| Subject: Genesis 37 vss 5-8 Post 177 |
Author:
Hillbilly
| [ Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 19:28:39 01/12/12 Thu
Genesis 37:5-8 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. 8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
Joseph is a dreamer. His life's story really starts with a dream. His brothers, in derision, call him a dreamer. As we see in verse 8 it states "they hated him yet the more for his dreams". I venture to say that by the plural "dreams" this is not the first dream that Joseph has related to them. This is the first dream mentioned but that doesn't mean it is the first dream. God spoke to many in the Bible through dreams. Abraham, Jacob, Daniel, Paul, King Saul etc. There is good possibility that He also speaks to each of his children at times. Job 33:14-17 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 17 That he may withdraw man from his (mans own) purpose, and hide pride from man.
You say: "God doesn't speak to me in dreams". How do you know He doesn't? Doesn't the passage say "when deep sleep"! God, at His choosing and discretion, speaks to whom He wants and does it when they are in deep sleep and slumberings upon their beds. "Then he openeth the ears of men". These "ears" are spiritual and pertain to the soul. God speaks and instructs on the spiritual plane. The result is that God instructs without the conscious man knowing it and he "seals" that instruction so that there is no pride in the knowledge God has imparted.
Let me give an example of how I believe this has worked in my life. I am a tool maker and tool designer by trade. The tools I design are mostly metal stamping dies. I have never had schooling nor formal training in this. Situations and opportunities arose that placed me in these positions gradually over time . As I started out being given designing assignments I struggled as you might well imagine. I am a person who believes in prayer and staying in close contact with God. As I work many times I find myself asking my Lord to help me. I will tell Him how I am in a blind alley and I see no where to turn. I often take these problems home with me and have them heavily on my mind when I go to bed. I will pray for God to help me resolve the problem and show me how to arrive at a successful design that will work and be cost efficient. You have no idea how many times I have awoke a 2:00 to 3:00 a.m. with the answer! I can't claim that I solved the problem because I didn't. God gave me the answer when I was asleep and there was no pride in self on my part but there was great pride in being a child of God and having the greatest designer in existence helping me. Multitudes of times I have simply said: "Thank you Lord".
Joseph was a man of dreams and the nature of these dreams clues us to the close relationship Joseph enjoyed with God. God had great plans for Joseph and also planned on using Joseph and his life to foretell of future events that would come to Israel and the world.
In this first related dream Joseph is binding sheaves of grain with his brothers and suddenly the sheaf he has first bound in a bundle stands up and the sheaves his brothers have bound do likewise. Then to his amazement the sheaves of his brothers encircled him and bowed to his sheaf. Joseph remembered his dream but he did not know what it meant. His brothers got the "jist" of what he was saying for they said: " Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us?" They didn't understand that it would happen but they did understand the meaning of his words. It is not until Joseph is in Egypt and second only to Pharaoh in power and his brothers are standing before him that he realizes the truth of the dreams he had as a young man. The evidence of this is found in Genesis 42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
The prophecy is twofold. One facet has been fulfilled and the other is yet to be fulfilled. That which is fulfilled is that Joseph's brethren did indeed do obeisance to him when they went to him in Egypt for corn. The second facet is when Israel as a nation will bow to Jesus at his 2nd coming. At His first coming they crucified him. At His second they will worship Him.
Joseph indeed did reign over his brothers and had dominion over them and Jesus will indeed reign over Israel and the world when this second facet of the prophecy is fulfilled.
Isaiah 45:23-24 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear 24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. Joseph's brothers were truly ashamed of what they had done. Israel will one day know that same shame.
Not only did Joseph have dominion and rule over his brothers but he also had dominion over Egypt as he rose to power as 2nd in command of all Egypt. Egypt in scripture is a type of the world and it's corruption. The Egyptians also did obeisance to Joseph and thus prophecy of that great coming event when "saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." (Rom. 14:11)
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
] |
|
Feedback: 