Genesis 41
Pastor Lawrence Bowlin

Theologians often distinguish between what is known as general revelation and special revelation. Normally, general revelation refers to the knowledge of God that is given to all men throughout the world through nature. By this revelation everyone is without excuse in understanding that there is a wise and powerful God who has made and maintains his creation. But then there is also what is referred to as special revelation, which is that revelation that is given to a particular group of people—Israel and later the Church—that reveals God’s plan of salvation.

Normally, this latter specie of revelation is only given to God’s chosen people, but every now and then God speaks supernaturally to unbelievers too as He does in this particular chapter with the Pharaoh. But, you’ll notice here, and in every other occurrence in which God speaks with unbelievers, that God is giving this special revelation to the unbeliever for the sake of the believers. This is always the case, for when God reveals himself through a dream to the unbelieving Abimelech (Gen. 20) he does it for the sake of Abraham and his family. When he does so with King Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2) he does it for Daniel and Judah, and when he does so with the soldier in the camp of Midian, he does it for Gideon and Israel. And it is the same in this particular case that when God reveals himself to Pharaoh it is for the sake of Joseph and Israel.

When we last left Joseph, he was still in prison for two years after the cupbearer failed to keep his promise to remember his kindness. But when none of the wise men of Egypt could interpret these divine nightmares that were given to Pharaoh, the cupbearer finally shared with his sovereign how Joseph had correctly interpreted the dreams that God had given to him. He had conveniently remembered Joseph only when it might bring him some favor in the Pharaoh’s eyes.

Of course, although the cupbearer had forgotten Joseph, the Lord had not. He was merely waiting for the right moment to bring His perfect will to pass. If you think about it, even the cupbearer’s forgetfulness was under the sovereign hand of God. Consider it this way: what would have happened if two years prior the cupbearer did speak to the Pharaoh on Joseph’s behalf? Most likely, the pharaoh would have pardoned him and sent him back to Canaan to his father’s home. At first, that might seem like a good thing, at least immediately, but then Joseph’s dreams would not have come true. His father and brothers would never have bowed down to him in Egypt. And there would not have been anyone to save Egypt and Canaan from a severe famine, which means that most likely if Joseph had gotten out of jail two years earlier, he would only have gone home to die as he and his family starved to death. But at least Joseph got out of jail, right?

Don’t you see, you can’t second guess God’s providence. There are just too many factors involved for our finite minds to comprehend. It’s better to leave our trials and afflictions in God’s hands for he always does what is good and just and right and at just the right time, for his timing is always perfect. For when the Pharaoh needed him most, Joseph was still waiting in his jail cell ready to serve the Lord and the king.