Genesis 41

Pharaoh's Dream and God's interpretation!

If we wait and remain faith, God will use us again and again for his purpose. Pharaoh was troubled by dreams and no one could interpret the dreams for him and no one could calm him down. The butler finally remembers that he forgot all about Joseph, the one who told him his dream and what it would mean. He confesses to Pharaoh, and Joseph is sent for. 

As always Joseph makes it clear that he will not interpret the dream, but the God of Heaven will reveal all that is hidden. So it will be with us on the day of judgment, nothing will be hid. Joseph reveals that the seven goodly kine and the seven ill kine stand for seven years to come, some of feast and seven more of famine. Joseph by the hand and revealing power of God is able to reveal what all the magicians and soothsayers could not. It will again be the same for us, by God's hand we can accomplish much for the spread of the Gospel, but the accomplishments of this world will all fade. 

Pharaoh now sees the wisdom and power in Joseph by the hand of God and makes him the ruler over all of Egypt and puts him in charge of the seven years of gathering for the seven years of famine. Joseph becomes what he was for his father, for Potipher and also for the jailer. Joseph becomes the man in charge by the hand of God. God not only blesses Joseph, but blesses Egypt because of Joseph. Joseph marries and has Manasseh and Ephraim while living as a ruler in Egypt. God is about to make his hand known to all of his brethren, and to the entire world. 

Genesis 2

Genesis Chapter 2

On the seventh day God rested from all of his labors. Genesis says that he sanctified the day and made it something special. It was a foreshadowing of the rest to come in Heaven for those that are 'sanctified' by his Son. In Exodus the twentieth chapter and the eighth through the eleventh verses we have the commandment for seventh day, the day of rest. If we go even further though, into the second chapter of Mark we find that the Sabbath was made for man, and not the man for Sabbath. We find that God it good, gracious and merciful to his creation from the beginning.

In the following verses we find that God made the earth and everything in it for man and woman and their use. He made the plants, animals, rivers, lakes, all of it for the use of man. I'm sure God did not intend for man to abuse the earth or the animals and vegetation in it, but I don't believe God intended for man to sin either. I believe God knew man would sin, but I believe it was his love that gave man the choice to serve him or not.

God also not only made the earth for man, but made a specific place for him to rest and enjoy himself. He made a place for man to dwell with his wife. We notice that there is some labor for man in the 15th verse. God wanted Adam to 'dress' the garden. Man was not made to be idle, and idleness does not bring happiness. We will never know how the human body was before sin, but I don't think it was meant to be idle, stagnant and immobile even before the fall of man. Relaxing from work only feels good after you have actually worked, otherwise what are you relaxing from?

The second chapter goes into some detail about where and what exactly is found in Eden. Surely God  left no detail out when preparing this place for man. It had rivers, plenty of food, and even precious stones and gold. Here though, we come to the test of man and his character? Who is God to test man and want to see his obedience? He is God, and he is man's creator; who is man to question God's ways and plans? God put trees bearing fruit in the garden and told them they could enjoy all of them but one. Imagine, you're in paradise and your livelihood, happiness and ultimately your life depends on staying away from one thing. It's not hard, until man starts to put himself before God.

So God sees this great thing he has created, and looks over it all, but feels that man needs company. God was ever looking to help his creation along and give him everything he needed. God is good. He causes Adam to sleep and he creates Eve from the ribs of Adam. It seems like a decent price to pay for companionship until you think of the price Christ paid for our redemption.