Pharaoh’s Dream Part 4, 7/18/04

If everyone could turn to Genesis 41 where we’ve been studying for the last three or four weeks and by the way just to give you an idea of what we’re going to try and do we’re going to try and continue going through Genesis perhaps to Genesis 47 or even further we’re just going to keep going along and see how far we can go. And we started back in Genesis 38 we took a look at that. And in Genesis 39 and we saw how Joseph was cast into prison and then in chapter 41 Pharaoh was troubled by some dreams and Pharaoh heard that there was a man in prison who was Joseph the chief butler Pharaoh’s cupbearer told him that Joseph had interpreted some dreams for him while he was in prison and the things came to pass exactly as Joseph had said and so immediately Pharaoh calls for Joseph and he’s hastily brought out of the prison. Now we’ve seen we’re not wandering about this we’re not questioning this that everything has fit so well and so neatly together we’ve seen the spiritual picture of what has been going on is that when Joseph was in prison it was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ being in hell. When Pharaoh called Joseph out of prison that was a picture of Pharaoh being a type of God the Father who is resurrecting Christ who is bringing Him up from the dead and it’s done hastily. And Joseph comes before Pharaoh who’s a picture of God and of course Joseph is a type of the Lord Jesus and we won’t do it again but if you read as we did in our Bible reading but if you look it over carefully the language of verses 37 through 46 you’ll see that it all fits it all ties in with the Lord Jesus Christ. Pharaoh says there’s none as wise as Joseph and so he will be set over the house of his kingdom Pharaoh said that. Joseph’s word will rule his people everything fit together and tied in with Pharaoh as a picture of God Joseph as a type of Christ and now it is the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ when Jesus rose from the dead and he was lifted up to the right hand of the Father and all the language fits perfectly into that picture. And then almost immediately following we know the seven years of plenty came and the seven years of plenty we’re not wandering about we don’t wander what that typifies we know it’s a picture of the New Testament church age it’s a picture of from the Cross until the end of the New Testament era when Satan is loosed and the great tribulation begins and we know that because when Joseph comes out of prison it’s the resurrection and it says as Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream these things will shortly come to pass and so right away the seven years of plenty begin followed by seven years of famine and we don’t have any question about that because let’s go to Acts 7 and this just locks it in and confirms that we’re on the right path that we’re understanding things correctly in verse 11 of Acts 7:

Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

The word great affliction is the same two words or those two words are the same two words as great tribulation that are found three other times in the New Testament, Matthew 24, Revelation 2 and Revelation 7. And whenever God uses those two words together there’s only one period of time in view and that’s that little season that comes right up next against the end of the world when Satan is loosed. So God is telling us that the seven years of famine the dearth that came upon the world in Joseph’s day is a picture of great tribulation. Now it’s just locked in as far as what the seven years of plenty mean it can’t mean anything else Joseph rises out of prison Christ’s resurrection the seven years of plenty began and upon it’s conclusion seven years of famine the great tribulation what else could those seven years of plenty be? And then we looked a little bit last week and we saw that yes the New Testament church age was a time of plenty on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 immediately three thousand are saved and that’s just the beginning it was a time of gathering the firstfruits of bringing in the harvest. Well that’s what we’ve seen so far but today we’re going to look at we’re going to take a look a closer look at what happened here let’s begin by reading from verse 47 to verse 53 of Genesis 41:

And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls. 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. And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number. 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. 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. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

And by the way Ephraim and Manasseh are born during the seven years of plenty so who would they be a picture of? Two sons, two sons that God makes a point of saying they’re born during that period of time seven years of plenty, they’re a picture of the church. Now we always knew that Israel God uses as a type and a figure of the church but this is actually confirming and letting us know that when God speaks about Ephraim and Manasseh since they were born during the seven years of plenty and the number two also itself relates to the church that they are when God uses them a picture of the New Testament church but anyway going on verse 53:

And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

How many verses did God give to the seven years of plenty? How long did He spend on the seven years of plenty? Six verses from verse 47 to verse 53, six verses and that’s it and then beginning in verse 54 all the way through Genesis 47 He’s going to discuss the seven years of famine and you know we wonder why is it that God is spending so much time filling us in on this great tribulation period? Why do we keep talking about the great tribulation over and over again? Why is there so much emphasis made on the end of the church on the fact that it’s time to leave our congregations? Well look at how God establishes this here He is telling us through all the information we can gather and as we are studying this that the seven years of plenty represents the church age and He gives it six verses six verses. He says it was a time of great plenty they gathered by handfuls and then the seven years of plenty came to an end and that’s it and then He moves on and it’s going to be a long drawn out look at the time of famine the seven years of famine and isn’t that what we’re finding today as we’re studying Jeremiah we’re finding just about the whole book of Jeremiah deals with the great tribulation. Ezekiel just about the whole book deals with the great tribulation. Daniel many of the minor prophets Isaiah this is a great deal of information that God is giving us that is related to the time of great tribulation and God is again emphasizing how important this little season of time is here in Genesis as He is giving the seven years of plenty such really a short He’s making a short work of the seven years of plenty and then He’s going to go into detail on the seven years of famine. And look at verse 53 again:

And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

And let’s turn to Revelation 11:7 and it says and this is referring to the two witnesses that are a type of the ministry of the Gospel in the New Testament church:

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

When they finish their testimony when the time of the two witnesses ministry that twelve hundred and sixty day period comes to an end then the beast rises up and it is the great tribulation. That relates to Revelation 20 when the beast comes up out of the bottomless pit God’s telling us they have their period of testimony it comes to an end and then immediately the beast rises up out of the pit it’s the great tribulation and what we see in Genesis 41 is seven years of plenty has an end it comes to an end and immediately begins the seven years of famine day one of that seven years of famine that Acts 7 reveals to us is a picture of great tribulation and so that just confirms that we’re on the right track that everything that God is telling us is fitting together and we’re beginning to understand what’s going on.

Now it’s interesting that as we look at this that Pharaoh and Joseph knew all about it they knew all about it they weren’t surprised they weren’t caught off guard when the seven years of plenty came to an end and then it shifted to the time of famine. Now many people were caught off guard Jacob and his family living in Canaan we’re caught off guard they had no knowledge of this shift that there would be this time of dearth but Joseph and Pharaoh had full knowledge of what was going to take place they had full knowledge of what was going to come of the future they knew the future because God had revealed it to them and given Pharaoh those dreams historically. Historically Joseph interpreted the dreams and he knew that this was going to happen there would be seven years of plenty and there was and following that seven years of dearth. And since historically they knew the future what did they do? They made provision they made provision for the future look at verses 29-36 of Genesis 41:

Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 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; And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous. 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. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. 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. 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. 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.

So they had full knowledge of everything that was going to transpire they knew exactly what was going to happen and Joseph explains to Pharaoh as God is giving Joseph this wisdom take a fifth of the crop take a fifth part of the crop each years of the seven years of plenty and put it away store it away. We’ll build storehouses we’ll put it in every city in the land of Egypt we’ll have this bountiful harvest and we’re going to take a good portion a fifth and we’re going to store it in the storehouses and we’ll reserve it, it will be our reserve against the time of famine. And they did this year after year for the seven years they began storing all this corn away and then when the great tribulation or the dearth does come well they have corn they have food there’s food in Egypt there’s bread in Egypt and so Pharaoh and Joseph had a wonderful plan a brilliant plan how to survive the seven years of famine and it had to do with harvesting during the time of plenty and putting away a reserve against the time of famine. Now what we’re interested in is what does that corn represent? Because everything we’re seeing is that it ties in with the New Testament church age the seven years of plenty the seven years of famine with the great tribulation and what does that corn represent? And what could it be that God stored away a fifth He stored it away or excuse me I’m getting ahead but historically Pharaoh and Joseph stored away a fifth against the time of famine what could that represent? Well if you remember last week we went to Matthew 9:37 it says:

Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

The time of plenty right? There was a plenteous harvest plenteous harvest and Jesus says the harvest is plenteous and we know He’s referring to souls He’s referring to sinners that are out there in the world that He’s going to bring in a plenteous harvest it has spiritual meaning when Christ says the harvest is plenteous. Was He talking the crops in the land of Palestine in Israel of that day? Was Jesus interested in that? No He was looking upon the harvest of people He intended to save the harvest is plenteous. All right and we see how God does use that type of language regarding saving sinners He speaks of them as harvesting souls. Now can we take that idea and say that during that seven years of plenty the time when God was saving a great many people from all the nations of the world and that was so during the church age didn’t He save people from all the different nations of the world it was a great harvest. Can we say that God took some of that harvest of souls and stored it away that he stored the souls away and He is going to unveil them during the great tribulation? That’s not possible that’s not possible He could not have stored away people’s souls He could not have you know gathered some kind of harvest of sinners during the church age in the year 500AD and 1000AD and 1500AD and stored them away and then when we reached the great tribulation He opens the storehouse that’s not possible so it cannot be souls that’s in view but what else could the corn represent that must be related it must be related to the harvest of souls it must be related to bringing in the spiritual crop of those that Jesus intends to save His elect? Well let’s look at a couple of verses. Let’s turn to John 12:23-24:

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Jesus is likening Himself to a corn of wheat and if He die He will bring forth much fruit. So there’s one, one Biblical illustration Jesus is as a corn of wheat. Or turn to Luke 6:1-2 it says:

And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

Now this is an interesting account we’re not going to get into the whole meaning of it but it’s the second Sabbath after the first. Why does God tell us that? Because it’s pointing towards the New Testament Sabbath and the character of the New Testament Sabbath will be one of harvesting corn it will be one of plucking the ears of corn and rubbing them in their hands and eating the corn and the corn relates to the Gospel relates to the Lord Jesus Christ who is that corn of wheat that falls into the ground and God even though it’s not that clear here God is letting us know that corn is related to the Gospel. Let’s go to 1 Timothy 5:17-18 I think we really see the picture here very well it says in verse 17:

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

So the elders are labouring in word and doctrine and the ox is treading out the corn. It’s the same idea labouring in the word and doctrine is like treading out the corn and that’s what the corn is related to and we see how it can relate to a harvest the corn feeds those that God intends to save they become saved and part of the harvest you can’t really separate the Word of God from the harvest of sinners they’re intimately joined together. And so there’s seven years of plenty a plentiful harvest of the sending forth of the Word of God into the world which will save a great multitude of people it will save people from many different nations and wasn’t the New Testament era the new Testament period of time of abundant revelations from God? Wasn’t it a time when He opened up the scriptures regarding the fact that Gentiles would also be partakers of the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of God? And all the many mysterious passages or many of them in the Old Testament that pointed to the Messiah the New Testament was a time when many of them opened up and were better understood and more clearly understood by the people of God. Turn to 2 Corinthians 12:7 it says (this is the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of God):

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

See he received an abundance of revelations in other words in other words the Gospel so opened up for the people of the New Testament era that their plate was full their plate was full they had plenty to study they had plenty to find out regarding the Word of God regarding many of the scriptures that God was opening up as they studied these things. It was a plentiful harvest of corn of the Gospel and so God takes a fifth He takes a fifth now if we’re understanding the corn to represent the Gospel He takes a fifth of this Gospel message it’s like He took a chunk out of the Bible and He puts it away He puts it away He stores it up He took the corn and He put it away. And the Egyptians living during the seven years of plenty could not touch that corn they couldn’t have any of that corn they had plenty themselves and did they ever lack did they ever mourn or did they ever complain well I want some of that corn that you have stored up in the storehouse? No they would never do that because they were eating to the full they had all kinds of bread it was the greatest period of time in Egypt’s history and so what take a fifth part we have plenty none of us are going to lack anything none of us are going to miss anything and you see God is really letting us know what He did with His Word. He provided for the New Testament era and all those that lived during that age and not one of them was lacking because they never understood the end time information in the Bible not one of them felt as though they were deprived because they couldn’t fully understand Daniel and Revelation and some of these other books they had their hands full they had their hands full with the Word of God and as God puts this other information away. Let’s go to Daniel 12 and we’ll see what’s going on in Genesis 41. In verse 4 of Daniel 12 it says:

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

You see God took the Word and He shut it up He sealed it up nobody could uncover that Word nobody could know the meaning of many parts of Ezekiel or Daniel or Revelation or the two witnesses being slain or the man of sin taking his seat in the temple. Nobody could figure it out no matter how faithful they were no matter how much of a true believer they were no matter how intelligent and diligent in study they were some of the greatest theologians in fact probably the greatest theologians that ever lived, lived in the time of the reformation and they could not uncover these things they could not find out the mysteries of God concerning the time of the end they tried they tried and they did some study and they labored in it but they could never really get it and so there was always problems with their scenarios that they put forth because it was not for them that corn was put away it was kept in reserve it was not for those that were living during the time of plenty. It was to be shut up it was to be locked up can you imagine in the seven years of plenty how Joseph would have those under him and he would certainly be closely overlooking this process where they would gather the fifth part and they would have these big storehouses these big barns in all the cities and they would be putting it in and some of the people might be scratching their head why are we doing that everything’s wonderful why do we have to store it up and then the locks would be placed on those storehouses I don’t think they would leave them open for thieves or robbers where they could go in. They would definitely lock those storehouses full of the grain and full of the corn and nobody could touch that provision nobody could touch it nobody really the Egyptian people had no idea what it was for they didn’t know Pharaoh knew Joseph knew but the Egyptians themselves didn’t know and even the ones who were involved in that work of storing it and locking it up and God is saying this regarding His Words to Daniel shut up the words seal the book even to the time of the end. Now what do we see if we go back to Genesis 41 let’s do that let’s turn back there after the seven years of plenty are ended look at verses 54-57:

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. 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. 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. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

Right away right away the seven years of plenty ended and Joseph opens the storehouses and the people start coming to him and he starts feeding them this corn that was kept in reserve that was kept for exactly this day it was kept for this purpose and we can’t forget Acts 7:11 says this is a picture of the great tribulation it’s a picture of the great tribulation. God kept in store corn against the time of the great tribulation and once the great tribulation comes the storehouse is open and there is Joseph in Egypt and there’s bread in Egypt there’s bread maybe if we didn’t quite get the picture of corn we certainly get the picture of bread remember Jesus is the bread of life He’s the bread of life and the bread is related to the Gospel in Egypt there is bread there’s no bread in any other land but in Egypt there is bread and so God is letting us know that this time of great tribulation may have caught us by surprise may have caught the church by surprise it may have caught everyone in the world by surprise but everything is unfolding exactly as God has always known it would everything is working out precisely according to the plan of God and just think we’re amazed just to think that the book of Genesis or this historical event in Genesis took place some thirty nine hundred years ago thirty nine hundred years ago and God He’s already outlining the resurrection the death and resurrection of Christ the New Testament age it’s coming and going and the time of great tribulation. Remember as Pharaoh who’s a picture of God had those dreams we saw it covers the whole New Testament period and judgment day itself the seven years of plenty New Testament age seven years of famine great tribulation Pharaoh awakes and there’s scriptures in the Psalms that connects Pharaoh’s awakening to the awaking of God on the day of judgment as He comes to destroy the world and to judge mankind. God has laid it all out in these dreams of Pharaoh and God is amazing is amazing how He has established all things and everything works out according to His Word everything happens according to the Word of God and so now here we are here we are in this time of great tribulation and isn’t it interesting that we’re looking at this book of Genesis and the account of Joseph and we’re understanding things that no one has understood before in history and that’s only because God is opening up these things God is revealing these things it is the time to open the storehouse it’s the time to open up the storehouse and to feed the people to give them the grain to give them the corn give them the bread and God is in total charge of that it’s Joseph it’s Joseph it’s you know Joseph of course has people under him that are performing all the manual labor they’re the ones actually pulling the chain to open up the storehouse door but it’s Joseph the Lord Jesus Christ who is giving the corn it’s Joseph who is feeding the people with bread and what Pharaoh says now Pharaoh is God in this context He says go unto Joseph what he saith unto you do. Go to Joseph go to the Lord Jesus Christ and what He says do and it is Christ who is working all these things out who is in total control who is revealing Himself as being in Egypt during our day and Egypt’s a picture of the world and God is telling us go to Joseph, go to the Lord Jesus Christ to get our bread during this time of great tribulation.

All right now next time we’re going to move into chapter 42 and we’re going to find Jacob and his sons are in the land of Canaan and Canaan is related to or God uses it as a picture of the Kingdom of God the New Testament church they’re in the land of Canaan once the great tribulation comes but then let me just read the first two verses:

Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

The time of great tribulation and they hear there’s corn in Egypt. There’s no corn in Canaan there’s no corn there’s no blessing upon the Word of God in the church but they hear the report they hear the news there’s corn in Egypt and as we move on we’re going to see how Joseph interestingly enough does not reveal himself he does not reveal himself to his brethren immediately he does not say right away hey I’m Joseph but he keeps his identity hidden from them until a certain point and so we’ll look more at that next week.

Let’s have a word of prayer.