from WL Worcester (H Blackmer, ed.), 
The Sower.  Helps to the Study of the Bible in Home and Sunday School
 
(Boston: Massachusetts New-Church Union, n.d.)

Table of Contents
 

 

Lesson 27

Genesis 41:  Plenty and Famine

The Story

Primary

We are in the wonderful country of Egypt. The butler and baker had dreams and Joseph interpreted them. Now it was Pharaoh who dreamed, and when the wise men of Egypt could not tell the meaning, the butler remembered Joseph, and the Lord showed him the meaning of the dream. What was the dream? A sort of double dream; and what did it mean? You would think of Pharaoh's dream if you should see the canals in the flat meadow land of Egypt, and cows coming up out of the water where they have been to cool themselves and to escape from the flies; and again if you should see the fine heads of wheat, but sometimes withered by the hot dusty wind that blows from the deserts of Arabia. There were years of plenty in Egypt when the Nile rose in the autumn and watered all the fields. There were years of famine when the river did not rise as usual and some of the fields went dry.

Pharaoh saw that the spirit of the Lord was with Joseph, and he set him next himself over all the land of Egypt, to gather up the grain in the years of plenty and sell it to the people in the years of famine. Read all the things that Pharaoh did for Joseph. The ring that he gave Joseph had Pharaoh's own seal. Using this seal was like signing Pharaoh's name. The chain was perhaps a beautiful collar, a sort of golden lace work. Joseph should ride in the second chariot next to Pharaoh's own, and the runners going before cried "Abrech," which means "Bow the knee." You would imagine it all if you should see the runners in bright dress, calling before the carriage of some great man in Egypt, to clear the way.

Joseph was married to the daughter of the priest of On. At the ruins of On, near Cairo, one lonely obelisk is still standing that belonged to the temple. Do you know what an obelisk is like? Other obelisks from the same temple have been taken to London and New York. If we see them, we may think that Joseph also saw them.

So Joseph gathered up the grain in the seven years of plenty and brought it out and sold it to the people when the years of famine came.

Junior

What did Pharaoh dream? A picture will help us to think of a canal from the river Nile and of cows which had been cooling themselves in the water, coming out to feed in the meadow. Ears of corn mean wheat. The east wind which parches the grain is a hot wind full of fine dust that blows from the deserts of Arabia during about fifty days in the spring. If it comes too early, it withers the grain. Who were the magicians and wise men of Egypt? We shall hear more about them in the days of Moses. Why was Joseph called to interpret the dream? How did he know its meaning?

What was the meaning of Pharaoh's dream? We can better understand years of plenty and years of famine in Egypt if someone has learned for us about the rising of the Nile each year and the importance of this to the fields, leaving on them a coating of rich mud and soaking them well with water. There is very little rain in Egypt, a few showers perhaps near the sea, but none inland. What did Joseph tell Pharaoh should be done? And Pharaoh appointed Joseph to do it, seeing that the spirit of the Lord was with him.

Notice the signs of power and honor that Pharaoh gave to Joseph: his own signet ring, vestures of fine linen or cotton, the chain or broad collar of delicate gold work, the place in the second chariot and the runners calling to the people to bow down as he passed. Joseph's wife was daughter of the priest of On. Has anyone found a picture of the obelisk still standing at On? Or has anyone seen another obelisk that has been brought from there? How could such a stone be brought across the ocean? Who were Joseph's two sons? Why do their names sound so familiar to us?

1. What are the first dreams mentioned in the story of Joseph? What dreams were interpreted by Joseph in the prison?

2. What was Pharaoh's dream? What did it mean?

3. What did Pharaoh do to Joseph?

4. What did Joseph do to prepare for the years of famine?

Spiritual Study

Intermediate

We have thought of Joseph as representing the influence of an inner acknowledgment of the Lord upon our natural interests and natural learning, inspiring these and preparing them to serve the spiritual. It is equally true and more personal and beautiful to think of Joseph as a type of the Lord preparing us for spiritual life while we are living and working among things of the world. Among the types of the Lord in the Old Testament - Abraham, Samuel, David - Joseph is perhaps the most beautiful.

The Lord provides for us years of plenty in Egypt, when as children we learn easily many heavenly lessons, especially from the letter of the Word. We should do our part to lay up a store of these precious things while we are children, especially stories from the Bible and Psalms. Joseph's storing the grain in the cities means that the Lord withdraws many of the precious things of childhood beyond our consciousness for their safekeeping. And Joseph's bringing out and selling the grain in time of famine means that the Lord brings these precious things to consciousness in after years when they may be a source of strength and an influence for good. (A. 5342, 5363, 5376)

Can you see any spiritual reason for the doubling of Pharaoh's dream? (A. 5212)

Pharaoh's appointing of Joseph to rule his land suggests how we ought to put our lives into the Lord's care, to be guided and protected by Him. "Without thee, shall no man lift up his hand or foot, in all the land of Egypt." Nothing should be done except as the Lord would have it done. But what does it mean that Pharaoh kept his throne? "Only in the throne will I be greater than thou." We still are responsible for our lives. It is for us to submit all things to the Lord and to see that He is obeyed. (A. 5313)

The story of Joseph in Egypt, which describes so beautifully the Lord's hidden work for our regeneration amid the experiences of worldly life, describes in our Lord's own life the work of the Divine for the glorification of this natural plane of His human nature. Be sure to read A. 5275, 5307.

to next Lesson