams were, in fact, about the same thing (see 41:25). Regardless, the problem was not the number of dreams but rather that no one could interpret either dream. A remarkably similar scene would unfold more than a thousand years later in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (see Dan. 2). Pharaoh acknowledged that he had heard it said that Joseph could hear a dream and interpret it. The king did not specify that the report came from the cupbearer, but Joseph likely surmised that the cupbearer was the source. Perhaps Joseph also wondered why the cupbearer had waited so long to mention his case to the king! As it happened, the timing appears to have been providentially guided. Pharaoh did not summon Joseph to discuss Joseph s unjust imprisonment; he summoned Joseph to help him understand the king s disturbing dream. The end result, however, would more than overturn the injustices Joseph had endured. VERSE 16 I am not able to, Joseph answered Pharaoh. It is God who will give Pharaoh a favorable answer. Joseph s immediate response to the king was both bold and humble. It was bold in that kings usually did not want to hear someone say I am not able to do what you ask. When King Nebuchadnezzar s magicians and wise men told him they could not give an interpretation without first hearing the dream, the king promptly issued an order to execute them all (Dan. 2:11-12)! Joseph took a risk in humbly admitting that the true interpretation of a dream had 122 Explore the Bible

4 to come from a source beyond him. Thus, he quickly added that source was God, whom Joseph assured could and would give Pharaoh a favorable answer. The phrase a favorable answer literally is an answer concerning Pharaoh s well-being (or peace). In other words, Joseph was confident that God would reveal the meaning of Pharaoh s dreams and would therefore set the king s mind at ease. Joseph s response to Pharaoh reminds us as believers that our opportunities for serving God are more about Him than they are about us. We live in a time and culture that pressures us to brand and market ourselves as the makers of our own destinies. People today might praise us for our accomplishments, but we must remember that only by God s grace can we do anything (see Phil. 2:13). Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (Jas. 1:17). VERSE 17 So Pharaoh said to Joseph: In my dream I was standing on the bank of the Nile, Pharaoh then related his dream to Joseph. The phrase standing on the bank of the Nile had a deeper significance than simply being a geographical marker. The ancient Egyptians viewed the Nile River in almost divine terms, connecting it vitally with many of their nature gods. Indeed, the Nile over four thousand miles in length served as the chief water source for the entire land. Its annual flooding in the delta region created some of the most fertile farming ground in the ancient world. Thus, when Pharaoh stood on the bank of the Nile in his dream, he was looking out over what the Egyptian people believed was their source of life and well-being. No wonder, then, that Egypt faced a national panic years later when God used Moses to strike the Nile and turn its water to blood (Ex. 7:19). VERSE 18 when seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows came up from the Nile and grazed among the reeds. In the first part of his dream, Pharaoh saw seven well-fed, healthy-looking cows ( seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured, KJV; seven cows, plump and attractive, ESV; seven cows, fat and sleek, NIV) emerge from the river and begin to graze among the reeds. The scene so far would have been pleasant and encouraging, not disturbing. Interestingly, the Hebrew words translated healthy-looking are the same words used to describe Joseph s appearance in Genesis 39:6! The terms could be used to describe either a person or animal that had an appropriately good appearance and form for its kind. Session 12: Opportunity Knocks 123

5 VERSES After them, seven other cows weak, very sickly, and thin came up. I ve never seen such sickly ones as these in all the land of Egypt. Then the thin, sickly cows ate the first seven well-fed cows. Next came the disturbing scene in Pharaoh s dream. The king saw seven other cows that appeared as weak, very sickly, and thin ( poor, and very ill favoured, and leanfleshed, KJV; scrawny and very ugly and lean, NIV). The Hebrew term rendered weak can also mean poor or thin. It refers to a condition of helplessness in Proverbs 28:15. The term rendered very sickly represents the opposite of being healthy-looking. Their appearance was shocking and gaunt. Indeed, Pharaoh expressed his shock in stating that he had never seen such sickly ones as these in all the land of Egypt. The sight of the seven sickly cows stunned the king, but what happened next greatly disturbed him. The thin, sickly cows ate the first seven wellfed cows. First of all, cattle are plant eaters, not meat eaters. Second, even if cattle somehow became desperate enough for food to cannibalize their own kind, no one would expect sickly cows to overpower fat, sleek ones not even in a dream. VERSE 21 When they had devoured them, you could not tell that they had devoured them; their appearance was as bad as it had been before. Then I woke up. Pharaoh further described the grisly action that played out in his dream. As disturbing as it was to see cows eating their own kind, the king noticed that the sickly, emaciated cows did not appear fatter after devouring the healthylooking cows. The Hebrew term rendered devoured literally means entered into their midst or middle. One would reasonably expect to see the stomach bulging profusely on an animal that had just eaten another beast larger than itself. Instead, what Pharaoh saw in his dream was that the sickly cows appearance was as bad as it had been before. It was as though the thin cows had not eaten! And at that point, Pharaoh woke up from his dream. Joseph already had testified that only God could provide the true interpretation of the king s dream (41:16). In 41:25, Joseph further explained that God had given Pharaoh the two dream-visions; they were dramatic revelations of what God was about to do. In other words, Joseph recognized God s providential activity in the events that brought him (Joseph) into Pharaoh s court with an opportunity to give wise counsel to 124 Explore the Bible

6 the king of Egypt! God s purposes for Joseph continued to unfold as Joseph laid hold of the opportunity. Today as well, God is able to put His people into situations where they can testify to His plan and greatness. We might be pressed hard by bitter circumstances at present, but we can be confident that our loving and mighty heavenly Father is at work on our behalf and for our good (Rom. 8:28). We need to be ready to serve faithfully when the Lord transforms our painful circumstances into opportunities to glorify Him. EXPLORE FURTHER Read the article titled Nile River on pages in the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Revised and Expanded. Why was the river so important in the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians? What are some material things that people today often trust in for life more than they trust in God? A PLAN (Gen. 41:33-36) Joseph explained to Pharaoh that the king s two dreams had the same meaning. God was about to give the region, including Egypt and Canaan, seven years of abundant harvests followed by seven years of devastating famine. The dreams served as a warning to Pharaoh that the famine years would be catastrophic on all living things if preparations were not made during the years of abundant harvests. Joseph recommended a plan of action. VERSE 33 So now, let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. The Hebrew word translated so now ( now therefore, KJV; ESV; and now, NIV) signals a shift from explanation (41:25-32) to exhortation. Joseph was confident that God had orchestrated his opportunity to give divine counsel to the Egyptian king. So Joseph boldly took the next step in the opportunity: he presented a plan of action to the king. Joseph s plan was simple but required good organization. First, Pharaoh needed to look for ( select, ESV) a discerning and wise administrator. The Hebrew word translated discerning ( discreet, KJV) is related to the term that means between. It describes the ability to choose between various options. Sometimes discernment involves choosing between good and evil, Session 12: Opportunity Knocks 125

7 at other times it can involve choosing between the good and the best. Joseph urged the king to select someone who could (and would) make the best and wisest decisions for the benefit of all. Further, Pharaoh needed to entrust this administrator with authority (set him over the land of Egypt) to carry out the plan that would save not only Egypt s citizens but also people from other nations. VERSE 34 Let Pharaoh do this: Let him appoint overseers over the land and take a fifth of the harvest of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. The words let Pharaoh do this highlighted the second part of Joseph s plan. Alongside an administrator, Pharaoh needed to appoint overseers ( officers, KJV; commissioners, NIV) over the land. These officials would have a special responsibility to focus on carrying out Joseph s plan. The overseers would collect a fifth of the harvest of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. These food reserves would be vital for meeting people s needs during the seven years of famine. VERSE 35 Let them gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. Under Pharaoh s authority, store the grain in the cities, so they may preserve it as food. Joseph further recommended that steps be taken to save excess food during the good years. This recommendation obviously covered foodstuffs that could be preserved without spoiling. However, it also emphasized the importance of not being wasteful. Sadly, many people tend to become wasteful in times of plenty. Joseph s plan emphasized that good times were the right time to save and not be wasteful; further, it created a system to ensure people s wise stewardship of food. Although the administrator and officers would carry out the plan of action, the king also needed to be fully engaged. Some citizens might need to be reminded that the officials and collectors were operating under Pharaoh s authority (literally under the hand of Pharaoh ). On the other hand, the officials were to store the grain in the cities throughout the land. Doing so accomplished several important things. First, it kept the reserve food supplies closer to the people who would one day need to purchase them. Second, the cities had greater concentrations of the population. Third, cities provided more secure facilities for storing the food reserves. 126 Explore the Bible

8 VERSE 36 The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that will take place in the land of Egypt. Then the country will not be wiped out by the famine. The Hebrew word translated a reserve ( store, KJV) can also mean a deposit (see Lev. 6:2,4). The strategy Joseph proposed was to develop additional reserves of grain resources for Egypt and to live off the land s yield until doing so became impossible. The seven years of famine that were coming would be severe. Joseph warned Pharaoh that any nation caught unprepared for the downturn risked being wiped out ( perish, KJV; ESV; ruined, NIV) by the famine. Trusting in God does not mean that believers should not plan for the future, especially when God instructs us that difficult times are bound to come. In fact, Joseph suggested a careful plan for the future precisely because he did have faith in what God had revealed in Pharaoh s dreams. Joseph acted based on the truth God communicated to him. In a teaching about counting the cost of following Him, Jesus emphasized the wisdom of carefully planning a building project to ensure that one has sufficient funds to complete the work (Luke 14:28-30). God likewise calls us as believers to be good stewards of all that He gives us. Are you the careful planner that God wants you to be? Do you wisely use the gifts, talents, and resources God has given you? Do you seek to avoid wasteful living? EXPLORE FURTHER Read Jesus parable of the foolish rich man in Luke 12: Then read Jesus teaching in Luke 14:28-30 about counting the cost of following Him. How would you explain to a new Christian the proper balance between trusting God for the future and planning/saving for the future? A PLACE (Gen. 41:37-40) VERSE 37 The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants, Joseph s proposal (literally word ) pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. Joseph s confidence, coupled with humility before God, was evident to everyone who heard the dream interpretation and recommendations. The phrase all his servants may well have included the magicians and counselors Session 12: Opportunity Knocks 127

9 who previously had been unable to interpret Pharaoh s dreams. As Joseph responded to Egypt s leader with wisdom from God, God was preparing Joseph for the next step in His plan. That next step would ultimately bring Joseph back into contact with his family in Canaan. VERSE 38 and he said to them, Can we find anyone like this, a man who has God s spirit in him? Many Bible students consider Pharaoh s question in this verse as rhetorical. That is, Pharaoh already knew the answer to his question. Joseph had just demonstrated to the king that he was discerning and wise. Further, Joseph had been careful to testify that only God could reveal the true meaning of Pharaoh s dreams (Gen. 41:16). Joseph then explained the dreams meaning as revelation from God about what God was about to do (41:25). Clearly, then, Joseph showed that he was a man who had God s spirit in him. The Hebrew expression rendered God s spirit could refer either to the Holy Spirit or to a human spirit that was able to communicate with Deity. In other words, it is unlikely that Pharaoh had knowledge of the one, true God of Israel who exists eternally in three Persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Regardless of Pharaoh s level of theological understanding, however, we can affirm today that Joseph demonstrated the presence of the Spirit of God. The answer to Pharaoh s question in 41:38 stood humbly before the king at that moment. There was no need to look further. VERSE 39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one as discerning and wise as you are. Whatever Pharaoh understood about the Lord God, he now affirmed that Joseph s God was the source of Joseph s gift of interpretation and wisdom. He recognized that God had made all this known to Joseph. Previously, Joseph had suggested that Pharaoh find a gifted administrator who could carry out the details of the plan he proposed. That administrator needed to supervise the storing of the grain during the good years so there would be plenty during the lean years. In Pharaoh s judgment, no one else in all Egypt proved as discerning and wise as Joseph, for only Joseph had interpreted Pharaoh s dreams and suggested a course of action based on their meaning. Many people today have knowledge, but fewer have discernment and wisdom. Discernment and wisdom signify the proper use and application of the knowledge one has. The Book of Proverbs says that wisdom is a precious 128 Explore the Bible

10 gift that God s people should seek with all their hearts (Prov. 2:2-6). Wisdom helps us see the world as God does and act in accordance with His purposes. VERSE 40 You will be over my house, and all my people will obey your commands. Only I, as king, will be greater than you. Pharaoh now stipulated the three aspects of Joseph s appointment. First, Joseph would be placed in authority over Pharaoh s house ( palace, NIV). Putting Joseph s preparation plan into action would start with Pharaoh s household. Egyptians typically showed much pride for their national heritage, so the fact that Pharaoh would appoint a non-egyptian over the affairs of his household reveals how deeply he trusted Joseph. Second, Pharaoh assured Joseph that all of the people would obey his commands. That is, Joseph would be given the authority needed to carry out a comprehensive, nationwide initiative. Third, Pharaoh declared essentially that Joseph would be his second-in-command. As the king, only Pharaoh would have greater authority in Egypt than Joseph. What an opportunity for this young man to make a difference in fulfilling God s plan! Only a short time before Joseph had been a forgotten inmate in the palace prison. Believers today can also be confident that God will equip them to accomplish His purposes in their lives. The consistent testimony of Scripture is that when God calls His people to a particular ministry or service, He equips them with all they need to fulfill it. God may not choose to exalt us in the same way that He did Joseph. Moreover, our full reward as believers does not come in this life. However, as we yield our gifts and talents to God and serve Him faithfully, He will mold us into the people He wants us to be and use us powerfully in His service. God is looking for believers today who know they are inadequate in and of themselves. However, they know also that with God s Spirit living in them and working through them, believers can accomplish whatever God gives them to do (Phil. 4:13). EXPLORE FURTHER Consider in your Bible study group what ministry opportunities God may be placing before you. How can your group work together to achieve extraordinary results by the power of God? What extraordinary work might God want to do in and through you individually? Will you trust Him for the strength to accomplish it? Session 12: Opportunity Knocks 129