Joseph: The Prophet

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the Chosen People. Two years passed, Joseph, now twenty seven years old, had solidified himself as the benevolent leader over the other prisoners. His willingness to serve them and listen to their needs engendered loyalty from them. Joseph placed his hand on the cupbearer's shoulder and looked intently into his eyes. 00:00:22 Speaker 2: My friend, these things will come to pass. God has declared it. When you're free. I ask, will you please remember me, remember what you've seen here and mention it to Pharaoh. Recall my kindness towards you, and tell him of my gift. 00:00:41 Speaker 3: What have you done to be here? Are you innocent? Are you who this is supposed to be here? 00:00:48 Speaker 1: Joseph leaned back and looked up at the sun rays peeking through the ceiling. 00:00:53 Speaker 2: I am a Hebrew sold into slavery by my brothers. Yet even as a slave I thrive. I'm not here for my own sins, but because of the sins of others. Although I am in this world, I do not belong to this world. 00:01:08 Speaker 3: If what you say is to the true Hebrew, I will remember you when I am restored to Pharaoh. 00:01:14 Speaker 1: However, Joseph remained in the prison for years. He waited in his stone tomb to rise up. He suffered a great deal, but his present sufferings were not comparable to the future glory awaiting him. 00:01:35 Speaker 4: Locked away in his prison cell, Joseph held the key to Egypt's salvation. Selloh, my friends, from here in the Holy Land. I'm l extein with the international fellowship of Christians and Jews, and welcome to the Chosen People. The Bible story is full of stories where a single moment changes the entire course of human history. Genesis forty one one to thirty six is one of these moments, still echoing to us from ancient Egypt, telling of the Hebrew slave who rose to power because of a dream. Pharaoh, King of Denial, was troubled by visions in the night. Mysterious dreams gnawed at his sanity, and Joseph, the dreamer, still in chains, was called to interpret the mystery. In this story, we see God's hand guiding the course of nations. 00:02:33 Speaker 1: Joseph gazed in amazement as eleven stars flashed and darted around him, their brilliant lights enveloping him like a flock of celestial birds. Then, as though the stars were men. They bowed before him in reverence. The brightness of the sun surged towards him like a blazing comet, with the sun and moon whirling around him with a similar grace. The light was overwhelming. Joseph watched in awe as the heavens themselves seemed to bow to him. Then, in an instant, the light vanished and he began to fall, his body crashing against the jagged edges of a mountain As he plummeted into its depths. He woke with a start, sweat trickling down his neck and back. The familiar, damp, dark cell surrounded him. He rubbed his eyes and stood, walking to the small pool of water to splash his face. Another night, another dream. Lately, they had haunted him more frequently. Leaning over the pool, he stared at his dim reflection. Moonlight streamed in from above like silver threads. He breathed deeply and sat back down. The cell was quiet and still. The other prisoners were fast asleep, while Joseph remained awake. It had been two years since he interpreted the dreams of the Baker and the cup Bearer. He had hoped his gifts would reach Pharaoh's ears by now, but here he was still in the dark. Joseph looked up at the moon, finding solace in its light. It was a small window into the world outside, a sliver of freedom peeking. 00:04:17 Speaker 5: Into his prison. 00:04:21 Speaker 1: Meanwhile, above the depths of Joseph's prison, in the grand towers of the palace, Pharaoh tossed and turned. 00:04:28 Speaker 5: In his bed. 00:04:29 Speaker 1: Beads of sweat dripped down his brows. His delirious cries filled the room. His dream was dark, feverish and swift, firm woke the war. Leaping from his bed his chest heaving, eyes wide with terror, his attendant burst. 00:04:46 Speaker 6: In the door. My Lord, are you okay, I heard, screams. 00:04:49 Speaker 1: Pharaoh leaned over the bed, rubbing his forehead. 00:04:54 Speaker 5: Yes, and no, it is none of you concern. Return to your post. 00:05:03 Speaker 1: The guard nodded and shut the door gently behind him. Pharaoh stood up and went out onto his balcony. The gentle breeze lightly caressed his cheek. He breathed in deeply. The coolness of the night was a sweet relief to his sweaty and warm face. Images of his dreams flashed in his mind's eye. Cup bearer Pharaoh's cupbearer entered the room silently and bowed before him. 00:05:32 Speaker 5: Wine. 00:05:33 Speaker 1: The cupbearer brought Pharaoh his cup, filling it with a specialty wine from Pottiva's vineyards. Pharaoh drank quietly, leaning over the balcony, overlooking his vast kingdom. Once his senses were properly dulled, he dismissed the cupbearer and returned to bed. The vivid images of his dreams faded, replaced by a peaceful darkness. Pharaoh arose the next morning, the weight of his dreams still heavy on his mind. He slumped on his throne, unable to focus or find solace. No revelry, substance, or companionship could quiet his tormented thoughts. He sat in misery, struggling to make sense of his dreams and why they plagued him so neiverer Tea, the short man, dressed in priestly robes, emerged from the shadows and bowed before Pharaoh. His sharp features contrasted with the round markings on his shaved head, symbols of the hearty may magicians and priests skilled in the dark hearts of sorcery and divination. His narrow, serpentine eyes fixed. 00:06:42 Speaker 5: Upon the throne. 00:06:43 Speaker 2: Ah, Hail to the chosen of the gods. The image of rh himself. The morning and evening. 00:06:53 Speaker 5: Star told me of dreams. 00:06:56 Speaker 2: Ah. So the sun and moon seek to understand dreams. Eh. When a large journeys through the night sky, reveil of sleep descends upon mortal minds, and the gods find a gateway to our souls. In these moments, their voice blend with our slumber, crafting dreams rich with hidden secrets and guidance. In the realm of dream, nothing is as it seems, yet everything carries the weight of divine intention. 00:07:38 Speaker 7: The gods speak through symbols, animals, elements, celestial wanders, all imbued with their essence. 00:07:54 Speaker 5: I require the wisdom of the gods. They have tormented me with a vision. I desire to see what gifts or warnings they send. 00:08:03 Speaker 1: Pharaoh explained his dream in great detail to the priest. He spoke of the undead cows and the blighted heads of wheat. Neverty simply nodded his head, pondering the meaning of his king's dreams. After Pharaoh had finished, the short priest paused and pondered, Truly. 00:08:23 Speaker 2: The gods have blessed you with a glimpse. 00:08:26 Speaker 5: Into the spirit realm. 00:08:28 Speaker 2: My Lord, however, I fear you have been granted access I have not. My Lord is far more powerful than I, so it would stand to reason you have visions too grand for me to comprehend. 00:08:48 Speaker 5: Ah, for all your words, you manage to say nothing. 00:08:52 Speaker 2: I shall gather more of the heart to may we shall consult the suns and the stars. The answer would be somewhere or. 00:09:01 Speaker 1: Pharaoh nepherities summoned magicians and wise men from across the land, bringing them to the palace. They listened to Pharaoh's dreams, each offering interpretations, but Pharaoh's sensed they were nearly inventing narratives to appease him. Some cast sands into whetstone, others consulted bones and blood. Despite their methods, the answers eluded them, and they bickered amongst themselves, filling their palace halls with arguments. Pharaoh gripped the sides of his throne, teeth clenched as soothsayers insulted astronomers, sorcerers shouted at alchemists, and priests turned up their noses. 00:09:39 Speaker 5: At the lot. In your fools, fools. 00:09:46 Speaker 1: The halls fell deftly silent, Pharaoh snarled at them, eyes darting like fiery arrows. 00:09:53 Speaker 2: Lord Pharaoh, we seek on little. 00:09:56 Speaker 5: Silence for days here, squawking amongst yourselves like birds. You've given me no answers, yet here you remain in my courts. I tire of your constant squabbles over whose lie is better. Get out of my sight before I have your tongues of rolling the nile. 00:10:21 Speaker 1: The court emptied instantly, priests and sorcerers scrambling to gather their tools before fleeing the palace. Pharaoh watched them go, his anger giving way to weariness, he held out his cup. 00:10:36 Speaker 5: Whine. 00:10:38 Speaker 1: The cupbearer came at once and poured into Pharaoh's cup, with eyes glazed over and weary. Pharaoh's side the moment of vulnerable reflection, his. 00:10:49 Speaker 5: Dreams torturing me. 00:10:52 Speaker 2: He means something, I know it. 00:10:55 Speaker 1: It was at that moment the cup bearer's eyes widened. His mind was brought back to a time in prison when he too was tormented by a dream, and the Hebrew prisoner showed him kindness. The cup bearer gasped and nearly dropped the picture. 00:11:10 Speaker 3: Oh my, I have fulfailed him I've committed a grevious events. 00:11:18 Speaker 5: What have you done to me? Do not tell me something is wrong with my wine? 00:11:22 Speaker 3: Oh no, Lord Pharaoh, not you. I have remembered a promise I've made years ago. A man helped me with my dreams. 00:11:34 Speaker 5: Do not delay any longer, cup bearer, who do you speak of? 00:11:38 Speaker 3: When I was in prisoned, there was a man, a young man, and a Hebrew of all people, a Hebrew, truly, yes, a Hebrew of all people, my lord quite unexpected that he was a servant under Potiphar, your captain, But as a prisoner he was our overseer. 00:12:02 Speaker 2: When I was the dwelling there. 00:12:04 Speaker 3: The baker and I both had dreams that tormented us. I was it was a simple dream, however, it had tormented my mind to near insanity. 00:12:19 Speaker 2: The baker also. 00:12:20 Speaker 3: Had a dream that remained in his mind. We were both despondent and with hout answers, much. 00:12:28 Speaker 5: Like you are, my Lord, And this a Hebrew was able to console you more than that good Pharaoh. 00:12:39 Speaker 2: He didn't just console us. 00:12:41 Speaker 3: He interpreted how dreams. He explained that meaning the purpose, and my Lord, everything he said came to pass. Everything. 00:12:55 Speaker 8: I was released just as he foretold, he was impaled on pike, just as the Hebrew. 00:13:10 Speaker 2: Predicted. 00:13:11 Speaker 1: His gentle face moistened with sorrow. He felt pangs of regret. Joseph had done him a great kindness, and he had forgotten about him. 00:13:22 Speaker 3: He has been there for five years. He claims to be innocent, and I promised him I would tell you about his dream gift. But I'd forgotten until now. 00:13:36 Speaker 1: The throne room was silent for a long moment. Pharaoh paused and composed himself captain. His shouts shook the pillars, traveling to every corner of the palace. Emerging from the far corner of Pharaoh's courts was Potiphar. He stood at attention. 00:13:55 Speaker 5: Five years ago, you imprisoned a Hebrew slave. What was he like? 00:14:01 Speaker 1: Potiphar wore the same expression of regret as the cup bearer. He paused, collecting his thoughts and considering how honest he should be. Fatigued from feigned answers, Pharaoh shouted. 00:14:14 Speaker 5: The truth, Potiphar, do not pad your words with pleasant trace. 00:14:20 Speaker 6: Yes, Joseph was the greatest servant and friend I have ever had, my Lord, I imprisoned him for a crime he did not commit, and my pride and embarrassment kept me from releasing him. When I came to my senses. 00:14:40 Speaker 5: High praise for a Hebrew and a slave at. 00:14:44 Speaker 6: That the Hebrews have one god, a god who seems to follow Joseph whatever he goes. Everything I put into his hand succeeded. 00:14:55 Speaker 5: Bring him to me. We shall see about this Hebrew's gifts. 00:15:01 Speaker 1: Potiphar saluted and left quickly for the Palace dungeons. He made his way down the narrow stairway leading down into the prison cells. Guards stood at attention every dozen yards, saluting Potiphar as he passed. Potiph finally approached the large wooden door into the prison cell. He stood behind it for a moment, collecting his thoughts. Not long after he had sent Joseph to prison, he realized the sins of his wife. However, out of embarrassment and anger, he allowed Joseph to rot in prison. He was ashamed Joseph had brought prosperity and order to his household, and he abandoned him. Potiphar sighed and opened the door. A few guards stood behind him. He peered in to see prisoners walking and lounging around. Their bodies were marred from years of sleepless nights and cold winters. However, there was a joy amidst the prison the Potiphar had never seen before. They were talking to one another, laughing, and working on small projects to pass the time. When Potiph entered the entire room. When silent, they retreated back against the wall and slumped over. Potipher scanned the cell looking for Joseph. However, he could not see the young man he had once banished. 00:16:21 Speaker 6: I am looking for Joseph. 00:16:23 Speaker 1: The prisoners looked at each other, then towards a figure. In one of the rooms carved from stone, A man knelt beside a sick prisoner, dabbing his head with a wet cloth. Potipha walked over to the hunched figure, Joseph. The man looked back and stood to his feet. He was tall, dark and lean. His hair was long and pulled back behind his head, except for a few loose curls that hung over his face. His beard was long, scraggly, and braided at the tips. Potiphar peered closely into his eyes. There was no denying that those eyes belonged to Joseph. Despite the years and the hardship, a serenity emanated from Joseph. He had spent years contemplating what he would say to Potiphar. He had felt betrayed and abandoned, But now looking at his old friend and master, the peace of God filled him. Joseph stepped forward, smiled and bowed slightly. 00:17:26 Speaker 2: My Lord amea servium. 00:17:28 Speaker 1: Potiphar's throat tightened with grief. He held his head low, looking at Joseph with a mix of dismay and joy. Without bringing drowned herds back to the surface, Potiphar cleared his throat and gave a slight tilt of his head, almost resembling a contrite bow. It was as much as Potiphar could offer the slave turned prisoner. 00:17:52 Speaker 6: I hear you have done well here. Your God truly follows you wherever. 00:17:57 Speaker 2: You're gone, godes me favor here. There is no pit too love for His presence. 00:18:04 Speaker 6: Phil summon you, and I yet would be an honor to escort you there, young Joseph. 00:18:13 Speaker 1: Potiphar led Joseph out of the prison. He emerged from the darkness and walked into the light of day. The sun shone down brightly. Its warmth was invigorating. Joseph was taken to Potiphar's estate. There he was greeted by Ned and the other servants he once managed. They embraced him as a brother. Joseph had forgotten how much he missed the vineyards, courtyards and stables. He breathed in the fresh air and crumbled to the. 00:18:42 Speaker 5: Ground in tears. 00:18:44 Speaker 1: For five years he was confined to the palace dungeons. The dark and damp cell had stripped him of any hope he would be free. He gripped the dirt beneath him and sobbed, Sneak you, my God. Joseph was escorted to the bar house to be cleaned. Flashes of that night with Potiphar's wife came and went. They shaved his face and gave him a fresh change of clothes. Joseph felt like a new man. He had emerged from the depths of darkness and was now walking with a renewed sense of peace. God had raised him up for a purpose. It was time to enter into the courts of Pharaoh. The hallways were arrayed with beautiful artwork of past conquests. Ivory pillars reached toward the ceiling. They played with the torchlight to make shadows playing off Joseph's phlegmatic stare As Joseph walked down the halls, he could see that every figure painted on the walls told a singular story. They showcased the glory of Egypt and the deity of Pharaoh. Joseph had been in Egypt long enough to know that Pharaoh was considered equal to the gods. He to them as the image of the gods, the holy conduit from which the divine will flowed. His pride knew no bounds, nor did his power that made him dangerous. Joseph was escorted into the main throne room of Pharaoh. Noblemen, priests, and guards stood on the perimeter, speaking amongst themselves. At the center of the room, sitting on a throne adorned with golden eagle's wings, sat the Almighty Pharaoh. He was tall and younger than Joseph had imagined. Weaved into the garment on his waist was leopard skin. Around his neck was a large golden eagle stretching across his bare chest. On his head was the Nemes head dress, symbolizing absolute power. He held his scepter firmly in his right hand. He was an intimidating sight to behold. Joseph had never seen such power exude from one man, then again, adding to the Egyptians, he was no man at all. Joseph came before the throne and bowed his knee. Pharaoh stood and stepped down to him. He paced around him, gripping his scepter tightly. 00:21:14 Speaker 5: So you are the Hebrew called Joseph. 00:21:18 Speaker 2: At your service, and will good Pharaoh? 00:21:23 Speaker 5: I hear lofty things about you, Hebrew? Is it true that you are able to interpret dreams? Joseph was silent for a moment, pondering the correct answer to Pharaoh's question. Agitated, Pharaoh slammed the tip of his scepter into the ground. I require an answer. 00:21:44 Speaker 1: Joseph flinched at the noise. Pharaoh's voice echoed against the palace walls. Everyone in the throne room stood in silence, awaiting Joseph's reply. Without looking up, Joseph shook his head and replied. 00:21:58 Speaker 2: No, my King, I can not interpret any dreams. 00:22:02 Speaker 1: The entire court room gasped at his answer. Pharaoh's eyes darted back at his cup bearer, and then at Potiphar. 00:22:10 Speaker 5: Have I been lied too? All your heads will be thrown on some pikes for this, No, my. 00:22:15 Speaker 2: Good Pharaoh, Please do not harm. 00:22:17 Speaker 1: Them, Joseph interrupted. Joseph had learned much about himself since he was first betrayed by his brothers. He learned that it was his pride that muddied his giftings. He was unable to enjoy the blessings and gifts God gave him because he was filled with arrogance. He would not make the same mistake again. 00:22:38 Speaker 5: He would not. 00:22:38 Speaker 1: Conflate his talent with God's favor any longer. He knew that the true palace did not lie within the hallways a arrayed with gold, but in a humble spirit before God. He held his hands out in surrender to Pharaoh and looked up at him. His eyes were filled with passion. 00:22:56 Speaker 2: I can do nothing, my King. Any favor gifted your talent you've heard is not my own. It is the God that I serve who does these things. You asked me if I was able to interpret dreams. I am not April, But my God is He is powerful. All wisdom and knowledge are his. It is he who will tell you the answers you seek. 00:23:23 Speaker 5: Very well, Hebrew, I shall tell you my two dreams However, if the answer you give does not quench my thirst for the truth, it shall be your head, and no God will be able to save you. I understand. Go on, my lord, I dreamed. I was standing by the nile. The water was dark and raging. I stood at the shore with my feet submerged. There, I stared into the black rampids, mesmerized by the sound of the rushing water. The lights emerged from the darkness out of the river. Seven cows walk on to the shore. They were glowing, spotless, fat and healthy. I watched as they methodically made their way toward the reefs. The wind blew softly as the cows grazed the congress. The sky was bright and the sun shone its radiance down on the animals below. 00:24:27 Speaker 2: Sounds pleasant so far. 00:24:29 Speaker 5: Indeed, until the others came. I turned from the healthy cows and looked up. The sun turned into a deep crimson, and the skies were enveloped by clouds of dust and ash. I saw the waters grow more violent. The waves thrashed against me, sending me on to my back, And then, like corpses clawing their way out of their graves, I saw seven emaciated cows emerge from the nile. The flesh was rotting off the bone, and every piece of vegetation died under their feet. The seven deathly cows made their way to the reeds. Then, to my horror, they began to devour the seven healthy cows. I watched the carnage. They tore the flesh off their bones and ravaged them. It was a monstrosity to behold. What do you say, he Brew? 00:25:26 Speaker 2: You said you had two dreams, Mighty Pharaoh was the second like the first? 00:25:31 Speaker 5: Yes and no. From the emptiness of my mind, A small sprout appeared from the ground. I watched intently as more sprouts formed around me. Seven sprouts sprang forth with new life, producing seven heads of grain, healthy and ripe for the plucking. I watched as they grew larger and larger around me, reaching up to the heavens. 00:25:59 Speaker 9: I looked up awe as the blue skies seemed to kiss the tips of the grain. They were magnificent and brought tears to my eyes. However, my ewe was short lived. The blighted ring howled at the real fat distance. It blew forth with light and power, scorching the earth beneath me. I looked down, and the dry ground began to crack under my feet. And from the cracks in the dirt, seven other heads of grain sprouted. Only these were thin, scorched, and dark. 00:26:34 Speaker 5: Their dragged vines grew out of the ground and wrapped around the healthy heads of grain. They rapped lightly and squeezed the life out of the grain. Then, as if beasts themselves, the blighted grain devoured the healthy. Slowly, everything began to crumble and dissipate. Above me, the towers of grain fell. I closed my eyes and got for cover, and immediately woke again in my bed. 00:27:04 Speaker 1: Pharaoh finished describing his dreams. The entire court of priests, nobles, and gods held their breath in anticipation. They wanted to hear Joseph's reply. He sat in silence for a moment. Joseph stayed completely still. Joseph closed his eyes and did his best to drown out the distraction of Pharaoh. He prayed in his mind for answers. Joseph smirked. He could feel a tug on his soul like a gentle breeze. God guided Joseph into truth and revealed to him the meaning of these dreams. Joseph opened his eyes and looked directly into Pharaoh's. 00:27:44 Speaker 2: The dreams are the same. Go on, God has revealed to you what he is about to do. The seven healthy cows in seven healthy ears of grain are images of prosperity to come. For seven years, they will be plenty in the land. Egypt will experience a time of flourishing like never before. The land will give birth to new life, and your people will be fed. However, this prosperity will come to an end. The seven sickly cows and the seven scorched heads of grain, they represent seven years of devastation. After seven years of plenty, seven years of famine will strike the land like a wildfire. This is the warning God has given to you. With this knowledge comes a great deal of responsibility. It will come to pass, and if Egypt is not ready, the entire world will perish. 00:28:43 Speaker 1: Pharaoh sat back on his throne with dismay. He was speechless. 00:28:49 Speaker 5: What must I do? 00:28:51 Speaker 1: Joseph looked back at Potiphar, not sure whether it would be wise to give Pharaoh advice. Potipha gestured for him to answer. 00:29:00 Speaker 2: God has been gracious to you, Pharaoh. However, every moment is precious. You should appoint a governor wise and discerning enough to care for your resources. Appoint commissioners under him to oversee the land. Every year of the harvest, take one fifth of the goods and store it away over the next seven years. You can store the grain and other goods safely. Then when the famine hits, you can use what is stored up to feed your people. The same commissioners you appoint can be in charge of distributing the resources according to the need. 00:29:39 Speaker 1: Pharaoh was silent for a long while Joseph watched his brow rise and fall with intense contemplation. Joseph felt the need to shift his feet. He was uncomfortable with the waiting. Was Pharaoh going to listen to him? Or would Joseph's rise out of the pit be even shorter than the last. 00:30:07 Speaker 4: As we see Joseph rise from the depths of a prison to the height of Paroh's court, we are witnessing God's plan and action, his plan for his chosen people. Joseph, steadfast in his faith and integrity, becomes the vessel through which God's wisdom flows. This Bible story more than just a tale of prophetic dreams is a testament to the fact that God guides our steps even when we feel most lost. It's a reminder that He can bring redemption in the unlikeliest ways, through the most unexpected people. My heart swells with awe the thought of a God who turns famine into plenty, who transforms despair into hope, Our God who turns ideas and dreams into tangible actions. Over forty years ago, my father, my Abba, Rabbi Riel Ekstein of Blessed Memory, he had a dream of bringing Jews and Christians together, and when he began the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, he dreamed of helping millions of people living in poverty. He dreamed of being part of biblical prophecy, coming to Fruition and bringing hundreds of thousands of Jews home to Israel. People told him that his dreams were crazy and that they would never come to be. But here we are, decades later, and every one of those dreams has come to pass, all because one person dared to dream, and those dreams that he had are continuing to grow and manifest even after he died. You see, these days, I think that too many people have stopped dreaming. It's too easy to get discouraged and stop believing that anything is possible to offer, and we give up on the dreams that God places in our hearts, and we decide just to make do, not to struggle with fulfilling our dreams. But that's not what God wants. God wants us to dream. He puts the dream in our heart for a reason. He wants us to imagine and pray and do everything we can for a better future. When we dream, we express our faith in God that he can make our dreams become reality. And when we dream and try to manifest those dreams, we're actually partnering with God and creating a better world. 00:32:37 Speaker 3: Here. 00:32:37 Speaker 4: In today's episode, Joseph deciphers Pharaoh's dream, predicting seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. But Joseph didn't just stop at the interpretation. He also provided a solution, a way to navigate the impending crisis. Pharaoh was very smart and he recognized Joseph's wisdom, and he actually elevated him to. 00:32:59 Speaker 3: A position of power. 00:33:02 Speaker 4: In Israel, a term often used in job descriptions is roush godol, which literally means a big head. Well, that's not what it is referring to. 00:33:12 Speaker 5: Though. 00:33:13 Speaker 4: When you say that someone has a roshe godol, you're talking about someone who thinks big, someone who takes initiative, someone who seeks solutions rather than dwelling on problems. And Joseph epitomized this tray face with Pharaoh's dreams. He didn't really interpret them. Rather, he proposed a grand plan based on the dreams to save Egypt. This ability to think big, to use a rush godol, to see beyond the immediate, is truly a gift from God. And it's Joseph's decision that he made to be proactive and innovative. And what about Pharaoh's dream When the Egyptian king dreamed a dream and had Joseph, then interpreter of dreams, brought before him, Joseph replied by saying I cannot do it, and then in verse sixteen Joseph added, quote, but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires end quote. Now Joseph was running a risk here. If he told Pharaoh, look, I'm a nobody. It's God who interprets dreams, then Pharaoh might well have sent him back to jail or worse Okay, this guy can't do it, he would have thought. But Joseph took the risk, knowing it was all part of God's plan and that it would help Pharaoh to understand God's awesome power. This was Joseph's way to say, I'm gonna tell you what comes to me, but really it's God who's in control. And then in verse thirty three, Joseph thinks again with a rush godole. With that broad, expansive thinking, he gives Pharaoh plan, God's plan for dealing with the upcoming famine, says quote, and now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt end quote. Now it would have been ridiculous for Joseph, who was at that point a prisoner and a slave, to offer unsolicited advice to the most powerful man in the ancient world. But the Jewish say, just tell us that Joseph offered his advice because it was all part of the plan, which Joseph knew he would be a part of. What he knew was that it was all part of God's plan. So what can we do with Joseph's story? I ask, will we be inspired to dream big like Joseph, will we be empowered to think with Roshka Dole taking initiative to solve the problems we see. Let Joseph's journey inspire you to live with purpose and courage and faith, and to remember that you are part of the chosen people, called to reflect God's light into the world. God chose all of us to be his emissaries. We were all chosen for such a time as this. Now let's turn to our good friend, Bishop Paulineer. 00:36:16 Speaker 10: Thank you Yael. This chapter forty one, this is what I'm hearing from the Lord as I'm reading this passage. Listen, the anointing of the Lord is upon your life. Even strangers discern the blessing upon you. Everything you touch turns to glory and transitions. Well, sometimes they don't feel like promotions, from my caravan to a house, to a prison, but by God, they are promotions. And God is positioning you in spaces and places with faces that are only going to advance you. Those who were privileged to be around you, their lives are multiplied and increased, and they are increasingly more fully aware that the good things coming upon them are because of your covenant. Conversations with your garden. Joseph is in prison. It's been a rough two years because he spoke this life to two other prisoners who were going through difficult times, who had experienced dreams, and Joseph, by the anointing of God, was able to reveal to them what was happening, and they benefited from it. One of the last things he said to them was don't forget me, but they did, and he languished in that prison month after month. Does that sound. 00:38:05 Speaker 5: Familiar to you. 00:38:07 Speaker 10: The hand of Heaven is upon your life, and again he's opened doors to other open doors, and you do all the things, and you you speak all the words that God puts upon you. And it's obvious to anyone looking on that Heaven is upon you. But then when they get their blessing, they entirely forget about you. 00:38:33 Speaker 5: Well, that's about to change. 00:38:37 Speaker 10: Pharaoh himself now has dreams and the troubling dreams, and he doesn't know what to do about those dreams, and he doesn't know who to share it with or who might be able to speak life in to that situation. He's perplexed. Finally, one of the ex cons former prisoners who had benefited from Joseph's anointings, said to the Pharaoh sheepishly, Sir, there was a man in prison. I know him, I met him. He's got this gift upon his life. I too had dreams, and I shared my dreams with this man, and he was able to look into my mind, that look into my sleep, looking to those hidden places, and tell me what was happening. So Pharaoh was intrigued, and he sent for Joseph. His people took Joseph and cleaned him up and prepared him for this royal encounter. And so Pharaoh began to pour out his own dreams to Joseph's dream dream and in elaborate detail. Joseph listen, and he discerned, and he declared to fail out. First of all, all of these dreams, they're about the same thing. Actually, bottom line, sir, there's a dreadful famine coming, the most extraordinary crisis people have ever suffered. But I'm also sent to tell you it does not have to be catastrophic for you or your people. If we are listening, if we are discerning, if we move and act and think and speak with wisdom and prepare for it, not only will you be saved in your entire kingdom from devastation. But other persons and peoples in regions of the world, we'll travel from Afar and come to you for help, and they'll pay, and they'll give, and they'll do anything to avoid the death of this. 00:41:07 Speaker 9: Plight. 00:41:09 Speaker 10: Of course, Pharaoh said, this is amazing. I can't believe what you're saying, what you're seeing in my mind and my spirit. I'm going to need someone special who can discern, and who will walk in wisdom and give guidance and organize and plan and act redemptively like part of her before him and the prison God before him. Now Pharaoh lays his entire kingdom, Egypt and Joseph's hands, and in verse forty two, here comes another. 00:41:56 Speaker 5: Coat. 00:42:00 Speaker 10: Was only thirty years of age, and he had done a lot of living. There's a lot more living to come. Really, he has two sons, Euphrium and Manassah. The Bible says, the famine did come, and the crops died. Consequently, the animals died, Consequently, people and persons. 00:42:32 Speaker 2: Died, but not in Egypt. 00:42:36 Speaker 10: And it wasn't the brilliant a pharaoh or the skill even of Joseph, but the prophetic word of God spoken through that young man. I decree that the hand of Heaven is upon your life. From this moment. May the blessing of the Lord be upon his word. 00:43:01 Speaker 4: Among Jewish people, it's common to mention God when we greet each other. When asked how are you, many Jews will actually respond barrow rashem, which means blessed be the Lord. 00:43:13 Speaker 10: This is what I was. 00:43:15 Speaker 4: Used to growing up in the Jewish community in the United States. Later, when I moved to Israel, I was introduced to a new reply. It says in Hebrew todala el When people say how are you doing? Which in Hebrew you say, mani shma. The answer is todala el, and that literally mean thanks to God, which is just as common here as barr russim. And so the two answers to how are you doing, for faithful Jews are either saying blessed be the Lord or thanks be to God. Having God's name on our lips in our everyday conversation reminds us of His presence and every moment of our lives. Today's story in imprisoned force, we're enslave was brought before Pharaoh. And yet when Joseph was asked to speak, he took every opportunity to have God's name on his lips. It is God who gives me the wisdom he told Pharaoh. Over and over we see that Joseph mentioned God as he spoke to a man who he saw himself as a God. The pharaohs back then thought that they were God. But Joseph, the Hebrew slave in chain, spoke the God of Israel's name freely and boldly. What I learned from this is that when we keep God's name on our lips, we follow Joseph's example, bringing the light of faith into every corner of our world. Let us all be like Joseph, dreamers, thinkers, and those who always speak of God's presence and power and blessings. 00:44:51 Speaker 1: You can listen to The Chosen People with isl Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the pray dot Com app today. This spray dog Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein. Edited by Alberto Avilla narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, kaylab Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review.