Genesis 41:1-13
Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream, and behold, he was standing by the Nile. And lo, from the Nile there came up seven cows, sleek and fat; and they grazed in the marsh grass. Then behold, seven other cows came up after them from the Nile, ugly and gaunt, and they stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. The ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. Then Pharaoh awoke. He fell asleep and dreamed a second time; and behold, seven ears of grain came up on a single stalk, plump and good. Then behold, seven ears, thin and scorched by the east wind, sprouted up after them. The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Then Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Now in the morning his spirit was troubled, so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh. Then the chief cupbearer spoke to Pharaoh, saying, “I would make mention today of my own offenses. Pharaoh was furious with his servants, and he put me in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, both me and the chief baker. We had a dream on the same night, he and I; each of us dreamed according to the interpretation of his own dream. Now a Hebrew youth was with us there, a servant of the captain of the bodyguard, and we related them to him, and he interpreted our dreams for us. To each one he interpreted according to his own dream. And just as he interpreted for us, so it happened; he restored me in my office, but he hanged him.”

Genesis 41:8
…he sent and called for all the magicians…and all the wise men…but there was no one who could interpret.

Genesis 41:8
He called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all its wise men.

Daniel 2:2
Then the king gave orders to call in magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams…

Humans were inadequate then with troubling dreams and they are inadequate now with troubling realities.

1 Corinthians 1:20
Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Desperation precedes intervention.

He alone has an answer. If you want answers, you want God!

2 Chronicles 7:14
…and my people, who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

James 4:6
God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

When we come to the end of ourselves.
When all human help fails.
When we don’t know who can help us.
When we begin to look up.

Genesis 41:14
Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph…

“If God’s time has not come, our time has not come.” RT Kendall

Genesis 41:37-38
Now the proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and all his servants. Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?”

Joseph is a turtle on a fencepost. God put him there.

“…a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit.” v. 38

Genesis 41:41
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

No matter what our pain, God is able to give us a new chapter and a new life.

Genesis 41:51
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “for,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and my father’s household.

Genesis 41:52
He named the second Ephraim, “For,” he said, “God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

Fruitful in the land of affliction.

“Father, let me be fruitful in the land of affliction.”