Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dream in the PalaceBible World
41:29Genesis 41:29
Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt:
God was warning Pharaoh about what He was about to do, making it known through Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream, with the two dreams being one dream. What was foretold was seven years of exceptional abundance throughout all the land of Egypt, when field and garden, fruit and grain would yield plentifully, more than usual and more abundantly than ever before. Those years of plenty would come before and be followed by seven years of severe famine so grievous that the plenty would not be known in the land and would seem forgotten. The doubling of the dream proved that the fulfillment was certain and near.
The abundance was given to provide time to prepare for the coming shortage and to make preparation possible. Therefore a discreet and wise man with officers under him was to be set over Egypt to take up the fifth part of the land in the plenteous years and to gather and lay up corn under Pharaoh's hand in the cities as a store against the famine, so that supplies would be available and people could obtain food when famine came. The famine that followed also reached Canaan, leading Jacob's sons to go to Egypt to buy food and live.
The prediction is one of many biblical predictions that limited an event to a given time and was then fulfilled in accordance with the prediction, showing that God foretells events to occur within a given time and fulfills them within that time. Its fulfillment proves that the chronological portions of the Bible are as reliable as any other part, giving reason to trust chronological periods that extend to the second coming of Christ.
God was warning Pharaoh about what He was about to do, making it known through Joseph's interpretation of Pharaoh's dream, with the two dreams being one dream. What was foretold was seven years of exceptional abundance throughout all the land of Egypt, when field and garden, fruit and grain would yield plentifully, more than usual and more abundantly than ever before. Those years of plenty would come before and be followed by seven years of severe famine so grievous that the plenty would not be known in the land and would seem forgotten. The doubling of the dream proved that the fulfillment was certain and near.
The abundance was given to provide time to prepare for the coming shortage and to make preparation possible. Therefore a discreet and wise man with officers under him was to be set over Egypt to take up the fifth part of the land in the plenteous years and to gather and lay up corn under Pharaoh's hand in the cities as a store against the famine, so that supplies would be available and people could obtain food when famine came. The famine that followed also reached Canaan, leading Jacob's sons to go to Egypt to buy food and live.
The prediction is one of many biblical predictions that limited an event to a given time and was then fulfilled in accordance with the prediction, showing that God foretells events to occur within a given time and fulfills them within that time. Its fulfillment proves that the chronological portions of the Bible are as reliable as any other part, giving reason to trust chronological periods that extend to the second coming of Christ.