The following is Pastor Nate’s teaching transcription from Calvary Monterey’s 9/29/20 Tuesday Night Service. We apologize for any transcription inaccuracies.
Welcome everyone to our through the Bible study of the book of Genesis. Tonight, we're going to be in Genesis chapter 40 and 41 if you'd like to turn there in your Bible. And if you're on the move and cruising around town or listening to this while you're driving, don't worry. I'll read all the scripture as we go through it and try to explain it to you and draw your attention to various interesting points that the author is trying to bring out for us in this glorious book of Genesis.
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Joseph In Prison
Okay. Here at this point in turning to Genesis chapter 40, Joseph has been cast into prison at this point for the attempted rape charge that Potiphar's wife had brought against him. Just a quick recap on Joseph's life at this point, he was the youngest born son of Jacob. Because he was born of Jacob's favored wife, Rachel, he became Jacob's favorite son. Jacob made it completely obvious that Joseph was his favorite son. He loved him. He favored him. He even gave him a coat of many colors which likely signifies a position of authority over all of his older brothers.
But beyond that, the favor of his father, he also had the favor of God upon his life in keeping with the theme or tradition of the book of Genesis. God chose this younger, the one younger than his older brothers by decades at some points. God chose this younger man to be a blessing through him and to his life.
God confirmed that blessing through two unique dreams that Joseph had. Now, he reported those dreams. It might not have been the wisest thing to do to tell your family about those dreams, but when he did that, it elicited or stirred up the brewing jealousy and envy of his brothers.
Ultimately, when they saw him out in the wilderness, this dreamer they called him, this man who has dreamed these dreams that he's going to rule over us, they made a decision ultimately to sell Joseph into slavery. He was sold into slavery to some Ishmaelite, Midianite traders who then took him to Egypt where he was sold and eventually landed in the household of Potiphar who was a captain of the guard, a servant of Pharaoh.
This is significant because when Joseph is accused by Potiphar's wife of attempted rape, then Joseph is thrown into Pharaoh's prison where Pharaoh's prisoners were held. That's exactly where Joseph needed to be because, eventually, he would meet some people there who were ultimately his ticket to an introduction to Pharaoh himself.
God is on the move. God is working, but again, as the readers, we understand. We see that God is working, but Joseph is actually living this experience. He's actually living this life. At the time that we pick up the story in chapter 40, he is 28 years old. He was 17 when we saw him with the coat of many colors, 17 when he was thrown into slavery or at least around that age.
Years have passed by. His youth, his 20s have evaporated. Now, here he is, rotting he might feel in an Egyptian jail cell. But in two short years at the age of 30 he is going to stand before Pharaoh, but at 28, that's where we now pick up this story.
Pharaoh Offended
1 Some time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord the king of Egypt. 2 And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, 3 and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. 4 The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody.
It says in verse one, "Sometime, after this…" Again, the timeline or the chronology is not sharp at this point, but after he was thrown into prison, we don't know how many years he was a servant of Potiphar, how many years he was in prison. We just know that he was around 17 when he was sold into slavery and then 28 when he met the cupbearer and the baker.
We know then that there was about 11 or 10 years in between these two events. We just don't know the division of how much of those were in Potiphar's house and how many of those were in prison, but some time after this, it says in verse one, "The cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker committed an offense against their lord, the king of Egypt. And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker. He put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard in the prison where Joseph was confined. The captain of the guard appointed Joseph to be with them, and he attended them. They continued for some time in custody."
Now, we don't know exactly what these two servants of Pharaoh had done, what the baker or the cupbearer had done to produce Pharaoh's anger. It might have been that a plot was uncovered, an assassination plot was uncovered, but the culprit at this point is not yet fully revealed or discovered and maybe the cupbearer and the baker who as officials who oversaw Pharaoh's food and drink were officials who needed to be on guard against any potential assassination plots that would come through food or drink.
Apparently, one of them at least had not done their job correctly, but they're both suspected at this point so they're both thrown into the prison. These men were supposed to be loyal and trustworthy, wise, good judges of character. Somehow, at least one of them failed in that commission. Now, here they are in prison.
Now, for Joseph's part, it says there in verse three that they came into the prison where Joseph was confined. This is an important statement because when we closed chapter 39, we saw Joseph in charge of the prison just like he was in charge of Potiphar's house because he served Potiphar so well. When he went to the prison, he was faithful in serving there, so faithful that the director or the warden of the prison put Joseph in charge of the entire prison.
Now, that might lead us to come to the conclusion that life was good for Joseph in prison. But here, we learned that he was confined in prison. Actually singing of Joseph in Psalm 105, the psalmist says that Joseph's feet were hurt with fetters. His neck was put in a collar of iron until what God had said came to pass in his life that the word of the Lord had tested him. We should not envision Joseph living the good life in officer's quarters there in the prison. He's suffering. He's like a slave serving though working to take care of the affairs there in that prison. All the while as it says there in Psalm 105, the word of the Lord tested him. What does that mean? God had made these promises in his life. He had these dreams from God, and he is being tested during this time. Do I still believe the Lord? Do I still trust God? He had no real evidence to tell him that God was on the move though we know as the readers that God is on the move, but that's the question. He's being tested.
Do I trust the Lord? Joseph attended to these two new prisoners, the baker and the cupbearer. He attended to them. He served them. He was not too discouraged where he became so despondent he failed to move. He got up. He just continued on serving these men, faithfully serving even when discouraged. Ultimately, it led to his freedom.
Now, the cub-bearer as we'll see in a moment, he is the key to the turning point of Jacob's entire life, but, of course... or excuse me, Joseph's life. Joseph though has no way of knowing that. You just don't know what people God is going to bring into your life that might be the very person on which the whole shape of your life's trajectory pivots, turns, goes into the direction that God has for it. Joseph, of course, for his part had no way of knowing that this cupbearer was the singular person that he needed to know in order for God's beautiful plans to unfold.
Dreams
5 And one night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own interpretation. 6 When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. 7 So he asked Pharaoh’s officers who were with him in custody in his master’s house, “Why are your faces downcast today?”
One night, they both dreamed, verse five, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt who were confined in the prison. Each his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation. When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, "Why are your faces downcast today?"
This one night, both of these servants of Pharaoh who are in prison, they have these dreams. Now, they're frustrated. They don't know the interpretation of these dreams. This tells us that they had a strong sense that these dreams had some kind of divine origin. They were strongly convicted that these dreams had a meaning, but they didn't know the meaning. They were confined in their prison. There was no one that they could ask at that time.
Joseph comes in the morning. He sees, it says, in verse six that they were troubled. It was written all over their face. He could see it in their posture. He saw it in the way they responded back to him when he greeted them that morning. There were clues that Jacob saw that helped him know that they were troubled.
He asked these men, "Why are your faces downcast today?" This question that Joseph asked has meant so much to me in my own life and ministry and my desire to walk with the Lord. You see what happened here is that Joseph asked this question of these men, and it was his ticket as we're going to see into the throne room of Pharaoh. This question that he asked led to God's best for his man's life.
But it was a question that was steeped in servanthood. He's not asking this question because he thinks these men have anything to offer him. He's not like the schmoozer at the party trying to get to know everybody so that he can increase somehow his capital, strengthen his business contacts. No. That's not why Joseph asked this question.
He asked this question because he cared about these two men. He saw that they were despondent, and he wanted to minister to them, but that ministry opened up the doors in Joseph's life. Look, God will put people all around you, and these people are going through life. They're experiencing the thick and thin, the trials and joys and pains and frustrations of this world. You are a believer. You know Christ. You know the reason that this world is fallen and broken and hurting and despondent.
But the people around you, sometimes, you just need to look them in the eye and say what Joseph said, "Why is your face downcast today?" Say it in your own way. Say it in your own words. Ask, "Can I pray for you? Can I help you? Are you all right? What's going on?" Ask with intentionality. You never know what God might do with that question.
I love this from Joseph because he could have easily excused himself as a self-centered man. He was going through so many things. His brothers had sold him into slavery. Potiphar had not believed him. He's now there toiling away in anonymity in an Egyptian prison, but God is faithfully moving, and he does not take the opportunity to wallow in pity. Instead, he remained other's centered.
His heart was for these men. This is so much the heart and the mind of Christ. Isn't that Jesus came? He had every reason in the world to snap on his disciples at various moments and say, "Don't you know what I'm here to do? I'm going to suffer and die on the cross, and you are behaving like this." But instead, Jesus constantly availed himself to these men, patiently led them.
Joseph here displays the character, the nature of Christ. I think that God is looking for people like Joseph, caring and receptive people, who will use their eyes to see the pain of others, their mouth to invite others to share with them and their ears to listen to the hurts that people express.
8 They said to him, “We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.” And Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.”
These men responded to Joseph in verse eight. They said to him, "We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them." Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Please, tell them to me." Now, this is a fascinating development. First of all, they confess to Joseph that they both had dreams the previous night.
These criminals who were with Joseph had dreams. One will end up being a dream with a positive interpretation, the other with a negative interpretation. But their quandary comes because they say, "There's no one to interpret them." They're perplexed because there's no one to interpret them.
Now, what does that mean? Well, it could simply just mean there's no one to interpret them. But in that culture, they tried to make a science of dream interpretation. In fact, they even had priests and those who would dabble in trying to interpret people's dreams. They would write down when they discovered a correct interpretation. The thing someone predicted came to pass, they would write it down, keep a record so that the things in that dream which meant this thing now mean this thing, and that dream repeats in some form in the future, all of these records, all of that so that there were dream interpreters who could break down a dream for you and tell you if it was somehow from the gods and what the gods might be trying to say.
Now, of course, we know that this is not true. This was not reality, but it's what they dabbled in. These men used to have access to these types of interpreters. As officials of Pharaoh, they would have been able to find someone to interpret their dreams, but they're in prison. They did not have a person to interpret their dreams. But Joseph, he replies and says, "Well, interpretations, they belong to God." Interpretations belong to God.
You see, Joseph, he'd had experiences with divine dreams. He had two himself that indicated that he would be the leader of his entire family one day. Now, he hears these men say that they also have had two dreams, and he tells them, "Interpretations belong to God."
Now, not every dream that we have in our era and in fact hardly any dreams that we have in our era are from God. I do believe that God can speak through dreams and visions still today because I believe that we are still in the age of the gifts of the spirit. On the day of Pentecost, Peter quoted from the Prophet Joel chapter two announcing that men and women would dream dreams and see visions in their service of Christ.
I do believe that we are in that era although I do not believe that this is one of the main or primary ways that God speaks to or directs his people. Of course, he will never contradict his holy written revealed word. But could there be a special monumental moment in a person's life where a dream or a vision helps direct them just as Paul was directed to go to Europe for the first time to preach the gospel in Philippi? Perhaps.
I think it's good to be open to this, but this is a different era that Joseph was in. He's not in the New Testament era, the time of the spirit. He's in the Old Testament era where dreams and visions were a more primary way that God was speaking to his people. They didn't have the word of God spread throughout printed in their Bibles or on their electronic devices. They were not living in the age of the printing press or the information age. God would often move them with dreams or visions.
He announces in that era to these servants of Pharaoh, "Interpretations belong to God." I love this because it tells us that he had not lost his trust in God. He had not lost his confidence in God. He didn't have the scientific literature of his day, but he had God, and he's believing that God will give him the interpretation.
9 So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph and said to him, “In my dream there was a vine before me, 10 and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and the clusters ripened into grapes. 11 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.” 12 Then Joseph said to him, “This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days. 13 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office, and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand as formerly, when you were his cupbearer. 14 Only remember me, when it is well with you, and please do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this house. 15 For I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here also I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit.”
The chief cupbearer, verse nine, told his dream to Joseph and said to him, "In my dream, there was a vine before me. And on the vine, there were three branches. As soon as it butted its blossoms shot forth and the clusters ripened into grapes, Pharaoh's cup was in my hand. I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup and place the cup in Pharaoh's hand."
Then Joseph said to him, "This is its interpretation. The three branches are three days. In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to office. You shall place Pharaoh's cup in his hand as formerly when you were his cupbearer. Only remember me when it is well with you. Please, do me the kindness to mention me to Pharaoh. Get me out of this house for I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews. Here also, I have done nothing that they should put me into the pit."
Now, notice that the cup bearer's dream, it has a little something to do with his job, with his profession. He is the cupbearer. One of the things he would bring to Pharaoh in his cup is wine, wine made from grapes that grow on the vine. That's exactly what he dreams about, this vine that is growing and these grapes that exist.
Joseph tells this servant of Pharaoh that the dream means that, in three days, he would be restored to his original position in Pharaoh's household. Now, that's a bold prediction. There's no ambiguity. Either in three days, this happens or it doesn't. It's not a vague. I think I see in the future, you might have a position in Pharaoh's house again. Just wait for it. No. It's certain. It's decreed.
I'm sure Joseph wished that he knew with some certainty when he would be seeing the fulfillment of his own dreams, but he tells this servant of Pharaoh, "Look, I've gotten the interpretation from God in three days." Then in a rare moment of self-defense, he tells his servant in verse 14, "Only remember me." Then he tells his tale, his plight that, "I was a Hebrew. I was sold into slavery." He asks that this man would remember him.
16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, “I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, 17 and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.” 18 And Joseph answered and said, “This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days. 19 In three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a tree. And the birds will eat the flesh from you.”
Now, when the chief baker, verse 16, saw that the interpretation was favorable, he said to Joseph, "I also had a dream. There were three cake baskets on my head. In the uppermost basket, there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head." Joseph answered and said, "This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days. In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head from you, and hang you on a tree. The birds will eat the flesh from you."
Now, you can understand when the baker heard the interpretation of the first dream that the cupbearer had, he began to grow optimistic that his dream also had a positive connotation. Something good might happen to me. He tells Joseph his dream. Joseph begins interpreting the dream in a very similar way as the first dream's interpretation, the three baskets are three days. So, something's going to happen in three days.
In three days, Pharaoh will lift up your head. That's actually the exact same phrase that he used for the cupbearer's dream, the lifting up of the head. But then, he adds a little note, from you. He's going to hang you on a tree. In other words, you are doomed to die.
Now, this servant's dream also reflected his job in Pharaoh's courts. He was the baker. Here, he has a dream with bread in it. The indication that Joseph gives to him is that you, in three days, are going to be convicted. You in three days are going to die.
Now, the Bible doesn't tell us the guilt or the innocence of these men. It's very possible, of course, that the cupbearer had been proved innocent, that the baker had been proved guilty. His guilt, if he was involved in an assassination plot of Pharaoh, would have gotten him the death penalty in that era and in that culture.
But the thing that I love that stands out to me from Joseph is his utter willingness to declare the truth to both men. I mean it's easy, of course, to declare the first message that he got to declare to the cupbearer. Three days, you're going to live. Three days, you're going to be restored. Three days, everything's back to normal.
But the message that he had to speak to the baker was a difficult message, three days, and you're going to die. You have three days to settle your accounts with God. In three days, your life is going to be over. As a pastor, I've discovered that sometimes you get to give the butler sermon. Sometimes, you have to give the baker sermon. Sometimes, you get to give the cupbearer sermon and sometimes you have to give the bread maker sermon especially when you're committed to teaching through the Bible.
There are passages in God's word that speak to us of life and light and joy, and love, and gladness and they're filled with hope. Then, there are passages in God's word that are filled with wrath and judgment and fear and trembling, but both must be delivered to God's people. Pharaoh would lift up both of their heads one for good and one for evil or for judgment in this man's life.
Fulfillment
20 On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. 22 But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.
But Joseph, it didn't matter whether it was a happy message or a heavy message. He would declare it to the audience. Now, on the third day, verse 20, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He restored the chief cupbearer to his position. He placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand, but he hanged the chief baker as Joseph had interpreted to them.
Now, it is interesting this little detail about Pharaoh throwing himself a birthday party. It is authenticated in ancient historical records, especially the Rosetta stone. It is something that happened in antiquity Pharaoh throwing himself this kind of festival, but it happened just like Joseph had said. Exactly what he said would happen came to pass.
23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
But the key line which sets us up for the next movement is found in verse 23. Yet, the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. Now, this is fascinating. First of all, the real significant fact is that Joseph had correctly interpreted dreams. Put aside for the moment that the cupbearer forgot him and rejoice that he has been able to interpret dreams.
This must have encouraged him on one hand because his own two dreams must have also seemed more accurate to him at that point. It's been 11 years at least, 12 years since he'd had those dreams and nothing but bad had unfolded in his life. You could forgive him if he'd wondered. Will God really do these things? Were these dreams really from God? Will those interpretations actually come to pass? But now, three days later, he discovers, "God, he has shown me what these dreams mean." Perhaps, it encouraged his own heart.
Secondly, this was the exact credentialing that Joseph needed to meet with Pharaoh. He needed the credential on his resume not of just, "Well, when I was young, I had these two dreams. I think I know what they meant." Well, if Pharaoh asked him, "Oh really? Well have you ascended to rule over your family? Are you superior to your brothers? What have you been doing the last decade?"
Well, actually, I've been in a prison. Before that, I was a slave. Pharaoh would look at him and say, "You know nothing about interpreting dreams." This was just the credential that Joseph needed, a track record, if you will, of dream interpretation. But, of course, it is astounding that this cupbearer immediately just forgets Joseph.
Though Joseph was forgotten by the cupbearer, he was not forgotten by God. Make no mistake. God is preparing this man. God is working in his life, and God wants to use Joseph in great ways, so he must prepare him in great ways. God was ordering his steps during this season.
Genesis 41 -- Joseph And Pharaoh
1 After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, 2 and behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump, and they fed in the reed grass. 3 And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. 4 And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive, plump cows. And Pharaoh awoke.
Now, let's go on to chapter 41, where we're going to really see God in total control, control of the Egyptian economy, the Egyptian military in a sense, the Egyptian farming community. Really, the world in that region we're going to see God in control. In the midst of God's sovereignty over this powerful nation, we're going to see Joseph, God's man, in the midst of it a sin and just continue doing what he's been doing.
In Potiphar's house, in the prison, he's going to continue serving faithfully as he worship the Lord with his work. It says in verse one of chapter 41, "After two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile. And behold, there came up out of the Nile seven cows, attractive and plump. They fed in the reed grass. And behold, seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. And the ugly, thin cows ate up the seven attractive plump cows, and Pharaoh awoke."
I would wake up with a dream like that also. It's just almost grotesque. I remember being a little boy growing up in a Christian home and reading this dream of Pharaohs. It sounds so gross and disgusting, these gaunt and feeble seven cows eating up these fat and robust cows. How could it be?
Now, the whole dream is steeped in Egyptian understanding of the world and that that region, the Nile River was in the dream. Cows standing in the river was in the dream which is what cows would often do in that region to get away from the heat of the day and to get away from the bugs and flies that were out there under the desert sun, and they would go refresh themselves and then come out from the water to graze, to pasture, to feed.
Dream
5 And he fell asleep and dreamed a second time. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. 6 And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. 7 And the thin ears swallowed up the seven plump, full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and behold, it was a dream. 8 So in the morning his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh.
That's exactly what Pharaoh saw. He saw these healthy cows being consumed by the weaker cows. It startled him and so he woke up. And verse five, he fell asleep and dreamed a second dream. And behold, seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing in one stalk. And behold, after them sprouted seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind. The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump full ears. And Pharaoh awoke. And behold, it was a dream.
In the morning, his spirit was troubled. He sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was none who could interpret them to Pharaoh. Now, these dreams from Pharaoh caused him as we see here great distress. He's worried. He's perplexed at the meaning of these dreams. Again, like the cupbearer and the baker, he understands this is of divine origin. These dreams must have significance. They must have a meaning.
He searches all throughout Egypt calling all of those dream interpreters that the baker and the cupbearer didn't have access to while they were in prison. He interrogates them, gives them the dream asks them to give the interpretation. And none of them were able to give the interpretation. These was, verse eight, no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh. This is setting up the story and the situation for Joseph himself.
Now, this is not the only time throughout scripture that God is going to do this kind of work. You might remember in the life of Daniel later on in the life of Israel when the people of Israel were brought into slavery in Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar had all sorts of dreams, and other rulers after him had all sorts of dreams that Daniel was involved in interpreting. The idea carried forward. They sought all of their astrologers. They sought all of their magicians, all of their sorcerers. And no one could give the dream or its interpretation. But Daniel could give the dream and the interpretation. Here, Joseph will not be required to state the dream, but Pharaoh will tell him, but he will give Joseph will the interpretation.
The Cupbearer Remembers Joseph
9 Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, “I remember my offenses today. 10 When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, 11 we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. 12 A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. 13 And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.”
All right. The stage is set. No one is found who could interpret the dream. Then, verse nine, the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, "I remember my offenses today. When Pharaoh was angry with his servants and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, we dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own interpretation. A young Hebrew was with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us giving an interpretation to each man according to his dream. And as he interpreted to us, so it came about. I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged."
Here at the right moment, the cupbearer remembers Joseph, remembers what Joseph had done for him two years earlier. Now, we're meant as we see this confession of the cupbearer to see beyond the cupbearer into the sovereign faithful hand of God. This was the right time for the cup-bearer to make this announcement. This was the moment that God was waiting for.
In fact, just imagine for a moment if immediately after being set free from his imprisonment that cupbearer had announced to Pharaoh that he'd had a dream and that one of the prisoners inside the prison had interpreted the dream and that the events had unfolded just precisely as he'd said. Maybe, Joseph would have been released from his imprisonment, but there's a chance that Pharaoh would have just considered it an odd coincidence or an interesting turn of events.
Maybe, he would have been released, and then after that perhaps, he would have been enlisted in Egypt's dream department becoming one with all of the others with their books and records of attempts at trying to interpret dreams. Maybe, two years later, when Pharaoh had his dreams, Joseph could have been one of a number of people who were working together falling back on all of their codes and their written histories trying to interpret Pharaoh's dreams.
He just wouldn't have stood out like he did on this particular day. This was the perfect moment, the right day for Joseph to be spoken of in Pharaoh's presence. The cupbearer does tells Pharaoh of what Joseph had done a couple of years earlier. He announces to him, "Look. He interpreted our dreams. We told him. He interpreted. He gave the interpretation to each man. And as he interpreted, so it came about."
Pharaoh Tells Joseph
14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they quickly brought him out of the pit. And when he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh.
Joseph is presented by this cupbearer as an expert in dream interpretation. Then, verse 14, Pharaoh sent and called Joseph. They quickly brought him out of the pit. When he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have had a dream. There is no one who can interpret it. I've heard it said of you that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it."
15 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 Joseph answered Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.”
Joseph answered Pharaoh, "It is not in me. God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." Don’t you love the humility from Joseph? Rather than say, "Yes, I do have the ability to interpret dreams. He deflected. He knew that this was a gift that God had given to him. He said, "It's not in me. This is not my ability. It's God who will give Pharaoh an answer." There's humility. Then there's faith. Humility says, "It's not in me." Faith says, "God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." [inaudible] God that we would operate in life with humility and also with faith.
17 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Behold, in my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile. 18 Seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. 19 Seven other cows came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. 20 And the thin, ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows, 21 but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had eaten them, for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then I awoke. 22 I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk, full and good. 23 Seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them, 24 and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. And I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me.”
Then, Pharaoh said to Joseph, verse 17, "Behold, in my dream, I was standing on the banks of the Nile seven cows, plump and attractive, came up out of the Nile and fed on the reed grass. Seven other cows came up after them poor and very ugly. This is the addition to the dream that Pharaoh puts in at this moment, his own commentary on what these cows were like, very ugly and thin, such as I had never seen in all the land of Egypt. The thin ugly cows ate up the first seven plump cows. But when they had eaten them, no one would have known that they had eaten them for they were still as ugly as at the beginning. Then, I awoke.
I also saw in my dream seven ears growing on one stalk full and good, seven ears withered, thin and blighted by the east wind sprouted after them. The thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. I told it to the magicians, but there was no one who could explain it to me." Basically, Pharaoh regurgitates the dream for Joseph's ears. I'm sure he's said this dream many times at this point, but this is the moment that we've all been waiting for and that Pharaoh needed to hear.
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 26 The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. 27 The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. 28 It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt, 30 but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land, 31 and the plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow, for it will be very severe.
Then, Joseph verse 25 said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years. The dreams are one. The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years and the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind are also seven years of famine. It is as I told Pharaoh, God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. There will come seven years of plenty throughout all the land of Egypt.
But after them, there will arise seven years of famine. And all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. Famine will consume the land, and plenty will be unknown in the land by reason of the famine that will follow. For it, the famine will be very severe. The doubling of Pharaoh's dream means that the thing is fixed by God and God will shortly bring it about."
Joseph Counsels Pharaoh
32 And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about.
Joseph, he nails it. He gives the interpretation of the dream. There will be seven years of plenty throughout the land followed by seven severe years of famine all throughout the land. Joseph gives his little commentary to this. Why was the dream told twice or in two different forms? Why was the doubling of the Pharaoh's dream present? Because the thing, according to Joseph, is fixed by God, he said in verse 32. God will shortly bring it about.
This is a fascinating phrase. All throughout Joseph's life, there is a doubling. He received two dreams. He received two imprisonments. He ministered to two dreamers in the prison, in the baker, and the cupbearer. Now, he's dealing with Pharaoh's two dreams. His interpretation or his belief is that the reason there are two is because the thing is fixed by God. As I've been saying throughout this study, it would have been unsurprising had Joseph come to the conclusion that God had not fixed those dreams that what God had said to Joseph so many years earlier would not surely come to pass.
But because he says to Pharaoh that it's fixed by God, he knows that for his own life, this means that he believes in his own life, that God's dreams will come to pass. Had he not believed that, he would have said to Pharaoh, "y experience in these things is 50/50." Sometimes, God does what he says he's going to do. Sometimes, he doesn't do what he says he's going to do, but instead, Joseph said, "No. It is fixed by God.
This shows us that he still believed, still trusted in the Lord despite the lack of external evidence. Look, there are times where you must believe that God is on the move in your marriage, in your business or ministry, or career in the lives of your children where you must believe it to be so even when the evidence does not exist.
You must still trust. You must still believe especially those impressions and visions that God has laid upon your heart in the foundational fabric of who you are. For me, God impressed upon my heart at a early stage in my life with him that he wanted me to communicate his word to his people. Sometimes, the work is tiresome. The progress is slow, and the effort is lonely.
33 Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. 35 And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. 36 That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”
But on the other hand, I have to believe that God has a purpose in what he has asked me to do. Joseph, he believed the Lord. He says, "The doubling of Pharaoh's dreams means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about." Now, therefore, verse 33, Pharaoh, he goes on and says, "Now, therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food and cities and let them keep it.
That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt so that the land may not perish through the famine. Now, this is fascinating because Joseph goes beyond now only interpreting the dream but now giving Pharaoh some advice on what to do as a result of the truth God has revealed through these dreams.
In the New Testament era, one of the gifts is the gift of knowledge, and another gift is the gift of wisdom. Sometimes, you know what's going to happen. But sometimes, you need to know what to do with that information. That's wisdom. Joseph had both at this point. The spirit of God showed him the what and the why. He showed him how to respond to the events that were surely going to unfold. He's not only warning Pharaoh. He's saying, "This is exactly what is going to happen, and this is what you should do."
Now, his advice was very simple and plain. He said during the years of plenty, you're going to receive so much you should take in one-fifth as a tax from the entire land. They're going to get so much. There will be plenty for them to give you one-fifth. So, take 20% for yourself and store it up because you are going to need it during the seven years of famine.
Now, Pharaoh likely already took a 10% tax from the people. Perhaps, they were adding another 20% on top of that or only another 10% on top of that, but Joseph's plan was wise. Take in. Save up for the day when things are dire.
Pharaoh's Decision
37 This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”
Now, this proposal, verse 37, pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find a man like this in whom is the spirit of God?" Then, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you are." Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt."
Now, here Joseph is presented and as the wise prophet, the figure who knows what's going to happen and what to do about it. Abraham was considered a prophet in the earlier parts of Genesis. Joseph here is presented as a prophetic wise man who knows what to do. He discerns the course of the future in these dreams that Pharaoh had.
Pharaoh just felt that Joseph was the man that was capable for the task at hand. The spirit of God was upon him or in him, and he could do the job. Centuries later, like I already mentioned earlier, Daniel had a similar response to the dreams that he interpreted. Often, he ascended to positions of great honor. I think the highest he got was the third most powerful man in the kingdom. But here, Joseph becomes the second most powerful man. "Only as regards the throne," Pharaoh said, "will I be greater than you are."
Joseph had been faithful with the little things and just imagine, toiling for his father, Jacob. Jacob must have been a hard man to work for even if he was your favorite. Joseph toiled in Potiphar's house. Joseph toiled in that prison. Here, God ascends, takes his man and causes him to ascend to the right hand of Pharaoh where now he will toil in a position that everyone knows about.
He was faithful in the small things, and so God blessed him with a big opportunity. Now, this is not Joseph, the overnight success. Some standing there might have thought that to themselves. Look at this guy. He was a prisoner at the beginning of the day. Now, he's the second most powerful man in Egypt at the end of the day, but we know better. We know it's been 13 years of God shaping, chiseling, working behind the scenes to prepare Joseph for this moment. What is God preparing you for?
What is God doing in you? How is God shaping and molding your character in your nature for that future thing that he's called you to do? You might not be the second most powerful person in the empire, but he's got a work for you to do tomorrow, so he's preparing you today.
42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. 43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Then, Pharaoh, verse 42, took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. He made him ride in his second chariot. They called out before him, "Bow the knee." Thus, he set him over all the land of Egypt.
Now, this is fascinating because I know Genesis is a big book and there's some big sections inside of it. You'd be forgiven if you forgot the beginning portions of the book, but let me remind you about Adam. Adam have been created by God to rule in a sense with God's authority over the creation to subdue it, to bring it into subjection, to be God's image here on earth.
Of course, Adam fell because of his desire to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His knowledge, his mind, his heart was corrupted, and death entered in. And chaos and tragedy began to unfold. Some have pointed out that Joseph is operating here as an anti-Adam as a this is what would have happened if Adam had done the right thing.
Here's Joseph, he is able to discern between good and evil. There's the good cows, the evil cows, the good ears of corn, the evil ears of corn. He's able to see what God is going to do, and he makes the right decision. Now, he is co-ruler, so to speak, not with God, but with who people thought was the God of that region Pharaoh himself.
The king, Pharaoh he gives a wife to Joseph. He makes everybody extol him, puts garments on him. His life is changed overnight. Moreover, verse 44, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh. And without your consent, no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnath-Paaneah. He gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On.
44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” 45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.
Joseph went out over the land of Egypt. Joseph is given the high honor of a wife, but not any wife an important woman because she's connected to. She's the daughter of a priest of a very significant city, the city of On which was later known as Heliopolis which was central in the worship of the false god, Ra, in that region. It's a very important city, a very important priest in that region. Joseph comes into that family.
Now, to signify that Joseph had this new status, Pharaoh changes his name to Zaphnath-Paaneah which many people think means God speaks and lives. That's exactly what had happened. Through Joseph's life, Pharaoh had experienced that God does speak. He communicates. He clarifies what is going to happen. Wouldn't that be a beautiful description of our lives for the world around us, people that we know and love to help them understand God speaks? God speaks. He's communicating. He's alive. He's given us his word this is what he is going to do with this planet. This is his purpose and plan for his kingdom.
The Fruit of the Land
46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. 47 During the seven plentiful years the earth produced abundantly, 48 and he gathered up all the food of these seven years, which occurred in the land of Egypt, and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. 49 And Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he ceased to measure it, for it could not be measured.
Joseph, it says in verse 45, went out over the land of Egypt. He began his work as the overseer of all the land, just observing what do we have here in this region? Joseph verse 46 was 30 years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went through all the land of Egypt. During the seven plentiful years, the earth produced abundantly. He gathered up all the food of these seven years which occurred in the land of Egypt and put the food in the cities. He put in every city the food from the fields around it. Joseph stored up grain and great abundance like the sand of the sea until he ceased to measure it for it could not be measured.
Joseph executes his plan basically for seven years of famine. He just is working so hard to store up this 20% tax upon the people. It tells us here that he was 30 years old when he ascended to that throne or that position in Egypt which, of course, reminds us of Jesus whom Luke's gospel tells us was about 30 years of age when he began his public ministry in Israel.
The Fruit of the Womb
50 Before the year of famine came, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, bore them to him. 51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” 52 The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Before the famine, the year of famine came, verse 50, two sons were born to Joseph. Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, bore them to him. Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh for he said, "God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house." The name of the second he called Ephraim, for God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.
Now, this is a beautiful thing that happens here. Joseph has these two boys. These boys are actually going to receive Joseph's inheritance in the tribal community, the land of Ephraim, the tribe of Manasseh. Jacob will actually live to see these two sons of Joseph, but their names are all telling. "Manasseh," he says, "I name him such because God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father's house."
Now, of course, in just naming your son that way, it indicates that Joseph had not really forgotten all his hardship and not really forgotten all of his father's house, but it was a way of saying, "Look. I went through all of that difficulty. I went through all of that pain. I went through all of that tragedy. Now, look what God has done. He's helped me to forget all that I endured in the past."
You see, as we go through life and trials and difficulties and pains, it's so easy to think that, in some way, our lives are unfair that in some way, these things just shouldn't be happening to me, but here's my encouragement to you. Say the name Manasseh. Let it be a reminder to you that a moment came in Joseph's life where he looked back on the pain, the tragedy, the hurt, the betrayal, the brokenness. He said, "God has helped me to forget all of that. Look at what he's doing in my life today. He took the things that were meant for evil, and he's done a good work."
At this point, Joseph didn't even know half of the story of what God was really up to. Again, Manasseh, God is helping me forget. Brothers and sisters one day, when you're in glory if you're a believer in Christ, there will be the moment where God literally helps you forget all the pain, where every tear will be wiped away because of the incredible glory that comes in Christ's full kingdom.
But he had a second son. His name was Ephraim. "Ephraim," he says, "I'll name him such because God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction." Joseph felt that God had made him into a fruitful man. He used his second son, Ephraim, as a reminder of the fruitfulness that God had given to him. Fruitfulness really is a theme in Joseph's life. Later on when Jacob and Joseph are reunited, Jacob will speak about all his sons. And of Joseph, he'll talk of him as a fruitful vine, a bough that is going over the wall, people eating from his branches.
Deuteronomy will further develop the idea that Joseph was a fruitful bough or a fruitful man. And the household of Joseph is thought of all through the Bible as a fruitful group or a fruitful people. Some of this even stems from the very beginning. Remember, Rachel when she complained to Jacob and said, "Give me children or I die," Jacob had said to her, "Who am I to give you that fruit?" Well, here Joseph now knows that he is a fruitful man unto God. God has done this in his life.
There is a little bit of truth here in the idea that when God helps you forget, he also makes you fruitful. You see. He's separated our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. As long as we wallow in shame, it's so hard to become fruitful, but when we forget what we've done in the past and move on in the grace that God has given to us, we can become fruitful for Jesus.
The Famine in the Land
53 The seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph had said. There was famine in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. 55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.”
Now, the seven years, verse 53, the seven years of plenty that occurred in the land of Egypt came to an end. And the seven years of famine began to come as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the lands, but in all the land of Egypt, there was bread. When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do."
56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
When the famine had spread all over the land, Joseph opened all the store houses and sold to the Egyptians for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt, to Joseph to buy grain because the famine was severe over all the earth.
This is not meant to indicate that every part of the entire globe, planet Earth, came to Joseph to buy food, but the world in that region. That region experienced a severe famine, and they came to Joseph to buy grain. They heard that there was grain in Egypt. We'll see more of this in the coming weeks as we follow out Joseph's life.
But it is interesting or good for us to conclude with the concept that Joseph was living out, the idea of storing up for the days of famine. It says in Proverbs 6 verse 9 that the ant is wise because they store up their food in the harvest. They gather when times are good so that when times are bad, they will be able to endure. This is just wise financial planning. Save, invest, give. These are great ways to prepare financially for the future.
But there it is, the scene is set. Joseph has ascended to that glorious position, but there's still a key component to the dream that has not been fulfilled. He had dreamed twice that he would be superior to his family and that they would bow down to him. That has yet to unfold. For that, we will require or he will require radical forgiveness and reconciliation. That's what we'll see in the passages to come. God bless you, church.
