Genesis 41
Genesis 41:9–10, The chief butler spoke. Here the chief butler is recounting the events to Pharaoh of how he ended up in prison as if Pharaoh weren’t aware of these facts. It is quite possible that this was a new Pharaoh, and the Pharaoh who had put the butler in prison was now dead. If so, then this new Pharaoh was very young, since in Genesis 45:8 Joseph, who by now would have been at least in his late 30s, refers to himself as “a father to Pharaoh.”
YHVH’s timing was perfect for his larger plans to be fulfilled in Joseph’s life. Do you have the trust in YHVH to believe the same for your life? Had the chief butler remembered Joseph prior to this time, it is likely that YHVH’s plans for Joseph may not have worked out to his benefit. Would he have had the chance to interpret Pharaoh’s dream? Would he have returned to Canaan? How would the history of the nation of Israel been different?
Genesis 41:16, Elohim. By this time, Joseph had endured multiple false accusations, murder attempts, enslavement and imprisonment on false charges. A man of lesser spiritual stature than Joseph might have lost his faith in Elohim along the way. What can we learn from Joseph about enduring and overcoming faith in our Maker in the face of adverse circumstances in life?
In this verse, what is the evidence that he hadn’t given up hope in his Heavenly Father, and that he had not lost sight of the prophetic promises that YHVH had made to him many years earlier? Simply this. Even though Joseph was standing before a king, who had the power of life and death over him, he still had faith that Elohim would give him the interpretation to the king’s dream. Not only did Joseph believe this, but openly declared his faith to Pharaoh. What does this teach us about boldly proclaiming our faith even in the face of possible death? In Revelation 12:11, we learn that the end time saints will overcome the Evil One by the word of their testimony and that they will not love their lives the death. Elsewhere Yeshua declared to his disciples, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Matt 10:32). Now is the time to start putting our faith to work in the small areas, so that we will pass the larger tests that will inevitably come our way later.
As a form of witnessing to those around you, do you give honor to YHVH whenever you can—even to strangers and potential enemies as Joseph did?
The fact that Joseph was able to proclaim his faith in Elohim in front of one of the most powerful monarchs of his day is evidence of his strong and abiding faith in and fear of YHVH even in spite of years of mistreatment and false accusations. Joseph is a powerful and encouraging example to the down-trodden saints of the world, who have been persecuted for the their faith. Joseph is proof that it is possible to maintain faith in YHVH even in spite of dire, even life threatening circumstances.
Genesis 41:38, A man in whom the Spirit of Elohim is. Would this be the testimony of those heathens around you about you? If not, why? What changes in your life can and should you make to insure that it would be?
Genesis 41:45, Poti-phera.Apparently, this was none other than Potiphar, Joseph’s former slave master and the one who wrongfully imprisoned Joseph. Joseph being permitted to marry Potiphar’s daughter was YHVH’s way of vindicating him in the eyes of the Egyptians (The ArtScroll Stone Edition Chumash, p. 299; The ArtScroll Tanach Series Bereishis/Genesis Commentary, vol 1b., p. 1665).
Genesis 41:46, Thirty years old. Joseph was in Egypt as a slave and a prisoner from roughly from age 17 (Gen 37:2) to age 30. Despite being falsely accused of sins he had not committed, during this time, he still did not lose faith in Elohim.
Genesis 41:50–52, To Joseph were born. Joseph was blessed in Egypt with an Egyptian wife and two sons. Therefore, his sons were not full-blooded Israelites. This was prophetic. Eventually Joseph’s descendants went into captivity into foreign nations, as happened to Joseph himself, where they would mix their seed with those of non-Israelite blood resulting in mixed children racially (Hos 7:8 and 8:8.) Prophetically, YHVH accept would accept these children of mixed race marriages to be grafted in to the olive tree of Israel to become full citizens with equal standing and rights as full-blooded Israelites (Rom 11:13–24). Who does Paul say these Gentiles who were grafted into the olive tree of Israel? Please read Romans 9:25–26 and then read the Hosea passage Paul is quoting from Hosea 2:23. Paul refers to these people as Israelites and literal offspring of Abraham (Eph 2:11–19; Rom 4:16; 9:8, 11; and Gal 3:7, 9, 14, 28, 29)!
Genesis 42
Genesis 42–46 Two Brothers and the Two Houses of Israel in End-Time Prophecy
Stay tuned! To be continued…
