(Genesis) Genesis 41:9-16 — J. Vernon McGee

The Butler Remembers Joseph's Sin and Promise

Verse 9,. "'Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day,' and I'd call it a little more than a fault, it's a sin for him to have done what he did. But you see, all of this is in the providence of God.

Providence in the Circumstances of Joseph's Delay

These are what you call the fortuitous concurrence of circumstance. These are the things that happen that's difficult for us to understand at that. And why did they happen? Well, they happened for a purpose.

The Butler Testifies About Joseph's Dream Interpretation

And now the chief butler says, oh, I just remember. I promised that young fellow down there in the prison that I would speak to you. And by the way, Pharaoh, he can interpret dreams. Now he tells Pharaoh his experience.

The Butler Recalls Joseph's Accurate Interpretations

Verse 10,. "'Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker. We dreamed a dream in one night, I and he. We dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

And there was there with us a young man, a Hebrew servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams to each man according to his dream he did interpret. And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was.

Me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph.'. He said, well, we've tried everybody else around here, and if that young man that's in prison that you'd forgotten about was so good at interpreting your dream and that of the baker, well, let's have him in here because I of the opinion that this dream was something very significant.

Joseph Is Released and Prepared to Meet Pharaoh

"'Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon, and he shaved himself and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. Now he shaved himself.'". You must remember that these people were not shaving in that day.

This boy Joseph looked like the hippie type down in prison, not shaved. But have you ever noticed all of the statues and paintings of the Egyptians, clean-shaven people? They have a little goatee, many of the rulers, and that goatee was there.

Actually it was put on old King Tut. He couldn't grow one. It was just put there because it added dignity to the position of the ruler. But actually they were clean-shaven people. And in this is a tremendous message, by the way.

This man is lifted up out of prison, he's shaved now, a new life is before him. He's raised up, resurrection is here. Now he goes to the Gentile. What a tremendous picture we have here. Now will you notice?

Joseph Attributes Dream Interpretation to God

"'And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I've dreamed a dream, and there's none that can interpret it. And I've heard say of thee that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.'. Now listen to Joseph again, "'And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It's not in me.'".

He makes it clear, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. In other words, from Joseph's viewpoint, God must receive the glory. And again I come back to that. I said it the other day, the child of God in his life should be very careful that God gets the glory for any accomplishment or anything that he does.

If you and I do anything, friends, and we're the ones that are doing it, it's of the flesh. And believe me, it's not pretty. And one thing is for sure, God won't accept it. But if you and I are doing anything that's accomplishing anything at all, it's because God is doing it.

Pharaoh Recounts the Dream of Seven Cattle

And in this particular case, Joseph says, it's not in me, I can't interpret it, but God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. "'And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river, and behold, I came up out of the river, seven kind.'".

And here we go with that dream again. We've already heard it.