Two years had passed since the cupbearer was freed from prison. Joseph remained forgotten in jail. But God's time was coming.

One night, Pharaoh had two dreams. He saw himself on the banks of the Nile River. Seven fat and handsome cows came up from the river and began to graze in the meadow. After them, seven ugly and thin cows came up and devoured the seven fat cows. Pharaoh woke up frightened.

He fell asleep again and had a second dream. He saw seven full and good ears of grain growing on a single stalk. Then seven thin ears scorched by the east wind sprouted, and the thin ears devoured the seven good ears.

In the morning, Pharaoh was troubled. He sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt and told them his dreams. But no one could interpret them.

It was then that the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph. He said to Pharaoh: "Today I remember my faults. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and imprisoned us, the chief baker and I had dreams on the same night. There was a young Hebrew with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. We told him our dreams, and he interpreted them, giving each of us the interpretation of his dream. And everything happened as he had interpreted."

Pharaoh sent for Joseph immediately. They quickly brought him out of the dungeon. Joseph shaved, changed his clothes, and was presented to Pharaoh.

Pharaoh said to Joseph: "I have had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said that you can interpret dreams."

Joseph answered Pharaoh:

Joseph made it clear that he did not have the power, but God did. Even after so much suffering, Joseph was neither bitter nor proud. He still gave glory to God.

Pharaoh told Joseph both his dreams. After listening, Joseph explained: "Pharaoh's dream is one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what He is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years: it is one dream. The seven thin and ugly cows that came up afterward are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine."

Joseph continued: "There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. After them will come seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt, and the famine will consume the land. The plenty will be unknown in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe."

Then Joseph gave wise counsel to Pharaoh: "Let Pharaoh look for an intelligent and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. During the seven years of plenty, let a fifth of all the harvest be collected and the grain stored in the cities. Thus there will be food in reserve for the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the land may not perish from the famine."

The counsel seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his servants. Pharaoh said to his servants: "Can we find anyone like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?"

Then he said to Joseph: "Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so intelligent and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you."

Pharaoh took the signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand. He clothed him in garments of fine linen, put a gold chain around his neck, and had him ride in the second chariot of the kingdom. They cried before him: "Bow the knee!" Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.

From prison to palace in a single day! Joseph, who had been sold as a slave for twenty pieces of silver, now ruled all of Egypt. The dreams he had as a young man were beginning to be fulfilled.

Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh. During the seven years of plenty, he traveled throughout the land, organizing the storage of grain. Joseph stored up grain like the sand of the sea, in immeasurable quantity.

The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end. Then the seven years of famine began, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but throughout all the land of Egypt there was bread, thanks to Joseph's wisdom.

When all the land of Egypt began to suffer from hunger, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians: "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you." Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians.

The famine was severe in all lands, and from all countries people came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe throughout all the earth.

The famine also struck the land of Canaan, where Jacob and his sons lived - the same brothers who had sold Joseph as a slave so many years ago.

Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt and said to his sons: "Why do you stand looking at one another? I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy grain for us, that we may live and not die."

Ten of Joseph's brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph's youngest brother, because he feared that harm might come to him.

When Joseph's brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. It was exactly like the dream Joseph had had so many years ago, when their sheaves bowed down before his!

Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, but they did not recognize him. More than twenty years had passed. Joseph was just a young man when they sold him. Now he was dressed as an Egyptian prince, spoke their language, ruled Egypt. They would never imagine that this powerful governor was their brother.

Joseph decided to test them. He spoke harshly to them: "Where do you come from?" They answered: "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."

Joseph accused them: "You are spies! You have come to see the weakness of the land!" They protested: "No, my lord! Your servants have come only to buy food. We are all sons of one man. We are honest men; your servants are not spies."

Joseph put them in prison for three days. He wanted to know if they had changed, if they were still as cruel as when they sold him.

On the third day, Joseph said to them: "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined here, while the rest go and carry grain for your hungry households. But bring me your youngest brother so that your words may be verified."

The brothers spoke among themselves in Hebrew, not knowing that Joseph understood them: "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother. We saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not listen. Therefore this distress has come upon us."

Reuben answered: "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy'? But you would not listen. Now there comes a reckoning for his blood."

Joseph turned away from them and wept. Twenty years had passed, but his brothers finally felt remorse for what they had done. There was hope that they had changed.

Joseph took Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes. Then he ordered their bags to be filled with grain, and secretly returned each man's money inside his bag.

When they returned to Canaan and told Jacob everything, the old father was distressed: "You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin!"

But the famine continued, and they needed to return to Egypt. Finally Jacob agreed to let Benjamin go with them.

When they returned to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph received them. He asked: "How is your aged father of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?" They answered: "Your servant our father is well. He is still alive." And they bowed and prostrated themselves.

Joseph looked and saw Benjamin, his own brother, his mother's son. He was deeply moved at seeing his younger brother and had to withdraw to weep.

Joseph prepared one more test. He had his silver cup placed in Benjamin's bag. When the brothers departed, he sent his servant to pursue them and accuse them of theft.

When they found the cup in Benjamin's bag, the brothers were desperate. They returned to Egypt and prostrated themselves before Joseph.

Judah approached and made a moving speech. He told how their father loved Benjamin, how he had lost another son (Joseph) and would not survive if he also lost Benjamin. Then Judah offered: "Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers."

This was the same Judah who had suggested selling Joseph as a slave. But now he was willing to become a slave to save Benjamin. His brothers had changed!

Joseph could no longer control himself. He sent everyone out, and was left alone with his brothers. Then Joseph revealed himself:

His brothers could not answer, so terrified were they before him.

Joseph said: "Please, come near to me." They came near, and he said: "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. God sent me before you to preserve for you a posterity on earth and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. So it was not you who sent me here, but God."

What wonderful forgiveness! Joseph held no grudge. He saw God's hand in everything that happened. What his brothers did for evil, God transformed into good to save many lives.

Joseph kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him, finally reconciled.

Joseph sent for his father Jacob and the whole family to come live in Egypt. When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive, his spirit revived. He went to Egypt and embraced the son he thought he had lost.

Joseph's dreams had been completely fulfilled. And through forgiveness and reconciliation, God saved not only Joseph, but his entire family - the family through which God would bless all nations of the earth.