Genesis 39:21-23- But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
Joseph was learning how to make the undesirable seem favorable, and he could do that with God's help.
Now, God was going to show him something.
Genesis 40:1-4- And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound. And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
The chief butler and chief baker upset Pharaoh, and so he threw them into prison. Joseph was taking care of them for the few months that they were there. Then, the prisoners had a dream.
Genesis 40:5-6- And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison. And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
Now, these men were in prison. I don't think that this was a normal kind of sad. Perhaps, they were sad and very troubled. They had these crazy dreams and they didn't know what they meant!
Joseph noticed that they were more upset than usual.
Genesis 40:7-8- And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?
And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
Joseph must have been very close to God! He didn't even have to pray and ask God to give him the interpretation. It's almost as if he and God became such good friends that Joseph just knew that God would help him!
Genesis 40:9-13- And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, 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. And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
Joseph was right. God let him know exactly what the dream meant. And now, Joseph had a favor to ask of the butler.
Genesis 40:14-15- But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
Joseph wanted someone to plead his case to Pharaoh. He wanted to get out of prison, and possibly go home to see his family.
The baker was sitting, quietly listening to this conversation. Then, he decided it was his turn to have his dream interpreted.
Genesis 40:16-19- When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, 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. And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three basketsare three days: Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
I'm sure the baker wasn't too happy that his dream had a bad meaning. Perhaps he was hoping that Joseph was wrong.
But, God sees things we don't. He knows things we don't. And he has the answers, even when we don't like them.
Genesis 40:20-22- And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
You see, God knew that Pharaoh's birthday was in three days. He knew what would happen to those two prisoners. And he had a plan for Joseph's life. In order for God's plan to be carried out, the chief butler had to be able to tell Pharaoh about a man in prison who could interpret dreams!
Genesis 40:23- Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
Poor Joseph! Forgotten by the chief butler. But, just because man forgets, does that mean God forgets? Nope! God's plan would still happen just like God wanted it to. You know why? Because, God is God!
