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So we read last week, after Pharaoh revealed his dreams to Joseph that Joseph said TIANA TAYLOR
Genesis 41:29–57
August 6th 2023
Genesis 41:26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
So, let’s read through the rest of the chapter together then come back
29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
it Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt. {Zaphnathpaaneah: which in the Coptic signifies, A revealer of secrets, or, The man to whom secrets are revealed}
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Okay back to verse 29 as Joseph continues speaking to Pharaoh and says
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land;
31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
As mentioned last week, Egypt depends for its fertility of crops on the flowing or more specifically the overflowing of the Nile, and this flowing is not always equal, there must be a point to which it must rise to saturate the land sufficiently, in order to produce grain sufficient to support of the people.
According to the Historian Pliny, the overflow had to be just right – too much inundationd the crops were washed away, too little and they dried up.
Joseph adds –
32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
And he goes on @ verse 33
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
The Broadway musical has Joseph promoting himself indirectly here in a comedic way but we can’t be sure if there was any self-promotion, if God inspired him to say this here in reference to himself or what.
Whatever the case, Joseph, in addition to telling Pharaoh to find an overseer adds:
34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
In other words, let him also promote overseers of the land who would take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt as a tax.”
Some commentators say that this would have been more like a ten percent tax of the people for the seven years.
According to verse 47 the production of the earth in the times of plenty would be so much that the tenth would not be a problem to collect nor would it put a burden on the farmers. Joseph continues
35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
So, all the food woud be in the control of the King.
36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
37 And the thing was good in the eyes of all his servants.
(verse 38)
8 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?
While the play makes fun of this and has Joseph sort of trying to promote Himself to the Pharoah who is oblivious, it better seems that Pharaoh is asking a rhetorical question here, as in, “is it possible that anyone could have more of the Spirit of God in them?”
The term Pharaoh uses here for God is elohiym, the very same plural word used in Genesis 1:2.
If the Egyptians were idolaters, they acknowledged Joseph’s God by appealing to Him in the plural title. There are questions as to how much they knew of their God but one thing is certain – they allowed Joseph His beliefs and listened to what His plural God said.
Many scholars say that knowledge of the true God was in Egypt long before Joseph got there but it seems in this setting it was sort of up in the air as to which God was most powerful and this contest would continue to roll forward until Joseph’s God would altogether.
39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art:
40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
For me this is a picture of Yeshua incarnate when YAHAVAH, His Father, would put all thing in His hand.
Could be a stretch and it certainly does not rest on all fours but it seems like a type for when God would put all things into the hands of His only incarnate Son.
By the way, the line, “According unto thy word shall all my people be ruled,” the better interpretation is literally, “At thy mouth shall all my people kiss,” and it speak to the custom in eastern countries to kiss anything that comes from a superior as comes by way of showing respect and submission.
In this parallel we discover the sublime hypocrisy of Judas betraying the Lord with a kiss.
Nevertheless, with respect to both Joseph and his standing in Egypt, and Yeshua and His standing over the material world, Joseph was the man put in power right below Pharaoh and Yeshua was the Man put in power right below God.
That is how to see His place once He overcame the cross and therefore sin, death, satan and hell and that is why we read in Daniel 7:13-14 the prophecy speaking of Him that says
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Its why the angel said to Mary of Her Son
Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
It is why Yeshua said to some people standing around him in His life
Mt 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
And why after His resurrection Yeshua of Nazareth says in Matthew 28:18
“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
It’s also why Peter in Acts on the day of Pentecost said in Acts 2:36
Acts 2:36 Therefore let all “the house of Israel” (by the way, that speaks to all the twelve tribe gathered there at Pentecost) know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Its why Paul declared in Romans
Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Its why he adds in Philippians
Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
It’s why Peter, speaking of Yeshua wrote in 1st Peter 3:22
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
But in that day, before everything was put in His control He had to come back, and so the writer of Hebrews says
Hebrews 2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
What was left to be put under him? Death, which was in the hands of Satan. Until death was completely defeated, all things could not be put under Him.
And death was reigning so long as Satan was able to take captive any.
That is why Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 15
1st Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
The scripture makes plain that Yeshua has had the complete victory over death in the spiritual sense via resurrection and reconciliation of all.
Nobody dies and experiences death again. Its over. As in Adam all die even so in CHRIST SHALL ALL ALL be made alive.
In similitude of Christ, as a picture of Him suffering injustices, overcoming and being elevated, Pharaoh say to Joseph at verse 40
40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
In this we see the hierarchy established both in Egypt and on earth between what scripture calls God and His Christ.
Pharaoh clearly lifted Joseph up and made him Chancellor or Prime Minister over the Kingdom as God did the same with His only begotten Son – begotten because He took on human flesh, lived a human life without sin and became our King in full, the Only one fit for the crown and throne.
We note that Joseph, though elevated, was always subject to Pharaoh, just like Yeshau the man born of a woman was always subject to God who is Spirit.
This is why Pharaoh says
40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
Were people to show respect to Joseph? The same respect that they gave Pharaoh.
Are we to show respect to Yeshua? The very SAME respect we show to the living God.
This is what caused Paul to write
1Co 11:3 “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.”
This is the order and I would add it was the order THEN . . . BUT NOT based on value – just of administratione and order. This is not a valuation in heaven? I don’t believe it is any longer.
If I work for Amazon as Jeff Bezos right hand man what I say is what he says but I defer to Him in the things of Amazon just as Jesus always deferred to His Father in terms of heaven and earth.
If someone murders me or Jeff Bezos is there any difference under the law? Not one bit. We have equal value. So, it is only in the operation of Amazon that the hierarchy exists between Bezos and me and it is only in terms this earth that the Hierarchy exists for Christ and His father, and for husband and wife in that DAY.
In that DAY.
So, Joseph, like the victorious Lord, was decked out with Pharaoh’s ring, chain and “vestures of fine linen” and then He also rode in the second limo – chariot – showing second in command.
Of course these are all picture of Joseph being bestowed with honors – signet ring, chain, apparel and chariot.
All elements that show authority in Pharaohs name and cause.
The idea of redressing someone from the former apparel that displays their former station in life to another elevated place is all through the scripture and I would be remiss to gloss over it here.
The reason is because of the profound type it serves people today relative to the resurrection, the wedding ceremony and all the types that come with it.
Cutting to the chase, we might see the after life as our being invited to go to an illustrious party above where we will be received and accepted according to the clothes we are wearing.
We understand this idea here because we are all aware of how to present ourselves socially as a means to belong and what it feels like to be inappropriately attired, right?
So, try and imagine the afterlife presence of God at this party and everyone around us is clothed in the most illustrious shing clothes possible which they have received based on their faith and love combined with His justice and mercy.
But here’s the rub – the after-life gowns and suits will not be given based on they way we get them here (with money). No, they will be fabricated to represent your faith and love for God and man, with the most shining gold pearl platinum clothes reflecting the faith and love we chose to live by here.
So imagine that one of us is dressed in rags. The shame would be self imposed because in a crowd of people who love, there would be no judgement from others.
It this we might discover our afterlife destination – spiritually, we will ride with those like us because that is where our party has gathered.
The teachings of Christ clearly depict that entrance into the Kingdom will be very short lived if we are not appropriately dressed – kinda like the naked dreams some of us have – and they represent shame don’t they.
We have in the way Jospeh is elevated here (after His trial) a picture.
44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
This is the same as if he said, I am the king; for Pharaoh was the common title of the sovereigns of Egypt, whatever anyone does to you they do to me therefore none in all of Egypt should be so bold to challenge you.
45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
As a short aside, Zaphnathpaaneah, is a Coptic name that means, “a revealer of secrets,” or, “The man to whom secrets are revealed.”
Interestingly, some have translated this name differently. For instance, Jerome translated the name to mean,” Savior of the World in Egyptian,” but no translation supports this, poor Jerome.
Additionally, “Asenath, the daughter of Poti-pherah,” is not believed to be the daughter of Potipher who cast him into prison Why?
1 The scripture does not convey this anywhere but more intriguingly, it is believed that Potipher (who cast Joseph into prison) was a eunuch.
Yep. Adam Clarke writes
“The word oyro saris, translated officer, signifies a eunuch; and lest any person should imagine that because this Potiphar had a wife, therefore it is absurd to suppose him to have been a eunuch, let such persons know that it is not uncommon in the east for eunuchs to have wives, nay, some of them have even a harem or seraglio where they keep many women, though it does not appear that they have any progeny; and probably discontent on this ground might have contributed as much to the unfaithfulness of Potiphar’s wife, as that less principled motive through which it is commonly believed she acted.”
This plays into that cuckold notion of two weeks past.
Anyway, if we add in the description of this Potiferah we also read, “priest of On” here and can then add that this potiferah was somehow a priest under Pharaoh in that ON or providence.
The last line of verse 45 says
“And Joseph went out over all the land,” which is reiterated in the next verse which read
46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
Again, another type for Christ. However, and according to Genesis 37:2 Joseph was seventeen years old when he was sold into Egypt, so now being thirty, he must have been thirteen years in that place – some time with Potipher, some time in jail.
To describe him as thirty when “he stood before Pharaoh,” is a way to say that at thirty He had the highest honor bestowed upon Him by the most powerful person in the Land, similar to Yeshua being worthy to be called Gods beloved at the same approximate age.
47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
Instead of corn as the KJV says this crop was probably rice.
48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
Interestingly, it is said that Joseph named His sons these things specifically because MANASSEH means, “forgetfulness,” or “to forget” (because YAHAVAH helped him forget all the sorrow from those years of sorrow) and EPHRAIM was so named because YAHAVAH also made Him supremely fruitful in all he put His hand to.
I cannot think of two words more fitting for what Christ does for us – He helps us forget our sorrows and pain (as a means to forgive all people) and in Him we all become more fruitful in bearing the things God wants for us to bring into the world.
I cannot over stress this call from YAHAVAH on the lives of all who are His – to bear forth fruits of agapeo love – selfless, sacrificial, insufferable love – which is a choice and is provided by Him and Him alone.
So, verse 51
51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.
52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
Apparently, the “dearth in all lands,” probably included all the countries dependent on the Nile. However, it appears that a general drought had taken place, at least through all Egypt and Canaan; for it says in Genesis 41:57, that “the famine was sore in all lands-Egypt and Canaan, and their respective dependencies.”
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
Pharaoh, because of the advice of Joseph, had exacted a fifth to a tenth part of all the grain during the seven years of plenty to be taken it is very likely that no more was left than what was merely necessary to supply the ordinary demand both in the way of home consumption, and for the purpose of barter or sale to neighboring countries.
Of course the type is clear – YAHAVAH tells all who are spiritually starving and seek real like to go to Yeshua, the very bread of life, to consume Him and live.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
The original here better reads, “Over all the face of that land” and this is important in the event that some archeologist discovers no famine in other places in the future.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
Again, we have a picture or type presented here – that in the world when there is a want for truth all nations, not just the Jews, but all nations will come to Yeshua because they lack the bread of life and the living water offered only in and through Him.
Speaking of the very Nation of Israel and how far afield they we be from the truth before the Messiah arrives we read in Amos 8:11-12
Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.
In that age, Israel would be filled with more and more lost sheep because their shepherd chose to feed themselves, as Ezekiel 34 plainly states
Ezekiel 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
That church, those of the chosen and elected that we called out from the world needed to be regathered by the Good Shepherd.
And so His ministry began with a baptism unto repentance. And those with ears to hear listened to John and repented and were baptized into that “reconstituted, repentant Bride” that the Good Shepherd came to take once the apostles gathered and prepared her.
And take her He did. And today, because the scripture is ever living and certainly cyclical, we live in very similar times.
Times where there is a want of the Word, and the sheep are being lost because the shepherds of the body feed themselves,
like Ezekiel says
“Ye eat the fat,” and ye clothe yourselves with the wool,” killing them that are fed but your do not feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them
And the cycle of religion continues to misappropriate the purposes of God to itself, over and over and over again. And the flock gets scattered but now there is a Good Shepherd who truly brings them all into one fold.
We will see what happens in the story of Joseph next week.
Questions/Comments
David/Erick/Laura Odel/All struggling with pain.
TIANA and TAYLOR
Particular prayer for our water baptism which is going to happen outside with Hanna. You spirit will be in attendance and bring forth life to all seeking.
