Genesis 41:17-37 NKJV
Joseph’s interpretation, by itself, is not the answer of peace Joseph had promised God would give Pharaoh. The interpretation is quite dreadful. The seven years of plenty will be followed by seven years of famine. The famine will be so severe that “all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land” (30). Not only this, but God repeated the dream to Pharaoh twice to communicate to him that He has established it. It will most certainly come to pass.
Only once the severity and certainty of the coming famine are understood does Joseph give Pharaoh the answer of peace from God. God has revealed this to Pharaoh so that he might prepare and endure it. He should appoint officers who will collect twenty percent of the land’s produce during the seven bountiful years. The bounty will be so much that twenty percent of it will be enough for Egypt—and the surrounding lands—to survive the seven years of severe famine. God sends the hardship, but also provides wisdom to know how to endure the hardship He sends.
Pharaoh could have dismissed Joseph’s counsel based on his interpretation of the dreams. He could have puffed himself up with pride and resolved to weather the coming storm using his own ingenuity and intellect. He could have also rejected Joseph’s interpretation and counsel as nonsensical and not prepared at all. He wisely accepts Joseph’s interpretation and counsel, recognizing them as God’s favorable answer.
God our heavenly Father allows hardship to come upon us. He does this to disciple us as children. He doesn’t leave us to our own devices to endure these hardships. He prepares us for them in His word, teaching His faithfulness so that we trust Him to strengthen us for the hardship and remove the hardship when it is best for us and our neighbors. With God’s bountiful mercy and the strength provided by the Holy Spirit, we may be joyful, cheerful, and undaunted in our trials, no matter how severe. Let us pray: Increase our faith in Your bountiful promises, O Lord, that we might endure all trials with joy, waiting on You to remove them in your good time, in this life or the next. Amen.