(Genesis) Genesis 41:1-8
Pharaoh's dream of seven fat and lean cattle, and seven full and lean ears of corn, left him troubled and seeking an interpretation.
In this sermon, the speaker discusses two dreams that Pharaoh had. In the first dream, Pharaoh sees seven years of abundant corn growing on one stalk, followed by seven years of thin and withered corn. In the second dream, Pharaoh sees seven well-fed cows followed by seven skinny cows. Pharaoh is troubled by these dreams and seeks the interpretation from his wise men, but none of them can provide an explanation. The speaker emphasizes the significance of these dreams and the need for interpretation, highlighting the role of Joseph in later chapters of the Bible.
Full Transcript
Now, chapter 41, verse 1, "...it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed, and, behold, he stood by the river." Now, here is the dream of Pharaoh, and he dreams by the river, and it's, remember, two years after the last chapter, which means Joseph has spent two years almost in solitaire, waiting there for something to happen, and so far it hadn't happened. Now, Pharaoh has a dream, and, behold, I came up out of the river, seven well-favored kind, and fat-fleshed, and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kind came up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean-fleshed, and stood by the other kind from the brink of the river.
Kind are cows, and that's what we're talking now, but cattle. There were seven that were very well-fed, fine-looking cattle, and the others, they were really skinny cattle. They certainly were not very well-fed.
And Pharaoh woke up, and what did it mean? He didn't have the interpretation, but nobody could help him that day. And so the very next night, verse 5 now, and he slept and dreamed the second time. And, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
By the way, that's a whole lot of corn on one stalk, too. The section of country I came from, if you got two ears, you'd be doing well. And here, why, there are seven.
Now, verse 6, and, behold, seven thin ears, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them. And this would be more like it. In my country, it only wouldn't be seven, it would be two pretty thin-looking ears.
Verse 7 now, and the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. It came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof, and Pharaoh told them his dream.
But there was none that could interpret them under Pharaoh. And the butler was standing there, you know, that was his place before Pharaoh to get him anything that he wanted. And all of a sudden, the wise men are brought in, and Pharaoh says, I've had this dream, could you tell me the meaning of it? Seven fat cattle, seven lean cattle, seven full ears of corn, seven lean ears of corn.
What is it all about? Well, these wise men said, well, that gets us. We don't have the interpretation for that one.
Sermon Outline
- Introduction to Pharaoh's Dream
- Pharaoh's dream of seven fat and seven lean cattle
- Pharaoh's dream of seven full and seven lean ears of corn
Key Quotes
“By the way, that's a whole lot of corn on one stalk, too.” — J. Vernon McGee
“In my country, if you got two ears, you'd be doing well.” — J. Vernon McGee
“And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears.” — J. Vernon McGee
Application Points
- God's timing is not always our timing, and we must wait patiently for His plan to unfold.
- Even in difficult circumstances, God is working behind the scenes to bring about His purposes.
- We must seek God's wisdom and guidance in times of uncertainty and confusion.