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God’s Man Exalted to Save the World
Genesis 41:1-57
In war, there are many soldiers. They risk life and limb for king and country. But some are forgotten. In World War I, Henry Johnson served in an all-Black unit stationed in France. While on guard duty, he single-handedly fought off a surprise German attack by 12 soldiers. Despite intense enemy fire and significant wounds, he mounted a brave retaliation. Out of ammunition, he continued fighting with knife and rifle butt. He saved his fellow soldiers from capture and stopped the enemy from advancing. Despite being hailed as one of the bravest Americans to serve, he returned home to extreme racism. He received no pension. He died in poverty. He was only recognized a century later. What caused him to save others and suffer anonymity? It was not him, but the Lord. His biography reads - “[Henry Johnson was] a devout Christian; his faith was a silent armor, the quiet voice behind his fierce actions. He carried Psalms in his soul - the kind that whispered “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” That verse was no platitude. It was the breath behind his every step into the dark hell of World War I trenches.” Many other heroes suffer anonymity; but in God’s time, they’re exalted - like Joseph. He was forgotten, despised, but then exalted by God. And God had a purpose for all of these things, which we will explore in 2 events. Firstly, the trouble of a great king unsolved by man’s wisdom. Secondly, the solution from the greatest King to solve man’s dilemma.
Firstly, the trouble of a great king unsolved by man’s wisdom. Verse 1 says that two full years later, Pharaoh dreamt. Two full years after what? After the chief butler or cupbearer, forgot him. The end of chapter 40 - “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.” After all that Joseph did for him in assuring him with the dream’s meaning, he forgot. Remember? Joseph interpreted 2 dreams, one of exaltation the other of execution. Then he rotted in jail for 2 years, forgotten. They 2 full years. But what happened to his own 2 dreams that he’d be exalted? That the sun, moon, stars, and sheaves of grain would bow before him? But now Pharaoh had 2 dreams that ended these 2 years. But significantly, it was God behind it. God didn’t forget Joseph. Even though the cupbearer did, God didn’t. You see, the word “dreams” and the number 2 are significant. Joseph had 2 dreams that caused hatred - hatred that led to slavery and later to imprisonment. But his interpretation of 2 dreams gave hope to the cupbearer.
And now, 2 more dreams - dreams that give hope to the reader, especially when no one could explain them. Pharaoh’s first dream had seven beautiful and fat cows coming out of the river and feeding at the marshes, but they were devoured by seven scrawny and ugly cows which also came up out of the river. He woke up. Why? These were nightmares. He said never before had he seen such ugly cows. But how could skinny cows eat fat cows? They were herbivores. And how could such calamity emerge from the Nile, the river of life? His second dream was just as disturbing. Seven full ears of grain were swallowed by seven blighted or shriveled ears. Now, how were the seven ears were blighted. By an east wind - east, the place of calamity. This is where Adam and Eve were sent, where Cain was sent, where the rebellious people of Babel came from, and the direction of Sodom that Lot traveled towards, etc. So, these evil ears of wheat - shriveled and unhealthy - consumed, devoured, and inhaled the seven full ears which were fat and life-giving. These were not random images, but twin oracles of divine judgment.
When he woke in verse 8, Pharaoh summoned all the magicians and all the wise men of Egypt. “All” is used twice. These were all the people with all the accumulated learning in all of the ancient world. But none could interpret the dreams. Now, this was a serious situation. When Pharaoh sent for them, the phrase for “sent and called” means summoned. It implies a royal crisis, where advisors are summoned in significant times. And historically, Egypt trusted its wise men as mediators between the gods and the state. And here, he got all of them. But the best of the pagan world stood mute. The significance of this phrase “there was none that could interpret” reminds us that human wisdom, philosophy, and religion can’t unlock God’s hidden purposes of judgment. All and all - but none could. Pharaoh was troubled, not because he lacked power per se, but because he lacked revelation. And because he lacked revelation, he didn’t know what to do. He had great power, but no wisdom.
But this gives us hope because there was someone who could help. The chief cupbearer remembered; verse 9 - “I do remember my faults this day.” But this was very different from earlier when“he didn’t remember Joseph but forgot him.” What changed? Crisis in God’s time. Now, no one could help. Now then he remembered. He recalled his imprisonment, which was something he probably wanted to forget. He spoke openly about it and told Pharaoh about Joseph who correctly interpreted the two dreams; how they happened as he had said. To be clear, this was a bold move. When all Egypt’s wisdom failed, not to suggest a wise man from another sovereign state which would’ve been more sensible; but to suggest a currently imprisoned Hebrew slave. Notice the words - all magicians, all wise men, and now in verse 12 - “a young man, a Hebrew, a servant.”
But Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph. This desperate summons was forged by God. And so Joseph emerged from his dungeon tomb at this time of crisis; he resurrected as it were - he shaved, changed his clothes, and stood before the king. And what did Pharaoh say? Verse 15 - “I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.” Pharaoh’s words are revealing - the world’s hope rests on human ability. He hoped Joseph could interpret. But Joseph recentered everything. Verse 16 - “And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” Pharaoh expected a man with a gift. But Joseph gave a sermon in one verse - it’s not me, God will answer the peace of Pharaoh. He will give you an answer that will give you peace of mind. Who? God. Grammatically, the Hebrew construction of “it’s not in me” is emphatic - there’s a radical denial of innate power. Joseph didn’t say “God helps me to interpret” but “the answer belongs to God.” This is the first great principle of redemptive history: salvation is of the Lord, peace is from God. No human mediator can claim any innate ability. Every true savior-figure points away from himself to the only Source.
So in verse 25 onwards, Joseph told Pharaoh God’s interpretations of the dreams. The 2 dreams are one and the same - God has shown Pharaoh what he’s about to do. Now notice, the great king couldn’t explain his own trouble. But God spoke through the humble prisoner and explained the king’s trouble. This is the inversion of the fall. In Eden, man sought to be like God, not wanting to hear God’s word, and it led to chaos. But now, God’s man spoke God’s words, and kings listen to words that bring peace. Beloved, this account was also significant to the Exodus generation. Joseph was rejected by his brethren. Moses was also rejected by his brethren. When he first tried to liberate his people, they asked - “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” And this didn’t stop. At the cusp of the Promised Land, the people rebelled against him and wanted to choose a leader for themselves. Even Aaron and Miriam also questioned his fitness to lead. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” Yes - Moses saw God face to face, leading the people with the Word. He did it to save many people alive. And here, Joseph was that man, rejected by his brothers, rejected by those he helped, but now, God spoke through him to save many people alive.
So the trouble of a great king was unsolved by man’s wisdom, but the solution from the greatest King solved man’s dilemma. That’s the second point. In verse 26 onwards, God explained. Where man couldn’t, God could. He explained there’d be 7 years of great abundance followed by 7 years of famine. Verse 31 - it would be grievous, meaning very severe. Verse 32 - two dreams were given Pharaoh to emphasize that the devastating famine was fixed by God. God would bring it to pass. The coming judgment was certain. God would shortly bring it about. And this also tells us that it wasn’t a natural disaster. It was a divine decree. And this is where we ask why this famine happen? Many possible reasons - but primarily it was for the exaltation of Joseph. Take note that Joseph had 2 dreams. Why 2? If God meant Pharaoh’s 2 dreams to denote certainty and proximity, then the 2 dreams of Joseph also denote certainty and proximity. Nothing would stop the exaltation of Joseph. Not him being thrown into the pit, not him being thrown into prison, not him being forgotten in prison - God would bring it to pass. How? He arranged for a very severe famine to take place.
After Joseph provided wisdom, he moved from interpreter to counselor - from prisoner to advisor. He gave God’s advice for Pharaoh to find someone that can help. Verse 33 - “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.” And he outlined a plan. In verses 34-36, he told Pharaoh to let that man appoint officers over the land - and to store one fifth of all the produce harvested from the land in those seven years of plenty. Then gather all the food produced during those good years, and bring the grain to Pharaoh’s storehouses. Store it away. Guard it so there’ll be enough food in the cities. If that’s done, there’ll be enough to eat - through rationing - when the seven years of devastating famine come to Egypt. If not, the famine will destroy the land.
Now, this was not just wisdom, but application of divine revelation. Who’s the one who gave this advice? Please don’t say Joseph. He already said - it’s not me - the one who gives such wisdom and an answer that leads to peace, is God. So to be clear, Joseph was only saying what God told him to say. If not this would seem rather self-serving, right? Look out for me. No, it was all God. God’s the one who was about to elevate Joseph, so that all, in his dream, the sun, moon, and stars, the sheaves - perhaps even foreshadowing this grain collected, will bow to this man, who’d have control over all the storehouses. All would listen to him, including the sheaves of grain. And this pleased not just Pharaoh, but all his servants - including the magicians and wisemen. They heard the answer. They were at peace. And we hear Pharaoh’s amazing response in verse 38 - can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God? Here, this pagan king believed several things. Firstly, he recognized that Joseph’s God was real. Secondly, he recognized that this man needed the Spirit of this real God. So from this answer, Pharaoh knew that it was God who saves. And God would save because of a man.
God’s man! It had to be God’s man who’d help. But who other than Joseph could it be? He was God’s man. So Pharaoh declared in verse 40 that Joseph would be over all his house, and all the people would obey his every command. Now, how did Pharaoh come to this conclusion? It’s common sense that flowed out of revelation. The way this passage flows, we can see that the God who brought the dream to Pharaoh, the God who made the cupbearer remember, was the same God who made Pharaoh realize this. Here’s the exaltation. Joseph received Pharaoh’s signet ring, fine linen, a gold chain, and a royal chariot. Every knee bowed to him. He was given a new name - Zaphenath-paneah. It means either “God speaks and we live” or “God sustains life.” Verse 46 tells us he was 30 years old when he became ruler over Egypt. This was also David’s age when he began to reign, 2 Samuel 5. In those 7 years, he filled Egypt’s storehouses. Then in verses 54-55, the 7 year famine began. It was in all the world. But Egypt had bread because of Joseph. So Pharaoh told the people looking for bread - go to Joseph, do what he tells you to do. Then the narrative shifts - it wasn’t only available to the Egyptians - but it was available to all the earth and all countries. They’d come into Egypt to Joseph to buy grain. If they wanted grain and peace, they went to Joseph.
A rejected brother became a servant. He was falsely accused, forgotten in prison, but resurrected from jail and exalted to save the world. Beloved, these details are not coincidental. Neither is the gospel pattern we see - Joseph faced humiliation first, then exaltation; rejection then glorification. These are all fulfilled in the Promised Seed of Abraham - not Joseph, but Joseph’s son - the Lord Jesus Christ. He was 30 year old tender shoot when he began his public ministry as God’s servant. And he died in his humiliation, so that he’d be exalted in his resurrection. Our Lord Jesus is the greater Zaphenath-paneah - he’s the savior of the world. Beloved, consider the structure in Genesis 41. At the start, Pharaoh was troubled; at the end, peace. In the beginning, all the wisemen were confounded; at the end, Joseph was exalted. Joseph was remembered at the beginning so he could provide counsel at the end. And when he was before Pharaoh, he could interpret the dream. But the key to understanding this passage is the middle key verse. “It’s not in me, God will answer!” Joseph was just a man. But God has given a better man, a God-man, the Lord Jesus. He said the Spirit of God is upon him. He was sent him to preach the gospel and free captives and heal the brokenhearted. In him we find peace. He’s God’s answer! The Lord said of himself in John 6:40 - “This is God’s will - that every one who sees and believes in the Son, may have everlasting life! I will raise him up at the last day.” While Joseph said it’s not me, Christ said “It’s me! I’m God and I will answer.” He’s the way, the truth, and the life! And he’s at the right hand of the king of heaven! Being given a name, the only name under heaven, whereby we must be saved. And all the world must come to him to be saved. Beloved, how can we apply this sermon?
Firstly, consider the famine on earth and the peace found in Christ. We love many things in the world - her cows and grains. But compared to Christ they’re skinny, ugly, and blighted. This we proclaim in the supper - we’ve come to the storehouse of Christ and have received the better bread of salvation. While Joseph gave bread that perished, Christ gives himself - the bread of life. So let us feed on him, and find fulfillment in his kingdom. Let’s use our resources for the sake of the gospel, for only the gospel satisfies. And there are those who may suffer lack here in Egypt, but we have the greater Joseph that provides for us.
Secondly, consider the leadership of Christ. While Joseph was a great man, he was only a man. But Christ is the God-man who leads his people and calls his people to serve him. When Moses was overwhelmed leading all of Israel, he appointed 70 other leaders. And when the Spirit fell on them and they started prophesying, Joshua saw this as a threat to Moses’ leadership. He protested they should stop. Moses’ response? “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all God’s people had God’s Spirit!” And that day happened, when Christ poured out his Spirit at Pentecost. As God’s people, we’re prophets, priests, and kings - saved to serve. and labor for God’s kingdom. Let all officers, lead God’s people. Let all God’s fathers lead their families. Let all of us in our ministries serve God - because we’re members of one another - pointing to no other, but Christ himself - God’s exalted man who saves the world. This is the spiritual truth that nourishes us at the table today so that we can live in peace.
1. The Trouble of a Great King Unsolved by Man’s Wisdom (1-24)
A. No one could explain (1-8)
B. Someone could help (9-15)
C. God could help (16-25)
2. The Solution from the Greatest King to Solve Man’s Dilemma (26-57)
A. God could explain (26-32)
B. Someone can help (33-38)
C. God’s man will help (39-57)
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2026, Rev. Mark Chen
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