August 28, 2006

• Genesis 40

  
  

  Have you ever had dreams, prophetic dreams? I know that Joel 2:28 says And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and My maidservants, I will our out My spirit in those days.

  
  

  Well, it seems to be THOSE days, and it is not just the men, but the women who are having prophesies and dreaming dreams in this day and age.

  
  

  Well, our friend Joseph, is still quite the dreamer and dream interpreter. We shall see what ensues here. God is so good, and blesses His servants. We can be in the pit, in jail, in a tough situation, in a joyful situation and He blesses us. We just need to seek Him to see the blessings.

  
  

  One point that is a link between Joseph and Jesus is that both were tempted and did not sin. Joseph refused Mrs. Potiphar, and Jesus did not get tempted to sin or act out with His power. Both ended up imprisoned, and Jesus ended up killed. Both were innocent of the crimes they were accused.

  
  

  Genesis 40:1 Joseph will have some new cell mates – the butler and baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, and Pharaoh was angry, so they were put in prison where Joseph was.

  
  

  In this day and age, such a meeting of people would be called a “God appointment.”

  
  

  Genesis 40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for awhile.

  
  

  This is a parallel with Jesus too: Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

  
  

  Innocent Joseph was also in prison with the transgressors.  The two fellow prisoners of Joseph had dreams, and their dreams made them sad because they had no interpretation of their dreams.

  
  

  Joseph answers them Genesis 40:8b “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

  
  

  Notice that Joseph will give credit for the interpretation to God.

  
  

  Here is the butler’s dream: v 9-11 Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes, then Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.

  
  

  Joseph’s interpretation of the above dream: v 12-13 And Joseph said to him, “This is the interpretation of it” The three branches are three days. Now within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your place, and you will put Pharaoh’s cup in his hand according to the former manner,when you were his butler.”

  
  

  One other thing is that the cup (symbolizing the blood of Christ) is salvation. And then the butler will be close again to the king – as we are restored to God due to Christ’s sacrifice.

  
  

  Then Joseph says something that is so reminiscent of Jesus – “remember me.” Remember at the Last Supper, Jesus said “Do this in remembrance of me.”

  
  

  Verse 14-15 But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.

  
  

  Notice, Joseph’s attempt to get himself out of jail didn’t work. It wasn’t God’s timing yet.

  
  

  Well, the baker hears the good report given to the butler and he shares his dream with Joseph.

  
  

  Verse 16b-17 I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head.”

  
  

  Joseph’s interpretation: v. 18-19 So Joseph answered and said, “This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. Within three days Pharaoh will lift off your head from you and hang you on a tree; and the birds will eat your flesh from you.

  
  

  Within the two dreams are the elements of communion – bread and wine. Why in one case is there salvation, in the other case death? In Revelation 19 the beast and his armies come against Christ, all are killed by the sword that proceeds from the mouth of Jesus and in verse 21b “All the birds were filled with their flesh.” There will be a judgment and people will be accountable for their deeds and loyalties.

  
  

  1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

  
  

  Now on the third day – Jesus was raised up on the third day. The Third Day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he made a feast for all his servants, and brought the butler and baker to him. He restored the chief butler to butlership, and he put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand. But the chief baker was hanged.

  
  

  And sadly, verse 23 Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

  
  

  Here are a few parallels between Joseph and Jesus:
  * Four times the cup was mentioned -  cups in Passover, Jesus drank three and said that he would drink the fourth one in paradise with us.
  * Birds attack the bread – Matthew 13 Jesus calls birds instruments of satan.
  * Joseph falsely accused and made no defense for himself.
  * Joseph went to prison without a verdict (John 18:38 as did Jesus)
  * He suffered though he was innocent (Acts 7:9, Isaiah 53 talks about Jesus’ suffering.
  * He suffered at the hands of the Gentiles (Egyptians), Jesus was brought to Roman leaders.
  * The Jailer recognized Joseph as righteous/the Centurion did so with Jesus.
  * Joseph was in prison with two others – Jesus was on cross between two others.
  * One was freed/one died – as did the thief on the cross, one was brought to Heaven, one perished on the cross.
  * form of execution was hanging on a tree, and Gal 3:13 said cursed is one who hung on a tree.
  * Joseph and Jesus knew about the future
  * Both had a desire to be remembered.

  
  

  How many of us forget Jesus? I can only imagine the hope that Joseph waited with for his deliverance that did not come. How hard it must have seemed for him. Yet, he still lived honorably and did what was right in God’s eyes.

  
  

  Sometimes in our trials and tribulations we don’t see God’s hand, or see how it could possibly be of use in our lives, but God knows what will grow us to be useful servants in His kingdom.

  
  

  Beth Moore, in her study The Patriarchs points out an interesting fact that Joseph held leadership positions that he had little or no experience in. That he didn’t need to know much about the position, but Joseph had a fair amount of knowledge about people.

  
  

  Beth points out on p. 183 “The positions of cupbearer and chief baker may seem minor to us, but in reality no one in Pharaoh’s service required more trust. Kings in ancient times had a continual fear of being poisoned.”

  
  

  Another thing she points out is that Potiphar is THE captain of the guard, and that is where the king’s prisoners were held, so it is pretty certain that Potiphar knew Joseph was innocent, or he wouldn’t have placed him in charge of the prisoners.

  
  

  p. 185 regarding the dreams “Through one, Joseph prophesied a position restored. Through the other, Joseph prophesied a death penalty. The order possibly lends insight into the baker’s guilt. The cupbearer, presumed innocent was very quick to share his dream with Joseph as if he had nothing to hide. The baker, on the other hand, didn’t share his dream until he “saw that Joseph had given a favorable interpretation” to the cupbearer.

  
  

  p186 “Feeling forgotten by someone often feels worse than being scorned. At least the scorner knows we’re alive! Feeling forgotten can force a bruising blow to one of our most innate human needs: feeling significant. Noticed. Alive. Feeling forgotten makes us feel invisible.”

  
  

  p. 186 “Imagine: everyday from the time of the cupbearer’s release Joseph waited for word. The echoes of two more birthday celebrations must have mocked him as he sat inside those prison walls. Like Joseph, some of you have waited many days for some show of remembrance that hasn’t come. God knows exactly how you feel. Over and over in His Word He speaks of being forgotten by His people. Dear One, if that person’s remembrance is truly critical to your life’s calling and the destiny God planned for you, in time He will make him or her remember….Furthermore, God won’t waste a moment of the meantime to build Joseph into the kind of man his destiny demands.”

  
  

  Isaiah 49:14-15 tells us that though others may forget, God will not forget. God cares about us like a woman with child in the womb or a nursing mother.

  
  

  I know that I have felt forgotten, but now I am learning that if I wait on God’s timing things work out better and with more effect. But it is hard in those crunch periods to wait with that kind of patience and know that God will use even the tough spots to grow us.

  
  

  Have a blessed day!

  
  

  Heather

  • 9:30 am
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