At the end of two full years (after the restoration of the chief butler to his position), Pharaoh had a dream in which he was standing by the river. Suddenly seven fine looking and fat cows came up out of the river and they ate in the meadow. Then seven ugly and very thin cows came up behind the first group of cows and stood beside them on the bank of the river. The ugly thin cows ate up the fine looking fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. He went back to sleep and had a second dream. In this dream, seven heads of plump and good grains came up on one stalk suddenly. Then seven thin heads, badly deteriorated by the east wind, sprang up after them.The seven thin heads devoured the plump, full heads. Then Pharoah awoke from this very disturbing dream. The next morning, Pharaoh’s spirit was very troubled. Can you recall any extremely troubling dreams you’ve had? Pharaoh summoned all of the magicians and wise men and told them his dreams. None of them were able to interpret the dreams for him. It is now that the chief butler remembers Joseph. He started to tell Pharaoh the story of when he had him and the chief baker thrown into prison, they both had dreams on the same night with each having its own interpretation. He told Pharaoh that there was a young Hebrew man in the prison who was able to interpret each of their dreams. Just as he interpreted them, the baker was hanged and he was restored to his position.

Pharaoh sent for Joseph and had him quickly brought out of the dungeon. So, Joseph shaved and changed his clothing and went to see Pharaoh. Pharaoh told Joseph that he had a dream and nobody could interpret it, but he heard that Joseph could understand and interpret dreams. Joseph answered Pharaoh saying, “It is not me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” Joseph acknowledged that God is the one that should be given the credit for the interpretation. It’s important that when God blesses us with gifts, that all glory goes to Him, because we cannot do it on our own. Pharaoh proceeded to tell Joseph his dreams about the cows and the heads of grain. In the dream about the cows he stated that he had never seen such ugliness in all of Egypt as the poor, very ugly and gaunt cows. Also, after the thin cows ate the fat cows, nobody would have ever known that they ate them because they were just as ugly as they were in the beginning. Pharaoh also told Joseph that the magicians nor anybody else could explain the dreams to him.

We will see why Strange Dreams Matter as we continue in Genesis 41 next week.

To God Be The Glory!