Joseph is clear that he isn't the interpreter of dreams,
that is God's work. He gives the
interpretation and assures Pharaoh that because the dream was doubled it is set
and cannot be altered. He does, however,
have a plan for what to do about it.
Because he alone is able to interpret the dream, Pharaoh chooses Joseph
to take over the task of storing up the harvests against the coming
famine. That is quite a bit of faith
both in the interpretation of the dream and the man who gave the
interpretation. No one will know for
eight years if the interpretation is correct and even then it will really be
fourteen years before the truth is known.
It is quite a promotion for Joseph.
In fact, you could say that he was promoted not to a job but to the
status of family member. He is head not
only of laborers but of the household, is given the signet ring, he rides
directly behind in the second chariot as a son, he is given a new name, an
Egyptian name, and a wife, the daughter of an Egyptian priest. Did you also notice that Pharaoh, who is
acting like a father to Joseph, also gave him garments of fine linen? Who else has treated Joseph this way, raised
him over the rest and given him a garment that also sets him apart? Jacob.
Jesus, as the Son, is under authority, He can do nothing of
his own accord, only what he sees the Father doing. A son was obliged to be under the authority
of his father and did what the father did, was not operating
independently. In that first reading,
the giving of the signet ring was important as it gave Joseph the ability to
bind Pharaoh to act in whatever way Joseph determined. When an official document was signed, the
ring would be pressed into wax in order to certify that the person signing the
document was the person himself. It was
its own notarization. To give the ring
to anyone implied a deep trust in the person to act as you yourself would in
the situation. Jesus was able to do the
same with respect to the Father in heaven, and He proved His trust by bringing
glory to the Father. He says that
judgment is given to the Son, and judgment is based completely on belief in His
word. How does Jesus judge?
Have you truly died with Christ? Believing in your mind isn't actually good
enough, you are called to die to the old man.
Joseph, the old man, the son of Jacob, is now known as Zaphenath-paneah,
and for all intents and purposes is an Egyptian. Everything about him is new. He is no longer a Hebrew prisoner and slave,
he is Egyptian royalty and his conduct must befit that new identity. In Christ we are new creations, the old man
is to pass away and die and a new man is born.
Our new life is that we are the beloved of God in Christ Jesus and our
lives should befit that new identity. We
are no longer under law but grace, fear is gone and our joy should be to be
like the Father and that requires knowing what the Father would do and say.
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