Why the TWO Dreams Joseph?
Joseph has dreams at 17. He tells them to his brothers. Both of them upset his family. My question is, why two?
The Bible says that all things will be established by two or three witnesses. That would be one reason for the two dreams. But there's more.
God spoke to Abraham about his family twice concerning their innumerability. The first time he spoke of them being like sand on the seashore. The second time like stars in the heavens. Why the two different descriptions? To give shape to God's kingdom. His family would not be simply an earthly family (from the dust), but a heavenly family (by the Spirit of God above us). Through Christ, the Spirit comes down from heaven and inhabits His family.
When Joseph has two dreams, God is doing the same thing - revealing to you and I about what kind of King Jesus will be and what kind of Kingdom He will have.
The first dream speaks of stalks of grain and sheaves. This kingdom will be one of development and growth from the ground up. God will see the seeds of the Word planted and producing grain which brings bread to the world. The second dream speaks of the stars, Sun and Moon. That again speaks to the heavenly nature of the Kingdom. The kingdom of God is from above coming down to Earth.
But there is more.
In Joseph's first dream, his brothers are represented by bowing sheaves of grain. In the second dream, there are 11 stars (his brothers) and the sun and moon bowing before him (representing his father and mother). To this his father Jacob is aghast:
Genesis 37:10 (ESV) his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”
The resounding answer to Jacob's question of Joseph's second dream is "NO!"
First, Rachel (Joseph's mother) is dead and cannot bow to anyone in this state. Secondly, Jacob never bows down to Joseph. In fact, it is Joseph that bows down to his father when he brings his two sons to meet him upon their reunion years later...
Genesis 48:11–12 (ESV) And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
So has Joseph's dream not come true? Did God mislead?
No. Joseph's life is pointing to someone else. One who will see not only His brothers who hated him bow before Him, but His Earthy "father" and mother as well. Philippians 2 makes it clear, "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10–11 (ESV).
Note that Jacob, "his father kept the saying in mind" (Genesis 37:11). The author goes out of his way to mention Jacob did not forget this dream... and then the same author goes out of his way to show us that Jacob never bows but rather, Joseph bows before Jacob. That could sound like sloppy story telling. Except it's actually brilliant. It begs us to look for someone else to whom the dream truly applies. It invites us in to the true and better Joseph who rules and reigns at the right hand of the Father.
May the Holy Spirit lead us to bow before HIM in reverence. For in Him is true food that satisfies.
The Bible says that all things will be established by two or three witnesses. That would be one reason for the two dreams. But there's more.
God spoke to Abraham about his family twice concerning their innumerability. The first time he spoke of them being like sand on the seashore. The second time like stars in the heavens. Why the two different descriptions? To give shape to God's kingdom. His family would not be simply an earthly family (from the dust), but a heavenly family (by the Spirit of God above us). Through Christ, the Spirit comes down from heaven and inhabits His family.
When Joseph has two dreams, God is doing the same thing - revealing to you and I about what kind of King Jesus will be and what kind of Kingdom He will have.
The first dream speaks of stalks of grain and sheaves. This kingdom will be one of development and growth from the ground up. God will see the seeds of the Word planted and producing grain which brings bread to the world. The second dream speaks of the stars, Sun and Moon. That again speaks to the heavenly nature of the Kingdom. The kingdom of God is from above coming down to Earth.
But there is more.
In Joseph's first dream, his brothers are represented by bowing sheaves of grain. In the second dream, there are 11 stars (his brothers) and the sun and moon bowing before him (representing his father and mother). To this his father Jacob is aghast:
Genesis 37:10 (ESV) his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?”
The resounding answer to Jacob's question of Joseph's second dream is "NO!"
First, Rachel (Joseph's mother) is dead and cannot bow to anyone in this state. Secondly, Jacob never bows down to Joseph. In fact, it is Joseph that bows down to his father when he brings his two sons to meet him upon their reunion years later...
Genesis 48:11–12 (ESV) And Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected to see your face; and behold, God has let me see your offspring also.” Then Joseph removed them from his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
So has Joseph's dream not come true? Did God mislead?
No. Joseph's life is pointing to someone else. One who will see not only His brothers who hated him bow before Him, but His Earthy "father" and mother as well. Philippians 2 makes it clear, "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10–11 (ESV).
Note that Jacob, "his father kept the saying in mind" (Genesis 37:11). The author goes out of his way to mention Jacob did not forget this dream... and then the same author goes out of his way to show us that Jacob never bows but rather, Joseph bows before Jacob. That could sound like sloppy story telling. Except it's actually brilliant. It begs us to look for someone else to whom the dream truly applies. It invites us in to the true and better Joseph who rules and reigns at the right hand of the Father.
May the Holy Spirit lead us to bow before HIM in reverence. For in Him is true food that satisfies.
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