How Joseph Interpreted Dreams

Joseph of Egypt is known for many things-- his coat, being sold into slavery, saving an entire people. He's also unique in his ability to interpret dreams This spiritual gift is particularly striking because of the consequences: for Joseph himself, he gained comfort and assurance that he had been chosen of God. The butler and the baker learned of their fates as they waited anxiously in prison. The Pharoah, and consequently Egypt and surrounding peoples, were saved from a great famine.
This morning I read through each dream Joseph interpreted, in order to understand how he was able to interpret these dreams.
In chapter 37 of Genesis, Joseph interpreted two of his own dreams to his brothers and his father. He described them this way:
"Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. ... Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me."
His interpretation of these dreams was that his brothers and his parents would someday bow down to him.
In chapter 40 of Genesis, Joseph was in prison, watching over Pharaoh's former butler and baker. Joseph asked why the butler and the baker were sad. The butler told him of a dream that he had:
"In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: and Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s hand."
Joseph understood that the three branches stood for three days, and that at the end of three days the butler would be restored to serving Pharaoh. The baker, on hearing Joseph's interpretation, felt encouraged to tell of a dream he had had the same night:
"I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head."
Joseph told the baker that the three white baskets also stood for three days. However, instead of being restored, the poor baker would be hanged at the end of three days.
In the next chapter, two years have passed. Joseph was still in prison. Meanwhile, Pharaoh had a couple of disturbing dreams which his magicians could not interpret:
"Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. .... Behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears."
After the failure of his magicians, the butler, whose dream Joseph interpreted, remembered to tell Pharaoh that Joseph had power to interpret dreams. Pharaoh called Joseph out of prison.
Joseph then told Pharaoh that both his dreams meant that Egypt would experience seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine.
All of Joseph's interpretations would have been impossible if he had understood each item literally. Only through spiritual eyes could he understand dreams. His willingness to see metaphors through the Spirit of God allowed him to make sense out of dreams that would otherwise simply be disturbing or curious. He also saw the value of numbers in dreams.
Another key element is Joseph's acknowledgment of the true power. Pharaoh's magicians were unable to interpret his dreams. "Magicians" today, or people who seek to use spiritual powers other than the Holy Spirit, seek to explain our dreams. Whether their interpretations are accurate or not, the dangers of listening to such sources far outweigh any curiosity. Joseph, however, didn't 'lean unto his own understanding' or mysticism. When speaking with the butler and the baker, Joseph asked, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" He wouldn't interpret for Pharaoh without clarifying,  "It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace."
Our Father in Heaven still gives revelation to those who seek it. In order to understand his words, we need to have his Holy Spirit to help us understand and have 'eyes to see' the visions he bestows. Dreams can be unsettling, pleasant or simply strange. Through the Spirit, dreams can be transformative.