Tall Tales & the Word of God

November 14, 2009, 1:44 pm by dc-agape.

Genesis 41:1-40

In this story we see prophetic dreams again.  YHWH knows the future, in fact he has plans to use a hideous famine (that he creates) to form his Chosen Nation out of his Chosen Family.  Two years have passed since the last prophetic dreams of the Cupbearer and the Baker.  Jacob has continued to be a prisoner in Potiphar’s house under something like Cupcake Camp (except that Potiphar’s house is mostly for men). 

On the day of Potiphar’s birthday, he has a dream. In the first dream, seven healthy cows are eaten by seven scrawny ones.  In the second dream, seven healthy heads of grain are consumed by seven withered ones.  None of the Pharaoh’s wise men could see the meaning of these dreams.  But all agreed that the dreams had a meaning.  Hindsight being 20/20, these dreams are quite easy to interpret.  In Pharaoh’s day only one person can figure out what the dreams mean:  Joseph.  Joseph, of course, claims that only YHWH can interpret the dreams that YHWH gives to people about the events that YHWH sets in motion.  Joseph tells the Pharaoh that both dreams mean the exact same thing.  There will be seven years of good crops and seven years of famine. 

Joseph goes on to tell the Pharaoh what to do to advert the disaster.  Pretty gutsy of Joseph, to tell a god-king what to do!  He tells the Pharaoh to store 20% of the harvest each year for used during the famine.  The Pharaoh sees this as good advice.  But he does not know of anyone, in his advisors, who can accomplish the job required.  He immediately appoints Joseph as the man of the hour.  And instantly, Joseph is made equal to the Pharaoh except in respect to the throne.

From a realistic point of view there is one major problem with this plan.  All grains, except rice, are very perishable.  And we know that the Egyptians did not grow rice!  Rice cultivation did not make it to the Mediterranean area until Alexander the Great in 344-324 BC.  We also know that rice by-product do not feed cattle very well.  So if grains do not store well, and does not feed animals at all, how can storage of 14 years of grain actually occur at all?  More can be read about grain storage here which includes problems with temperature, humidity, and pests.  This story could not have happened the way it is written!  The Word of God does not tell the “Truth”!  This story is a tall tale just like Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan.

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