Genesis 40:8(NKJV)
8And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.” So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”
In the course of our study, we have come to understand that, while Moses was called to lead Israel out of bondage, Joshua was called to lead them into their destiny. We discovered that destiny is the purpose for which God created us. There are many elements to that purpose, but the sum total of it is our destiny. There is often a main calling, destiny, that the other events in our lives will lead us to.
We also know that destiny is given, directed and empowered by God. We do not create or bring to pass our own destiny. As we cooperate daily with the will of God we will come to the eventual purpose of God for our lives. If we do not cooperate with his daily will we will miss all or part of what he created us to be.
We have been watching Destiny at work in the life of Joseph. The favorite son of Jacob, also known as Israel, was given a dream by God in which his father, mother and brothers all bowed down to him. His handling of this so angered his brothers that they threw him into a pit. This began a journey that looked like anything but the hand of God moving him towards a wonderful destiny. However in each horrible development two things happened. God was with Joseph and blessed him and God moved him inexorably towards the fulfillment of God’s plan for his life.
The pit led Joseph to a slave caravan. The caravan led him to Potiphar’s house. Potiphar’s house led him to a specific prison where the kings special prisoners went. The blessing of God upon Joseph led him to the point where he was in charge of every situation he found himself in. Now the king’s cup bearer and baker are in his prison and he sees they are distressed. Joseph asks them why and finds out they have had dreams that need interpreting.
Joseph started this journey as a dreamer. God has been working in him. He is no longer the arrogant young man he was. Now he realizes that the interpretation of dreams is in God’s hands. I can see why he would come to that conclusion. He knew his dream was from God but he has come to the conclusion that the interpretation he had of that dream was all wrong. He has learned that he must leave to God how destiny will play out.
Now he is called on to put that understanding to work for these two men. You can read their dreams in Genesis chapter 40. For our purposes that is not important. What is important is that Joseph interpreted the dreams with astonishing accuracy. The baker is told his dream means he will die. Soon the executioners come for him. The cup bearer is told he will live and he is restored to his position. He vows to remember Joseph to the king. As this man leaves Joseph is filled with hope that his long ordeal may finally be over.
One of the most difficult things about trusting in the power of Destiny is timing. We have one time frame in which we want things to happen and God, Destiny, has another. I am sure Joseph thought this man would go right back and tell the king about him. I am sure he hoped that this would bring about a quick release. Instead it is two more years before anything changes.
What does Joseph do? He does what he always does. He does not complain or whine. I am sure he had his days just like we would, but he cannot control what the kings cupbearer will do. He can control what he will do. He continues to bless those for whom he has been given responsibility. He continues to apply himself in his job. Most important, I believe he grows in both the skill he will need later and his trust in Destiny to bring him to the purpose for which he was created.
Finally the king has a dream. No one can interpret this dream. The cup bearer then tells the king of his and the baker’s dreams. He tells him that this prisoner called Joseph could interpret the Pharaoh’s dream. After all this time in a pit, in slavery and in prison, Joseph is summoned to the Pharaoh.
If Joseph had never been in the pit he would never have been a slave. If he had never been a slave he would have never been in Potiphar’s house. If he had never been in Potiphar’s house he would never have been in that particular prison. If he had never been in that prison he would never have met the cup bearer and interpreted his dream. If he had never interpreted the cup bearers dream he would never have been called to the Pharaoh. Now he stands there ready. Prepared by the hand of God and the working of destiny to take another step in the journey to his purpose.
To make a long story short, he interprets the kings dreams to mean that there will be seven prosperous years and seven lean years. Pharaoh must put someone over the distribution of grain so that in the lean years there will be enough left over from the prosperous years and no one will starve. Egypt will be in a powerful position if they have food when no one else does.
Joseph does not lobby for the job. He has learned two important things. Fist, there is no difference between the prison and palace if God is with you. Second, how dreams play out is in God’s hands. Destiny will do what is right for Joseph.
The king, of course, sees on one more wise than Joseph and puts him in charge of the food supply of Egypt. He becomes the administrator. The same job he held for Potiphar and in the prison. He is second in Egypt only to Pharaoh. He is in charge of the whole country in all but name. What a wonderful end. Joseph has reached his destiny. No he has not. The palace is just one more step to get him in place for his purpose.
You and I have been on a journey. Not everything in that journey has been the hand of God. However in everything God has been working. Destiny has lead us and prepared us for each and every step we have taken. When we cooperate with what God is doing we find that we end up where God wants us. As we trust him, he blesses us throughout the journey. When the devil comes against us we stand on God’s word and God helps us overcome him. Trust in this force of Destiny in your life. God loves you He knows you and he is moving you toward a good end.
There is one more important chapter in the story of Joseph. We will look at that tomorrow.
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