(Gen 39:21) But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. {22} And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. {23} The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph's authority, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper."

 

We concluded:

Sometimes we suffer even when we do what is right, but if we stay with God, in the end, we will win.  He will give us the victory.

 “But the LORD was with Joseph:”  is a key thought.

 

In our  lesson tonight, we will study Genesis 40:  The Butler and the Baker have a dream:

(Gen 40 NKJV)  It came to pass after these things that the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt. {2} And Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief butler and the chief baker. {3} So he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison, the place where Joseph was confined.

 

That’s the basic beginning of the story.  How much did God influence the beginning of the story?  That we are not told.  One thing we know:  God will use this situation to bring about the release of Joseph, and even promote him in Egypt.  God can reach through prison walls to bring about His purpose.

 

(Gen 40:4) And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them; so they were in custody for a while.

 

“for a while:”  For how long we do not know, but long enough for them to get acquainted with Joseph.

(Gen 40:5} Then the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison, had a dream, both of them, each man's dream in one night and each man's dream with its own interpretation.

 

 

(Gen 40:6) And Joseph came in to them in the morning and looked at them, and saw that they were sad. {7} So he asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in the custody of his lord's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?" {8} And they said to him, "We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it." So Joseph said to them, "Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please."

 

(Gen 40:9) Then the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, "Behold, in my dream a vine was before me, {10} "and in the vine were three branches; it was as though it budded, its blossoms shot forth, and its clusters brought forth ripe grapes.

 

 

(Gen 40:11) "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."

 

 

(Gen 40:12) And Joseph said to him, "This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days. {13} "Now within three sdays 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.

 

 

(Gen 40:14) "But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; [the details:]  make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house.

 

 

(Gen 40:15) "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."

 

(Gen 40:15 NIV)  For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, . . ."

 

(Gen 40:15 NASB)  "For I was in fact kidnapped from the land of the Hebrews,

 

(Gen 40:16) When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, "I also was in my dream, and there were three white baskets on my head.   [He wasted no time getting into his dream.]

 

(Gen 40:17) "In the uppermost basket were all kinds of baked goods for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my head."

 

 

(Gen 40:18) So Joseph answered and said, "This is the interpretation of it: The three baskets are three days. {19} "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."

 

What a miserable three days, and then no pleasant end.  How do you sleep at night?

 

(Gen 40:20) Now it came to pass on the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast for all his servants; and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

 

 

(Gen 40:21) Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh's hand. {22} But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them.

 

 

(Gen 40:23) Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

 

(Gen 41:1-14 NKJV)  Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream; and behold, he stood by the river. {2} Suddenly there came up out of the river seven cows, fine looking and fat; and they fed in the meadow. {3} Then behold, seven other cows came up after them out of the river, ugly and gaunt, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the river. {4} And the ugly and gaunt cows ate up the seven fine looking and fat cows. So Pharaoh awoke.

 

 

(Gen 41:5) He slept and dreamed a second time; and suddenly seven heads of grain came up on one stalk, plump and good. {6} Then behold, seven thin heads, blighted by the east wind, sprang up after them. {7} And the seven thin heads devoured the seven plump and full heads. So Pharaoh awoke, and indeed, it was a dream.

 

(Gen 41:8) Now it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled, and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. And Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them for Pharaoh.

 

 

[And he never even got his name, or if he did, he forgot it:  All too typical of too many of us.]

 

(Gen 41:1 NKJV)  Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream;

 

“at the end of two full years,”  Why Lord?  Why did you wait so long?

 

(Psa 27:14 NKJV)  Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

 

 

 

Bible Study with Harley    Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.