The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Arches - Chaser - Search (07/03/25)
Pharaoh paced the floor of his throne room as he waited. All day he had inquired of every Wiseman in his court to find the interpretation to his dream. No one could tell him what the dream meant. At last, his butler had recalled his own time in prison in which a certain fellow prisoner had interpreted both his dream and the dream of the chief baker. Both of these interpretations had come true just as Joseph had said.

Now Joseph was on his way to the palace. Through the great arched doorway into the throne room he was brought. As soon as the Pharaoh saw him, he spoke to him, “I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.”

Though he had interpreted the dreams of two fellow prisoners before, Joseph would not take credit for the gift. Not daring to raise his eyes to the Pharaoh, he answered, “It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Pharaoh did not bother to reply to this humble admission. Hands trembled anxiously as he began to tell his dream to the young man before him. This was not any dream, but a dream that must surely have a meaning. None of the wise men could show him what he sought. Still he chased after the truth.

When Pharaoh had told both of the dreams which he had dreamed that night, he caught his breath awaiting Joseph’s answer.

With wisdom beyond himself, Joseph spoke. “The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.”

The veil was pulled back from the mystery as Joseph expounded the things which Pharaoh had seen in his dream. Yet, though the word he spoke told of the coming years of plenty and following famine, there was something more to the tale which Joseph told. A deeper mystery was revealed which spoke to the deeper longing in the Pharaoh’s heart. Though he was the highest in the land, though he himself was held like a god to his people, still something seemed missing. Something was beyond his grasp which he longed to know of. The gods that his people worshiped were mute when he cried for answers. They were not in this dream, nor in its interpretation.

Yet, this Joseph… Joseph spoke of another God, the God of his fathers, who was above all the gods of Egypt. Pharaoh could have laughed at this boy drug in from the prison, a former slave, but he knew the dream. In his words was wisdom that should have belonged to the learned men. There must be something beyond himself. Perhaps this was the answer to the longing in his heart.

Pharaoh tried to focus on the warnings of the coming years that Joseph told him of, but something else shouted in his mind. Who was this boy and who was his God?

Joseph continued on. “…Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt…”

Ah ha! What a great idea! At last, he devised a plan, and Joseph finished his explanation of the dream.

Speaking first to all the servants gathered around, Pharaoh said, “Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?”

The servants could only agree, for the wisdom with which Joseph spoke was astounding.

Then to Joseph he said, “Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.”

Now, Joseph would be with him. Now, he may finally be able to find the answer he had been chasing for so long. Pharaoh took his royal ring and placed it on Joseph’s finger and ordered rich apparel to be placed on him. The second royal chariot became Joseph’s to ride.

Pharaoh gave him a new name, an Egyptian name, Zaphnathpaaneah: revealer of secrets. Still, Joseph knew the God whom he served was the true revealer of secrets.

(based on Genesis chapter 41)
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 174 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Bonnie Bowden 
07/10/25
Wonderful retelling of God's revealing his secrets through Joseph.
Terry R A Eissfeldt 
07/10/25
Great use of the topic
My opinion only but I think the dialogue would flow better if you paraphrased it - just seems a bit clunky to go from vernacular to KJ - again just my opinion
Blessings
Marlene Custer 
07/11/25
Your title is an attention-getter.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
07/14/25
You did a great job of pulling me into the story. I really enjoyed the character and the depth. I was a bit thrown off from the dialog being so different than the narrative, but that's definitely a personal choice. You did a nice job of writing on topic and that last line was an excellent ending. It really drove your message home.
Noel Mitaxa 
07/15/25
Clever depiction of the people in this well-known story, though I agree that the dialogue was a bit stilted with KJV idiom. Otherwise, very well done.
Laurie Kiel 
07/15/25
I always live to see familiar stories brought to life in a new way. Great job showing the story from pharaoh’s POV. Great job.