Daily Scripture Reading Genesis 41:17-45
It is difficult for humans to think ahead. It is very easy to get so focused on the here and now, that we don’t think about what may happen weeks, months, or years in the future. When life is good, many people assume the good times will last forever. When life is bad, there is also often the assumption that the bad times will last forever. Furthermore, it is common for people to worry about the future, and become discouraged and pessimistic about all the bad things that might happen.
As a result, people often spend all their time living in the moment and they don’t plan for the future. In times of excess, they fail to save. When bad times come, they are overwhelmed and discouraged because they don’t have any backup plans.
The 41st chapter of Genesis is a great example of how to think about and prepare for the future. Yes, the future is unknown, and bad things will happen, but the future does not have to be scary. A proper attitude and good foresight removes the need to fear what may come tomorrow.
Pharaoh had a dream, but none of his magicians or wise men could interpret it. Pharaoh’s cupbearer told Pharaoh about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams, so Joseph was brought before Pharaoh. When Pharaoh indicated his desire to learn the meaning of his dream, Joseph denied the ability to interpret dreams, saying instead that God could give Pharaoh the answer he sought.
Gen. 41:17 So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile;
Gen. 41:18 and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the reeds.
Gen. 41:19 And behold, seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and lean, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt, in regard to ugliness;
Gen. 41:20 and the lean and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows.
Gen. 41:21 But they devoured them, and yet it could not be known that they had devoured them. For they were just as ugly as before. Then I awoke.
Gen. 41:22 Then I saw also in my dream, and behold, seven ears, full and good, came up on a single stalk;
Gen. 41:23 and behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them;
Gen. 41:24 and the thin ears swallowed the seven good ears. So I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could declare it to me.”
Gen. 41:25 ¶ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has declared to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Look at the words “God has declared.” Joseph made sure Pharaoh understood that God was telling Pharaoh what was about to happen.
Gen. 41:26 The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same.
Gen. 41:27 And the seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven lean ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine.
Gen. 41:28 It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do.
Gen. 41:29 Behold, seven years of great abundance are coming in all the land of Egypt;
Gen. 41:30 and after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the abundance will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will ravage the land,
Gen. 41:31 so that the abundance will be unknown in the land because of that subsequent famine; for it will be very heavy.
Gen. 41:32 Now as for the repeating of the dream to Pharaoh twice, it means that the matter is confirmed by God, and God will quickly bring it about.
Gen. 41:33 So now let Pharaoh look for a man understanding and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
Joseph did not merely predict what was going to happen, he suggested a solution. Joseph was not pessimistic about Egypt’s ability to survive the severe famine, he proposed a course of action to be prepared for the coming famine.
It is very easy for humans to become discouraged and pessimistic when we know something bad is going to happen. However, instead of losing hope and giving in to despair, we should look for ways to alleviate the problem.
Gen. 41:34 Let Pharaoh take action and appoint overseers over the land, and let him exact a fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of abundance.
Gen. 41:35 Then let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and let them store up the grain for food in the cities under Pharaoh’s authority, and let them keep watch over it.
The suggested action was actually very simple. Joseph suggested that during the years of plenty, Pharaoh should store some of the excess food.
It is difficult for humans to think years ahead. When we go through prosperous times, it is very easy to assume the good times will last forever, and we don’t take advantage of the opportunity to save some of our excess for use in the future.
It is wise for individuals and organizations to establish “rainy day” funds. When life is easy and prosperous, we should save our excess so that it is available if and when a crisis hits us.
Gen. 41:36 And let the food be appointed for the land for the seven years of famine which will happen in the land of Egypt, so that the land will not be cut off during the famine.”
Joseph’s plan was to store enough food so that during the famine, the Egyptians would still have food to eat.
If individuals or organizations have money set aside, then when there is a loss of revenue or income it does not result in an immediate crisis. The excess money can be used until the income or revenue is restored.
Many people fear the future because they are pessimistic and believe many bad things will happen. Bad things will happen, but oftentimes our worst fears do not come to pass. Furthermore, if we prepare properly for the future, then we can minimize the negative effects of the bad things that do happen to us.
Gen. 41:37 ¶ And the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants.
Gen. 41:38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?”
Gen. 41:39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made you know all of this, there is no one so understanding and wise as you are.
It was true that God was with Joseph; therefore, it made sense for Pharaoh to conclude that Joseph was the best person to be in charge of the preparations for the famine. On the other hand, in many ways Joseph’s recommendation was common sense. There should have been many people that could have come up with the idea to store food during the years of excess so that they would have food during the famine.
Gen. 41:40 You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.”
Gen. 41:41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Gen. 41:42 Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck.
It is somewhat astounding that Pharaoh gave all this authority to someone he had just met.
Gen. 41:43 And he had him ride in his second chariot; and they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” And he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Gen. 41:44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission no one shall raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”
Gen. 41:45 Then Pharaoh named Joseph Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as a wife. And Joseph went forth over the land of Egypt.
It is very easy to get so focused on the here and now, that we don’t think about what may happen weeks, months, or years in the future. When life is good, many people assume the good times will last forever. When life is bad, there is also often the assumption that the bad times will last forever. Furthermore, it is common for people to worry about the future, and become discouraged and pessimistic about all the bad things that might happen.
Joseph is a great example of how to think about and prepare for the future. He knew that something bad was about to happen; however, he was not discouraged or pessimistic. Instead, he suggested a plan for how to prepare for the famine that was going to come. It was a simple plan: save during the years of excess so that they would have something to eat during the years of famine.
How good are you at saving during times of excess so that you have a rainy day fund when bad things happen?
Are you pessimistic about the future, or do you plan for the future so that the bad things that will happen do not have serious consequences for you?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”