The old song said, 'California dreaming on such a winters day'. Tonight we will be 'Pharaoh dreaming on such a winter's day!' So come on out to Harvest Hills Community Church in Clinton for the Bible discussion on the life of Joseph in chapter 41 of Genesis!

Genesis 41:1-30 - Pharaoh dreaming on such a winter's day!
In our own words:
Genesis 41:1-8 tells us of Pharaoh’s dream and his inability to find someone able to interpret it. In verses 9-14, the cupbearer finally remembers Joseph and his interpretation of their dreams in prison, and Pharaoh called for Joseph to come and interpret his dream. Joseph interpreted the king’s dreams, which foretold of the coming seven years of great abundance in Egypt (41:29) and the following seven years of famine (41:29).

The difference between a vision and a dream is that a dream happens while you are asleep; whereas, a vision happens while you are awake.  You see a dream when unconscious while you see a vision when you are conscious.

Why do you think God made Joseph wait 2 years in prison?

Can you think of other people in the Bible who had “delays” in their lives?

Is God making you wait for something? How do you see God’s hand in the “delays” in your life? How are you allowing God to use you right where you are, while you wait?

Pharaoh is not Jewish, yet God spoke to him via this dream - God spoke to a non-believer! What do we discover about how God speaks to people? Do you believe God speaks to non-believers?

Can we discover anything about God’s character from the dreams?

What do we discover about God’s character from Joseph’s reaction to Pharaoh and his dreams?

What kind of person do you think the cupbearer was?

What is Godly character?

Who were magicians and wise men?

The first mention in the Bible of “wise men” is here in Genesis 41:8. “Wise men” in Hebrew is ‘chakam’. ‘Chakam’ means an intelligent, skillful, artful or cunning person. This same word is used throughout the rest of the Old Testament, except in the Book of Daniel.

In the New Testament, the first use of “wise men” is the Greek word ‘magos’, when the “wise men” came to visit Jesus. ‘Magos’ is an old Persian word equivalent to ‘chakam’ of the Old Testament.

Let’s look at Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:13.

Application - SPECS on Bible study

S - sin to confess and stop

P - promise to have or keep
E - example to follow

C - command to do or obey

S - stumbling block or problem to avoid or go around

Joseph's’ life teaches us that disappointments are vital to spiritual growth because they demand faith and resting all hope upon God. Raymond Edman wrote, “Delay never thwarts God’s purposes;

it only polishes His instrument.”