Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams
Open Your Bible
Genesis 41:1-57, Genesis 42:1-38, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Timothy 1:16
BY Erin Davis
Of all the drama and intrigue contained in Genesis 41 and 42, these four words capture my attention the most: “after two whole years” (Genesis 41:1, ESV). Joseph sat in a foreign prison, innocent of the crimes he was accused of committing—for two whole years. That’s a long time to wait for your rescue, a long time to wonder if a savior is coming, a long time to pray for God to come through. Except, on God’s redemptive timeline, it isn’t. When God decided to restore Joseph, it happened in the blink of an eye: “Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit” (v.14).
Though I know the stories in God’s Word aren’t about me, I can’t help but identify with Joseph. I’d go all in on the bet that you can identify with him too. Here we sit, longing for our rescue. We’ve got heartaches and breaks we want mended. We’ve got needs we cannot meet for ourselves. We’ve got broken bodies, broken homes, and broken cultures. There are times our fallen world feels like a prison. In Christ, we have been made new (2 Corinthians 5:17), but it doesn’t always feel like it. We are still waiting for complete deliverance from our brokenness, and we have been waiting our whole lives. And yet… “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet… the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:52).
Whatever it is that you’re waiting for God to do, whether you’ve been waiting two years or two decades and even when the wait feels like it will last forever, there is hope worth holding on to. Someday, when Christ returns for His bride, we will exchange prisons for the fullness of His presence, pits for His perfect peace.
The wait often feels like it’s lasting too long—except, on God’s timeline, it isn’t. Watch for Jesus with hope that is rooted in expectation, knowing that the wait, no matter how long, will not have the last word.
35 thoughts on "Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dreams"
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Amen! This was beautiful and definitely what I needed to read. I always need to remind myself that God’s timing is perfect and I just need to trust Him because He is always with me.
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I love reading Jospeh’s story. It’s one of my favorites. The emphasis on today’s reading of waiting was something that I was not expecting (since I’ve read this story so often). But wow… I needed to read that today. Last night I was venting to my husband of how I’ve been feeling stuck and have been in such a waiting period (just shy of 2 years)…. so the fact that Joseph waited in prison for 2 years really hit home.
The lord remembers his children. He knows and provides ways out of the pit. Thank you Jesus. -
Hope – the word I am grabbing ahold of for dear life today.
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I will never tire of reading/hearing Joseph’s story. Our God is a God of mercy, love, power, and , I must say, great surprises! Joseph probably never imagined that he would end up being the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt! Like Joseph, I know God will rescue me from whatever pit or prison I am in (which I most likely got myself into). And he will do it in his perfect timing. ❤️
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The wait will not have the last word! this is an exciting reminder for me I constantly remind myself that you continue to exercise faith until the thing you’ll believe in for shows up even is Joseph set in that prison for two years he had to exercise fief until what he was believing for showed up not my time but God’s time thank you God for being forever faithful to your children
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God is always working in the waiting! I pray we would all find peace in the waiting, knowing he is in control!
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I have dreamt of living in San Francisco since I was 23 years old. I cannot explain the reason why my heart was so drawn to such a large city, but I always had a thought that I would one day live there and participate in life with the other Christians there in bringing kingdom. Here I am, 5 years later, taking BART to work and married to a wonderful man. I will not deny that there were days where I prayed and believe God only put that dream in my heart to grow patience in me, but ultimately, He gave me my dream! Patience is hard, and truly long suffering, but God is always good!
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Waiting is hard. Especially waiting for rescue…from abuse…I prayed for almost ten years to be rescued from my ex-husband’s emotional and psychological torture. On many,many days the pain was more than I could stand. I knew God heard my prayers. I knew He saw what I was experiencing. But I had to wait. While I was waiting, I clung tighter to His hand, I immersed myself in His Word, for He promised me that He was working behind the scenes to one day set me free! And that’s exactly what He did! It’s been a year and eight months of a brand new life, new freedom and a heart that rejoices everyday in my Savior Jesus, for He is my waymaker and my promise keeper!
To God Be the Glory!
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Wow, Bree. Your story is amazing. Ten years is a long time to wait. I’m so glad that God answered your prayer and that you have been given a fresh start and a new life. God Bless You, my friend.
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Praises! Praises!! I have a similar testimony and am so grateful for our Father’s great grace, mercy and deliverance.
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