"Do Not Interpretations Belong to God?"

"JEHOVAH CONTINUED WITH JOSEPH

Joseph knew that his God, Jehovah, never lost sight of him, and this knowledge surely helped him to endure. Even here in a foreign prison, Jehovah found ways to bless Joseph.  Thus, we read: "Jehovah continued with Joseph and kept showing loyal love to him and granting him favor in the eyes of the chief officer of the prison." (Genesis 39:21-23) As Joseph continued to work hard, he kept giving his God a basis for blessing him. How comforting it must have been for him to know that Jehovah was always with him!

Did Jehovah intend to let Joseph remain in that prison indefinitely?  Joseph could only  guess at the answer, and he surely kept the matter before his God in prayer. As it so often happens, the answer came in a most unexpected way. One day, there was some commotion in the prison as two new inmates arrived-officers from Pharaoh's personal staff. One was the king's chief baker, the other the chief cup-bearer. - Genesis 40:1-3. 

The chief at the guard entrusted Joseph with the care of those two formerly prominent  men."  One night they each had a vivid and puzzling dream.  When Joseph saw  them in the morning, he could tell that something was wrong. So he asked:  "Why are your faces gloomy today?" (Genesis 40:3-7) Perhaps his kindly manner assured the men that  it was safe for them to reveal their troubles.  Joseph did not know it, but that conversation would lead to a turning point in  his life.  Would there have been any conversation, though, had Joseph  not chosen to show  a little kind concern for others?  His choice may move us to ask ourselves,  'Do i express my faith in God by showing an interest in fellow humans?'

The two men explained that they were agitated by their vivid and puzzling dreams-and by the fact that they had  no interpreter with them.  The Egyptians placed a lot of weight on dreams and depended heavily on the men who claimed to be able to interpret them.  The two men did not know that their dreams had come from Joseph's God, Jehovah. But Joseph knew. He assured them: "Do not interpretations belong to God? Relate it [the dream] to me, please," (Genesis 40:8) Joseph's words resound to day for all sincere students of the Bible. If only every religions person showed the same humility! We need to be willing  to set aside prideful human thinking and to rely on God as we seek correct interpretations of his word. - 1 Thessalonians 2:13; James 4:6. 

Next time: Conclusion of JEHOVAH CONTINUED WITH JOSEPH

From the Watchtower magazine, 2015