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Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 293

"He is the Lord our God; His judgments are in all the earth. He remembers His covenant forever. The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations." Psalm 105:7-8

Text: Genesis 37:1-36

ANOTHER DREAM SHARED

Joseph heard his brothers out. He must have been puzzled as to why they were so angry with him. He knew that he was not the originator of his dreams! How could he convince his brothers that he did not think of lording over them? He was just sharing a vivid dream that he could not fully comprehend. How could they be angry with him over a dream or two? In his naiveté, Joseph sought once again to share another dream he had.

“Then he dreamed still another dream and told it
to his brothers, and said, ‘Look, I have dreamed another dream.
And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars
bowed down to me.'” GENESIS 37:9

Once again, there was that recurrent theme of things bowing down before Joseph! In this particular dream, the imagery was different. From humble sheaves, the imagery was that of the lofty sun, moon and stars!


AN ATTEMPT TO INTERPRET THE DREAMS

Joseph did not dismiss these dreams lightly. But he could not fathom the meaning of these dreams. Did these dreams only reflect an over-active imagination? Or were these dreams really from God. Surely his father would be able to give him an explanation. Israel had dreams from the Lord on a number of occasions. Perhaps he could shed light on the dreams Joseph kept having! Joseph consulted his father on this matter.

“So he told it to his father and his brothers;
and his father rebuked him and said to him,
‘What is this dream that you have dreamed?
Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed
come to bow down to the earth before you?'”
GENESIS 37:10-11

Israel couldn’t interpret his son’s dream at all! The imagery couldn’t be right, could it? It seemed impossible that he as the father of Joseph would ever bow the knee to his son! He advised Joseph’s not to speak of such dreams!


ENVIOUS TO THE CORE

One of the ways in which God communicated His thoughts in the past, was through dreams. However, it does not follow that the dreamer of dreams could easily understand the meaning or significance of the dreams! The brothers found it increasingly difficult to stomach what Joseph had shared with them.

“And his brothers envied him, but his father
kept the matter in mind.” GENESIS 37:11

Jacob did not totally dismiss Joseph’s dreams. Could they indeed be from God?