Genesis 41:1-16 NKJV
41 Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. 2 Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. 3 Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. 4 And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke. 5 He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. 6 Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. 7 And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream. 8 Now 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 its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.
9 Then the chief butler spoke to Pharaoh, saying: “I remember my faults this day. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, both me and the chief baker, 11 we each had a dream in one night, he and I. Each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. 12 Now there was a young Hebrew man with us there, a servant of the captain of the guard. And we told him, and he interpreted our dreams for us; to each man he interpreted according to his own dream. 13 And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened. He restored me to my office, and he hanged him.”
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh. 15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.”
16 So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”
Pharaoh’s butler forgot Joseph, leaving him to languish in prison. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and months turn into two years. One morning, Pharaoh awakes from two troubling dreams. When his magicians are unable to interpret the dreams and console Pharaoh, the butler remembers Joseph and tells Pharaoh about a young Hebrew man in prison who interpreted his dream and the dream of the Pharaoh’s baker. “And it came to pass, just as he interpreted for us, so it happened” (13). Pharaoh calls for Joseph. The butler had forgotten Joseph for two years. The Lord had not. God brought Joseph to this moment to exalt Joseph and glorify His name.
When Pharaoh invites Joseph to interpret his dreams, Joseph shows that he has not forgotten the Lord, either. Not claiming any sufficiency or glory for himself, he answers, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace” (16).
Two years of waiting in prison did not diminish Joseph’s humility. He freely admits that he is not sufficient in himself to think of anything as being from himself. He knows that his sufficiency is from God (2 Cor 3:5). Nor has his time of waiting dampened the ardor of his trust in God. He knew that his affliction, which was but for a moment, was working for him a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Cor 4:17). He trusted God to deliver him. God, “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph 3:20), not only delivers him but exalts him in Pharaoh’s presence.
In situations that are beyond our control, we, too, are to wait on the Lord for deliverance. We may be tempted by bitterness or resentment toward God. We may be tempted to make our own outcome. God’s dealing with Joseph, however, teaches us to wait patiently upon Him in faith and humility, trusting that He will bring about an outcome that results in our exaltation (if not in this life, then in eternal life) and His glory. Knowing this, we can wait days, months, even years for the Lord’s deliverance.
Let us pray: Grant us Your Holy Spirit, O God, that we may wait patiently upon you in every trouble, trusting You will give us a favorable outcome according to Your gracious will. Amen.