God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. [Genesis 45.7]
You know who else was "sent?" Jesus.
As I consider more of Joseph's story today, I am further convinced that he was fully aware of God's positioning at all times along the way to his reign of power in Egypt. "God has sent me..." reveals this.
From the time Joseph began having dreams, I believe he could interpret them. In fact, I believe it was always obvious to Joseph whether he acknowledged it or not.
It is a fact the whole family evidently had some understanding of dreams too...
One night Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him more than ever. “Listen to this dream,” he said. “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!” His brothers responded, “So you think you will be our king, do you? Do you actually think you will reign over us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dreams and the way he talked about them. Soon Joseph had another dream, and again he told his brothers about it. “Listen, I have had another dream,” he said. “The sun, moon, and eleven stars bowed low before me!” This time he told the dream to his father as well as to his brothers, but his father scolded him. “What kind of dream is that?” he asked. “Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow to the ground before you?” But while his brothers were jealous of Joseph, his father wondered what the dreams meant. [Genesis 37.5-11]
The funny thing is, Jacob and his sons all accurately understood the interpretation of Joseph's dream, but had trouble accepting or believing it!
So there are two things worthy of our attention today:
- Be willing to accept and believe dreams God gives regardless how impossible they seem, and,
- If we genuinely carry a dream, hardships can be seen as mere stepping stones.
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