Joseph tells Pharaoh that the dreams have the same meaning and God was showing him what He was about to do.

The Interpretation – The seven good cows and the seven good heads of grain represented seven years. The seven thin, ugly cows and the seven empty heads represented seven years of famine. Joseph repeats that the dreams are the same and God is showing Pharaoh what He is about to do. There will be seven years of plenty throughout all of Egypt. After the seven years of plenty, there will be seven years of famine so severe that the seven years of plenty will be forgotten. The dream was given to Pharaoh twice because this will be established by God and He will surely bring it to pass. According to quora.com, “…whenever God says something twice it is usually to affirm or confirm what was already said as fully established and as definitely true with no room for adjustments or change.” Has God ever told or revealed something to you twice and it came into fruition? Were you spiritually in tuned to recognize it?

Joseph’s Action Plan – Joseph suggested to Pharaoh that he should select a discerning, wise man and put him in charge over Egypt. This man should be allowed to appoint officers over the land to collect one-fifth of the produce in Egypt in the seven plentiful years. These officers would gather the food during the coming good years and store up grain under Pharaoh’s authority. They would keep the food in the cities. The stored food would be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine. Pharaoh and his servants thought that Joseph’s advice was good. Pharaoh says to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” It’s surprising that Pharaoh even had to ask that question. Have you ever (on your job, maybe) come up with a good idea and you were not the person initially considered to implement it? Pharaoh has an epiphany and realizes that because God had shown all of this to Joseph, there was nobody as discerning and wise as Joseph. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of his house and all the people would be ruled by what Joseph says. Only in regard to the throne, Pharaoh would be greater than Joseph. So, Joseph was placed in charge over all of Egypt. Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s hand. He gave Joseph clothing of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. Joseph got to ride in the second chariot and the people cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So Joseph was in charge over all of Egypt. Pharaoh gave Joseph so much power that no man could do anything without Joseph’s approval. Joseph was given the Egyptian name of Zaphnath-Paaneah, which means, God Speaks and He Lives (Google and The Message Bible). Joseph was given a wife by the name of Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On. Joseph traveled all over Egypt. Do you have an action plan for your God-given dreams? I realize that I am using “dreams” in a different connotation than in this story. However, keep in mind, faith without works is dead. (James 2:17). Don’t let your dreams die!

Joseph was 30 years old when he stood before Pharaoh. Joseph was 17 years old when he had his dreams in Genesis 37 and now he is 30 years old. From the age of 17 to the age of 30, Joseph went from the pit (Genesis 37), to prison (Genesis 39) and now to the palace. All of these events that occurred in Joseph’s life happened because God was positioning him for the manifestation of his dreams. So, if you feel that your life is the “pits” or if you’re feeling “imprisoned”, residence in the palace is on the way. “Trouble don’t last always.”

During the seven plentiful years, the ground produced abundantly. Joseph gathered and stored food from the surrounding fields of the cities of Egypt. He gathered so much grain, it was as the sand of the sea. He stopped counting because it was immeasurable.

Joseph and his wife had two sons before the years of famine came. His first son was named Manasseh because Joseph said, “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” The second son was named Ephraim because he said, “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Then the seven years of plenty ended and the seven years of famine came just as Joseph said. The famine was in all the lands, but there was bread in Egypt. When Egypt was famished, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. He directed them to Joseph and told them to do whatever Joseph told them. The famine covered the earth and Joseph opened all of the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. The famine became severe in the land of Egypt. People from all the countries came to Joseph to buy grain because the famine was so severe everywhere.

Next stop – Genesis 42

To God Be The Glory!