Joseph - His Dreams and Inspired Vision

You can read about Joseph's dreams and the fulfilment of those dreams in Genesis 37, 39-45.

Joseph had several prophetic dreams about his future. The dreams were specific to him and his family. His dreams about the sheaves of wheat (Genesis 37: 7) and about the sun, moon and stars bowing down to his star (Genesis 37:9) spoke of him having authority and leadership over the family. Joseph in his youthful excitement, shares this good news with his family, but his family didn't share his enthusiasm. He didn't understand that sharing that dream wasn't going to make it happen. He felt like he had to anounce it.

I once had someone with a prophetic gift give me a word that I was to be a shepherd to the outcast and downtrodden. I immediately put my mind to work to have that word direct what I was to do with my life. It didn't work that way; I went nowhere with it. Years later I found myself as the leader of a singles ministry, where I had the heart of a shepherd to care for those who attended our activities. Then the prophetic word came back to mind; I was walking in that anointing without even recognizing it.

When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:28) his dreams did not die; they matured. Joseph never spoke again of taking authority, he just began taking responsibility. His leadership skills and his responsible behavior gained him favor. More responsibility and authority were given to him as a result. He flourished in the middle of slavery and imprisonment. His circumstances, though cruel and unfair had no impact on his dreams.

Joseph's dreams were at last fulfilled after 13 years of faithfulness. When Joseph was called out of prison to interpret the Pharoah's dream (Genesis 41) Joseph trusted in G-d's provision of wisdom and answers to dreams. He had interpreted the dreams of others and he had seen them come true, but his own dreams had not yet been fulfilled. When he revealed the interpretation to Pharoah, he included his assessment of what needed to be done. He demonstrated to Pharoah his wisdom, understanding and ability to handle responsibility. He had spoken with authority to the King of Egypt, where he was only a slave. So impressed was Pharoah that he was freed from prison and slavery, on that very day he was placed in authority over all of Egypt.

Joseph had dreams of authority and leadership, but in the beginning he only thought of leading his family. Later Joseph learned that G-d had a bigger plan. When the famine spread to Canaan, his family came as strangers to Egypt and bowed before their brother, fulfilling the dream. By this time Joseph had learned that authority was really about power, it was about responsibility.